IELTS
Reading Webinar
By Marcus Campbell, Windsor School of English, Moscow
What have you read today?
What have you read today?
• For pleasure
What have you read today?
• For pleasure
• For work
What have you read today?
• For pleasure
• For work
• For need
What have you read today?
• For pleasure
• For work
• For need
• We use different reading skills for different
situations. The IELTS exam tests your ability to
use all of these skills
The different reading skills
The different reading skills
• Skimming – Reading quickly to understand the
general idea of the article.
The different reading skills
• Skimming – Reading quickly to understand the
general idea of the article.
• Scanning – Looking for specific information. A
name, a place or a number.
The different reading skills
• Skimming – Reading quickly to understand the
general idea of the article.
• Scanning – Looking for specific information. A
name, a place or a number.
• Reading for detail – looking ‘between the lines’,
understanding the writer’s opinion
The different reading skills
• Skimming – Reading quickly to understand the
general idea of the article.
• Scanning – Looking for specific information. A
name, a place or a number.
• Reading for detail – looking ‘between the lines’,
understanding the writer’s opinion
What type of reading do you need to do for each question?
Lets look at skimming!
Lets look at skimming!
• What is the general topic of the passage?
Look for keywords that relate to the
meaning of the subject
Lets look at skimming!
“Police had no difficulty apprehending a gang of
thieves who stole £100,000 from a football club.
The robbers made their escape on a pitchmarking machine, but forgot to switch off the line
painting mechanism. Officers simply followed the
white line to find them.”
Lets look at skimming!
“Police had no difficulty apprehending a gang of
thieves who stole £100,000 from a football
club. The robbers made their escape on a
pitch-marking machine, but forgot to switch off
the line painting mechanism. Officers simply
followed the white line to find them.”
Lets look at skimming!
“Police had no difficulty apprehending a gang of
thieves who stole £100,000 from a football
club. The robbers made their escape on a
pitch-marking machine, but forgot to switch off
the line painting mechanism. Officers simply
followed the white line to find them.”
Crime
What, where, when, how much?
“Police had no difficulty apprehending a gang of
thieves who stole £100,000 from a football club.
The robbers made their escape on a pitchmarking machine, but forgot to switch off the line
painting mechanism. Officers simply followed the
white line to find them.”
What, where, when, how much?
“Police had no difficulty apprehending a gang of
thieves who stole £100,000 from a football club.
The robbers made their escape on a pitchmarking machine, but forgot to switch off the line
painting mechanism. Officers simply followed the
white line to find them.”
How much money did thieves try to steal?
What, where, when, how much?
“Police had no difficulty apprehending a gang of
thieves who stole £100,000 from a football club.
The robbers made their escape on a pitchmarking machine, but forgot to switch off the line
painting mechanism. Officers simply followed the
white line to find them.”
How much money did thieves try to steal?
Look in more detail…
“Police had no difficulty apprehending a gang of
thieves who stole £100,000 from a football club.
The robbers made their escape on a pitchmarking machine, but forgot to switch off the line
painting mechanism. Officers simply followed the
white line to find them.”
Look in more detail…
“Police had no difficulty apprehending a gang of
thieves who stole £100,000 from a football club.
The robbers made their escape on a pitchmarking machine, but forgot to switch off the line
painting mechanism. Officers simply followed the
white line to find them.”
The robbers used an unusual vehicle to get away in
Look in more detail…
“Police had no difficulty apprehending a gang of
thieves who stole £100,000 from a football club.
The robbers made their escape on a pitchmarking machine, but forgot to switch off the
line painting mechanism. Officers simply
followed the white line to find them.”
The robbers used an unusual vehicle to get away in
Look in more detail…
“Police had no difficulty apprehending a gang of
thieves who stole £100,000 from a football club.
The robbers made their escape on a pitchmarking machine, but forgot to switch off the
line painting mechanism. Officers simply
followed the white line to find them.”
The robbers used an unusual vehicle to get away in
True
Remember the time!
Remember the time!
• 60 Minutes – no extra time!
Remember the time!
• 60 Minutes – no extra time!
• Between 2000 and 2500 words!
Remember the time!
• 60 Minutes – no extra time!
• Between 2000 and 2500 words!
• You do not need to understand every word
Remember the time!
• 60 Minutes – no extra time!
• Between 2000 and 2500 words!
• You do not need to understand every word
• Use your time carefully!
In the exam
• Step 1 – look at the title
In the exam
• Step 1 – look at the title
“Sleep
better than midnight oil on
eve of exams”
In the exam
• Step 1 – look at the title
“Sleep
better than midnight oil on
eve of exams”
In the exam
• Step 1 – look at the title
“Sleep
better than midnight oil on
eve of exams”
In the exam
• Step 1 – look at the title
“Sleep
better than midnight oil on
eve of exams”
It’s better to go to sleep early on the evening
before your exams than to stay up late studying
In the exam
• Step 1 – look at the title
• Step 2 – Is there a picture?
In the exam
• Step 1 – look at the title
• Step 2 – Is there a picture?
• Step 3 - Skim the first paragraph
In the exam
• Step 1 – look at the title
• Step 2 – Is there a picture?
• Step 3 - Skim the first paragraph
Now go to the questions!
Questions Questions
Questions Questions
• 40 questions
Questions Questions
• 40 questions
• 3 sections
Questions Questions
• 40 questions
• 3 sections
• Each question worth the same mark
• Do not spend too long on each question
Questions Questions
• 40 questions
• 3 sections
• Each question worth the same mark
• Do not spend too long on each question
• If you still don’t know the answer – guess!
Questions Questions
• Heading matching
Questions Questions
• Heading matching
In academic writing, the central topic of
each paragraph is usually (but not always)
presented in the first sentence
Questions Questions
• Heading matching
• “Perhaps the advantage of the walking school bus is the health
benefits of regular physical exercise. With the rise of childhood
obesity, this is a significant factor. Studies show that approximately
14% of young people are not physically active, while almost 10%
children aged 2 to 6 are considered overweight in the United States”
Questions Questions
• Heading matching
•
“Perhaps the advantage of the walking school bus is the health benefits of
regular physical exercise. With the rise of childhood obesity, this is a
significant factor. Studies show that approximately 14% of young people are
not physically active, while almost 10% children aged 2 to 6 are considered
overweight in the United States”
1 - Benefiting the local environment
2 – Providing Healthy daily Exercise
3 – The aim of the walking school bus
4 – The development of the walking bus
Questions Questions
• Heading matching
•
“Perhaps the advantage of the walking school bus is the health
benefits of regular physical exercise. With the rise of childhood obesity,
this is a significant factor. Studies show that approximately 14% of young
people are not physically active, while almost 10% children aged 2 to 6 are
considered overweight in the United States”
1 - Benefiting the local environment
2 – Providing Healthy daily Exercise
3 – The aim of the walking school bus
4 – The development of the walking bus
Questions Questions
• Heading matching
•
“Perhaps the advantage of the walking school bus is the health
benefits of regular physical exercise. With the rise of childhood obesity,
this is a significant factor. Studies show that approximately 14% of young
people are not physically active, while almost 10% children aged 2 to 6 are
considered overweight in the United States”
1 - Benefiting the local environment
2 – Providing Healthy daily Exercise
3 – The aim of the walking school bus
4 – The development of the walking bus
Questions Questions
• Heading matching
• “The walking school bus concept originated in 1998 in St Albans,
England, as a result of parental concerns over speeding vehicles
and children’s safety. The idea spread quickly through Britain and
was adopted quickly in Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
Because of the social and physical benefits of the walking bus, the
number of programs in such locations has continued to grow. In the
United States, however, the waling bus programs have not caught
on as quickly. Hopefully the number of such programs there will
multiply as people recognize their numerous advantages.”
Questions Questions
• Heading matching
•
“The walking school bus concept originated in 1998 in St Albans, England,
as a result of parental concerns over speeding vehicles and children’s
safety. The idea spread quickly through Britain and was adopted quickly in
Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Because of the social and physical
benefits of the walking bus, the number of programs in such locations has
continued to grow. In the United States, however, the walking bus programs
have not caught on as quickly. Hopefully the number of such programs
there will multiply as people recognize their numerous advantages.”
1 - Benefiting the local environment
2 – Providing Healthy daily Exercise
3 – The aim of the walking school bus
4 – The development of the walking bus
Questions Questions
• Heading matching
•
“The walking school bus concept originated in 1998 in St Albans, England,
as a result of parental concerns over speeding vehicles and children’s
safety. The idea spread quickly through Britain and was adopted quickly
in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Because of the social and physical
benefits of the walking bus, the number of programs in such locations has
continued to grow. In the United States, however, the walking bus
programs have not caught on as quickly. Hopefully the number of such
programs there will multiply as people recognize their numerous
advantages.”
1 - Benefiting the local environment
2 – Providing Healthy daily Exercise
3 – The aim of the walking school bus
4 – The development of the walking bus
Questions Questions
• Heading matching
•
“The walking school bus concept originated in 1998 in St Albans, England,
as a result of parental concerns over speeding vehicles and children’s
safety. The idea spread quickly through Britain and was adopted quickly
in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Because of the social and physical
benefits of the walking bus, the number of programs in such locations has
continued to grow. In the United States, however, the walking bus
programs have not caught on as quickly. Hopefully the number of such
programs there will multiply as people recognize their numerous
advantages.”
1 - Benefiting the local environment
2 – Providing Healthy daily Exercise
3 – The aim of the walking school bus
4 – The development of the walking bus
Questions Questions
• Expect to be tested on a range of questions,
such as gap filling, sentence completion,
true/false/not given.
Questions Questions
• Expect to be tested on a range of questions,
such as gap filling, sentence completion,
true/false/not given.
• Always answer every question – you don’t loose
marks for a wrong answer!
Questions Questions
• Expect to be tested on a range of questions,
such as gap filling, sentence completion,
true/false/not given.
• Always answer every question – you don’t loose
marks for a wrong answer!
• Check the word limit
Questions Questions
• Expect to be tested on a range of questions,
such as gap filling, sentence completion,
true/false/not given.
• Always answer every question – you don’t loose
marks for a wrong answer!
• Check the word limit
• Remember, spelling is vital!
Reading overview
• Lasts for 60 minutes
Reading overview
• Lasts for 60 minutes
• Consists of 3 parts
Reading overview
• Lasts for 60 minutes
• Consists of 3 parts
• 40 questions
Reading overview
•
•
•
•
Lasts for 60 minutes
Consists of 3 parts
40 questions
Is the second part of the test
Reading overview
•
•
•
•
•
Lasts for 60 minutes
Consists of 3 parts
40 questions
Is the second part of the test
No extra time for answers
Reading overview
•
•
•
•
•
•
Lasts for 60 minutes
Consists of 3 parts
40 questions
Is the second part of the test
No extra time for answers
Word limit includes articles and
prepositions