📖 Notes
LESSON 07 OF 20
Reading Strategies — Skim, Scan & Detail
Three Speeds, Three Purposes
Skimming, scanning, and detailed reading aren't interchangeable — using the wrong one on the wrong question type is the single biggest reason strong readers run out of time.
Three Strategies
Match the Speed to the Question
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Skimming (2–3 min/passage)
Read the first sentence of each paragraph to get the main idea fast, before touching any questions.
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Scanning (~30 sec/target)
Move your eyes fast for a specific piece of information — key words, names, numbers, dates.
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Detailed Reading (1–2 min/question)
Read carefully around the answer area — needed for True/False/Not Given and sentence completion.
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Time Discipline
Knowing which mode to switch to, and when, is what separates finishing on time from running out.
Time Management Across 3 Passages
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Why passage 3 gets the most time
Passage 3 is the hardest but only has one more question than passage 1 — the extra minutes go to unpacking dense academic language, not extra questions.