The Reading Module – General Information
A. Introduction
This module focuses on the reading module of the IELTS exam, which is
the second of the four tests that make up the exam. In this section there
is basic information about the reading paper and advice on how to approach
it. We will also look here at the different ways in which we can read
a text and how this is important when taking the IELTS exam.
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B. Basic information on the reading module
The reading module consists of three reading passages (each of which
is progressively more difficult) with a combined total of up to 2,700
words. There are 40 questions. "This is a lot of text given the time
limit of one hour for this part of the exam, so it is important to prepare
carefully how to read each section," says Peter Norton, an IELTS
teacher from Japan. How we read depends to a large extent on the specific
tasks which the exam includes and will be looked at in much more detail
in specific sections of this module. Remember that no extra time is given
during the test to write answers onto the answer sheet so it is important
to do this as you are answering the questions so you don't run out of
time. "Candidates may also lose points for incorrect grammar and
spelling, so it is important to be careful," says Norton.
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C. Texts
The texts you will encounter in the reading module come from a wide variety
of sources, such as magazines, newspapers and journals and can be on a
wide range of topics. However, none of the texts require specialist knowledge
so you are never tested on your knowledge of a particular topic. "I
answered questions on topics like bridge building and mechanics," explains Yushi, who took the exam last year. "I don't know anything
about either of these topics, but it didn't matter." For the Academic
reading module, texts are chosen according to their suitability for candidates
wishing to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level.
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D. In the exam
Once in the exam it is very important that you manage your time well.
Although it is perhaps natural to start by reading the text in each part
of the exam, you will find that you manage your time much better by looking
at other information before embarking on a close reading of the text.
At this stage it is important to look at the title of the text. Next look
at any pictures and diagrams that are included and the headings (if any)
for each section of the text. Also, be sure to read the instructions for
the questions. These tell you exactly what to do and will also provide
information as to what the text contains. In general, approaching the
text in this way helps you to begin developing ideas as to the kind of
information the text contains and what you will need to find. This gives
you a reason for reading and helps you to structure your time spent on
each text more efficiently.
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E. How to read
There are a number of different ways to read a text, and how you read
depends on why you are reading. Generally speaking there are three key
ways in which you can read a text – skimming, scanning and reading
for detail.
Skimming involves reading quickly to find out how the text is
organised and get a general idea of what it's about. This gives you more
information about which sections of the text you will need to focus on
in more detail. Skimming is a useful technique to employ, for example,
with matching tasks.
Scanning is when you move the eye quickly over a text to find
specific information such as a date, a name or specific words. You scan
when you look for information about what's on in a specific cinema on
the cinema page of a newspaper or when you look for a phone number in
the telephone directory. Scanning can help you to locate the specific
part of a text where you need to look for an answer.
Reading for detail. While skimming and scanning help you to find
out more information about a text and to locate specific parts of the
text, certain tasks will then require a much closer reading of the text
in order to answer a more difficult question. Because reading for detail
takes longer, it would take far too long to read the complete text in
this way in the time allowed, so it's important that you combine these
different skills effectively. Having identified the part of the text you
are interested in, you read more closely and slowly.
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F. Fact or opinion?
In order to make sense of a text, it is also important to be able to
interpret information and to recognise and distinguish factual information
from opinions, whether they are the writer's opinions or other opinions
included in the text. "When we read in a foreign language, it isn't
always easy to separate facts and opinion," says Monica de Grow,
a teacher from the United States. "This is an important skill for
students to develop." Specific tasks in the reading module of the
exam test your ability to do this.
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G. How this module works
In the sections which follow you will practise the skills needed to tackle
the reading module. You will look at the range of task types included
in the reading module of the exam and there will be advice and tips about
how to approach them. You start in this section by looking at an example
of the different task types which you can find in the reading module of
the exam.
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