Effective Reading Techniques

Improvement of Reading Rate

It is safe to say that almost anyone can double his speed of reading while maintaining equal or even higher comprehension. In other words, anyone can improve the speed with which he gets what he wants from his reading.

The average college student reads between 250 and 350 words per minute on fiction and non-technical materials. A "good" reading speed is around 500 to 700 words per minute, but some people can read a thousand words per minute or even faster on these materials. What makes the difference? There are three main factors involved in improving reading speed: (1) the desire to improve, (2) the willingness to try new techniques and (3) the motivation to practice.

Learning to read rapidly and well presupposes that you have the necessary vocabulary and comprehension skills. When you have advanced on the reading comprehension materials to a level at which you can understand college-level materials, you will be ready to speed reading practice in earnest.

The Role of Speed in the Reading Process

Understanding the role of speed in the reading process is essential. Research has shown a close relation between speed and understanding. For example, in checking progress charts of thousands of individuals taking reading training, it has been found in most cases that an increase in rate has been paralleled by an increase in comprehension, and that where rate has gone down, comprehension has also decreased. Although there is at present little statistical evidence, it seems that plodding word-by-word analysis (or word reading) inhibits understanding. There is some reason to believe that the factors producing slow reading are also involved in lowered comprehension. Most adults are able to increase their rate of reading considerably and rather quickly without lowering comprehension. These same individuals seldom show an increase in comprehension when they reduce their rate. In other cases, comprehension is actually better at higher rates of speed. Such results, of course, are heavily dependent upon the method used to gain the increased rate. Simply reading more rapidly without actual improvement in basic reading habits usually results in lowered comprehension.

Factors that Reduce Reading Rate

Some of the facts which reduce reading rate: (a) limited perceptual span i.e., word-by-word reading; (b) slow perceptual reaction time, i.e., slowness of recognition and response to the material; (c) vocalization, including the need to vocalize in order to achieve comprehension; (d) faulty eye movements, including inaccuracy in placement of the page, in return sweep, in rhythm and regularity of movement, etc.; (e) regression, both habitual and as associated with habits of concentration; (f) faulty habits of attention and concentration, beginning with simple inattention during the reading act and faulty processes of retention; (g) lack of practice in reading, due simply to the fact that the person has read very little and has limited reading interests so that very little reading is practiced in the daily or weekly schedule; (h) fear of losing comprehension, causing the person to suppress his rate deliberately in the firm belief that comprehension is improved if he spends more time on the individual words; (i) habitual slow reading, in which the person cannot read faster because he has always read slowly, (j) poor evaluation of which aspects are important and which are unimportant; and (k) the effort to remember everything rather than to remember selectively.

Since these conditions act also to reduce comprehension increasing the reading rate through eliminating them is likely to result in increased comprehension as well. This is an entirely different matter from simply speeding up the rate of reading without reference to the conditions responsible for the slow rate. In fact, simply speeding the rate especially through forced acceleration, may actually result, and often does, in making the real reading problem more severe. In addition, forced acceleration may even destroy confidence in ability to read. The obvious solution, then is to increase rate as a part of a total improvement of the whole reading process. This is a function of special training programs in reading.

Basic Conditions for Increased Reading Rate

A well planned program prepares for maximum increase in rate by establishing the necessary conditions. Four basic conditions include:

1. Have your eyes checked. Before embarking on a speed reading program, make sure that any correctable eye defects you may have are taken care of by checking with your eye doctor. Often, very slow reading is related to uncorrected eye defects.
2. Eliminate the habit of pronouncing words as you read. If you sound out words in your throat or whisper them, you can read slightly only as fast as you can read aloud. You should be able to read most materials at least two or three times faster silently than orally. If you are aware of sounding or "hearing" words as you read, try to concentrate on key words and meaningful ideas as you force yourself to read faster.
3. Avoid regressing (rereading). The average student reading at 250 words per minute regresses or rereads about 20 times per page. Rereading words and phrases is a habit which will slow your reading speed down to a snail's pace. Usually, it is unnecessary to reread words, for the ideas you want are explained and elaborated more fully in later contexts. Furthermore, the slowest reader usually regresses most frequently. Because he reads slowly, his mind has time to wander and his rereading reflects both his inability to concentrate and his lack of confidence in his comprehension skills.
4. Develop a wider eye-span. This will help you read more than one word at a glance. Since written material is less meaningful if read word by word, this will help you learn to read by phrases or thought units.

Rate Adjustment

Poor results are inevitable if the reader attempts to use the same rate indiscriminately for a-1 types of material and for all reading purposes. He must learn to adjust his rate to his purpose in reading and to the difficulty of the material he is reading. This ranges from a maximum rate on easy, familiar, interesting material or in reading to gather information on a particular point, to minimal rate on material which is unfamiliar in content and language structure or which must be thoroughly digested. The effective reader adjusts his rate; the ineffective reader uses the same rate for all types of material.

Rate adjustment may be overall adjustment to the article as a whole, or internal adjustment within the article. Overall adjustment establishes the basic rate at which the total article is read; internal adjustment involves the necessary variations in rate for each varied part of the material. As an analogy, you plan to take a 100-mile mountain trip. Since this will be a relatively hard drive with hills, curves, and a mountain pass, you decide to take three hours for the total trip, averaging about 35 miles an hour. This is your overall rate adjustment. However, in actual driving you may slow down to no more than 15 miles per hour on some curves and hills, while speeding up to 50 miles per hour or more on relatively straight and level sections. This is your internal rate adjustment. There is no set rate, therefore, which the good reader follows inflexibly in reading a particular selection, even though he has set himself an overall rate for the total job.

Overall rate adjustment should be based on your reading plan, your reading purpose, and the nature and difficulty of the material. The reading plan itself should specify the general rate to be used. This is based on the total "size up". It may be helpful to consider examples of how purpose can act to help determine the rate to be used. To understand information, skim or scan at a rapid rate. To determine value of material or to read for enjoyment, read rapidly or slowly according to you feeling. To read analytically, read at a moderate pace to permit interrelating ideas. The nature and difficulty of the material requires an adjustment in rate in conformity with your ability to handle that type of material. Obviously, level of difficulty is highly relative to the particular reader. While Einstein's theories may be extremely difficult to most laymen, they may be very simple and clear to a professor of physics. Hence, the layman and the physics professor must make a different rate adjustment in reading the same material. Generally, difficult material will entail a slower rate; simpler material will permit a faster rate.

Internal rate adjustment involves selecting differing rates for parts of a given article. In general, decrease speed when you find the following (1) unfamiliar terminology not clear in context. Try to understand it in context at that point; otherwise, read on and return to it later; (2) difficult sentence and paragraph structure; slow down enough to enable you to untangle them and get accurate context for the passage; (3) unfamiliar or abstract concepts. Look for applications or examples of you own as well as studying those of the writer. Take enough time to get them clearly in mind; (4) detailed, technical material. This includes complicated directions, statements of difficult principles, materials on which you have scant background; (5) material on which you want detailed retention. In general, increase speed when you meet the following: (a) simple material with few ideas which are new to you; move rapidly over the familiar ones; spend most of your time on the unfamiliar ideas; (b) unnecessary examples and illustrations. Since these are included to clarify ideas, move over them rapidly when they are not needed; (c) detailed explanation and idea elaboration which you do not need, (d) broad, generalized ideas and ideas which are restatements of previous ones. These can be readily grasped, even with scan techniques.

In keeping your reading attack flexible, adjust your rate sensitivity from article to article. It is equally important to adjust you rate within a given article. Practice these techniques until a flexible reading rate becomes second nature to you.

Summary

In summary, evidence has been cited which seems to indicate a need for and value of a rapid rate of reading, while at the same time indicating the dangers of speed in reading, as such. We have attempted to point out the relationship between rate of reading and extent of comprehension, as well as the necessity for adjustment of reading rate, along with whole reading attack, to the type of material and the purposes of the reader. Finally, the factors which reduce rate were surveyed as a basis for pointing out that increase in rate should come in conjunction with the elimination of these retarding aspects of the reading process and as a part of an overall reading training program where increase in rate is carefully prepared for in the training sequence.

Reading Strategies

Reading Efficiently by Reading Intelligently

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Get the most from your reading.

© iStockphoto/mammamaart

Whether they're project documents, trade journals, blogs, business books or ebooks, most of us read regularly as part of our jobs, and to develop our skills and knowledge.
But do you ever read what should be a useful document, yet fail to gain any helpful information from it? Or, do you have to re-read something several times to get a full understanding of the content?
In this article, we're looking at strategies that will help you read more effectively. These approaches will help you get the maximum benefit from your reading, with the minimum effort.

Think About What You Want to Know

Before you start reading anything, ask yourself why you're reading it. Are you reading with a purpose, or just for pleasure? What do you want to know after you've read it?
Once you know your purpose, you can examine the resource to see whether it's going to help you.
For example, with a book, an easy way of doing this is to look at the introduction and the chapter headings. The introduction should let you know who the book is intended for, and what it covers. Chapter headings will give you an overall view of the structure of the subject.
Ask yourself whether the resource meets your needs, and try to work out if it will give you the right amount of knowledge. If you think that the resource isn't ideal, don't waste time reading it.
Remember that this also applies to content that you subscribe to, such as journals or magazines, and web-based RSS and social media news feeds - don't be afraid to prune these resources if you are not getting value from some publishers.

Know How Deeply to Study the Material

Where you only need the shallowest knowledge of a subject, you can skim material. Here you read only chapter headings, introductions, and summaries.
If you need a moderate level of information on a subject, then you can scan the text. This is when you read the chapter introductions and summaries in detail. You can then speed read the contents of the chapters, picking out and understanding key words and concepts. (When looking at material in this way, it's often worth paying attention to diagrams and graphs.)
Only when you need full knowledge of a subject is it worth studying the text in detail. Here it's best to skim the material first to get an overview of the subject. This gives you an understanding of its structure, into which you can then fit the detail gained from a full reading of the material. (SQ3R is a good technique for getting a deep understanding of a text.)

Read Actively

When you're reading a document or book in detail, it helps if you practice "active reading" by highlighting and underlining key information, and taking notes (member-only article) as you progress. (Mind Maps are great for this). This emphasizes information in your mind, and helps you to review important points later.
Doing this also helps you keep your mind focused on the material, and stops you thinking about other things.

Tip:
If you're worried about damaging a book by marking it up, ask yourself how much your investment of time is worth. If the book is inexpensive, or if the benefit that you get from the book substantially exceeds its value, then don't worry too much about marking it. (Of course, only do this if it belongs to you!)

Know How to Study Different Types of Material

Different types of documents hold information in different places and in different ways, and they have different depths and breadths of coverage.
By understanding the layout of the material you're reading, you can extract the information you want efficiently.

Magazines and Newspapers

These tend to give a fragmented coverage of an area. They will typically only concentrate on the most interesting and glamorous parts of a topic - this helps them boost circulation! As such, they will often ignore less interesting information that may be essential to a full understanding of a subject, and they may include low value content to "pad out" advertising.
The most effective way of getting information from magazines is to scan the contents tables or indexes and turn directly to interesting articles. If you find an article useful, then cut it out and file it in a folder specifically covering that sort of information. In this way you will build up sets of related articles that may begin to explain the subject.
Newspapers tend to be arranged in sections. If you read a paper often, you can quickly learn which sections are useful, and which ones you can skip altogether.

Tip:
You can apply the same strategies to reading online versions of newspapers and magazines. However, you need to make sure that you don't get distracted by links to other, non-relevant material..

Reading Individual Articles

There are three main types of article in magazines and newspapers:

• News Articles - these are designed to explain the key points first, and then flesh these out with detail. So, the most important information is presented first, with information being less and less useful as the article progresses.
• Opinion Articles - these present a point of view. Here the most important information is contained in the introduction and the summary, with the middle of the article containing supporting arguments.
• Feature Articles - these are written to provide entertainment or background on a subject. Typically the most important information is in the body of the text.

If you know what you want from an article, and recognize its type, you can get information from it quickly and efficiently.

Tip 1:
Nowadays, you probably read many articles online. You can easily save links to these in a bookmark folder to reference later. Make sure that you title folders so that you can easily find the link again. For instance, you could have separate folders for project research, marketing, client prospects, trade information, and professional growth. Or, it might be helpful to title folders using the website or publication name.

Tip 2:
Remember that there are many online articles and electronic documents that weren't originally designed to be read on a screen. (This will also include documents that are emailed to you.) If you find it hard to read these on screen, print them out. This is especially important for long or detailed documents.

Make Your Own Table of Contents

When you're reading a document or book, it's easy to accept the writer's structure of thought. This means that you may not notice when important information has been left out, or that an irrelevant detail has been included.
An effective way to combat this is to make up your own table of contents before you start reading. Ask yourself what sections or topics you are expecting to see in this document, and what questions you want to have answered by the end of the text.
Although doing this before you start reading the document may sound like a strange strategy, it's useful, because it helps you spot holes in the author's argument. Writing out your own table of contents also helps you address your own questions, and think about what you're expecting to learn from the text.

Use Glossaries with Technical Documents

If you're reading large amounts of difficult technical material, it may be useful to use or compile a glossary. Keep this beside you as you read.
It's also useful to note down the key concepts in your own words, and refer to these when necessary.

Further Reading Tips

• The time when you read a document plays a role in how easy the reading will be, and how much information you'll retain.
• If you need to read a text that is tedious, or requires a great deal of concentration, it's best to tackle it when you have the most energy in the day. Our article, Is This a Morning Task?, (member-only article), helps you work out when this is, so that you can schedule your reading time accordingly.
• Where you read is also important. Reading at night, in bed, doesn't work for many people because it makes them sleepy (which means that you may not remember the information). Everyone is different, however, so read in a place that's comfortable, free of distractions, and that has good light - this is important even if you're reading from a screen.
• It can be helpful to review the information when you've finished reading. When you're done, write a paragraph that explains, in your own words, what you just learned. Often, putting pen to paper can help strengthen your recall of new information, so that you retain it more effectively.

Key Points

If you want to read more effectively, identify what you want to learn from each resource you read, and know how deeply you want to study the material. And, consider "active reading" by making notes and marking-up the material as you go along. It's also useful to know how to study different types of material.
Making your own table of contents before you read material, and using glossaries for technical resources, are other useful reading strategies.

Remember that it takes practice to develop your reading skills - the more you use these strategies, the more effective you'll become.

Reading Techniques

By Karl McDonald on August 23, 2012

One of the first things you learn about teaching is that there are different reading techniques and the students should be aware of which technique is most suited, depending on the reading task required by the text or by their teacher.
Training students to know their reading techniques and deduce when best to apply them is indeed important, especially under exam conditions when time constraints come into play and decisions need to be made depending on time availability and the importance of the task at hand.

The four main types of reading techniques are the following:

• Skimming
• Scanning
• Intensive
• Extensive

Skimming
Skimming is sometimes referred to as gist reading. Skimming may help in order to know what the text is about at its most basic level. You might typically do this with a magazine or newspaper and would help you mentally and quickly shortlist those articles which you might consider for a deeper read. You might typically skim to search for a name in a telephone directory.
You can reach a speed count of even 700 words per minute if you train yourself well in this particular method. Comprehension is of course very low and understanding of overall content very superficial.
Scanning
Picture yourself visiting a historical city, guide book in hand. You would most probably just scan the guide book to see which site you might want to visit. Scanning involves getting your eyes to quickly scuttle across sentence and is used to get just a simple piece of information. Interestingly, research has concluded that reading off a computer screen actually inhibits the pathways to effective scanning and thus, reading of paper is far more conducive to speedy comprehension of texts.
Something students sometimes do not give enough importance to is illustrations. These should be included in your scanning. Special attention to the introduction and the conclusion should also be paid.
Intensive Reading
You need to have your aims clear in mind when undertaking intensive reading. Remember this is going to be far more time consuming than scanning or skimming. If you need to list the chronology of events in a long passage, you will need to read it intensively. This type of reading has indeed beneficial to language learners as it helps them understand vocabulary by deducing the meaning of words in context. It moreover, helps with retention of information for long periods of time and knowledge resulting from intensive reading persists in your long term memory.
This is one reason why reading huge amounts of information just before an exam does not work very well. When students do this, they undertake neither type of reading process effectively, especially neglecting intensive reading. They may remember the answers in an exam but will likely forget everything soon afterwards.
Extensive reading
Extensive reading involves reading for pleasure. Because there is an element of enjoyment in extensive reading it is unlikely that students will undertake extensive reading of a text they do not like. It also requires a fluid decoding and assimilation of the text and content in front of you. If the text is difficult and you stop every few minutes to figure out what is being said or to look up new words in the dictionary, you are breaking your concentration and diverting your thoughts.
Is the ability to learn and assimilate information genetic?
It is not uncommon for people to associate intelligent or bright kids with their equally intelligent parents. Often children of parents exercising a profession appear to be more intelligent. However, it is important to note first and foremost, that academic intelligence is only one form of intelligence and even a university professor who scores high on academic intelligence, might be the most impractical person, finding it difficult to pragmatically solve problems to simple everyday tasks. The notion of intelligence is an extremely complex and diverse one and to pin it into just a single word means whipping out the multitude of connotations and meanings that it actually embodies.
Scientists have found no plausible relationship between our genes and our ability to learn or our intelligence. There is no genetic DNA test that can predict intelligence because intelligence is due to your environment. It is likely that children with parents who exercise a profession appear more intelligent because their parents directly or directly encourage it. Likely, it is also evident that parents who neglect their children and do not enforce their schooling commitments (doing their homework, study periods etc) will perform less well in school and appear “less intelligent”.  Again, it is evident why children who have had no opportunity for schooling might be considered anything but “intelligent”.
Karl McDonald is a free lance writer who enjoys writing about a variety of topics. Topics of special interest include genetic DNA tests, prenatal testing, statistical research and research methodology. The author regularly contributes informative and/or scientific articles to a number of blogs and info sites.

IELTS Reading Help

Overview

The Reading module lasts 60 minutes. The reading passages and the questions will be given to you on a Question Paper. You can write on the Question Paper, but you can't take it from the room.
You will write your answers on the Answer Sheet. Unlike the Listening module, you will have no time to transfer your answers. You will have only 60 minutes to read the passages, answer the questions, and mark your answers.
The Reading modules on the Academic and the General Training versions of the IELTS are different.

Reading Module: Academic Reading

Time	Tasks	Topics	Sources
60 minutes	Read three passages and answer 40 questions	General interest topics written for a general audience	Journals, magazines, books, newspapers

Reading Module: General Reading

Time	Tasks	Topics	Sources
60 minutes	Read three passages and answer 40 questions	Basic social English Training topics General interest	Notices, flyers, timetables, documents, newspaper articles, instructions, manuals

Question Types

There are many types of questions used in the Reading module. You should be familiar with these types.

Multiple-choice questions Short-answer questions Completing sentences Completing notes, summary, tables, flowcharts Labeling a diagram Choosing headings for paragraphs or sections of a text

Locating information Identifying points of view Identifying writer's claims Classifying information Matching lists or phrases

You will have a chance to practice the tasks of these different question types in Target 5.

Reading Tips

BEFORE YOU TAKE THE TEST

1. Read as much as you can in English.
2. Keep a notebook of the words you learn.
3. Try to write these words in a sentence and 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. Ron'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 spend more than 20 minutes on each passage.

IELTS READING SKILLS

In order to understand a reading passage, you need to understand the context of a passage. You need to have a clue about the topic. When you pick up a paper to read, you scan the headlines and choose an arti¬cle that interests you. The clues in the newspaper (headlines, graphics, photos) catch your eye and give you a context.
A passage on the IELTS is given to you; you did not choose to read it. There are few clues. You do not know what it is about. It may or may not interest you. Yet in order to understand it, you need some clues to help you understand the passage. Without the clues, you will not understand it very well. To score welt on the IELTS, you should determine what you know and what you need to know.
When you look at a passage, you must make some predictions about the passage.
What is the passage about? What is the main idea? Who are the characters? When are things taking place? Where is it happening? Why is it important?
You wanr to know who, what, when, where, and why.
In this section you will learn how the following can give you the answers to: Who? What? When? Where? and Why?
Using the first paragraph
Using the topic sentences Using specific details
Using the questions and answers

IELTS Reading - Target #1

Using the First Paragraph to Make Predictions

The first paragraphs of a passage can help you make predictions about the context of a passage.

The first paragraph often contains

the topic sentence (a summary of the main idea of the passage)
a definition of the topic
the author's opinion
clues to the organization of the passage

If you understand the first paragraph, you will understand the topic, the author's opinion (if any), and where to look for information within the passage.

Read this first paragraph of a passage on the illness, obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCR) is clinically diagnosed as an anxiety disorder. This disorder affects up to 4 percent of adults and children. People who suffer from this debilitat¬ing disorder have distressing and obsessive thoughts, which usually cause them to perform repetitive behaviors' such as counting silently or washing their hands. Though OCR suffer¬ers understand that their obsessions are unrealistic, they find it stressful to put these intru¬sive thoughts out of their minds. Those who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder develop strict behavioral' patterns that become extremely time-consuming and begin to interfere with daily routines. Many people with OCR delay seeking treatment because they are ashamed of their own thoughts and behavior.

Topic Sentence
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is clinically diagnosed as an anxiety disorder.

Definition of Topic
People who suffer from this debilitating disorder have distressing and obsessive thoughts, which usually cause them to perform repetitive behaviors.

Author's Opinion
None given.

Organizational Clues
The author may discuss

• Obsessive behavior,
• Stress of sufferers, and/or
• Treatment

	PRACTICE 1
	Read these introductory paragraphs to other passages. Make predictions about the topics using these first paragraphs.

1. The spread of wildfire is a natural phenomenon that occurs throughout the world and is especially common in forested areas of North America, Australia, and Europe. Locations that receive plenty of rainfall but also experience periods of intense heat or drought are particularly susceptible to wildfires. As plant matter dries out, it becomes brittle and highly flammable. In this way, many wildfires are seasonal, ignited by natural causes, most specifically lightning. However, human carelessness and vandalism also account for thousands of wildfires around the globe each year. To gain a clear understanding of how wildfires spread, it is necessary to analyze what it takes to both create and control these fires.

2. The term "bird brain" has long been a common means of expressing doubts about a person's intelligence. In reality, birds may actually be a great deal more intelligent than humans have given them credit for. For a long time, scientists considered birds to be of lesser intelligence because the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain that humans and other animals use for intelligence, is relatively small in size. Now scientists understand that birds actually use a different part of their brain, the hyperstriatum, for intelligence. Observations of different species of birds, both in the wild and in captivity, have shown a great deal of evidence of high levels of avian intelligence.

3. In 1834, a little girl was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts. She would grow up to become one of the richest women in the world. Per name was Petty Green, but she was known to many as the Witch of Wall Street.

Answer Key

1. Topic Sentence. The spread of wildfire is a natural phenomenon that occurs throughout the world and is especially common in forested areas of North America, Australia, and Europe.

Definition of Topic. Locations that receive plenty of rainfall but also experience periods of intense heat or drought are particularly susceptible to wildfires.

Author's Opinion. None given.

Organizational Clues. Author may discuss
• How wildfires start
• How to control wildfires
• Wildfires as a global problem

2. Topic Sentence. In reality, birds may actually be a great deaf more intelligent than humans have given them credit for.

Definition of Topic. For a tong time, scientists considered birds to be of lesser intelligence because the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain that humans and other animals use for intelligence, is relatively small in size.

Author's Opinion. None given.

Organizational Clues. Author may discuss
• Misunderstandings about the intelligence of birds . The anatomy of a bird's brain
• Evidence of avian intelligence

3. Topic Sentence. She would grow up to become one of the richest women in the world.

Definition of Topic. Per name was Petty Green, but she was known to many as the Witch of Wall Street. Author's Opinion. None given.

Organizational Clues. Author may discuss
• Petty Green's early years
• How Petty Green got rich
• Why Petty Green had a nickname

IELTS Reading - Target #2

Using the Topic Sentence to Make Predictions

Every paragraph has a key sentence called a topic sentence. This topic sentence explains what a paragraph about. It is the general idea of a paragraph. If you understand the general idea, you can look for the specific details which support the idea.

Read the second paragraph of the passage on OCR. The first sentence happens to be the topic sentence.

OCR sufferers experience worries that are both unreasonable and excessive and that act as a constant source of internal stress. Fear of dirt and contamination are very common obsessive thoughts. The obsession with orderliness and symmetry is also common. In other cases, persistent thoughts are centered on doubts, such as whether or not a door is locked or a stove is turned off. Impulses, such as the urge to swear in public or to pull a fire alarm, are other types of OCR symptoms. In order to be diagnosed with OCR, a sufferer must exhibit obsessions and/or compulsions that take up a considerable amount of time (at least one hour per day).

Topic Sentence
OCR sufferers experience worries that are both unreasonable and excessive and that act as a constant source of internal stress.

Questions to Ask Yourself

• What are unreasonable worries?
• What are excessive worries?

PRACTICE 2
	Read these paragraphs. Underline the topic sentence. Ask one or two questions about the Topic sentence.

1. To combat excessive thoughts and impulses, most OCR sufferers perform certain repetitive rituals that they believe will relieve their anxiety. These compulsions can be either mental or behavioral in nature. Common rituals include excessive checking, washing, counting, and praying. Over time, OCR sufferers attach strict rules to their compulsions. For example, a woman who is obsessed with cleanliness might wash her hands three times before having a meal in order to get the thought of the dirty dishes or silverware out of her mind. However, in many cases, the compulsions aren't related to the obsession at all. A man obsessed with the image of dead animals might count silently up to 500 or touch a specific chair over and over in order to block the images. Holding onto objects that would normally be discarded, such as newspapers and empty containers, is another common compulsion.

2. OCR symptoms generally begin between the age of 10 and 24 and continue indefinitely until a person seeks treatment. A child's upbringing does not seem to be part of the cause of the disorder, though stress can make the symptoms stronger. The underlying causes of OCR have been researched greatly and point to a number of different genetic factors. While studies show that OCR and its related anxiety disorders are often passed down through families, the specific symptoms for each family member are rarely the same. For example, a mother who is obsessed with order may have a son who can't stop thinking about a single word or number.

3. Research on OCR sufferers has found certain physiological trends. In particular, many studies show an overactivity of blood circulation in certain areas of the brain. As a result of this increase in blood flow, the serotoninergic system, which regulates emotions, is unable to function effectively. Studies have also shown that OCR sufferers have less serotonin than the average person. This type of abnormality is also observed in Tourette syndrome and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. People who developed tics as children are found to be more susceptible to OCR as well. Many reports of OCR point to infections that can trigger the disorder, namely streptococcal infections. It is believed that a case of childhood strep throat can elicit a response from the immune system that produces certain neuropsychlatric disorders, such as OCR.

Answer Key

1. Topic Sentence. To combat excessive thoughts and impulses, most OCR sufferers perform certain repet-itive rituals that they believe will relieve their anxiety.

Questions to Ask Yourself
• What types of rituals do they perform?
• How does this help them?

2. Topic Sentence. A child's. upbringing does not seem to be part of the cause of the disorder, though stress can make the symptoms stronger.

Questions to Ask Yourself
• the disorder present at birth?
• Are there outside factors involved?
• What leads parents to seek treatment?

3. Topic Sentence. Research on OCR sufferers has found certain physiological trends.

Questions to Ask Yourself
• What part of the body does it affect?
• What are some common trends?
• What can parents look for?

IELTS Reading - Target #3

Looking for Specific Details

When you read, you first want to know the general idea. Next you read for specific ideas. The author suplies specific details to support his or her ideas. Knowing where to look for these supporting statements will p you answer questions on the IELTS.

When you identified the topic sentences in Practice 2, you found the general idea of the paragraph. en you asked your questions about the topic sentence, you expected the specific details would be the answers.

Read the second paragraph of a passage. The specific details follow the topic sentence.

OCR sufferers experience worries that are both unreasonable and excessive and that act as a constant source of internal stress. Fear of dirt and contamination are very common obsessive thoughts. The obsession with orderliness and symmetry is also common. In other cases, persistent thoughts are centered on doubts, such as whether or not a door is locked or a stove is turned off. Impulses, such as the urge to swear in public or to pull a fire alarm, are other types of OCR symptoms. In order to be diagnosed with OCD, a sufferer must exhibit obsessions and/or compulsions that take up a considerable amount of time (at least one hour per day).

Topic Sentence
OCD sufferers experience worries that are both unreasonable and excessive and that act as a constant source of internal stress.

Questions to Ask Yourself

• What are unreasonable worries?
• What are excessive worries?

Supporting Details

• Fear of dirt and contamination
• The obsession with orderliness and symmetry
• Persistent doubts
• Impulses

	PRACTICE 3
	Read these paragraphs again. Pay attention to the topic sentence. Underline the details that support the topic sentence.

1. To combat excessive thoughts and impulses, most OCR sufferers perform certain repetitive rituals that they believe will relieve their anxiety. These compulsions can be either mental or behavioral in nature. Common rituals include excessive checking, washing, counting, and praying. Over time, OCR sufferers attach strict rules to their compulsions. For example, a woman who is obsessed with cleanliness might wash her hands three times before having a meal in order to get the thought of the dirty dishes or silverware out of her mind. However, in many cases, the compulsions aren't related to the obsession at all. A man obsessed with the image of dead animals might count silently up to 500 or touch a specific chair over and over in order to block the images. Holding onto objects that would normally be discarded, such as newspapers and empty containers, is another common compulsion.

2. OCR symptoms generally begin between the age of 10 and 24 and continue indefinitely until a person seeks treatment. A child's upbringing does not seem to be part of the cause of the disorder, though stress can make the symptoms stronger. The underlying causes of OCR have been researched greatly and point to a number of different genetic factors. While studies show that OCR and its related anxiety disorders are often passed down through families, the specific symptoms for each family member are rarely the same. For example, a mother who is obsessed with order may have a son who can't stop thinking about a single word or number.

3. Research on OCR sufferers has found certain physiological trends. In particular, many studies show an overactivity of blood circulation in certain areas of the brain. As a result of this increase in blood flow, the serotoninergic system, which regulates emotions, is unable to function effectively. Studies have also shown that OCR sufferers have less serotonin than the average person. This type of abnormality is also observed in Tourette syndrome and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. People who developed tics as children are found to be more susceptible to OCR as well. Many reports of OCR point to infections that can trigger the disorder, namely streptococcal infections. It is believed that a case of childhood strep throat can elicit a response from the immune system that produces certain neuropsychlatric disorders, such as OCR.

Answer Key

1. Supporting Details

• Compulsions can be mental or physical
• Examples include: checking, hand washing, disturbing images
• Compulsions and obsessions may or may not be related

2. Supporting Details

• Most cases are genetic
• Stress can add to the problem
• Many members of the family may have OCR

3. Supporting Details

• Over activity of blood in the brain
• Less serotonin
• Linked to other disorders such as Tourette Syndrome and ADHD

IELTS Reading - Target #4

Analyzing the Questions and Answers

You made predictions about the content based on the first paragraph, the topic sentences, and the specific tails. Now let's look at how the questions or statements in your Reading test booklet can help you narrow these predictions and choose the correct answer.

To help you answer the questions in your Reading test booklet, take a few seconds to look over the questions or statements. Sometimes the questions are before the passage; sometimes they come after the passage. Ask yourself: Who? What? When? Where? and Why? By looking for the answers to these general questions, you will discover what you know and what you need to know. When you read the passage, you can test the predictions you made.

As you look at the question or statement and answer options,. look for the key words. Key words may give you a clue to the context. They may help you predict what the passage is about. Look at these typical IELTS comprehension questions.

Questions 1-8
Complete the summary of the reading passage below.

Choose your answers from the box below and write them in boxes 1-8 on your answer sheet. There are more words than spaces so you will not use them all.

	checking       doctor       upbringing       inherited       reduce       cause       treatment       throw away       unreasonable obsession       control       compulsive       diagnosis       counting
	1 .......... thoughts, doubts, and fears that they cannot 2 .......... OCR sufferers develop certain ways of acting in order to 3 .......... their fears. For example, being afraid of dirt is a common 4 .........., which may lead to excessive hand washing. Or, an OCR sufferer who worries about a locked door may engage in excessive 5 .......... Some OCR sufferers keep things that other people would 6 .......... Research shows that OCR may be a disorder that is 7 .......... though members of the same family don't always show the same symptoms. It is also possible that certain infections may 8 .......... the disorder.

First identify the key words. (These with red background.) Then look for these words in the passage. You will know where to look because you have made predictions using topic sentences and specific details.
Notice the words close to the circled words in the passage. Do they help you complete the summary above?

	PRACTICE 4
	Identify the key words in these questions and circle them in the questions and in the reading passage on the next page. Notice the words close to the circled words in the passage. Do they help you complete the questoils below?

Questions 9-16
Do the following statements agree with the information in the reading passage?

In boxes 9-16 write

TRUE            if the statement is true according to the passage
FALSE          if the statement contradicts the passage
NOT GIVEN    if there is no information about this in the passage

9 OCR often results from the way a child is raised.

10 Stress can have an effect on OCR.

11 OCR sufferers are deficient in serotonin.

12 Obsessive-compulsive disorder usually begins after the age of 17.

13 Many OCR patients prefer psychotherapy to medication.

14 OCR is very difficult to treat.

15 Many OCR sufferers keep their problem a secret.

16 Antibiotics can be used to treat OCR.

You should spend 20 minutes on Questions 9-16, which are based on the reading passage below.

Obsessive-compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCR) is clinically diagnosed as an anxiety disorder and affects up to 4 percent of adults and children. People who suffer from this debilitating disorder have distressing and obsessive thoughts, which usually cause them to perform repetitive behaviors such as counting silently or washing their hands. Though OCR sufferers understand that their obsessions are unrealistic, they find it stressful to put these intrusive thoughts out of their minds. Those who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder develop strict behavioral patterns that become extremely time-consuming and begin to interfere with daily routines. Many people with OCR delay seeking treatment because they are ashamed of their own thoughts and behavior.

OCD sufferers experience worries that are both unreasonable and excessive and that act as a constant source of internal stress. Fear of dirt and contamination are very common obsessive thoughts. The obsession with orderliness and symmetry is also common. In other cases, persistent thoughts are centered on doubts, such as whether or not a door is locked or a stove is turned off. Impulses, such as the urge to swear in public or to pull a fire alarm, are other types of OCR symptoms. to order to be diagnosed with OCR, a sufferer must exhibit obsessions and/or compulsions that take up a considerable amount of time (at least one hour per day).

To combat excessive thoughts and impulses, most OCR sufferers perform certain repetitive rituals that they believe will relieve their anxiety. These compulsions can be either mental or behavioral in nature. Common rituals include excessive checking, washing, counting, and praying. Over time, OCR sufferers attach strict rules to their compulsions. For example, a woman who is obsessed with cleanliness might wash her hands three times before having a meal in order to get the thought of the dirty dishes or silverware out of her mind. However, in many cases, the compulsions aren't related to the obsession at all. A man obsessed with the image of dead animals might count silently up to 500 or touch a specific chair over and over in order to block the images. Holding onto objects that would normally be discarded, such as newspapers and empty con-tainers, is another common compulsion.

OCR symptoms generally begin between the age of 10 and 24 and continue indefinitely until a person seeks treatment. A child's upbringing does not seem to be part of the cause of the disorder, though stress can make the symptoms stronger. The underlying causes of OCR have been researched greatly and point to a number of different genetic factors. While studies show that OCR and its related anxiety disorders are often passed down through families, the specific symptoms for each family member are rarely the same. For example, a mother who is obsessed with order may have a son who can't stop thinking about a single word or number.

Research on OCR sufferers has found certain physiological trends. In particular, many studies show an overactivity of blood circulation in certain areas of the brain. As a result of this increase in blood flow, the serotoninergic system, which regulates emotions, is unable to function effectively. Studies have also shown that OCR sufferers have less serotonin than the average person. This type of abnormality is also observed in Tourette syndrome and Attention Reficit Hyperactive Disorder. People who developed tics as children are found to be more susceptible to OCR as well. Many reports of OCR point to infections that can trigger the disorder, namely streptococcal infections. It is believed that a case of childhood strep throat can elicit a response from the immune system that produces certain neuropsychiatric disorders, such as OCR.

Because OCR sufferers tend to be so secretive about their symptoms, they often put off treatment for many years. The average OCR sufferer waits about 17 years before receiving medical attention. As with many anxiety disorders, early diagnosis and proper medication can lessen many of the symptoms and allow people to live fairly normal lives. Most treatment plans for OCR involve a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Both cognitive and behavioral therapies are used to teach patients about their disorder and work through the anxiety. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors are prescribed to increase the brain's concentration of serotonin. This medication successfully reduces the symptoms in many OCR sufferers in a short amount of time. For cases when OCR is linked to streptococcal infection, antibiotic therapy is sometimes all that is needed.

Answer Key

Key Words in Statements 9-16: (Answers may vary.) child, stress, serotonin, age 17, psychotherapy, medication, treat, secret, antibiotics


2. unreasonable. Paragraph 1 states that, "OCR sufferers understand that their obsessions are unrealistic."

3. control. Paragraph 1 states that "they find it stressful to put these intrusive thoughts out of their minds.

4. reduce. The first sentence of paragraph 3 states: "To combat excessive thoughts and impulses, OCR sufferers perform certain repetitive rituals that they believe will relieve their anxiety."

5. obsession. Paragraph 2 states that "Fear of dirt and contamination are very common obsessive thoughts."

6. checking. Paragraph 3 states that "Common rituals include excessive checking."

7. throw away. The last sentence in paragraph 3 states that, "Holding onto objects that would normally discarded, such as newspapers and containers, is another common compulsion."

8. inherited. Paragraph 4 states that "a number of different genetic factors" have been found as underlying causes of the disease.

9. cause. Paragraph 5 gives an example of an illness (steep throat) that is thought to be the cause behind some OCR cases.


10. False. Paragraph 4 states: "A child's upbringing does not seem to be part of the cause of the disorder though stress can make the symptoms stronger. The underlying causes of OCR have been researched greatly, and point to a number of different genetic factors."

11. True. Paragraph 4 states: "A child's upbringing does not seem to be part of the cause of the disorder though stress can make the symptoms stronger."

12. True. Paragraph 5 states: "Studies have also shown that OCR sufferers have less seeotonin than average person."

13. False. Paragraph 4 states: "OCR symptoms generally begin between the age of 10 and 24 and continue indefinitely until a person seeks treatment."

14. Not Given. Paragraph 6 mentions both psychotherapy and medication but does not discuss which o patients prefer.

15. False. Paragraph 6 discusses different treatment options, and states that, "early diagnosis and pro medication can lessen many of the symptoms and allow people to live fairly normal lives."

16. True. Paragraph 6 begins with this sentence: "Because OCR sufferers tend to be so secretive a their symptoms, they often put off treatment foe many years."

17. True. The final sentence in Paragraph 6 indicates that antibiotics can be used in special cases of OCD "Foe cases when OCR is linked to streptococcal infection, antibiotic therapy is sometimes all that needed."

IELTS Reading - Target #5

Identifying the Tasks
There are many types of questions on the IELTS Reading Test. It is important to know what the question is asking you to do.
Question types:

Multiple-choice questions
Short-answer questions
Completing sentences
Completing notes, summary, tables, flowcharts
Labeling a diagram
Choosing headings for paragraphs or sections of a text
Choosing three or four answers from a list
Yes, No, True, False, or Not Given questions
Classifying information
Matching lists or phrases

The questions for the practice reading passages on the next page are labeled. Be familiar with the question types so you can quickly complete the task and answer the question correctly.

Answer Key

Topic Sentence. The South African province of KwaZulu-Natal, more commonly referred to as the ZuluKingdom, is named after the Zulu people who have inhabited the area since the late 1400s.

Questions to Ask Yourself
Who are the Zulu people?
What is the history behind this clan?
What are they known for?

Supporting Details
Large South African ethnic group
Region explored by Europeans
Zulu wear traditional jewelry/jewellry and clothing
Beadwork is important to the culture

Analyzing the Questions
1. Where?
2. Where?
3. Who?
4. Where?
5. When?
6. How many?
7. Who? Where? Key Words: British
8. What? Key Words: Henry Frances Flan
9. What? Key Words: precious stones
10. What? Why? Key Words: daily lives
11. What? Why? Key Words: gourds

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