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Reading Mastery Guide
The Reading test challenges your ability to skim, scan, and understand details in texts of varying complexity. It consists of 5 Parts and 35 questions. Time limit: 60 minutes.
Part 1: Gap Fill
Format: A short text with missing words. You must choose the correct word from a list.
Strategy:
- Read the whole sentence first: Don't look at the options immediately. Guess the missing word's meaning from context.
- Check grammar: Does the gap require a noun, verb, or adjective? Eliminate options that don't fit grammatically.
Part 2: Matching Headings/Texts
Format: Match descriptions (e.g., "This person wants a cheap hotel") to short texts (Advertisements A-F).
Strategy:
- Underline keywords in the question: Identify exactly what is required (e.g., "cheap", "near city center", "breakfast included").
- Scan for synonyms: The text won't say "cheap"; it might say "affordable", "budget-friendly", or "low cost".
Part 3: Longer Text (Multiple Choice)
Format: A longer article with multiple-choice questions testing detail and main idea.
Strategy:
- Questions follow the text order: The answer to question 1 is usually in the first paragraph.
- Eliminate wrong answers: Cross out options that are clearly contradictory to the text.
Part 4: Sentence Insertion
Format: A text with gaps where whole sentences have been removed. You must fit the sentences back in.
Strategy:
- Look for linkers: "However", "Therefore", "In addition". These connect the missing sentence to the previous or next one.
- Check pronouns: If the missing sentence says "He did this...", look for a "He" (a man's name) in the previous sentence.
Part 5: Matching Headings to Paragraphs
Format: Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from a list.
Strategy:
- Read the first and last sentence: Often the topic sentence is at the start or end of the paragraph.
- Watch out for "Topic Traps": A paragraph might mention a word from a heading but not be about that heading. Look for the main idea, not just matching words.