UNIT 8

SKIMMING

Speed is often very important when you are reading. You may have a lot to read, but not
much time. For this kind of reading you usually do not want to know and remember
everything. You only want to find out about it. You want to skim newspaper or magazine
articles, book covers, library books, etc. The purpose of skimming is to get an overview of
the text you are reading. You may want to know the writer’s main point, style, focus,
point of view, the overall organization of the text, and how the content relates to your
needs.

Skimming For Point of View

Skimming is helpful when you want to find out quickly about the writer. You may want to
find out what the writer thinks about some idea. This is the writer’s point of view. When
you want to know the point of view you do not need to read everything. You only need to
read a few important words.

Examples 1:
Dogs are often a problem at home. Many dogs are
noisy and dirty. They may even dangerous for small
children.

Does the writer like dogs at home? No

You do not have to read all the sentences to learn this. You only have to read the words
“problem”, “noisy”, “dirty”, and “dangerous”. From these words you can tell the writer’s
point of view. This writer is against dogs at home.

Example 2:
An apartment looks much nicer with some plants. The green
leaves make it seem cooler in summer. The flowers give it a
happy feeling.

Does the writer like plants in apartment? ________________________________________

How do you know this? List important words ____________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
What do you think the writer’s point of view on this topic? _________________________

Task 1 Skimming for Point of View

Read these sentences very quickly. Then decide whether the writer is for or against the
idea. Underline the important words.

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 1. Many people believe that meat is important food to eat. It is not true. You do not
need to eat meat at all. In fact, you may be more healthy if you do not eat meat.
___________________________________________________________________
2. Travel is not always fun. Often there are problems with transportation, language or
hotels. It is also very tiring to travel, and you can easily get sick.
___________________________________________________________________
3. Today it is better not to have a camera when you travel. A camera is heavy and
difficult to carry. It is also not necessary. You can buy good picture postcard almost
everywhere.
___________________________________________________________________
4. A bicycle is the best way to see a country. It does not need gas. It is not expensive.
And you also get some exercise at the same time you are traveling.
___________________________________________________________________
5. Bicycles can be very dangerous. You can hurt yourself by falling off the bicycle.
You can also get seriously hurt if you are hit by a car.
___________________________________________________________________
6. Everyone should learn another language. A second language is very useful these
days. It also may teach you something about other people and places.
___________________________________________________________________
7. It is not easy to move to another country. There may be problems with language or
culture. It may be difficult to find a job or a place to live. And in another country,
you do not have family or friends to help.
___________________________________________________________________
8. Music often makes you feel better about life. It can make you happy if you are sad.
It can make you relax when you nervous.
___________________________________________________________________

Skimming for Pattern of Organization

Sometimes you need to find out quickly how a book or article is organized. You want to
know its pattern. You do not need to know the details, you do not read all the words. You
only read the signal words and they will tell you the pattern.

Example 1:
A whale eats a lot of ocean food every day. That is because it is a large animal.

The pattern of organization of this text is cause – effect. The signal word is because. Now
what is the pattern of organization of the following text:

Example 2:

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 The book has a lot of information about Poland. First, it tells about the
history. It also explains how to travel around the country and finally, it
list some interesting places to visit.

The pattern is listing time – order

Comparison cause – effect

Task 2 Skimming for Pattern of Organization

Read the sentences quickly. Read only the pattern of organization. The check the best
answer.

1. Leif Ericson was probably the first European to see America. He visited some of
the northern areas in about 1000. The next European visitor to America was
Christopher Columbus.
_____________ listing _____________ time – order
_____________ comparison _____________ cause – effect
2. The Spanish kings and queens sent many people to find out about America.
Christopher Columbus was one of these people. Ponce de Leon was another. And
Vasco da Game was yet a third.
_____________ listing _____________ time – order
_____________ comparison _____________ cause – effect
3. Leif Ericson had probably a more difficult trip across the Atlantic Ocean than
Christopher Columbus. Ericson sailed across the cold northern part of the Atlantic.
But Columbus sailed across the south where it is warmer.
_____________ listing _____________ time – order
_____________ comparison _____________ cause – effect
4. Many American Indians died soon after the European arrived. There was one
important reason for this. The European brought new kinds of diseases with them.
These diseases caused thousands of deaths in a short time.
_____________ listing _____________ time – order
_____________ comparison _____________ cause – effect
5. Some of the early Americans did not want to come to this country. For example,
there many Africans who had come as slaves. Some Europeans had to come for
religious reasons.
_____________ listing _____________ time – order
_____________ comparison _____________ cause – effect
6. When you study for an exam, you should follow these three steps. First, you should
make sure you have all the information you need. Next you should put that
information in order. Then you should make a list of the most important things.
_____________ listing _____________ time – order
_____________ comparison _____________ cause – effect
7. Some people believe that changes in the weather causes changes in their health.
This may be reason why many people get the “flu” in New England. In New
England the weather can change very suddenly.

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 _____________ listing _____________ time – order
_____________ comparison _____________ cause – effect
8. Many American history books leave out some important information. For example,
they often do not tell much about the American Indians. They also leave out some
history about women.
_____________ listing _____________ time – order
_____________ comparison _____________ cause – effect

Skimming for ideas

You can also skim when you want to find out the general idea quickly. Speed is important
for this kind of skimming, too. You should skim at least two times faster than you usually
read, which is approximately 800 words per minute!

But you can only do this if you change the way you read. You cannot read every word or
even every sentence. You have to leave out a lot. In fact, you should leave out everything
except a few important words. These are the words that tell you the general idea.

Study the following diagram; you will learn how you might skim an article. Notice that
you read all of the first and second paragraphs to get an overview. By the third and fourth
paragraph you must begin to leave out material read only key sentences and phrases to get
the main ideas and a few details. The last paragraph usually summarize, therefore, it is
useful to read them more fully.

Remember skimming must be done as quickly as possible, you skim because you do not
have much time but you need to cover as much material as you can is such a short time.

Usually the first paragraph will …………………………… Lowered comprehension is

be read at average speed all ………………………………...... expected ……………………….
the way through. It often Therefore sometimes the main …………………………………

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contains an instruction or idea is in the middle or at the ……50 % …………………….
overview of what will be talked end of the paragraph. …………………………………
about Some paragraph just repeat …………………… not to low
Sometimes, however, the the …………………………………
second paragraph contains ideas…………………………… Skimming practice makes it
introduction or overview. In the ………………………………… easier……………………………
first paragraph the author …………………………………. ………………………………….
might just be warming up or Occasionally, the main idea gain confidence………………
saying something clever to cannot be found in the opening ……………………………….
attract attention. sentence. The whole …………………………………
Reading a third paragraph paragraph must then be read. ….
completely might be Then leave out a lot of the Perhaps you will not get
unnecessary but ……………… next anything at all from a few
………………………………… paragraph……………………… paragraphs…………………….
………………………………… ………………………………… ………………………………..
………………………………… ……………..to make up …………………………………
………………………………… time…………………………… …..
The main idea is usually …………… …………do not worry………...
contained in the opening Remember to keep up very Skimming has many uses……
sentence……………………… fast …………………………………..
……………………….topic rate……………………………… Reports…………………………
sentence……………………… ………………………………… …………………………………..
………………………………… …………………800 w.p.m…… Newspaper……………………..
………………………………… ………………………………… …………………………………..
Beside the first sentence the …………………………………. …….supplementary text……..
reader should get some but Do not be afraid to leave out ………………………………..
not all the detail from the rest half or more of each …………………………………
of the paragraph paragraph………. ….
……………………… ………………………………… The ending paragraphs might
………………………………… ………………………………….. be read more fully because
………………………………… Do not get interested and often they contain a summary.
…….names………………… start to read everything……… Remember that the importance
……………………dates…… …….skimming is of skimming is to get only the
This tells you nothing……….. work…………………………… author’s main idea at a very
………………………………… ………………………………… fast speed.
………………………………… …………………………………

Women in China Today

(adapted from the World Press Review, March 1985)

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 What kind of jobs do women have in China today? Well, here are a few examples:
Zhao Changbai is amanager of one of China’s largest companies. Zou Hon is the manager
of a large company. Wan Shiren is an important scientist in China space program.
The list could go on. According to Zhang Guoying of the All-China Women’s
Federation, women are now important to the country. She says the government believes
this, too. China needs educated women to help make the country more modern.
This was not true 50 years ago. Then, there were few women in important jobs.
Women worked mostly at home or in factories. But, now there are more than 40 million
women working in China. That is 40% of all the people who work. These working women
include many women who work in factories. But now there are also many women
scientific and engineer workers – almost two million. And about 7,000 of these women are
also working in important government positions, as governors or ministers.
It was not easy for these women, says Zhang Guoying. She believes that Chinese
women have more difficulties than Chinese men. Women still have to take care of families.
That means they really have two jobs. One is at their office or factory and other is at home.
This is the same problem women have in many other parts of the world.
The government in China is trying to make life better for women. It is building
more day-care centers for children of working mothers. It is helping women to get a better
education and find better jobs. According to Zhang Guoying, the future for women in
China should be better.

1. In China today
a. More women are working
b. Most women do not work
c. Fewer women are working
d. Women do not like to work
2. Chinese women now
a. Have jobs only in factories
b. Have few important jobs
c. Have important jobs
d. Do not work for the government
3. For a Chinese woman
a. Life is now very easy
b. Work now is very easy
c. Life is still not easy
d. Families are not important

Task 5
Skim this passage. You should be able to retell what it is about in your own words.

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 The Great Nockitoff Diet

For anyone who wants to shed a few pounds in a sensible but speedy manner, the
Great Nockitoff Diet offers the perfect solution. It is guaranteed to work if you follow these
important guidelines.
The first thing to emphasize is that, regardless of how much or how little food you
eat, you must drink two quarts of water daily.
The two slices of whole wheat bread allowed each day will provide you with a
sufficient amount of carbohydrates. Therefore, though vegetables, even potatoes, are
recommended, these may only be eaten raw or steamed and without butter or sauces. All
alcoholic beverages should be avoided, iced tea, without sugar, or soda water, with lime or
lemon, being recommended as substitutes.
Two eggs are allowed per day, so long as these are boiled, poached or eaten raw,
and you may have as much cottage cheese, except for tomato catsup which has no added
sugar, should be avoided. All uncooked fruits may be eaten, but a maximum amount per
day is listed in appendix B. When preparing meat, fish, or poultry, remove all fat skin.
Like most diets, the Great Nockitoff Diet cuts out all sweets; on the other hand, it
differs from most in including more than twenty-five suggestion for healthy, low fat, tasty
desserts.

Task 6
Skim this passage. You should be able to retell what it is about in your own words.

Expressing Yourself in English

Expressing Yourself in English is an interesting textbook with some variations from

traditional in its approach. It would seem appropriate for self-study, especially when used
in conjunction with cassettes, but it is primarily intended for classroom use. Indeed, the
text itself contains notes to the teacher, intended than these appearing teacher’s guide.
Each unit contains three readings, all which, except for those appearing in the ninth
and final unit are illustrated. The teacher’s notes indicate that the teacher should refrain
from answering students’ question about these readings until each student has worked
through all the reading comprehension exercises without help.
Among the book’s distinctive features is the fact that it contains a more extensive
list of affixes than any other written for this level, while exercises are provided which
allow students to be creative with the English they learn. Again, unlike most comparable
texts, Expressing yourself in English does not formally introduce the verb to be until Unit
3. One hint for the teachers and examinations offered in the body of the text unless they
study outside of class and memorize the dialogue that introduces each unit.
In order to keep the price low, the book is paperbound and all pictures and
illustrations are in black and white. The text book will be accompanied by a work book to
be published later this year.

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