exploration on reading strategies suzhou no.1 middle school by qian jianfen

Exploration On Reading Strategies

Suzhou No.1 Middle SchoolBy Qian Jianfen

NMET NMET •National Matriculation English Test • 全国英语高考统一试题

NMET Part IIIReading Comprehension

A brief introductionTopics covered The characteristics of reading materials

NMET Reading Comprehension

Categories of questionsCategories of questionsReading methods and stepsReading methods and steps Reading StrategiesReading StrategiesCategories of questions in Jiangsu 2006Categories of questions in Jiangsu 2006Question Designing

A brief introductionA brief introduction•1.The Purpose of NMET

• A means to test students’ comprehensive language competence (ability)

2.NMET2.NMET 试卷题目数、分值和时间安排试卷题目数、分值和时间安排 部分 节 题数 分值 时间 ( 分钟） 第一部分： 听力 一 5 30 20

二 15 第二部分 英语知识运用 一 15 45 25

二 20 第三部分 阅读理解 20 40 35 第四部分 写作

一 10 35 40 二 1

85+1 150 120

• 4.The total number of passages:• Five

• 3.The total number of words:• Around 2000

• 5.The supposed reading rate: • Around 60 words per minute• 6.The form of testing:• Multiple choices

Topics coveredTopics covered in NMET reading in NMET reading

comprehension passagescomprehension passages People Stories Social phenomena

Culture Politics

EconomyScience News reports

Advertisements

ETC.History

The characteristics of NMET The characteristics of NMET reading materials:reading materials:

• Common topics in our daily life• The latest events around the world• Sufficient information• Varied writing styles• Authentic English

Categories of questionsCategories of questions1.Detailed information/ Specific

information 2.Guessing the meaning of certain words, phrases or sentences 3.The main idea

4.Inference

Reading Method ( T or F)Reading Method ( T or F)• Read the whole passage slowly so

that we can understand each word or sentence.

• Read quickly to save time.

• Reading speed depends on the specific material and context.

Reading MethodReading Method• 1. Selective reading 跳读 . To find out who, what, when, where, etc.• 2. Skimming 略读 . To find out why, how, etc. • 3. Intensive reading 精读 . (read not only facts, but also between lines )

Steps for readingSteps for reading• 1. Getting familiar with the questions

in the test• 2.keeping questions in mind while

reading• 3. Finding out the topic sentence or

the main idea • 4. Inferring the underlined word,

phrase, or sentence • 5. Making your choices promptly

• General strategiesReading StrategiesReading Strategies

•Specific Strategies

General Strategies:General Strategies:• Pay attention to not only individual sentences, but also the whole passage.• Understanding as a whole• Do generalization and inference• 总体策略应定位于：单句入手，语篇突破，着眼整体，归纳推断

Specific Strategies for Specific Strategies for 1.Detailed information/ Specific

information 2.Guessing the meaning of certain words, phrases or sentences 3.The main idea

4.Inference

Specific strategies for Specific strategies for detailed informationdetailed information

• Adopting proper reading methods • Comparing • Calculating• Knowing western culture;• Understanding complicated sentence

patterns• Having a proper vocabulary

Specific Strategies for Specific Strategies for Guessing the meaningGuessing the meaning

• 1. Finding out the Synonym ( 同义法 )• 2. Finding out the Antonym/Opposite word ( 反义法 )• 3. Explanation ( 释义法 )• 4. Situational Inference ( 情景推断法 )

1. Synonym1. Synonym (( 同义词同义词 ))• Based on the word “and” or “or”. Fermat's Last Theorem( 定理 ). First put forward by the French mathematician Pierrede Fermat in the seventeenth century, the theorem had baffled and beaten the finest mathematical minds, including a French woman scientist who made a major advance in working out the problem, and who had to dress like a man in order to be able to study at the Ecole Polytechnique. (NMET2003,C, No. 65 )

Based on the word “and” or Based on the word “and” or “or”.“or”.

65.Which of the following best explains the meaning of the word “baffle“ as it is used in the text? 　　 A. To encourage people to raise questions. B. To cause difficulty in understanding. C. To provide a person with an explanation. D. To limit people's imagination.

2.Antonym/ Opposite Word2.Antonym/ Opposite Word• Based on groups of antonyms, such

as hot and cold, give and receive, perfect and imperfect , groups of negative or positive sentences or the clues in the context

2.Antonym/ Opposite Word2.Antonym/ Opposite Word• A child's birthday party doesn't have to be a hassle; it can be a basket of fun, according to Beth Anaclerio, an Evaston mother of two, aged 4 and 18 months. (NMET2002,E,No.74)

74.What does the underlined word "hassle“ probably mean?

A. a party designed by specialists B. a plan requiring careful thought C. a situation causing difficulty or

trouble D. a demand made by guests

Explanation Explanation （释义法）（释义法）• Based on explanatory words or

sentences, or even punctuations like “―” or “:”, etc.

Explanation Explanation （释义法）（释义法）• In 1066 the Norman sled by William defeated

the Saxons and began their rule over England. For about a century, French became the official language of England while Old English became the language of peasants. As a result, English words of politics and the law come from French rather than German. In some cases, modern English even shows a distinction( 区别 )between upper-class French and lower-class Anglo-Saxon in its words.

• We even have different words for some foods, meat in particular, depending on whether it is still out in the fields or at home ready to be cooked, which shows the fact that the Saxon peasants were doing the farming, while the upper-class Normans were doing most of the eating.

• (NMET2001, D, No.68)

• 68.Which of the following groups of words are, 　 by inference, rooted in French?• A. 　 president, lawyer, beef• B. 　 president, 　 bread, 　 water • C. 　 bread, 　 field, 　 water• D. 　 folk, 　 field, 　 cow

Situational Inference Situational Inference (( 情景推断法）情景推断法） • Based on the context.

Situational Inference Situational Inference (( 情景推断法）情景推断法）• "Organic produce is always better," Gold said. “The food is free of pesticides( 农药 ),and you are generally supporting family farms instead of large farms. And more often than not it is locally( 本地 )grown and seasonal, so it is more tasty." Gold is one of a growing number of shoppers buying into the organic trend, and supermarkets across Britain are counting on more like him as they grow their organic food business. (NMET2002,B,No.62 )

• 62.What is the meaning of "the organic trend" as the words are used in the text?

• A growing interest in organic food • B. better quality of organic food • C .rising market for organic food • D .higher prices of organic food

The specific strategies for The specific strategies for the main ideathe main idea

• Read the passage as a whole• Avoid taken in by some partially

discussed facts, ideas or arguments• Use the strategy of generalizing all

the facts, ideas, or arguments

The opening ceremony of this famous yearly competition will begin at 11:30 a.m. There will be music groups, rappers and children’s chorus. 12:25 p.m. sees the introduction of the eaters who come from all over the world. At 12:40 p.m. the historic 12-minute all-you-can-eat competition will begin. The world record stands at over 50 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes. Will anyone beat the record this year?

Viewing is available on a first-come-first- served basis. Television crews are invited to use a two-tiered stage three meters from the main stage. The area in front of the main stage is kept for photographers and television cameras without tripods (三脚架 ).

Few periods in history are as exciting as the time when the Vikings (北欧海盗 ) were known --- and sometimes feared --- throughout Scandinavia, the British Isles. Russia, all the Mediterranean, Africa and even America. Frojel is a family-based society, which

aims to relive and describe the Vikings from a harbor --- Frojel, on the Swedish island of Gotland. Frojel was one of the richest trading centers in the Viking world. The members of the society aim to recre

ate the clothing, weapons, tools, jewellery, games, food and furniture of the long-gone period. They want to enjoy an escape to a simpler, more relaxed time, with like-minded people. They will also use the items they have made to relive that age at various public entertainments.

I IIJiangsu, 2006, No.66

IIII• Few periods in history are as exciting as the time when the Vikings ( 北欧海盗 ) were known --- and sometimes feared --- throughout Scandinavia, the British Isles. Russia, all the Mediterranean, Africa and even America. • Frojel is a family-based society, which aims to relive and describe the Vikings from a harbor --- Frojel, on the Swedish island of Gotland. Frojel was one of the richest trading centers in the Viking world. • The members of the society aim to recreate the clothing, weapons, tools, jewellery, games, food and furniture of the long-gone period. They want to enjoy an escape to a simpler, more relaxed time, with like-minded people. They will also use the items they have made to relive that age at various public entertainments.

• 66. The best title for Advertisement 2 would be _______. • A. The Vikings • B. Reliving of the Vikings • C. Frojel • D. A Viking Reliving Society

Specific strategies for Specific strategies for InferenceInference

• Inference based on the directly mentioned facts, but not the directly mentioned facts or sentences

• Pay special attention to the writer’s argument, attitude, emotion while reading, not your own

• Infer from the writing structure, relationships between paragraphs

• Train your logical thinking

Figure out the different categoFigure out the different categories of questions in Jiangsu 20ries of questions in Jiangsu 200606

Question categories in Jiangsu,Question categories in Jiangsu, 2006 20061.Detailed information/ Specific information

2.Guessing the meaning of certain words, phrases or sentences

3.The main idea

4.Inference 59,63,65,69,58,66,71,75

68

56, 57,60,61,62,64,67,70,72,73,74

• Design your own questions in the form of multiple choices, paying attention to different categories

1.Detailed information/ Specific information

2.Guessing the meaning of certain words, phrases or sentences3.The main idea4.Inference

Material : “Blameless”, Beijing, Spring, 2004