SKILLS FROM CRACKING READING TOEFL IBT

ACTIVE READING:
I should work on active reading. What is active reading?
1. Finding the purpose: Why the author wrote the piece.
2. Understanding the structure: Mapping the passage .
3. Finding the main idea: Stating what the passage is about.
Step 1: Finding the purpose: I will know what is important and
unimportant about the piece.
1. How to find the purpose:
* Read the first 2 lines of the first paragraph.
* Read the first line of each body paragraph.
2. Look back at your note: What is the common idea? Is the author presenting
facts? Examining a different view? Answering questions?
Step 2: Understanding the structure: If I am familiar with the types of
structures on the Toefl ibt, I will know where to look to find the
information I need.
The structure of introduction paragraph:
1. Read the first sentence and sometimes the second, if the first does not
provide enough information and the last sentence very carefully.
2. Skim through the sentence in the middle.
The structure of body paragraph:
1. Read the topic sentence carefully: make sure that you are looking in the right
paragraph for the information you need .
2. Sort through the specific details until you find what you need.
The structure of conclusion paragraph:
1. Read the first sentence: If the topic sentences introduce more details skim
through them.
2. Read the very last sentence: Try to figure out what the authors final message
or point is.
Following the Direction of the Passage
Step 3: State the main idea
1. Read the first sentence of each paragraph.
2. Skim the rest paragraph for direction markers.
3. Remember to read both the first sentence of each paragraph in the passage
and last sentence of the conclusion.
4. The main idea should connect all the ideas found in the first sentences of the
paragraphs and the last sentence of the conclusion.
TIPS:
1. Skim, do not read .

2. Trim the fat .

3. Deal with difficult vocabulary.
4. Every correct answer must be found in the passage.
5. Correct answer on Toefl ibt do not generally contain strong language: all,
always, impossible, must, never, none.
6. These choices contain information that is mentioned in the passage; however,
the information does not answer the question.
7. Many wrong answers repeat parts of the passage word for word.
8. Beyond the information:
a. Example : if the passage states: some species of chimpanzees make crude
tools out of branches; the answer choice may read: many animals can make a
tools .
9. Never answer a question from memory alone.

Principle 1: The answer to every single question

is found in the passage.
Principle 2: Do them first and save the killer
question for later.
Principle 3: Use process of elimination:
- When using POE, make sure that you examine each answer choice carefully.
- Never blindly pick the first answer that stands out or seems good because it
may be a trap.
- When using POE, take notice of wrong answer on the Toefl reading, often fall
into: Not mention, extreme (all, always, impossible, must, never, none), right
answer but wrong question (the choices contain info that is mentioned in the
passage; however, it doesnt answer the question, verbatim = word for word,
beyond the information)
- Becoming familiar with the wrong answer is almost as important as finding the
right answer.

STEP
main
STEP
STEP
STEP

1: Active read the passage: The purpose, the

idea, the structure
2: Attack the questions
3: Find the answer
4: Use POE

QUESTION TYPES
1. Voc in the context
- Go back to the passage and read a few lines and after the word in question.
- Come up with your own word for the shaded base on the clues in the
sentences.
- Return to the answer choices and eliminate.
2. Reference: A reference problem ask you to identify a word or phrase in the
passage that refers to a pronoun .
- Focus on the lines before the phrase or word.
- Eliminate answer that mentions words or phase that show up only after the
reference.
- Eliminate use words or phrase that are not mentioned at all in the 2 or 3
sentence before the reference.
3. Lead words
- Rephrase the question.
- Find the lead word.
4. Detail: A detail problem asks you to answer a question about a specific point
in the passage
- Be careful with answer choice which is verbetism.
Quick Review: Voc in the context, reference question, Lead word and
Detail question in Toefl ibt
Rephrase the question.
Use clues in the question to find appropriate place in the paragraph.
Read a few lines before and after the lead word or reference.
State the answer to the question in your own words.
Notice: The wrong and answer to these questions: not mentioned in the
passage at all, mentioned in the passage, but beyond the specific lines needed
to answer the question or verbatism.
5. Paraphrase Questions: A paraphrase problem asks you to choose the best
restatement
- Find the essential information by TRIM THE FAT. Look at the main subject and
the main verb in the sentence

- Try to identify the subject of the sentence. One of the choices will usually have
a different subject. Eliminate this choice.
6. Defintion:
- Find the subject, verb and object.
- Look at the other parts of the sentence.
- See if the remaining parts define or clarify the subject, verb or object.
7. Before/after
- Rephrase the question.
- Concern the first or last paragraph.
- Using active reading to figure out the basic meaning of the paragraph (the main
subject of the paragraph).
- The correct answer in before/after question will be related to the main idea of
the paragraph.
Eliminate the choices: Introduce new information/ interrupt the structure/ repeat
information.
8. Sentence insertion
- Look at the sentences before and after the black squares. The correct answer
will join these sentences together by mentioning an idea from each sentence.
- When POE, eleminate the choices:
- Doesnt match: The sentence you add should form a link between 2 sentences.
- Half right: Make sure the sentence matches ideas with both the sentence
before and after it. Wrong answes often are only partial matches.
9. Except/ not/ least
- Rephrase the question
- Use the answer choices like a checklists, return the passage to find each one.
- Mark each answer as either TRUE or FALSE based on the passage.
- Choose the answer that is different from the other three.
Notice: Wrong choices are not supported in the passage
Correct answer: - Contain the information not mentioned: Info not found in the
passage makes a good answer for these questions or use extreme language is
acceptable.
10. Inference: An inference problem asks you to draw a conclusion based on
info in the passage.
The correct inference in Toefl ibt must be true based on the information in the
passage.
- Restate the question.
- Use the lead word to locate the appropriate part of the passage.
- Remember to read only the lines around lead word.

- Follow the process similar Except/ Not/ Least.

- Should eliminate the answer: Could be true and extreme: always, never,
impossible, all, none, best, worst/ beyond the information.
**: If the question has no lead word or line reference to help. There are 2 choices:
1) read the entire passage and try to answer the question based on your reading,
2) using the answer choice to guide your reading.
** Locate the evidence then draw conclusion .
11. Summary
- Identify the main ideas and details of the passage
- Eliminate the choices: too specific or not mentioned
Note: The correct answer refers to some part of the main idea of the passage.
You will notice that the first response roughly matches with the first paragraph,
the second response to body paragraph and the last correct answer is supported
by the final paragraph.
** State the main idea and summarize the major point of sections.
12. Purpose Questions: A purpose question ask you to understand why the
author organizes a passage or explains a concept in a specific way.
13. Opinion: An opinion problem asks you to recognize the authors point of
view.