READING HANDOUTS FOR TAB1

READING HANDOUT 1:
COMMON SKILLS & STRATEGIES
I. INTRODUCTION
In this part, the general format of FINAL READING TEST is introduced. The reading test has THREE
different passages, each followed by 10 questions about it. For questions 1-30, you are to choose the best
answer A, B, C or D, to each question. It means that all questions are multiple choices. Then, on your
answer sheet, you find the number of the question and fill in the space that corresponds to the letter of the
answer you have chosen. You answer all questions following a passage on the basis of what is stated or
implied in that passage.
You have 50 minutes to answer all the questions, including the time to transfer your answers to the answer
sheet.
The common skills (OR types of questions) include:
 Answer main idea questions correctly
 Answer stated detail questions correctly
 Find unstated details
 Find pronoun referents
 Use context to determine meanings of words
II. SKILLS and STRATEGIES
1. Skill 1: Answer main idea questions correctly
There are multiple - choice questions about the main idea of a passage in a reading test. Such a question
may be worded in a variety of ways; you may, for example, be asked to identify the topic, subject, title,
primary idea, or main idea . These questions are all really asking what primary point the author is trying to
get across in the passage.
Look at a multiple - choice example that asks about the topic of a passage with one paragraph.
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Now look at a multiple - choice example that asks about the topic of a passage with two paragraphs.

The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about main idea questions.
 READING HANDOUTS FOR TAB1

PRACTICE 1

C and B
PRACTICE 2
C and B
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2. Skill 2: Answer stated detail questions correctly

A stated detail question asks about one piece of information in the passage rather than the passage as a
whole . The answers to these questions are generally given in order in the passage, and the correct answer is
often a restatement of what is given in the passage. This means that the correct answer often expresses the
same idea as what is written in the pas sage, but the words are not exactly the same. The questions that test
stated details are gen erally multiple - choice questions.
Look at a multiple-choice example that asks about a stated detail from the passage.

The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about stated detail questions.
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PRACTICE 3
C

and B

PRACTICE 4

The mammoth, a huge and hairy creature, once roamed Africa's lands long ago. These giant animals were
like elephants but with long, curved tusks and thick fur to keep them warm. They were very big, standing as
tall as a one-story building! African mammoths had tusks that could grow as long as two cars parked end to
end.
Living in Africa, mammoths had to find food in different places, so they had strong legs and big feet to help
them walk across grassy plains and through forests. They ate plants all day long, using their tusks to dig up
roots and clear away branches.
Mammoths were not alone; they lived in groups called herds, led by a wise female leader. These herds were
like big families, with mammoths talking to each other in their special ways. They made sounds and
touched each other to show they cared.
1. How tall could African mammoths grow?
A. As tall as a house C. As tall as a tree
B. As tall as a one-story building D. As tall as a mountain
2. What did African mammoths use their tusks for?
A. Keeping them warm B. Standing C. Digging for food D. Walking
3. What were the social groups of African mammoths called?
A. Herds B. Packs C. Colonies D. Flocks
4. What is stated as a characteristic of African mammoths in the passage?
A. Long, curved fur B. Giant mouths C. Thin tusks D. Strong legs and big
feet

3. Skill 3: Find unstated details

You will sometimes be asked in the reading section to find an answer that is not stated or not mentioned or
not true in the passage . This type of question really means that three of the answers are stated, mentioned,
or true in the passage, while one answer is not. You should note that there are two kinds of answers to this
type of question: ( 1 ) there are three true answers and one that is not true according to the passage, or ( 2 )
there are three true answers and one that is not mentioned in the passage.
Look at a multiple - choice example that asks you to find the one answer that is not true.
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Look at a multiple - choice example that asks you to find the one answer that is not mentioned.

The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about unstated detail questions.
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PRACTICE 5

A and D
PRACTICE 6
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4. Skill 4: Find pronoun referents
In the reading section, you will sometimes be asked to determine to which noun a pronoun refers. In a
pronoun reference question, it is important to understand that a noun is generally used first in a passage, and
the pronoun that refers to it comes after. Whenever you are asked which noun a pronoun refers to, you
should look before the pronoun to find the noun.
Look at a multiple-choice example of a pronoun reference question.

The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about pronoun referents.
 READING HANDOUTS FOR TAB1

PRACTICE 7

The full moon that occurs nearest the equinox of the Sun has become known as the harvest moon. It
is a bright moon which allows farmers to work late into the night for several nights; they can work when the
moon is at its brightest to bring in the fall harvest. The harvest moon, of course, occurs at different times of
the year in the northern and southern hemispheres. In the northern hemisphere, the harvest moon occurs in
September at the time of the autumnal equinox. In the southern hemisphere, the harvest moon occurs in
March at the time of the vernal equinox.
1. The pronoun "It" in line 1 refers to ___________
A. the equinox B. the Sun C. the night D. the harvest moon
2. The pronoun "they" in line 2 refers to ___________
A. times B. nights C. farmers D. equinox

PRACTICE 8

Water buffaloes have been used by humans for centuries. They were used to plow fields and
transport goods long before the invention of tractors and trucks. Water buffaloes are still used for these
purposes today, especially in rural areas. In addition to their practical uses, water buffaloes are also
important for the environment. They help to maintain the health of wetlands by grazing on aquatic plants.
They also help to aerate the soil, which is good for plant growth.
Unfortunately, the number of water buffaloes in Vietnam has declined in recent years. This is due to a
number of factors, including habitat loss, pollution, and the increasing use of machinery. The Vietnamese
government are working to protect water buffaloes. They have established a number of water buffalo
sanctuaries and have banned the hunting of these animals. However, more needs to be done to protect water
buffaloes for future generations.
1. The pronoun "they" in Paragraph 1 refers to ___________
A. humans B. fields C. goods D. water buffaloes
2. The pronoun "they" in Paragraph 2 refers to ___________
A. The Vietnamese government C. water buffaloes
B. these animals D. water buffalo sanctuaries
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5. Skill 5: Use context to determine meanings of words
You may be asked to determine the meaning of a difficult word in a reading passage, a word that you are
not expected to know. In this case, the passage will probably give you a clear indication of what the word
means. Look at a multiple - choice example where the context helps you to understand the meaning of an
unknown word.

The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about vocabulary questions.

PRACTICE 9
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D and B