1. TOFEL Reading
Monday Feb. 2

2. The Reading Section
Tests how well you understand and interpret college-level academic writing similar to that found in introductory textbooks.
Probably will be more difficult than most other tests you’ve taken
Requires you understand information from subjects you might not be familiar with
Four passages in the reading section.
Total amount of time in the reading section to 60 or 80 minutes (20 minutes per passage).

3. Subjects that the passages may come from are from many sources.
All the information you need will be written in the passage.
Read each passage before answering the questions that relate to it.
Many of the questions are specific to a particular paragraph; if this is the case, the relevant paragraph will be marked with an arrow.
You’ll be able to view the entire passage if you want.
Most questions in the reading section have exactly one correct answer.

4. Reading textbooks can be boring, hard, and dry.
BUT
Undergraduate students need to read about 30 pages per night (= one chapter). 
Necessary target reading speed: 250 wpm.
Graduate students need to read about 50 pages per night. 
Necessary target reading speed: 300+ wpm

5. Strategies:
I. How much information do you need?
a) If the information will be tested later, use a CAREFUL READING technique. 
b) If you only need to know whether this reading (article, chapter) is useful, use a SKIMMING technique (Read the introduction and conclusion).
c) If you need to find particular information in this reading (article, chapter), use a SCANNING technique (Move your eyes quickly over the page, looking only for answers to questions— who, what, where, when, how, why; look for names, dates, locations, reasons.)

6. Survey the reading (chapter, article). 
Makes reading and understanding easier if you know purpose and what you are reading about.
Look at and read: headings, subheadings  Look for large titles, boldfaced print, titles in the same fonts and font sizes, words/titles in italics.
Look for and read the objectives.
Look for and read the study questions.
Look for and read the summary.   

7. “What questions should I be able to answer about this reading?”
2. Question as you read. 
“Why am I reading this? 
“What questions should I be able to answer about this reading?” 
Remind yourself of the study questions.
3. Read and mark.
Break the reading into smaller segments (headings/subheadings).
Read one section at a time. 
highlight (underline) thesis statements (one per section), topic sentences (main idea of each paragraph), key words or phrases.
Make outlines or notes in the margin.

8. 4.     Recite.
 Ask yourself the main idea of each section.  Formulate it in your own words in one sentence.
Write a brief summary in the margin (= annotating) or take notes on a separate sheet of paper.
5.     Review.
Reread your annotations for each section.
Try to answer the study questions.
Summarize the reading (article, chapter) into 4-5 sentences in your own words.

9. Practice Reading
Read the passage
Utilize the strategy discussed