LAB ACTIVITY 7

READING SKILLS

Reading can help us become better writers and public speakers. By tailoring the way we read,
we can go a step ahead of the game and help you reach your goals. The reading process will
be enhanced and we will be able to attain our goal if we select the proper reading talent.
Intensive reading is the most commonly employed of the various reading skills. Here, we pay
close attention to every word and make sure we comprehend it completely. This strategy
would take us much longer to read, but we would have a far better understanding of the
content.

THEORETICAL ASPECTS:

DO’s:
1. Understanding is the Key
It is essential to remember that unless you understand what the passage is trying to convey, it
becomes really difficult to solve the questions and thus, your accuracy suffers.
2. Speed Beats the Odds
Especially in case of Reading Comprehension exams, where time is of the essence, a good
reading speed gives us an edge to score well in the exam.
3. Know When to Let Go
It is important not to tussle with questions within an RC passage and thus, not compromise
with the time in hand. Move on to the next question. We can always come back to it later if
time permits.
4. Read Avidly and from a Variety of Sources
RC passages can range from a variety of topics such as: Philosophy, Psychology, Economics,
Politics or even Science. We never know what might come our way. Hence, it is important
that candidates establish a level of comfort with all such genres by reading from multiple
sources. Newspapers, especially the editorials and the weekend specials are a good place to
start.
5. Practice to Win the Game
Nothing beats practice. The more the number of question we practice, the more comfortable
we get with the different question types, difficulty levels and thus, develop a better
understanding of how to tackle them.
6. Regularity beats Intensity
As an aspirant, it is imperative that we understand that being regular with reading and
practice is way more important than just practicing a lot of questions in a single go.
Regularity helps your brain to fall into a learning pattern and thus, helps you establish a
stronghold on a particular topic.

DON’Ts
1. Don’t Just Read; Understand
A major problem that all candidates face while solving RC questions is that they get confused
between 2 options. This happens because we read to understand only what the statements say;
whereas the RC question type in exam demands us to understand the writer’s/author’s
perspective as well (this is known as reading between the lines).
2. Don’t Compromise on Vocabulary
RC tests a candidate’s vocabulary both directly and indirectly. There might be difficult words
in the passage that may make it difficult for you to understand what is being talked about
(indirect testing of vocabulary). The passage may also consist of direct questions on
synonyms, antonyms or even contextual meanings (direct testing of vocabulary).. Hence,
reading from a variety of sources is a must.
3. Don’t Assume Anything
More often than not, we get carried away and tend to apply our assumptions of general world
scenarios into RC questions. This is by far the biggest mistake made in reading
comprehension questions. Remember, it is important to strictly stick to what is given in the
passage and assume NOTHING else; even if it is true in day today situations.
4. Don’t Tip the Balance of Speed vs Accuracy
It is essential to balance speed and accuracy to score well in any competitive exam. The best
way in which we can gauge this is via practicing multiple mock tests. Mock tests not only
condition you for the real time exam but also help you analyze your areas of strength and
weaknesses.

PRACTICAL ASPECTS:

Tips for solving comprehension passages:

 Read the passage thoroughly. The reading should be quick.

 Focus on the relevant details and underline them with a pen or a pencil.
 Read the questions carefully and go back to the passage to find the answers.
 The answers are generally in a logical sequence.
 Try to write the answer in your own words.
  To find answers to the vocabulary-based questions like synonyms etc., replace
the word with the meaning. If you find that it is the same in meaning, the
answer is correct.

To find the correct option in Multiple Choice Questions, go through all the options.
Re-read the passage and then tick the correct option.

Dolphins are regarded as the friendliest creatures in the sea and stories of them
helping drowning sailors have been common since Roman times. The more we learn
about dolphins, the more we realize that their society is more complex than people
previously imagined. They look after other dolphins when they are ill, care for
pregnant mothers and protect the weakest in the community, as we do. Some scientists
have suggested that dolphins have a language but it is much more probable that they
communicate with each other without needing words. Could any of these mammals be
more intelligent than man? Certainly the most common argument in favor of man's
superiority over them that we can kill them more easily than they can kill us is the
least satisfactory. On the contrary, the more we discover about these remarkable
creatures, the less we appear superior when we destroy them.

4. It is clear from the passage that dolphins ----.

A) don't want to be with us as much as we want to be with them

B) are proven to be less intelligent than once thought
C) have a reputation for being friendly to humans
D) are the most powerful creatures that live in the oceans
E) are capable of learning a language and communicating with humans

5. The fact that the writer of the passage thinks that we can kill dolphins more
easily than they can kill us ----.

A) means that they are better adapted to their environment than we are
B) shows that dolphins have a very sophisticated form of communication
C) proves that dolphins are not the most intelligent species at sea
D) does not mean that we are superior to them
E) proves that Dolphins have linguistic skills far beyond what we
        previously thought

6. One can infer from the reading that ----.

A) dolphins are quite abundant in some areas of the world

 B) communication is the most fascinating aspect of the dolphins
C) dolphins have skills that no other living creatures have such as the
        ability to think
D) it is not usual for dolphins to communicate with each other
E) dolphins have some social traits that are similar to those of humans

Answers:
4. C
5. D
6. E

LEARNING OUTCOME:

The session was interesting and very helpful in learning various aspects of a
Reading Skills.