Reading tips

Дэрек Сандерс, преподаватель IELTS, советует:

«• Remember that reading each text in detail before answering the questions is a recipe for failure. After looking carefully at the title and accompanying pictures in order to make predictions about the content of the text, quickly go through the questions before SKIMMING the passage for gist and a general sense of how the text is organized. This strategy will save time when you SCAN for the sections of the passage which are relevant to the questions.

• While skimming, it is a good idea to underline proper nouns, e.g. names, countries, figures, and percentages and key phrases and words that you feel may be connected to the questions.»

British Council advises:

• «Leave a question if you can't answer. To spend a long time on one answer is disastrous. Go back later if you have time and guess if you have to.
• Don't panic if you don't know anything about the subject matter covered in the passage. All the answers are in the passage and you don't need any specialist knowledge.
• Remember you have no extra time to transfer your answers, many candidates think because they have extra time in listening they are able to do this in reading too. You can't.
• Before the exam, read as widely as possible (e.g. newspapers, magazines, journals). Don't limit yourself to one type of text and read articles with an academic style where possible.
• Look at the ways paragraphs are organized.
• Try and predict content of paragraphs from the opening sentence.
• Give every paragraph you read an imaginary heading.
• Don't concentrate on words you don't know. It wastes valuable time.
• Careless mistakes cost many marks. Copy the answer correctly if it is in the passage.
• Check spelling.
• Only give one answer if that is all that's needed.
• Be careful with singular/plural»

From http://www.britishcouncil.org

Официальный издатель материалов по подготовке к IELTS, BARRON’s советует:

«Before You Take the Test

1. Read as much you can in English.

2. Keep a notebook of the words you learn.

3. Try to write these words in a sentence. Try to put these sentences into a paragraph.

4. Learn words in context – not from a word list.

5. Know the types of questions found on the IELTS test.

6. Know the type of information sought on the IELTS test.

7. Know how to make predictions.

8. Know how to skim and scan, to look quickly for information.

During the Test.

1. Read the title and any headings first. Make predictions about the topic.

2. Look over the questions quickly. Make predictions about content and organization.

3. Read the passage at a normal speed. Don’t get stuck on parts you don’t understand.

4. When you answer the questions. Don’t spend too much time on the ones you don’t feel sure about. Make a guess and go on.

5. After you have answered all the questions, you can go back and check the ones you aren’t sure about.

6. Don’t spent more than 20 minutes on each passage»