Reading: Finding and Using Information
The Reading section moves from short, simple texts to longer ones. Typical task types are sentence-to-text matching, gap-filling a short text from a list of words, ordering sentences to build a paragraph, and reading a longer passage to match headings or answer detail questions. The skill being tested is locating information quickly and understanding how a text is organised, not translating every word.
What to master
- Skimming for gist. Read the first and last sentence of each paragraph to get the topic before hunting for detail.
- Scanning for keywords. Names, numbers, dates and capital letters are easy anchors.
- Cohesion. In ordering tasks, pronouns (it, they, this) and linking words (however, as a result, first) tell you what must come before or after.
- Paraphrase recognition. The correct answer usually restates the text in different words.
Traps to watch
- An option that copies exact words from the text but answers a different question.
- A sentence that is true in real life but not stated in the passage.
- Ordering errors caused by ignoring a pronoun that refers back to the previous sentence.
- Gap-fill options that fit grammatically but break the logic of the paragraph.
Rule of thumb
Underline the keyword in the question, find the matching place in the text, then read one sentence before and one after it. The answer almost always sits within that window.
Worked example
Question: Why did the club change its meeting time? The text says the old time clashed with a sports fixture. An option reading because members wanted a later start sounds plausible but is not stated; the option about a clash with another activity matches the text.