Module 6 · Lesson 2 of 7
Skimming and scanning
Learn when to skim and when to scan, how to find answers fast even when the passage uses different words, and practise both on an original passage.
In this lesson
- Explain the difference between skimming, scanning and careful reading, and when to use each
- Skim a passage in about two minutes and note the main idea of each paragraph
- Choose the best word or number to scan for, and recognise it when the passage paraphrases it
- Follow a routine that finds, checks and answers a question without reading every word
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Inside this lesson
- Three ways of reading, three different jobs
- Why reading every word runs out of time
- Skimming for gist: a two-minute method
- Scanning for names, numbers and key words
- Scanning for paraphrases
- Worked example: from question to answer
- Practise: skim in two minutes, then scan
- Putting it together in the exam
- How to get faster before test day