Topic 2

Reading Skills
Skim and Scan Text

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 skimming
SKIMMING TEXT
A reading technique to help you read
more quickly and decide whether you
should read it in more detail.
TIPS:
● Don’t read the whole text word for word.
● Use as many clues as possible to give you
some background information.
● Let your eyes skim over the surface of the
text and look out for key words while
thinking about any clues you’ve found
about the subject.
 SCANNING
SCANNING TEXT
You scan a text to obtain specific
information e.g. to find a particular
number in a directory.
TIPS:
● Don’t try to read every word. Instead let
your eyes move quickly across the page
until you find what you’re looking for.
● Use clues on the page, such as headings
and titles, to help you.
● You don’t need to read or understand
every word.
 ACTIVITY 1
Skim-read the text below. Then write one sentence saying what it is about. Do not
look back at the text, but use your own words.

If you're in your thirties or forties and still going back to the family home for every
big family celebration, any problems that have developed with your parents over
the years are likely to be mentioned. You can easily end up remembering childhood
problems and start behaving like an angry child, but you should try to resist this.
Parents, meanwhile, should remember that they are no longer in charge of their
children's lives. Parents need to enjoy their children for who they are now, as adults,
rather than behaving like they did when they had more control over them.
 2. CONTENT &
STRUCTURE
PARAGRAPH A
Almost half of all grandparents lose
all contact with their grandchildren
after a separation or divorce,
according to a new report. It found
that forty-two per cent never see
their grandchildren again after the
break-up. Even more - sixty-seven
per cent - are prevented from
providing any sort of childcare or
taking their grandchildren on outings,
even when they had done so
regularly in the past.
1. Which sentence is the topic
sentence, the one that
summarises the main idea(s]
in the paragraph?
2. Does the paragraph as a
whole become more specific
or more general?
3. The second sentence
mentions 'the break-up·.
What does this refer to, and
why is 'the' used, and not 'a'?
 2. CONTENT &
STRUCTURE
PARAGRAPH B 1. The paragraph says 'The
value of grandparents to
The value of grandparents to children
should not be underestimated. The children should not be
report shows the need for the underestimated". Is this the
government to address the importance
of grandparents in future policy and same as saying that the
legislation. It also demonstrates the value of grandparents to
need to amend the Children Act 1989 to
remove the obstacle that requires the
children is very important?
biological family to ask permission prior 2. Which sentence expresses a
to making an application to the court
for contact. Especially when a family is
similar idea to the first
going through difficulties, it is important sentence, but with more
that the children can turn to someone detail?
who is not directly involved and is calm
and relaxed, and that person is often a 3. Which sentence is the topic
grandparent. sentence?
 2. CONTENT &
STRUCTURE
PARAGRAPH C
To have a society that is family-friendly,
anti-discrimination laws will need to be
introduced. Parenting would become a
school subject, staircases would be
rebuilt so that buggies and prams could
access any building and advertising for
sweets and non-educational toys would
be forbidden. Companies would be
forced to only employ people who can
travel to work in less than forty minutes
and there would also be a thirty-five-
hour working week and more holidays.
In a world like this, there would be less
divorce and crime, but we would be
earning and producing less.
1. Identify the introduction, the
main body, and the
conclusion of this paragraph.
2. Which of these three parts
gives you the most
important information?
3. The first sentence mentions
a society that is 'family-
friendly'. You may know
words like environmentally
friendly', 'child-friendly' and
·eco-friendly'. What does
'friendly' mean in this
context?
Which paragraph a-c...
States cause and effect?

Develops an argument?

Gives information/a
description?