Phần 13: Các kỹ năng đọc và dạng câu hỏi

Môn thi kỹ năng đọc học thuật trong kỳ thi IELTS yêu cầu khả năng đọc hiệu quả và chính xác. Do không có đủ thời gian để đọc tất cả các bài viết một cách sát sao nên bạn cần phát triển khả năng hiểu thông tin một cách nhanh nhạy.

{rokaccess guest} Đăng ký thành viên để xem nội dung chi tiết {/rokaccess} {rokaccess !guest}

1) Clip 1: Reading Skills and Question Types 

2) Clip 2: Vocabulary Exercise

3) Printable Documents

a) Notes for Study

IELTS Tip

Manage your time efficiently and effectively – if you can’t answer a question quickly, leave it and return to it before you go on to answer questions in the next reading section.

Use the strategies you have learnt for the different question types to help you answer more quickly.

READING SKILLS AND QUESTION TYPES

The IELTS Academic Reading Test requires efficient and accurate reading of three separate texts of approximately 700 to 900 words each. The topics are drawn from current and global issues in society and the texts based on magazine, journal or newspaper articles. The three texts become progressively more difficult.

Text difficulty is determined by

• vocabulary

• length of paragraphs and

• language complexity

Each of the three sections of the test has 12-14 questions for a total of 40 questions that have to be answered in 60 minutes. So, on average, that is 1.5 minutes per question. There is not enough time to read three lengthy texts closely, so it is important to have good reading skills. These skills will be the tools which can help you manage your time more efficiently and help you find your answers in the reading passages a lot quicker.

Question Types

There is a variety of question types used in the Reading module, which you need to become familiar with.

• matching paragraphs with headings

• multiple choice

• short answer

• summary completion

• sentence completion

• true, false, not given/yes, no, not given (no information)

• matching lists/phrases

• classification

• table/flow chart completion

• labelling a diagram

These question types test a variety of reading comprehension skills including:

• scanning

• skimming

• previewing

• identifying main ideas

• understanding the relationship between words (synonyms, opposites, linking words)

---

Question Types, Strategies and Skills

Question Type: Matching Paragraphs with Headings

Matching paragraphs with headings is another question type used in the reading test.

The purpose of this question type is to test the following range of reading comprehension skills:

Matching Paragraphs with Headings
Skills	Explanation
skimming paragraphs for a general understanding	Skimming means reading very quickly to get a general sense of what the paragraph is about.
differentiating between main ideas and examples	Focus on the general idea and disregard any details in the paragraph such as examples.
understanding the relationship between words and phrases	Recognising synonyms, paraphrases and linking words help to more readily match relevant information with a heading.
identifying the topic or main idea in the paragraph	The heading is a paraphrase of the topic or main idea in the paragraph.

 

Because time is of the essence, it is important to use strategies so that you can answer the questions as quickly and accurately as possible. Here are some strategies for answering this question type.

Matching Paragraphs with Headings
Strategies	Explanation
read the list of headings and highlight the key words	Familiarising yourself with the headings and key words gives you an idea what to look out for.
note any similarities in the headings	Some headings may be similar so check how they differ.
skim the paragraph to find the topic sentence or topic idea	Topic sentences can be the first, second or last sentence in the paragraph. Be prepared that there may not be a topic sentence. You will then need to look for ideas that are repeated or related.
think about synonym for or paraphrasing the topic sentence or topic idea	This helps to match the main idea in the paragraph with a possible heading.
choose the heading	Choose the heading which best summarises the general idea of the paragraph.

 

Question Type: Short Answers

This question type tests your ability to locate specific details or a particular piece of information in the reading text. The answers are in the order of the passage.

There are two kinds of short answer question.

• answering a Wh-question

Wh-question	Specific information
who?	person
what?	thing
where?	place
which?	thing
when?	time
Why?	reason
how?	way, manner
how much? how many?	quantity, amount

 

• listing up to 3 things, e.g. names, names of objects, places and other things

Here are the skills tested and strategies to use in order to answer this question type quickly and accurately.

Short Answer Questions
Skills	Explanation
scanning for specific details	Scanning means reading very quickly focusing on key words to find a specific piece of information that answers a particular question.
understanding the relationship between words and phrases	Recognising synonyms/paraphrases helps to match the relevant information.
following instructions	Use the correct number of words and/or number allowed for the question. If instructions are not followed accurately your answer will be marked wrong even though the information is correct.

 

Short Answer Questions
Strategies	Explanation
highlight the wh-word and key words in each question	This helps to focus on the specific piece of information you need to look for.
scan the reading passage until you locate the same or similar information as in the question	Finding synonyms or paraphrases of the same information helps you to locate the area you need to read for your answer.
check instructions to see how many words and/or numbers you can write	You can easily loose marks by not following instructions.

 

---

b) Learning Activities

Practise and consolidate your learning by completing our activities. Both activities refer to Reading Passage 1 which you will find on page 3.

The answers for all activities are on the last page.

ACTIVITY 1

Use the skills and strategies for matching paragraphs with headings to answer questions 1-6 below which are based on Reading Passage 1 Childhood Obesity: On Being Overweight and Obese. (Questions 1-6 in Activity 1 and 7-12 in Activity 2 together form a set of questions for one reading section. There are three sections in the real IELTS Reading Test. You should spend about 20 minutes on each.)

Reading Passage 1 (which you will find on page 3) has six paragraphs A-F.

Choose the correct heading for paragraphs A-F from the list of headings below.

Write the correct number i-x in boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet.

List of Headings i. Initial short-term consequences ii. Statistical data on obesity iii. Developing healthy eating habits iv. Grim prospects for obese children v. Findings yield concerns about childhood obesity vi. Professional health care support leads to success vii. Introduction to a regime of physical activity viii. Treatment for obesity ix. Causes and effects of gaining excess weight x. Risks associated with obesity

 

1 Paragraph A          _________                4 Paragraph D          __________

2 Paragraph B          _________                5 Paragraph E          __________

3 Paragraph C          _________                6 Paragraph F          __________

 

ACTIVITY 2

Use the skills and strategies for short answer questions to answer questions 7-12 below which are based on Reading Passage 1 Childhood Obesity: On Being Overweight and Obese. (Questions 1-6 in Activity 1 and 7-12 in Activity 2 together form a set of questions for a reading section. There are three sections in the real IELTS Reading Test. You should spend about 20 minutes on each.)

Questions 7-10

Answer the questions below using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage (which you will find on page 3) for each.

7. In what form is excessive energy stored as?

 

8. Who are obese children frequently bullied or teased by?

 

9. Which organisation was involved in finding a treatment for obesity in children?

 

10. What is the recommended amount of physical activity for children per day?

 

Questions 11-12

Using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each, name TWO types of technological activities that cause obesity in children.

Write the types next to 11 and 12 on your answer sheet.

11. ___________________________________________

 

12. ___________________________________________

---

READING PASSAGE 1

Childhood Obesity ______________________________ On Being Overweight and Obese A. There can be no doubt that our children are gaining weight at an alarming rate. In a study conducted by the National Institute of Childhood Health in the 1990s, one quarter of Australian children was found to be in the overweight or obese weight ranges. Over a decade later, that number has nearly doubled. For children in the overweight category, it has nearly doubled to 43.7% and more than tripled from1.3 to 3.3% for obese children. Researchers are estimating that by the year 2020 the percentages will reach epidemic proportions – 55% overweight and 10% obese – if the necessary health and lifestyle adjustments are not made. The issue is that parents are just not heeding the advice of experts, and this is a major concern for health authorities.   B. It is a well-known fact that children who are physically inactive are at greater risk of becoming obese. With the increase in sedentary activities such as playing computer games or watching television, children are not expending enough energy, therefore leaving excess energy to be stored as body fat. But technological activities are not the only threat. The kinds of food choice aggressively marketed towards working families have lead to a higher consumption of processed and take-away foods which are often high in calories, especially fat and sugar, but low in nutrition. Convenience, ease of preparation and the preferences of demanding children tend to outweigh the benefits of more healthy food choices including fresh fruits and vegetables, for timestrapped parents who are struggling to cope with the demands of work and their responsibilities to the family.   C. The challenges of modern life though cannot justify the serious consequences for children’s health and well-being in both the long and short terms. Research has shown there is a strong link between childhood obesity and obesity in adulthood that results in debilitating or life-threatening conditions. These include cardiovascular disease and respiratory illnesses such as asthma or even type-2 diabetes. The findings from a recent study published in the Journal of International Studies on Childhood Obesity show that the chances of premature death in adulthood are greatly increased because of obesity during childhood.   D. The short-term effects of obesity on children can be equally devastating. These effects are usually the first consequences to be experienced and fall under the category of adverse emotional and social problems. It has been well-documented by researchers and confirmed by parents and teachers alike that obese children have low self-esteem and poor body image. As a result they easily suffer at the hands of their peers who often bully, harass or tease them. Retreating into themselves, they become socially isolated and depressed. If left untreated, the prospects for these children become grim.   E. There is, fortunately, widespread agreement throughout the medical community on the treatment for obesity in children. Though prevention is always better than cure, the Childhood Health Association has developed an effective program, which combines two treatments: the development of healthy eating patterns and the maintenance of an active lifestyle. Treatment begins in the home. Children are encouraged to eat a variety of foods from the main food groups including fruit and vegetables, dairy, protein, carbohydrates and fats, but only appropriate amounts from each of the groups. For example, consumption of foods high in saturated fats and sugar, which are energy dense and usually found in children’s snacks, has to be carefully monitored and restricted. Parents are advised to help change their children’s behaviour and choose more nutritional foods, especially for snacks. F. The second part of the treatment is becoming active and enjoying physical activity, which needs to occur in tandem with developing good eating habits. It is important that exercise be fun for a child if the program is to succeed. Treatment usually begins with low intensity exercise walking to and from school, and walking or playing with the dog after school. Building up to a moderate level of exercise the child should be encouraged to play sport with their friends and family. Where the family is active together, the chances of success are better. The goal is for the child to be physically active for a minimum of 60 minutes a day and restrict sedentary home activities to a maximum of two hours a day. This program offers ongoing support of health professionals for both parents and children, which has been shown to increase the chances of success.

 

ACTIVITY 1 ANSWERS

1 Paragraph A          v

2 Paragraph B          ix

3 Paragraph C          x

4 Paragraph D          i

5 Paragraph E          iii

6 Paragraph F          vii

 

ACTIVITY 2 ANSWERS

7. body fat

8. their peers

9. Childhood Health Association

10. minimum 60 minutes

11. playing computer games (MUST have the word games)

12. watching television

 

---

c) Transcript

Hello, and welcome to Study English, IELTS Preparation. I'm Margot Politis.

In the IELTS Reading Test you have to answer 40 questions in 60 minutes – almost 1 question every minute. There are 3 separate pieces of writing of about 900 words each. There is not enough time to read the texts closely so you need to develop the ability to find information quickly.

This is a skill you'll use all the time in your studies.

Let's trace how you might find English language TV programs [online]. Because they are on Australia Network, you start at their homepage. You look around the page for the word 'English'. There's Learning English … click on that. Now you have a number of choices – you can either read the summaries as they flick past, or you can go to each program's site. Let's go to Passport to English. What's it about? Here's the heading – About Passport to English, so this is the paragraph to read. Notice that you only glance at the rest of the page when you are looking for specific information in this way.

Moving your eyes quickly over a page like this is called scanning. The ability to do this with a page of text is part of what's assessed in the Reading Test. Let's look at a typical reading passage: [note this passage can also be found on page 3 of the downloadable Activity Sheet for this episode].

It's best to start by reading the title and sub-title of the text and look for any pictures or italicised words. This will tell you what the text is about.

Childhood Obesity is the title and On Being Overweight and Obese is the subtitle.

What do you already know about the topic?

If you've been keeping up-to-date with current affairs you would have heard that some children are putting on weight at an alarming rate and this is affecting their health. Parents and health authorities are worried.

At this point you know what to expect – you have previewed the text.

So it's a good idea to keep up with the news because current issues are often topics for the Reading Test.

The next thing you need to do is quickly look through the questions for the passage.

There are different kinds, but first we'll look at a multiple choice question.

According to information in the text, childhood obesity can cause:

A. early death in children based on a recent study.

B. breathing problems and diabetes later in life.

C. an impaired immune system

The question says 'According to information in the text'. This means you must scan the text to find out the correct answer. You can't rely on your general knowledge.

The key words in the question are 'childhood obesity' and 'can cause'. The word 'cause' alerts you that the text will be discussing effects of childhood obesity.

'Can cause' means likely to happen, so you need to look for any effects mentioned in the text as a possible result of childhood obesity

You need to look out for phrases that match what the question is asking such as 'results in', 'shows that', 'causes' or 'leads to'

Let's look at the question again:

According to information in the text, childhood obesity can cause:

A. early death in children based on a recent study.

B. breathing problems and diabetes later in life.

C. an impaired immune system

Let's look at the first option – A. early death in children based on a recent study.

The key words are 'early death', 'children' and 'recent study'.

Now you need to scan the text for these words or words with the same meaning.

Quickly scanning the first paragraph, you can see no relevant information – it's not talking about effects.

The next paragraph is relevant – 'recent study', 'show that' and 'death'. Let's read the sentence.

"The findings from a recent study published in the Journal of International Studies on Childhood Obesity show that the chances of premature death in adulthood are greatly increased because of obesity during childhood."

Death in adulthood, not in children. So we can rule out A as the answer.

Let's check C – can obesity cause an impaired immune system?

There's nothing written about the immune system here – but there is a list of diseases and the phrase you're looking for – 'results in'.

"Research has shown there is a strong link between childhood obesity and obesity in adulthood that results in debilitating or life-threatening conditions. These include cardiovascular disease, respiratory illnesses such as asthma or even type-2 diabetes."

---

So it says diabetes is an effect. What about breathing problems? 'Respiratory illnesses' – they're breathing problems.

So 'B' is the correct answer.

Questions in the Reading Test can be about cause and effect relationships, so you must be able to quickly recognise the words that are markers for this information and how the sentences are structured. Let's look closely at the correct answer and the relevant sentence from the passage.

The answer is: Childhood obesity can cause breathing problems and diabetes later in life. The words 'can cause' mark this as a cause/effect relationship. The cause is childhood obesity.

You can also see childhood obesity in the first sentence from the passage. Even though it says 'childhood obesity and obesity in adulthood', it still includes childhood obesity as a cause.

The important synonym for 'can cause' is 'results in'. Another phrase with this meaning that could have been used here is 'leads to'.

So we have the cause – childhood obesity and the cause marker – 'leads to' or 'results in'. Where's the effect? In the answer the effect is 'breathing problems and diabetes'.

Again you need to look for synonyms. There's a list of effects – cardiovascular disease, respiratory illnesses such as asthma and type-2 diabetes.

Diabetes is a clear match and, as we said earlier, respiratory illnesses includes breathing problems.

It doesn't matter that the text includes other effects as long as the two in the answer are included.

Let's look at another type of question.

There is a short answer question that requires you to answer using no more than 3 words.

Let's try one.

Based on recent findings, what can greatly increase as a result of obesity in early childhood?

The 2 or 3 word answer is in the text. The key words that would help you locate it are 'recent findings', 'greatly increase', 'as a result of' and 'early childhood'.

We've already skimmed the text, so we know that we won't find this answer in the first paragraph.

So we check the last paragraph again – there – findings from a recent study. The sentence reads:

"The findings from a recent study published in the Journal of International Studies on Childhood Obesity show that the chances of premature death in adulthood are greatly increased because of obesity during childhood."

The question is:

Based on recent findings, what can greatly increase as a result of obesity in early childhood?

The answer is premature death.

Remember that you can't answer with any more than 3 words, so you can't write for instance 'chances of premature death', even though this is true.

For the Reading Section of the IELTS Test you need to practise skills and question types. There will not be enough time to read all the passages carefully, so you need to develop the skill of scanning for key phrases.

But when you go to our website, take the time to read carefully and you should find yourself better prepared for the challenge of the IELTS Test. The address is: australianetwork.com/studyenglish.

Good luck with you studies.

See you next time.

 

(Nguồn UTS: Insearch and Australia Network)

{/rokaccess}