Read the story below and answer the question that follows.
One day a friend of mine who was driving home late at night saw a young woman standing by the side of the road. My friend stopped and gave her a lift. The young woman got into the car and and closed the door. She told my friend she lived in 26th North Street which was just near my friend’s house.
The young woman takled happily as they drove along but after ten minutes she fell silent. My friend looked round to see if she was all right. To his astonishment the young woman has vanished. At first my friend did not know what to do. Finally he decided to go to North Street to see if anyone there knows the the young woman.
He went up to a house and knocked on the door. It was opened by a middle-aged woman. My friend explained how he has met the young woman and given her a lift. He told the woman that the young woman had said she lived in 26th North Street.
After reading the story above, try out these questions
1. Who do you think is the woman who answered the door?
2. What do you think happened to the young woman?
3. What do you think the middle-aged woman who opened the door would say to the man?
4. What do you think actually happened that night?
After you have answered the questions above, can you come up with a suitable ending to the story above? Try it out. How the story turns out is all up to you now!
Identify the sentence that best sums up the main idea of the paragraphs.
Text 1
In parts of Uganda, they have raided villages, demolished huts and destroyed plots, not in an effort to get at food but to scare the people living there. Such attacks have become more frequent in Bunyaruguru, Western Uganda, where only two years ago, villagers would think nothing of cycling to the nearby township of Katwe to meet firends and do business. But they have to be more careful now because elephants regularly block the roads, and villagers are too afraid to cycle past.
The main idea in the paragraph is that
A villagers are avoiding the elephants
B elephants have changed their behaviour
C elephants are finding it difficult to get food
D villagers are afraid to cycle to town for business
Text 2
This article touches on a subject that’s quite sensitive to many people: body odor. Here, we explore the link between the foods you choose to consume and the odor produced by your body (there is a direct correlation). With all the hundreds of millions of dollars spent each year on personal care products and deodorants, I’m amazed there’s almost no discussion about reducing body odor by changing your diet. In fact, when I’ve mentioned this subject to some people, they look at me in bewilderment. They ask questions like “What do you mean, your foods control your body odor? Body odor is genetic!” — or some other nonsense. What they need is a crash course in the underlying causes of body odor. We’ll call it The Fundamentals of Offensive Personal Odors, or just Body Odor 101, for short.
A Many don’t believe that food controls their body odor
B You can reduce your body odor by changing our diet
C Body odor is genetic
Text 3
When, in the year 2000, the Germans finally began to actually perform a substantial number of tests on thier own herds of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), the disease was found, and the public was caught totally by surprisse. Ministers were forced to resign, beef prices toppled, and other countries banned German beef. The government finally admitted that it had clung too long to the illusion that German cattle were entirely free of the disease.
The main idea of the paragraph above is that
A the many tests carried out on cattle
B the banning of German beef by other countries
C the consequences when an illusion is proven wrong
D the German government’s response to the confirmation of BSE
All done? Good work. Now discuss your answers with your teacher or your friends.
The following three short texts are broadly about the subject of Facebook. Two of them however, are concerned specifically with the topic at hand – The advantages of Facebook.
Skim read the texts and identify as quickly as you can the two texts. Think about the words or phrases in these texts that help you to make your judgements.
TEXT 1
“It is a great, modern way of communicating with real world friends and the ‘friends’ that you think you must know because you have a bunch of mutual friends with that person. Other than that, it is a great way of putting everything about your life on the web.”
TEXT 2
“I think facebook is too overrated and they are indeed making too many changes. I don’t like the new chat and I think facebook was fine before they changed it. It’s just not the same anymore and I know my privacy isn’t really private anymore because everything now is becoming more public and it’s been kinda frustrating lately.”
TEXT 3
“Facebook has its advantages and disadvantages. I like facebook because you can find people on it. Like I found some of my dads family on it so that got me in touch with him and I found some old friends that I havnt seen in years on it. It helps you stay in touch with people and you get all the gossip too. I love facebook :)”.
Having skimmed the 3 texts, which ‘two’ texts do you think explains about the advantages of Facebook’?
For your MUET Reading Paper, you will have to read and comprehend 6 different types of texts of varying length and complexity. With 90 minutes to complete the test, you must make sure that you use your time wisely. Try not to worry about having to understand every single detail of the text. There is a way for you to increase your reading speed. Have you heard of skimming and scanning? Picture it this way, do you read every single word in the newspaper? There’s a bigger chance that you might not. What you do when you flip through the pages to look for interesting parts to read before you decide what you want to read is SKIMMING.
What you do when you just read key words to know about something in a newspaper article is calledSCANNING.
In the context of the MUET, these explanation is much more applicable:
Skimming is reading the text very quickly for the main idea of the text. Below you will find suggestions for ways to skim.
When you skim, you are looking for the meaning of the text, not for a complete understanding of the text. This means that you need to look at the topic sentences of each paragraph, and the subject, verb and object of the sentences.
Scanning is when you look for specific details in the text, without skimming or reading for the meaning. You use this technique when you are looking for the answer to a question. You will look for the keyword in the question (or a synonym) so you can locate the answer.
Now why don’t you try out the exercise below.
On the line, write whether you would most likely skim or scan to do each of the following:
1. I would __________ through a table of contents to see what information a book contained.
2. I would __________ through the glossary of a book to look for a certain topic.
3. I would __________ through the headings of a report before I read it to see if the topic interested me.
4. I would __________ through the first paragraph of a book to see if it was about the same character as a previous book.
5. I would __________ to find a phone number in the telephone directory.
6. I would __________ to search for an unanswered question on an exam.
7. I would __________ to find a location on a map.
8. I would __________ to find my flight on a schedule at the airport.
9. I would __________ an advert to find out the cost of something.
10. I would __________ to refresh my memory about an article I’d read before.
All done? Check your answers with your teacher or your friends.
Effective readers use pictures, titles, headings, and text—as well aspersonal experiences—to make predictions before they begin to read. Predicting involves thinking ahead while reading and anticipating information and events in the text. After making predictions, students can read through the text and refine, revise, and verify their predictions.
The strategy of making predictions actively engages students and connects them to the text by asking them what they think might occur in the story. Using the text, students refine, revise, and verify their thinking and predictions.
Why Is It Important?
Making predictions activates students’ prior knowledge about the text and helps them make connections between new information and what they already know. By making predictions about the text before, during, and after reading, students use what they already know—as well as what they suppose might happen—to make connections to the text.
How Can You Make It Happen?
Let’s try this out with the text you have read just now.
The”think-aloud” strategy, is particularly helpful.
Think aloud before you read the text. Try doing this before reading: “I came across an interesting article today and by looking at the pictures, I am guessing or predicting that it will be about _____ and _______. When we use what we know to make a guess before we read it is called ‘predicting.'”
Think aloud while reading the article. Predicting what the article is about while reading. “Hmmm… my prediction that the article would be about ____ was right, but I did not think that ____ would happen. I’ll make a new prediction that _____ will happen based on what I read.”
Think aloud after reading, reflect on what you have predicted after reading. “My first prediction was _____. After reading part of the article I predicted _____. Now that I am finished reading I think my predictions were close/not close to what it was really about because_____.”
Read the text “How to Prepare for a Job Interview” before you start with this section.
Congratulations! You have just finished reading the text and now, you have new found knowledge about the topic “How to Prepare for A Job Interview”. Now, let’s look at three strategies that can help you comprehend the text better. Don’t worry, you may have already taken these strategies when you were reading the text just now!
Identifying the main ideas
How Do You Locate the Main Idea?
Once you can find the topic, you are ready to find the main idea. The main idea is the point of the paragraph. It is the most important thought about the topic.
To figure out the main idea, ask yourself this question: What is being said about the person, thing, or idea (the topic)?
The author can locate the main idea in different places within a paragraph. The main idea is usually a sentence, and it is usually the first sentence. The writer then uses the rest of the paragraph to support the main idea.
Let’s use the paragraph below as an example. First find the topic, then look for the main idea.
DO YOUR HOMEWORK
Don’t walk into a job interview with zero knowledge about the business you are interviewing with. Research the company beforehand — visit its website, follow it on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and do some simple Google searches to see what you can find out about its history and its leadership team. Be sure to showcase your newfound knowledge during your interview. This will boost your credibility with the interviewer and will help you to formulate intelligent questions to ask him or her.
The topic is : Preparation.
The main idea is: You must prepare yourself before you go for an interview.
Let’s try again. This time, you try it on your own and discuss your answer later with your teacher.
6. DRESS THE PART
Your clothing should be neat, pressed, and professional looking. It’s better to dress too conservatively than too casually. Be well groomed with clean, manicured nails. Keep tattoos under wraps and remove any facial piercings if you have them. If the work environment seems casual, you’ll be able to gauge later what’s acceptable — after you have the job.
The topic is: _______________________________.
The main idea is: ______________________________.
Now, try out your predicting skill on the rest of the text. One important thing to remember though is that while the main idea is usually in the first sentence, the next most common placement is in the last sentence of a paragraph. The author gives supporting information first and then makes the point in the last sentence.
Adapted from:Study Skills. A Landmark School Student Guideby Diane Vener,
Read the passage below. Then answer the questions in the Exercises (Set 1).
Passage 1
A LITTLE PREPARATION GOES A LONG WAY
So you’ve landed a job interview? Congratulations! Now it’s time to prepare. With so much competition for jobs today, the interview is more important than ever. This crucial face-to-face meeting is your chance to “sell” a prospective employer on hiring you. Here are 10 steps to acing your next interview. Good luck!
DO YOUR HOMEWORK
Don’t walk into a job interview with zero knowledge about the business you are interviewing with. Research the company beforehand — visit its website, follow it on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and do some simple Google searches to see what you can find out about its history and its leadership team. Be sure to showcase your newfound knowledge during your interview. This will boost your credibility with the interviewer and will help you to formulate intelligent questions to ask him or her.
2. PLAN YOUR ROUTE
Don’t sabotage your chances before you even arrive by getting lost on your way to the interview or getting stuck in traffic. Arriving late to a job interview leaves a very bad impression on the interviewer.
Map out where you’re going and prepare alternate routes. Figure out how long the trip will take, where to park, and anything else you need to know to arrive on time. Be sure you have the name and phone number of the person you’ll be meeting with.
3. REHEARSE BEFOREHAND
Every once in a while an interviewer will ask an unexpected question, but for the most part, many interviews play out the same way.
Prepare intelligent answers to common questions the interviewer is likely to ask, such as “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”; “Why do you want to work here?”; “Why should we hire you?”; and “Tell me about yourself.” Conduct a mock interview with a trusted friend as practice.
4. GET SOLID REFERENCES
Find at least three key people — former supervisors, colleagues, or instructors — who will serve as your professional references. Ask their permission beforehand, as well as the best way for them to be contacted.
You may be asked to send these references at a later time, but you should arrive at the interview with this information in hand just in case it is asked for.
5. BRING NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION
Make a checklist of documents that you will need for the interview, and make sure that you have them with you. These may include copies of your résumé, a passport, driver’s license, Social Security card, or portfolio of work.
If the interviewer asks for something that you did not know to bring, be sure to get it to them as soon as possible.
6. DRESS THE PART
Your clothing should be neat, pressed, and professional looking. It’s better to dress too conservatively than too casually. Be well groomed with clean, manicured nails. Keep tattoos under wraps and remove any facial piercings if you have them. If the work environment seems casual, you’ll be able to gauge later what’s acceptable — after you have the job.
7. ARRIVE EARLY
Arrive at least 15 minutes before the interview. Visit the restroom and check your appearance. Turn your cell phone off so it doesn’t ring during your meeting.
However, be sure not to announce your arrival too early or you might annoy the interviewer, who may be meeting with another candidate or simply isn’t ready to meet with you yet.
8. SELL YOURSELF
Now is not the time to be humble. Develop a 25-second sales pitch that sings your praises. In business this is called an “elevator speech,” a compelling overview of “why you?” that can be recited in the time it takes to ride an elevator. It should include your strengths, your experience, and what sets you apart from other applicants.
9. ASK QUESTIONS
Nobody is very impressed by a candidate who sits in silence, or exhibits little knowledge about the position he or she is applying for.
Based on your research about the company, ask questions that show your knowledge of the business and industry. Don’t barrage the interviewer with difficult or sensitive questions, but make sure your questions aren’t generic either. This is your time to prove that you are knowledgeable about the company you want to be a part of.
10. FOLLOW UP
After the interview, send a handwritten note or friendly email thanking the interviewer for his or her time and consideration, as well as restating your interest in the position. If you don’t hear anything after one week, call to politely ask when they will be making a decision.
Every interview is a learning experience. Even if you don’t get this job, when the next interview rolls around, you’ll be better prepared and more at ease, which will improve your chances of being offered the next job.
Read the story below and answer the question that follows.
After you have answered the questions above, can you come up with a suitable ending to the story above? Try it out. How the story turns out is all up to you now!
Text 1
The main idea in the paragraph is that
The following three short texts are broadly about the subject of Facebook. Two of them however, are concerned specifically with the topic at hand – The advantages of Facebook.
TEXT 1
A) Text 1 and 2 B) Text 2 and 3 C) Text 1 and 3
For your MUET Reading Paper, you will have to read and comprehend 6 different types of texts of varying length and complexity. With 90 minutes to complete the test, you must make sure that you use your time wisely. Try not to worry about having to understand every single detail of the text. There is a way for you to increase your reading speed. Have you heard of skimming and scanning? Picture it this way, do you read every single word in the newspaper? There’s a bigger chance that you might not. What you do when you flip through the pages to look for interesting parts to read before you decide what you want to read is 
Skimming is reading the text very quickly for the main idea of the text. Below you will find suggestions for ways to skim.
What Is It?
Why Is It Important?
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