Reading Skills Toefl Summary

Reading
Toefl
SUMMARY
OF SKILLS

SKILL ONE
 Answer Main Idea questions correctly
If you see the following in the question…
topic, subject, title, primary idea, main
idea,
main point, With what is the author
primarily
concerned ?
TIP – to save time… 
 Read the FIRST SENTENCE of each
paragraph or the THESIS STATEMENT of the
essay…

SKILL TWO
 Recognize the ORGANIZATION of ideas.
If you see the following questions…
How is the information in the passage organized ?
How is the information in the second paragraph
related to the
information in the first paragraph?
Read the FIRST LINE of each paragraph
Look for words that show the relationship
between the paragraphs

SKILL THREE
 Answer the stated DETAIL questions correctly
According to the passage… It is stated in the passage…
The
passage indicates that… The author mentions that… Which
of
the following is true …?
 Choose a KEY WORD in the question
 FIND the key word in the passage & read the
sentence carefully…
 Find the BEST answer that restates the idea in
the passage.

SKILL FOUR
 Find UNSTATED details.
If you see the following questions…
Which of the following is not stated ?... is not mentioned ?
… is not discussed?... All of the following are true except …
 Choose a KEY WORD in the question
 FIND the key word in the passage & read the
sentence carefully…
 Find the answer that is NOT TRUE or NOT
DISCUSSED in the passage.

SKILL FIVE
 Find PRONOUN references.
If you see the question…
The pronoun “…” in line X refers to which of the
following?

Find the pronoun in the passage.
Look for nouns that come before the
pronoun.

SKILL SIX
 Answer IMPLIED DETAIL questions correctly.
It is IMPLIED in the passage that… It can be INFERRED
from the
passage that… It is most LIKELY that… What PROBABLY
happened…?
 Fist Choose a KEY WORD in the question
 Look for this/these word/s in the passage
 Carefully read the sentence with the key word.
 Look for the option that could be true according
to that sentence.

SKILL SEVEN
 Answer TRANSITION questions correctly.
The paragraph PRECEDING the passage probably… What is
most
likely in the paragraph FOLLOWING the passage…
 Read the FIRST LINE of the passage for the
“Preceding”… and LAST LINE for the “Following”
questions.
 Make up your mind about what comes before/
after.
 Choose the best option that is reflected in the
first/last line of the passage.

VOCABULARY QUESTIONS
SKILL EIGHT
 Find DEFINITIONS from STRUCTURAL
clues.
What is…? What is the MEANING of…? What is true
about…?
Look at punctuation… comma,
parantheses, dashes (for explanations)
Restatement… or,that is, in other words,
i.e
Examples… such as,for example, e.g

TIP – to save time…  (cont)
Find the WORD in the passage
Locate any STRUCTURAL clues
Read the part of the passage AFTER the
structural clues CAREFULLY.
Eliminate any definitely wrong answers
and choose the best answer from the
remaining clues.

SKILL NINE

 Determine meanings from WORD
PARTS.
Check out the LIST of word formation
(prefixes, roots, suffixes) at the end
of this presentation…
Use these word parts to guess the
meaning of the words.

SKILL TEN
 Use CONTEXT to determine meanings of
DIFFICULT words.
What is the MEANING…? Which of the following is
closest in MEANING to…?
NOTE: The word is a difficult one and that you probably
do not know.
 Find the word in the passage
 Read the sentence with the word CAREFULLY
 Look for CONTEXT clues to help you
understand the meaning

SKILL ELEVEN
 Use CONTEXT to determine meanings of
SIMPLE words.
What is the MEANING…? Which of the following is closes in
MEANING to…?
Note: The word is a simple word, one that you see often in
everyday English.
 Find the word in the passage.
 Read the sentence with the word CAREFULLY
 Look for CONTEXT clues to help you understand
the meaning as its usually different from the
simple meaning.
 Choose the best option.

OVERALL REVIEW QUESTIONS

SKILL TWELVE
 Determine where SPECIFIC INFORMATION
is found.
WHERE in the passage…?
 Choose a KEY WORD /IDEA in the question
 Skim the lines in the passage that are LISTED
in the answers. Skim for the KEY
WORD/IDEA.
 Choose the answer that contains the line
numbers of a restatement of the question.

SKILL THIRTEEN
 Determine the TONE, PURPOSE, or COURSE
What is the TONE of the passage?... What is the author’s
PURPOSE in this passage?...In which COURSE would this
reading be assigned?

 TONE: there will be clues throughout the passage
that the author is showing EMOTION rather than
just presenting facts.
Skim the passage looking for clues that author is showing
EMOTION.

TIP – to save time…  (Cont.)
PURPOSE: Draw a conclusion about the
PURPOSE from the main idea and
supporting details.
Study the main idea in the topic sentence and
the details used to support the main idea.
Draw a conclusion about the purpose.
COURSE: Draw a conclusion about the
COURSE from the topic of the passage
and the supporting details.
Study the main idea in the topic sentence and
the details used to support the main idea.
Draw a conclusion about the course.

READING COMPREHENSION
Word formation with prefixes, Stems,
and Suffixes
PREFIXES
Ab-
Out of;
Absorb (to take (something) out of something)
Ante-
Before;
Antecedent (someone or something that existed in the past)
Anti-
Against;
Antigovernment (against the government)
Bi-
Two;
Bidirectional (in two or both directions)

Circum-
Around;
Circumvent (to avoid, to work around something)
Co-, col-,
Together, with;
Cooperate (to work together)
Com-,con-,
Commettee (a group working together) congreate (to
come together)
Dis-
Not, take away;
Dissatisfied (not satisfed)
Em-,en-,
İn,into,inside;
Enclose (to surround, to include)

Ex-,
Out, from;
External (outside, outer)
For-,fore-,
Ahead, to the front;
Forward (ahead)
Il-,im-,
Not;
İllogical (not logical) impossible (not possible)
İm-,in-,
İn, into;
İmport (to bring into a country) inhale (to breathe in)
İn-,ir-,
Not;
İncovenient (not convenient) irresponsible (not
responsible)

Inter-,
Between, among;
Interstate (between or among states)
Re-,
Again, back;
Revive (to bring back to life) reread (to read again)
Sub-,
Below, under;
Subsurface (under the surface)
Syn-,
Same;
Synchronic (occurring at the same time)
micro-,
Very small;
Microcomputer (a small computer)

Mis-,
Wrong(ly);
Misbehave (to behave wrongly)
Over-,
Above, more;
Overcrowded (to be crowded above capacity)
Post-,
After;
Postwar (after the war) Pre-,
Before;
Precede (to come before)

Pro-,
Before, in front of, in favor of;
Proclaim (to present a claim before others)
Trans-,
Across;
Transport (to carry across)
Un-,
Not;
Unclear (not clear)

ROOTS
Alter
Other, different;
Alternative (another choice)
Anthro
Human;
Anthropology (the study of humankind)
Aqua
Water;
Aquarium (water container/tank)
Astro
Star;
Astronomer (a person who studies stars)
Auto
Self;
Automobile (moving by itself (vehicle))

Bio
Life;
Biography (a description of someone’s life)
Chron
Time;
Synchronic (occuring at the same time)
Cycle
Circle;
Bicycle (two circles (wheels))
Demo
People;
Demographics (a description (science) of people (population))
Dic,dict
To speak, to say;
Dictate (to say words (out loud))
Equi
Equal;
Equilibrium (balance (having equal weight on both or all sides)

Extra
Over, in addition;
Extraordinary (out of the ordinary)
Geo
Earth;
Geography (a description (science) of the earth)
Graph
To write;
Phonograph (a device that records (writes) sounds)
Homo
Same;
Homogeneous (of the same kind)
Hydr(o)
Water;
Hydrology (a science of water)
Hyper
Extra, over;
Hyperactive ( overactive)
Judic
Law;
Judicial (associated with the law)

Liber
Free;
Liberate (to set free)
Log(y)
Study of, description of;
Sociology (the study/description of society)
Manu
Hand;
Manufacture (produce by hand)
Medi
Middle;
Mediterranean Sea (the sea that is in the middle of the earth)
Medieval (pertaining to the Middle Ages)
Meter
To measure;
Geometry (a sicence of measuring the earth)
Mit/s
To send;
Transmit (to send over)
Mobil
Movable;
Mobility (motion, movement)

Mono
One;
Monosyllabic (consisting of one syllable)
Mort
Death;
Mortal (someone/thing that ) can die
Phon
Voice, sound;
Phonology (a study (science) of voice or sounds)
Photo
Light;
Photosensitive (sensitive to light)
Poly
Many;
Polysyllabic ((consisting of) many syllables)
Port
To carry;
Transport (to carry over/to)

Prim
First;
Prime minister (the first (most important) minister
Scope
To view;
Microscope (an instrument for viewing very small
things)
Scrib,scrip
To write;
Tapescript (something written on tape)
Simu(l)
Same time;
Simultaneous (occurring at the same time)
Spec(t)
To look;
Spectacular (worthy of being looked at, watched)

Tele
Over (at a) distance;
Telephone ( sound over distance)
Tempo
Time;
Temporary (for a limited time)
Terra
Land, earth;
Terrain (surface of the land)
Tract
To pull;
Tractor (a machine that pulls)

Uni
One;
Uniform (consistent (as one) in shape or appearance)
Ver
True, genuine;
Verify (to check for truthfulness, to prove
to be true)
Vit(a)
Life;
Vital (very important for life)
Vid,vis
To see;
Visible (can be seen)

SUFFIXES
-able,-ible,
Adjective – able;
Lovable (can be loved)
-al,-ical, -ial,
Adjective – belonging to, pertaining to, having to do with;
Magical (having to do with magic)
-ance,-ence,
Noun – state of being;
Presence (the state f being here) Absence (the state of
not being here)
-ant,-ent,
Noun – someone or something who does something;
Student (someone who studies)

-er,
Noun – someone who does something;
Worker (someone who works)
-fic,
Adjective – making, doing;
Specific (making special)
-ful,
Adjective – full of;
Playful, joyful
-fy,
Verb- to add, to make;
Simplify (to make simple)
-hood,
Noun – state, condition;
brotherhood, (the state of being brothers)

-ic,
Adjective – belonging to;
Public (belonging to the people)
Noun
Medic (one who belongs to or is associated with
medicine)
-ion,(-tion,-sion),
Noun – act, state;
Motion (the act of moving) Decision (the act of deciding)
-ious,-ous,
Adjective – full of, having the quality of;
Ambiguous (having ambiguity)
-ist,
Noun – someone who is something or routinely does something;
Violonist (someone who plays a violin)

-ism,
Noun- belief, values of, practice of;
Capitalism (values based on capital) -ity,-ty,
Noun – state;
Clarity (the state of being clear)
-less,
Adjective – without;
Penniless (without a penny(coins))
-ly,
Adverb-
Honestly, warmly
-ment,
Noun – result of an action/state;
Development (the result of developing)

-ness,
Noun from adjectives – state, condition;
Kindness (the state of being kind)
-ship,
Noun – state, condition;
Relationship (the state of being related to
someone or something)
-ure,
Noun – act, process, state;
Adventure, temperature
-y,
Adjective – characterized by, like;
lucky,happy

Reading Skills Toefl Summary

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