Reading is a good habit. There are hundreds of skills to help you read much in a short time. Here are two skills that I think are especially good.
Preview(预览)---if it’s long and hard. Previewing is especially useful for getting a main idea of heavy reading like long articles and reports.
Here’s how to preview.
●Read the first two paragraphs(段落) and the last two paragraphs carefully.
●Then read only the first sentence(句子) of the other paragraphs.
Previewing doesn’t give you everything. It stops you from spending time on things you don’t really want or need to read.
Skim(略读)----if it’s short and simple. Skimming is a good way to get a main idea of light reading ---like news about popular sports and stars.
Here’s how to skim.
●Get your eyes to move fast. Look through each line.
●Pick up only a few important words in each line.
Everybody skims differently. You and I may not pick up the same words when we skim the same piece, but we’ll get the main idea of the news or article.
| How to read |
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| Previewing |
A long and |
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| |
How to preview |
Read the first two and Read the first sentence of the |
| How can previewing help you in reading |
You needn’t |
|
| Skimming |
What to skim |
Some |
| Make your eyes |
||
| How can skimming help you in reading |
It can help us |
Look at the picture of an office worker’s desk. Notice how the baskets on the secretary’s desk have labels(标签). Labels help office workers know what something is for and where something may be.
Read the labels. What do you think they mean?
In each basket are job tasks that a secretary needs to do or has completed. The labels tell her what must be done with the jobs in the drawer.
For example, one drawer has this label: To Be Done ASAP( ASAP means As Soon As Possible.) Let’s say someone needs a copy of a letter and puts it in that basket.
What would you think the secretary would do?
The secretary would copy the letter as soon as she could. Then she would give it back to the person right away. That is the main point of the label: the tasks in this drawer need to be done right away.
The other labels also have a main point.
IN: The tasks need to be done.
OUT: The tasks are finished and can go back to the persons who sent the tasks.
MAIL: The tasks must go to the post office.
TO BE FILED: The tasks must be put in the file drawers.
In which basket would you put the following things? Write the label of the basket.
| A. a contract(合同) that must be copied right away B. reports that must be filed away C. a letter that needs be signed(签字) D. an iphone 5 that should be fixed at once E. a meeting schedule that has been typed F. a user’s guide that must be sent to a buyer |
正确的顺序是：
Have you ever wondered?
Why do airplanes take longer to fly west than east?
It can take five hours to go west-east from New York (NY) to London but seven hours to travel east-west from London to NY. The reason for the difference is an atmospheric phenomenon (大气现象) known as the jet stream (气流). The jet stream is a very high altitude (=" above" sea level) wind which always blows from the west to the east across the Atlantic. So the planes moving at a constant air speed go faster from the west to the east when they are moving with the wind than in the opposite.
What would happen if the gravity on Earth was suddenly turned off?
Supposing we could magically turn off gravity. Would buildings and other buildings float away? What happened would depend on (依靠) how strongly the things were attached (吸附) to the earth. The earth is moving at quite a speed, moving at over a thousand miles per hour. If you turn something around your head on a string, it goes around in a circle until you let go of the string. Then it flies off in a straight line. ‘Turning off’ gravity would be like letting go of the string. Things not attached to the earth would fly off in a straight line. People in buildings would suddenly shoot upwards at a great speed until they hit the ceiling (=" top" surface of a room). Most things outside would fly off into space.What information can we get from the first passage?
| A．It is the jet stream that affects how fast airplanes fly. |
| B．Planes go slower when they are moving with the wind. |
| C．It takes more time to fly from NY to London than from London to NY. |
| D．The jet stream always blows from the east to the west across the Atlantic. |
The underlined word “shoot” in the 2nd paragraph means “_________”.
| A．send for | B．move quickly | C．come out | D．grow quickly |
It can be known that without gravity _________.
| A．buildings and other structures would float away |
| B．trees and buildings would not so easily fly off |
| C．something around your head would not float away |
| D．everything outside buildings would fly off into space |
Which of the following is not mentioned in the passage?
| A．It takes seven hours to travel from London to New York. |
| B．The earth is moving at a high speed. |
| C．Things on the earth will float away if there’s no gravity. |
| D．Things not attached to the earth would fly off in a straight line. |
Where can we read this passage?
| A．In a research paper. | B．In a short story. |
| C．In a travel magazine. | D．In a student’s book |
| Chinese Restaurant We specialize in banquets and parties. Authentic(正宗) Chinese food. Special lunchtime dishes. licensed and BYO(bring your own)  SUNDAY DIM SUM(点心）LUNCH Situated in Smithfield Shopping centre. Tel: 361 9042 Place: 589 Walkley Road, Smithfield |
Hamburger Joe’s Dine in or take away 7 days a week. Friendly, polite waitress service. Pleasant, informal and air-conditioned surroundings. Time: Mon. Noon—10pm Tues. Noon—11pm Wed.—Sat. Noon—Midnight Sun. Noon—9pm Place: 14 Jetty Road, Glenelg Tel: 295 7783 |
| The Seafood Inn Licensed Café We offer lunch and dinner in a relaxed atmosphere（气氛）with indoor or outdoor seating. We have an interesting wine list and freshly prepared foods. Time: Tuesday to Friday  12:00—3:00 pm 6:30—11:30 pm Tel: 306 2481 Place: 482 Spring Street, Carlton |
Peppi’s Italian Restaurant Pasta just like Mama used to make Italian or Australian wines or BYO  Time: Open 7 days for lunch and dinner Car parking available Tel: 224 1086 Place: 28 O’Connell ST CITV |
| Pizza Palace Pizza ·Beer ·Wine Fully Licensed Full take-away service Special children’s menu Everard Park, Glenelg City |
If you’d like to order some dim sum, you should dial ______________.
| A．361 9042 | B．306 2481 | C．224 1086 | D．295 778321cnjy.com |
Pizza Palace is the best place for children to eat because ______________.
| A．the waitress service is friendly and polite |
| B．there is a special children’s menu |
| C．there are indoor or outdoor seats |
| D．it’s close to Smithfield Shopping centre |
How many hours a day is the Seafood Inn open from Tuesday to Friday?
| A．3 . | B．5. | C．8. | D．12. |
The address of Hamburger Joe’s is ______________.
| A．589 Walkley Road, Smithfield | B．14 Jetty Road, Glenelg |
| C．28 O’Connell ST CITV | D．482 Spring Street, Carlton |
The following statements are true EXCEPT ___________.
| A．Peppi’s Italian Restaurant allows you to bring your own drinks |
| B．You can’t buy breakfast at Hamburger Joe’s |
| C．You can enjoy authentic Chinese food in Chinese Restaurant |
| D．You can dine in or take away from Pizza Palace21 |
Mrs. King is an American doctor. She is now in China. She works in a children’s hospital（儿童医院）in Beijing. She is also learning Chinese medicine (中医) there. She likes Chinese medicine very much. She loves working for children. She works hard in the day and reads English books on (关于) Chinese medicine at night. She learns Chinese from the Chinese doctors and her Chinese friends. Now she can speak some Chinese. She can read some Chinese books, too.
Her husband Mr. King is a teacher. He teaches English in a junior high school in Beijing. He works hard, too. He works from Monday to Friday. He teaches three classes every day. Sometimes, on Saturdays and Sundays, he teaches other English classes. He wants to make more money (挣更多钱).
根据短文内容，选择正确答案。Mrs. King works in a _____.
| A．shop | B．junior high school in Beijing |
| C．hospital in Beijing | D．hospital in America |
Both of the Kings _____.
| A．live in America | B．live in Shanghai |
| C．work hard | D．work every day |
Mr. King works _____.
| A．in a junior high school in Beijing |
| B．in a children’s hospital in Beijing |
| C．in a junior high school in America |
| D．in a children’s hospital in America |
Mrs. King learns Chinese from _____.
| A．her teacher | B．the books |
| C．the doctors | D．the Chinese doctors and her Chinese friends |
Which of the following sentences is NOT true?
| A．Mrs. King can speak English and Chinese. |
| B．Mrs. King does’t know anything about Chinese medicine. |
| C．Mrs. King is from America. |
| D．Mr. King sometimes teaches other English classes on weekends. |
In junior high school in America, kids study English, writing, math, science, biology, music and art.
At 12 o’clock, the students eat lunch at school. They have meat, vegetables, fruit, bread and a drink, but they like hot dogs and hamburgers best. American kids like sugar (糖), and after the meal they can have a small piece of cake.
Students sleep (睡觉) for a short time after lunch. They begin classes at 1:30 in the afternoon. They go to school on weekdays and have classes for six hours every day and then return home.
Parents let their kids play or watch TV until dinner at 6:00 p. m. After dinner, they do their homework. Sometimes kids and their parents have a family activity after dinner.
根据短文内容，选择正确答案。What do the students like best for lunch at school?
| A．Meat and fruit. | B．Hot dogs and hamburgers. |
| C．Hot dogs and sugar. | D．Bread and hamburgers. |
In America, students go to school __________ days a week.
| A．4 | B．5 | C．6 | D．7 |
The American kids usually have dinner_____ in the evening.
| A．at five o’clock | B．at six thirty |
| C．at six o’clock | D．at five thirty |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．American students like hot dogs and hamburgers best. |
| B．After lunch students sleep for a short time. |
| C．The classes begin at 2:00 p. m. |
| D．Sometimes students have a family activity with their parents. |
The best title（标题）for the passage (短文) is ______.
| A．Favorite food | B．Junior high school |
| C．Outdoor activities | D．School life in America |