1- Reading Comprehension Tips
Do you know what to do in order to improve your comprehension? Next, you will find simple and useful recommendations to enhance your reading skills:
2- Reading comprehension strategies
2.1- Skimming
It is a fast-reading technique to find the main idea of a text. In other words, to identify general ideas or main concepts in a text. Usually, you need to take a look at the first sentence in each paragraph to obtain the main ideas out of it. However, if the information provided in the first sentence is not completely clear, you should continue reading until you get a sense of what is written.
Some examples of skimming-oriented questions:
– What is the main idea of the text?
– What is the author’s attitude towards wearing face masks in public places?
– What type of text is this?
2.2- Scanning
It is also a fast-reading technique we usually use in order to find specific information quickly in a text. You should search for specific information within a text such as a number or a word. You should scan what is needed, ignoring information that it is not related.
Some examples of scanning-oriented questions:
– Where was Nikola Tesla born?
– When did Gabriela Mistral win the Nobel Prize in Literature?
– How many people participated in the study?
3- Reading Comprehension: What does the Chilean Labor Code establish regarding “part-time” jobs?
1) First of all, it is important to emphasize that the expression “part-time job” does not exist in the Chilean labor code. However, any paid job that has a working week of less than 30 hours can be considered as part-time job. According to the art. 40 of the Chilean Labor Code: “Part-time employment contracts may be agreed upon, being considered to be subject to the provisions of this paragraph, those in which workday does not exceed two thirds of the ordinary working week, as referred to in Article 22.”
2) There are several motivations for why people prefer part-time jobs. One of them is because the person studies and requires an income to pay for their studies, either partially or totally. Another reason is to spend time caring for children or other family members. A third cause is to have more free time to enjoy other projects or personal interests. Even retired people take a part-time job because they want to remain active, but most of them do it especially because they need to supplement their pension.
3) Working part-time can have several positive aspects, the main one being to receive a wage by working fewer hours, and although the salary may not be as high as that of a full-time worker, it is especially valued by mothers or fathers who want to have a more active participation while raising their children. Also, working part time might be a great idea for students, who can complete their academic degrees at the same time as receiving a salary who might already have training in their labor field.
Use skimming to answer the questions below:
a. Who might be interested in reading this piece of news?
If your answer is “Chilean adults”, you are right! The title clearly involves the Chilean Labor Code, which deals with the law.
b. What is the main idea of paragraph 2 of the text?
The main idea of the second paragraph is to present the reasons people choose a part-time job.
Use scanning to answer the questions below:
a. How many hours does a part-time employee work every week?
If your answer is “less than 30” hours, you are right!
b. What are the main reasons students prefer part-time jobs?
According to the text, students work part-time in order to partially or fully pay for their studies, and also to obtain working experience in their labor field.
Summary: Fast-Reading Strategies
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– Look for main ideas. – Read the first sentence of a paragraph. – Look at pictures, tables, charts. – Read headings. |
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– Look for specific details. – Search specific words (key words) or numbers. – Move your eyes quickly through the text to find words or numbers. – Read headings to get an idea of where you will find the information you specifically need. |
