Compulsory English

Unit 1
Reading Comprehension
Objective:
Dear Students, Unit I is divided into three parts i.e Reading Comprehension, Skimming and
Scanning, the unit is designed to suggest some of the major strategies that can help you in improving
Reading abilities . Now while handling various exercises/activities in the present unit you will witness
how these strategies combine together in order to understand/comprehend a text (whether prose or
poetry) on the other hand Skimming and Scanning are tools that can benefit the students for increasing
efficiency and efficacy for useful reading strategies. The present unit, therefore, aims at training you in
comprehending a text, i.e., understanding the meaning in a text. Since most of the good books
(whether written in India or abroad) are available in English, it is assumed that for a better education we
should have an efficient „reading skill‟ in the English language.
This unit carries six passages/texts (including poems). Each text/passage starts with a few
questions for brain storming and then it has various exercises/activities. Remember, these passages are
mere samples to help you in improving the ‗comprehension‘ level. Therefore, in order to further
improve your comprehension skill, you should continue reading texts, like Newspapers, Magazines,
books and journals, etc.
Passage 1
Before You Read:
-What are the different means of transport in India?
-Think about the scene at a platform when a train arrives.
-Would the scene be different if train arrived after midnight?
-What Kind of accommodation is provided for weary travellers?
Read the following paragraph:
Bansilal‘s train was late and it reached Bombay a little after midnight. It was his first visit to the city
and he didn‘t know where to go. He thought he would go to a choultry where he would not have to pay
rent, but he did not know how to find one at that hour. He asked a porter to get him a cheap room. The
porter said that if Bansilal gave him three rupees, he would take him to one. But Bansilal waved him
away and walked out of the station. He wandered through the streets and asked a number of people, but
could not find a room cheap enough for him. He sat down on a park bench to think what he should do
next. He was very tired and fell asleep on the bench. He woke up the next morning stiff in every limb,
but he smiled when he realized that it was the cheapest night‘s lodging that he had ever had.
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Q. l Now answer the following questions:

(i) What condition did the porter put before Bansilal?

(ii) Why Bansilal could not get any accommodation for the night?

(iii) Where did Bansilal finally spend his night?

(iv) What was the effect on Bansilal of spending a night in the open?
(v) From the passage, what kind of a person does Bansilal emerge to be?

Q.2 Give the meaning of the following words by finding their use in the passage: porter, wander, cheap,
waved.
Q.3 Find out the words which have been used for Bansilal in the passage. After that tell whether they
are nouns, pronouns or adjectives.
Q.4 Use the following expressions from the passage in sentences of your own. After‘ using them in
your own sentences, see whether you are able to give them a different meaning:

a) Choultry _____________________, _____________________.

b) Porter _____________________, _____________________.
c) Wandered _____________________, _____________________.
d) Stiff _____________________, _____________________.
e) Limb _____________________, _____________________.
f) Lodging _____________________, _____________________.

i. at that hour
ii. Waved (him) away
iii. Cheapest
iv. Wandered through
v. in the open

Q.5 Give antonyms of the following words

i. Late
ii. Cheap
iii. Gave
iv. fall
V. Morning

Q.6 „Country‟ is a lodging. There are many other words used for describing the rented lodging.
Discuss them. For example, „hotel‟, „motel‟, etc, Write the difference between them, if you know.
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Passage 2

Before You Read:

Can you think of some trees in your neighborhood which are beneficial for health?
Think of some popular medicinal uses of these trees. What part of these trees is used as medicine?
Read the following paragraph:
One of the largest trees in the world, the fast growing eucalyptus can reach heights of over 250
feet and. send out a vast network of roots, which literally drain marshy areas. In fact, it has proved to be
highly effective in eliminating malarial swamps in a number of hot, humid countries. A famed 19 th
Botanist and explorer, Ferdinand von Muller, suggested that the fragrant exhalations of the leaves
might be antiseptic. The French government accordingly sent eucalyptus seeds to Algeria during the
1850s and the drying ability of the roots was accidentally discovered, with the result that many of that
North African country‘s marshy ‗fever districts‘ were converted into healthful, dry areas by the rapid
growth of the trees. Eucalyptus plantings were subsequently used for the same purpose in other palatial
regions worldwide.
Eucalyptus is known today for the medicinal properties of the aromatic oil contained in its leaves.
Steam inhalations of the distilled oil mixed in water are a popular treatment for respiratory ailments
particularly bronchitis and asthma. The oil is also applied locally as a chest rub for lower respiratory
infection and to treat chapped skin and dandruff.
Now answer the following questions:
Note the phrase ‗one of the largest trees‘ here; we can find examples of similar phrases such as ‗one of
the tallest mountain peaks‘; ‗one of the bravest men‘; ‗one of the bloodiest wars‘, etc...
Study these examples and write at least three more phrases of a similar kind.
______________________; ______________________; _____________________.
1. Study the expression ‗fast growing Eucalyptus‘ You can also say ‗fast moving train‘, ‗fast
developing economy‘, ‗fast flowing river‘, think about similar expressions and write them
below:
2. Refer to the word „antiseptic‟ in the passage. Using the prefix „anti‟, form at least three more
words. ______________________; ______________________; _____________________;
3. Compare the two words ‗healthful & healthy‘. Do they mean the same?
4. Note the adjective and the noun in such phrases as „humid country‟ and „fragrant
inhalations‟. How many similar combinations can you find in the text, list a few of them:
5. Give at least one synonym for each of the following words from the text: eliminate, humid,
fragment, Subsequent, ailment, discover, suggest, region, vast, treatment.

______________________; ______________________; _____________________;

______________________; ______________________; _____________________;
______________________; ______________________; ______________________;
______________________; ______________________; ______________________;
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1. How many conjunctions can you find in the text? List them below:

_______________; _______________; _______________; _______________;

2. Which word in the text shows the roots to be growing in a mass?

_______________; _______________; _______________; _______________;

3. Change the following adjectives into adverbs:

literal, effective, dry, able, hot, vast, subsequent _______________; _______________;

_______________; _______________; _______________; _______________;
_______________; _______________; _______________; _______________;

Comprehension:
1. How is eucalyptus associated with marshy areas?
2. How was the drying ability of eucalyptus discovered?
3. What is meant by ‗fever districts‘?
4. Give the names of two respiratory ailments that car be treated by eucalyptus oil.

Passage 3

Before you Read

What do you know about penguins?
Where are they found?
How are they different from other birds?
Read the following paragraph:
Biologists in New Zealand are baffled by the sudden death of large number of the world‘s species
of penguins. At least a third of the 400 Yellow-eyed penguins that live on the Otago Peninsula, in New
Zealand‘s South Island, have died since December. The loss represents around 15 percent of all yellow-
eyed penguins and threatens to extinguish the mainland population. The disappearance of this group of
penguins is particularly serious for the species because the birds are generally distinct from those on the
Auckland Islands and Campbell Island. Their disappearance would narrow ‗the species‘ gene pool
considerably.
The First penguins ‗died in December and by February the population had crashed. Post-mortem
examination showed no sign of poisoning by heavy metals or pesticides, nor was there any sign of a
virus. Whether killed the birds acted very quickly-in the eight hours they were at sea feeding on the day
they did - and most of the corpses recovered were near their home and collapse on the beach, said one
of the scientists.
Suggestions of a cause range from a change in food supply caused by climatic change, to
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poisoning by biological toxin ‗perhaps from an algal bloom. The sea has been particularly warm this
summer, but temperature alone would not kill the penguins: nor had the unusual climatic conditions
interfered with the birds‘ feeding. None of the dead showed any signs of disease.
Now answer the following questions:
1. Read the following summary of the information given in the passage and fill in each of the
spaces with one word only:
The recent death of a number of——————————Yellow-eyed penguins has
puzzled________________ in New Zealand. On post-mortem examination,————
infection and poisoning—————— were ruled could, although it is clear that the penguins
died———————. Scientists are trying to find the main———— of the disaster and it has
been suggested that they could have died due to——————in climatic conditions or in their
food supply.

2. On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions as briefly as
possible. Write your answers in the spaces provided:

a) Give two reasons why scientists are anxious about the death of the penguins. i) Because
________________________________________________________________________

ii) Because

________________________________________________________________________

b) Where were most of the birds‘ corpses recovered? c) Why were they found here?
3. Below you can see some heading. Choose the best heading for the paragraphs indicated below.
Write your answer in the space provided:
Environment Problems, Reasons for the scientists ’ concern Post mortem findings, Symptoms of
the illness, Possible causes of Penguin deaths, Food supply, Change in the environment, Habitat
of the yellow - eyed

Paragraph 1 _________________________________________________________________________

Paragraph 2 _________________________________________________________________________

Paragraph 3 _________________________________________________________________________
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Passage 4

Before You Read:

 Young people generally do not have patience for old people. Do you have any old member in
the family? How do you interact with him/her?
 Children and old people share the same attitude and attraction for each other. Do you remember
any childhood experience with any old member of your family?
First Reading
Read the following passage:
Everyone who lived in the village and the hamlets nearby knew her. In their minds they
associated her deathless years with the existence of their village. Both were facts accepted without
question since the birth of consciousness.
She was so old she had become static in time, could never be older, had surely never been young.
Her dry wrinkled skin was loose around the impatient skeleton. It enclosed her eyes in folds, hiding the
yellowed cornea surrounding pupils. Yet there was vision enough to make her unconscious of its loss.
She used her withered hands for feeble grasping, her crooked fingers for uneasy touching, her
bent legs for unsteady shutting, and not her eyes but time‘s familiarity for seeing and recognizing her
changeless, circumscribed world.
Through the years the mud of the walls had not changed, the same wooden arches supported the
same sloping thatched roof, the same doll‘s house sliced off a corner of the small courtyard. And the
heavy wooden door leading outside cracked the same warning as it opened and the curtain of matting
was lifted.
This was her complete world as she lay in the sun on her string bed-the walls, the arches, the
thatch, the courtyard, the doll‘s house, the curtain, the door to the world outside.
That world had changed, quickening its step min noisy haste. As she lay on her bed, shrivelled
lips moving in constant prayer, she heard the impatient sound of a car horn, and the distant desolate
screech of the an engine‘s whistle.
Sometimes that alien world stepped through the creaking door. A grandson, a granddaughter, a
visitor from the city lifted the curtain. They were self-conscious as they bent towards her for her
embrace, lowering their eyes, covering their heads, denying the world that violated her principles,
where men and women walked and talked together. Her eyes were protectively dim to new stimuli, her
ears dull to new sounds.
Yet they were bright and sharp when the great grandchildren, the little ones, raced through the
door. Then there was no conflict of worlds, they shared one created of their bright young love, not flat
one-dimensional but given depth and form and colour by their curiosity, amusement a repulsion.
―How old, how old - and don‘t say it loudly - how ugly is Old Granny.‖
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They would flap the loose hanging skin of her arm, lie on her lap and look when she chewed an
invisible cud, at the fascinating movement of her chin towards her nose, just missing it, then. dropping
down to begin again its upward drive. They would suddenly scream with high clear laughter, whirl
around the bed, somersault to the floor and shout:
―Can you see us, Granny?‖ ―Of course, of course. An elephant has tiny eyes, but it can pick a
needle off the ground.‖ ―Can it, can it really? Tell us the story of the Elephant and the needle, Granny.‖
When she walked, her back a broken spring, bent to the ground, they laughed.
―What are you looking for, Granny?‖
―Looking at the ground into which I must go one day to look for the treasure that is buried
there.‖
―Tell us of the buried treasure, Granny. Tell us a story‘‖
That was their invisible bond, the common language they talked in their own private world. The
daughters and sons, the granddaughters and grandsons stood outside it, deaf to its sounds,
wrapped in their impatience and hostility, grudging dutiful affection to a parasitic old woman
whom time refused to drop into releasing oblivion.
The visible bond between the old woman and the children was the doll‘s house. They loved it
with the same passion. The children hung coloured glass globes in the tiny arches, dug twigs and grass
into its small courtyard. Their gaily-dressed rag dolls were propped on string beds under the thatch. She
cleaned its mud walls with wet clay, her fingers following each curve and crevice with familiar
affection. Their interest in it flamed high and burned low, but hers was as steady as her hold on life.
(From Phoenix Fled by Attia Hosain)
Now answer the following questions: .
1. Describe the physical appearance of the old woman.
2. What is the difference between the world inside the house of the old woman and that was outside?
3. With whom in the family did the old woman share the world?
4. What did her grown up children and grandchildren think about her?
5. Describe the visible and invisible bond between the great grandchildren and the old woman.
6. What kind of stories did the old woman tell her grandchildren?

Second Reading
Read the passage again and answer the following questions:
1. What do you mean by the phrase „the creaking door‟ in the passage?
2. What do you understand by ‗the conflict of worlds‘ mentioned in the passage? Answer in brief.
List five adjectives used in the passage to describe the old woman.
3. List five verbs used in the passage to describe the living style of the old woman.
4. Pick out some phrasal verbs used in the passage. Write their meanings and use them in your
own sentences. (An example is given below to help you.)
Phrasal verb Meaning Sentence look for ‗to search‘ Kindly look for my watch, I am not getting it.
 Compulsory English

1. List five examples of the Present Participle used in the passage. Take help of the example to
find more. Covering(line 29),
_________________________________________________________________________

2. The passage which you read is written mostly in descriptive style, describing accurately the old
woman and her world. Write a paragraph in brief describing any queer person you have ever
met.

Text-5 (Poetry)
Before You Read: : Old people can sometimes have strange
quirks, and old age can really be a second childhood. Do you
agree?0 : Do you remember funny incidents which involved
your grandparents. Share it with your family members.
First Reading
Read the given poem carefully:
My grandmother was a genius. You‘d like to know why?
She‘d be up their branches in a trice.
And mind you, When last she climbed a tree, she was sixty-two.
Ever since childhood, she‘d had this gift For being happier in - a tree than in a lift;
And though, as years went by,
She would be told That climbing trees should stop when one grew old
And that growing old should be gone about gracefully
She‘d laugh and say, ―Well, I‘ll grow old disgracefully.
I Can do it better.‖And we had to agree;
For in all the garden there wasn‘t a tree
She hadn‘t been up, at one time or another
(Having learned to climb from a loving brother When she was six) –
but it was feared by all That one day she‘d have a terrible fall.
The outcome was different - while we were in town She climbed a tree and couldn‘t come
down.
After the rescue, The doctor took Granny‘s temperature and said, ―1 strongly recommend a
quiet week in bed. ‖
We sighed with relief and tucked her up well.
Poor Granny! For her, it was like a brief season in hell.
Confined to her bedroom, while every breeze Whispered of summer and dancing leaves.
But she held her peace till she felt stronger.
Then sat up and said,‖ I‘ll lie here no longer!‖
And she called for my father and told him undaunted That a house in a tree-top was what she
now wanted. My dad knew his duties.
He said, ―That‘s all right You‘ ll have what you want, dear. I‘ll start work tonight.‖
With my expert assistance, he soon finished the chore Made her a tree house with windows and
a door.
So Granny moved up, and now every day 1 climb to her room with glasses and a tray.
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She sits there in state and drinks sherry with me, upholding her right to reside in a tree.

Granny‟s Tree Climbing by Ruskin Bond

Now answer the following questions:
1) Did you find the grandmother in the poem loveable and sweet, (Yes/No)? Support your answer
with a few words/ phrases from the text. _______________; _______________;
_______________; _______________; _______________;
2) What is Granny a veteran at?
3) From whom did Granny learn to climb a tree?
4) At what age did she first climb a tree?
5) Discuss Granny‘s great discomfiture on being confined to bed.
6) What did Granny express her desire to have, after getting well?
Second Reading
Read the poem again and answer the questions that follow: 1)
What do the following words/phrases (italicised in the text)
mean?
Word/phrase Line Meaning

Spreading 3
A quiet week in bed 22
Tucked 23
A brief season in hell 24
Undaunted 29
Chore 33
Sherry 37

2) The verbs which carry „ed‟ as past forms are called Regular Verbs and those which have other
forms as Past forms are called Irregular Verbs. See the examples given below in the table:
Now list at least 10 of them form the poem:
Regular Irregular
Call, reach, teach, read,
3) Pick out five adjectives from the poem and use them in sentences of your own in the given table. An
example is given below for help.
Adjective Sentence
quiet (line 22)
he teacher asked the students to be quiet
4) Do you think that old Granny‘s activities and ‗demands are like those of children,
(Yes/No) ? If ‗yes‘ what are they? List them in the space provided below:
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Text-6 (Poetry)
Before You Read:
Have you ever thought about the phenomenon of death? What do you feel about it?
What do you feel a death could do to a family?
First Reading
Read the given poem carefully:
There are four chairs round the table ,
Where we sit down for our tea,
But now we set places
For Mum, for the Terry and me .
We do not chatter any more ,
About what we did in the day ,
Terry and I eat quickly ,
Then we both go out to play .
Mum doesn‘t smile like she used to.
Often she just sits and sighs.
Sometimes, I Know From the smudges That while we are out she Cries. (There are Four Chairs
Round the Table by John Foster)
Now answer the following questions:
1) What do you think the poem is about?
2) How did you like the poem? Did you find it sad or mysterious or touching or bereft of emotion?
Justify your answer with the words and phrases used in the text.
3) Why are there only three places set round the table? Who sits on the fourth table?
4) Why are there only three places set round the table? Why is the fourth chair vacant?
5) Why don‘t the people on the table chatter anymore?
Second Reading
Read the poem again and answer the given questions:
1) Identify the lines which reveal that Terry‘s Mum is sad.
2) Are the children sensitive? Illustrate your answer by quoting the lines from the text.
3) Tea‘ rhymes with ‗me‘ and ‗day‘ with ‗play‘. In the table below write at least two rhyming
words (not necessarily from the poem) of the given words:
Words ______ Rhyming Words
Table More Place Go Sit
4) Imagine you are Terry‘s friend, write a short paragraph to console a sad and confused Terry.

Text 07 (Poetry)
Before You Read:
Have you ever thought about the destructive nature of human beings? What do you feel about it?
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Can you guess the meaning of fire and ice connoted in the poem?
First Reading
Read the given poem carefully:
Fire and Ice
BY ROBERT FROST
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I‘ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Now answer the following questions:
1) What do you think the poem is about?
2) How did you like the poem? Did you find its inner meaning?
3) What are the two darkest traits of a human being that can force him to destruction?
4) Summarize the poem in your own words.
Second Reading
Read the poem again and answer the given questions:
1. Why does the poet considers Ice to be equally destructive?
2. Find out the examples of alliteration in the poem.
3. What are figurative devices? Point out the figurative devices used in the poem.

Skimming
Do you ever feel like you spend way too much time reading? Do you have trouble determining which
parts of a text are the most important? Do you wish you could collect information from books in a
quicker and more efficient way? If so, consider skimming the next time you sit down to read a text.
What is skimming?
Skimming is a strategic, selective reading method in which you focus on the main ideas of a text. When
skimming, deliberately skip text that provides details, stories, data, or other elaboration. Instead of
closely reading every word, focus on the introduction, chapter summaries, first and last sentences of
paragraphs, bold words, and text features. Skimming is extracting the essence of the author‘s main
messages rather than the finer points. What about reading a newspaper article? This doesn‘t fall under
scanning. We read the articles quickly,to get the general idea. This called “Skimming”. Remember;
scaning is for specific information, and Skimming is for getting a general idea.
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I. A novel
II. A menu
III. Telephone bill
IV. Business letter
V. Review of a new film
VI. Matrimonial
Why skim?
You need the “big picture” or main points when you‟re reading. Even if you‘re going to do a more
detailed reading of the text, skimming as a form of previewing can help you better comprehend what
you read. Knowing when and how to skim will help you become a more efficient, strategic reader.
You‘ll become better at determining what parts of the text are most important. There may also be times
when your professor wants you to understand the big picture, not all of the little details. In these cases,
skimming helps you understand the overall points of the text and its relevance to your course without
bogging you down.
Make the most of your time. Sometimes you don‘t have time to do everything. With skimming, you‘ll
be able to cover vast amounts of material more quickly and save time for everything else that you have
on your plate. Maybe you don‘t have time to finish your reading before class, but skimming will help
you get the main points and attend class much more prepared to maximize in-class learning.
You need to review a text you have read before. Skimming is also an efficient way to refresh your
memory of large amounts of material before an exam. Skimming a text that you have already read helps
you recall content and structure.
Skimming is not…
Skimming can present problems if not done intentionally. Skimming is not simply flipping through a
text quickly or paying half attention to it. When skimming, be deliberate and intentional with what you
choose to read, and make sure that you are focused. Skimming is not a lazy way out or a half-hearted
attempt at reading. Make sure that you use it carefully and strategically and are able to walk away with
the main ideas of the text.
Skimming Methods
Beginnings & endings: Read first and last sentences of paragraphs, first and last paragraphs of major
sections, and introductions and summaries of chapters.
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Wheat vs. chaff: Read only the amount of text necessary to determine if a section presents a main idea
or support for a main idea.
Visual & verbal cues: Watch for signal words and phrases that indicate an author‘s direction (e.g.,
however, although, moreover, in addition to). Things to focus on while skimming:
I. Introduction and conclusion
II. Chapter/section summaries
III. First and last sentences
IV. Titles, subtitles, and headings
V. Bold words
VI. Charts, graphs, or pictures
VII. End of chapter review questions

When to Skim?
There are certain texts that lend themselves to skimming better than others. It is typically less beneficial
to skim novels, poetry, and short stories or texts that do not have text features. Non-fiction texts, like
textbooks, journal articles, and essays are typically full of information and text features and are more
suited for skimming.
Skimming can also be a good tool for conducting research and writing papers. Typically, when
researching or writing, you will not need to read every word of every text closely, but will benefit more
from skimming while evaluating your sources or identifying information important to your work.
Finally, know your context. There may be some texts that you are better off reading closely and
thoroughly. Some professors specifically tell you that they include small details from the textbook on
exams. You may have some classes that are just difficult to understand, and you may find that reading
closely helps you comprehend concepts better. Before skimming, spend some time thinking about your
classes, professors, and needs to determine if you have any texts you may need to read more closely.
Active Reading Strategies
When skimming, it‘s important to continue to use active reading strategies. This keeps your brain
active, engaged, and focused, and helps you understand and retain information better and longer. Here
are a few effective active reading strategies to pair with skimming:
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Set a purpose for reading. Instead of approaching the text as something you just have to get through,
identify a purpose for this reading. What do you want to get out of it? Why are you reading it? Keep
this purpose in mind as you read.
Preview. Look through the text before started to read and focus on headings, illustrations, captions,
highlighted items, end of chapter summaries, etc. These features give you an idea of the main concepts
of the text and what you should focus on while skimming.
Make a prediction. Right after previewing, make a prediction about what you think the chapter or
section is going to be about.
Activate prior knowledge. Make a list of what you already know about the topic and what you want to
know about it. Identify and write down any questions you have.
Annotate. Instead of copying down copious notes from the book, jot down brief notes and thoughts (in
your own words) in the margins of the text.
Summarize the main ideas. After a section or page, stop and write a 1-3 sentence summary in your
own words. This keeps your brain engaged and ensures you are comprehending what you read.
Generate questions. Ask and write down questions that you have as you read the text and/or questions
that you would ask a class if you were the instructor. Try using different levels of questions.
Use Resources
Make an appointment with an academic coach at the Learning Center. Our coaches meet one-on-one
with students to work through reading, study skills, and any other academic issue.
Meet with your professor in office hours about how to approach your course‘s specific text and
content.Attend a peer tutoring session to get specific help with one of your courses or texts.
Scanning
Scanning means searching for specific phrases in the text to answer some questions.
Underline
The questions on IELTS Reading test often include dates, names, numbers, new terms or other key
words. So it‘s a very good idea to underline those key words while reading, so you could find the
answers in the text more easily.
How to scan?
1. Underline the important information while reading the text (dates, numbers, names etc.)
2. When you read the question, identify the key word and scan the text for it. This way you‘ll find
the answer more quickly.
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Scanning process looks like this:

Use Peripheral Vision When Scanning
Your peripheral vision can also help you scan effectively.
When your hand moves down a list of names, you see not only the name your finger is pointing to, but
also the names above and below.
Let your eyes work for you when searching for information.
Keep the concept of key words in mind while scanning.
Your purpose will determine the key words. Suppose you are looking for the time a train leaves from
New York City for Washington, D.C.
The key words to keep in mind are ―from New York City‖ and ―to Washington,D.C.‖
If you are looking for the cost of a computer printer with the code number PX-710, the key word to
locate in a list of many printers is ―PX-710.‖
When to scan?
You scan when your aim is to find specific pieces of information.
If you were doing the research for an oral presentation, you could scan the index of books, web sites,
and reference materials. You would discover whether they contain any information you want and the
pages where the information can be found.
In the past, you probably scanned without knowing you were doing it.
Now with the information provided in this section, you can use scanning more intentionally and
frequently.
The more you practice, the more effective scanning will become.
Finally, the most important benefit of scanning is its ability to help you become a more flexible reader.
Scanning adds another high gear to your reading.
Because you may be used to reading every word and may be uncomfortable leaving some words out,
you need to give yourself permission to overlook some words by skimming, scanning, and skipping
material according to your reading purpose.
I give you permission to NOT read everything!
First of all, let's practice skimming. When reading a text for the first time, you should skim over it
to grasp the main idea. In this example, read the highlighted text and quickly look over the rest of the
text (you have about 1-2 minutes):
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Are electric cars really eco-friendly?

Electric-car drivers are saving the planet, right? Their vehicles produce none of the pollutants that
dinosaur-burning, fossil-fuel-powered machines do. That is the standard view, and governments around
the world provide incentives to encourage the uptake of this new technology.
That is why a Tesla owner got a rude shock when he went to import his vehicle into Singapore - the
first person to do so. The Tesla Model S is a 100% electric vehicle. It does not have an exhaust to emit
from. So what happened?
Instead of an expected rebate of around S$15,000 (US$10,800) he received a fine of the same amount
for being a gross polluter. The company commented the incident, "The Model S that our customer
imported into Singapore left our factory only two years ago with energy consumption rated at 181
Wh/km. This qualifies as the cleanest possible category of car in Singapore and entitles the owner to an
incentive rather than a fine."
The Singapore authorities calculated the ‗carbon cost‘ of generating the electricity that will be used to
charge the car. This is the elephant in the trunk of electric vehicles. Where and how the power is
produced is not often considered, but perhaps it should be. Let‘s move the elephant up to the passenger
seat and address it directly.
The authorities in Singapore apparently found the Tesla in question consumes 444 watt-hours of
electricity per km (Wh/km) in tests. Without wanting to get too maths-heavy, the number of 444Wh/km
does seem high. And as we still need power stations to produce such amount electric energy, the
environmental impact is not so small as it seemed to be.
But what about the bigger picture - should we be factoring in the emissions of power stations when
working out how green an electric car is? The logical answer is yes. Emissions shifted elsewhere are
still emissions, and CO2 impacts the global atmosphere wherever it is released.
After you‘ve skimmed the text, you should get the general idea: one man imported an electric car to
Singapore and was fined for that, because the car was considered as a polluter. It turned out that
electric cars can also be dangerous for the environment, because electric energy used to charge them is
produced at power stations, which emit pollutants.
Now let‘s look at the questions:
1. What is the aim of this text?
I. To discourage people from visiting Singapore
II. To prove that electric cars are less eco-friendly than fossil-fuel-powered machines
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III. To show that we need to count the emissions of power stations to see how green an electric car
is.
This question can be answered immediately after you skimmed over the text. Here, you‘re required to
understand only the main idea of the passage.
Obviously, the correct answer is C. It‘s also stated in the last paragraph:
But what about the bigger picture - should we be factoring in the emissions of power stations when
working out how green an electric car is? The logical answer is yes.
2. When the owner of the electric car went to Singapore, he received
I. a rebate of around US$10,800
II. a fine of around US$10,800
III. a fine of around US$15,000
And this question, unlike the previous one, requires specific detail: amount of money. To answer it, you
should scan the text for words $10,800 and $15,000. Don‘t read the text again! Just search these two
key words. Once you have found the right sentence, read it attentively to get the answer.
The sentence that contains these key words is in the third paragraph:
Instead of an expected rebate of around S$15,000 (US$10,800) he received a fine of the same amount
for being a gross polluter.
Now it‘s clear to us that the correct answer is B.
3. To prove that electric car was a gross polluter, the authorities in Singapore calculated the
...................... of generating the electricity to charge the car.
After you skimmed over the article, you should know that the Singapore authorities and charging
car were mentioned somewhere in the middle of the text. Moreover, you have another clue: the answer
should be after the answer to the question 3. You can find the right answer by these key words:
I. Authorities in Singapore
II. Electricity to charge the car
If you scan the text for these key words, and you will find the answer in the fourth paragraph:
The Singapore authorities calculated the ‗carbon cost‘ of generating the electricity that will be used to
charge the car.
The correct answer is carbon cost.