preparing for your reading test

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 2

pre-reading phase 

Look at the title 

pictures

cursive/ words in bolt

skim and scan 

What do I already know about the subject? (prior knowledge)

What do I think this text is about (prediction)

Look at the questions (but not the answers) 

Reading phase 

After reading the questions you start reading the text. Mark in the text where you think the possible answers on the questions are.

usually, not always, the text and questions are build chronologically, so the answer on the first question can be found before the answer on the second question.

formulate your own answer on the questions.

After reading phase

Look at the questions again and see which answer comes closest to your own formulated answer on the question.

for the test

• 3xA is a possibility.
  
• Also when you have a question with true or false there is a possibility that all statements are true or all statements are false.
  
• If you don't know the answer leave the question open and continue, look at the question again, when you have finished all the other questions. If you still don't know the answer take a guess. Never leave a question open, because this is always marked as incorrect.
• Make sure you sleep and eat well before the test. 

Invasion of the alien ants 

Do I know something about this subject already?

1. yes
2. no

What if you don't know a word?

Decide if the word is important. Do you need to know it to understand the text?

Decide what the word means by looking at the context. Is it a verb or a noun? Is it positive or negative? Does it contain parts of words you know?

Difficult words during the test

you may encounter some difficult words during the test, how to deal with them?

1) Do I need to understand this word to understand the text or to answer a question? Yes/no?

2) Can I guess the meaning by looking at the surrounding words/sentence?

3) Do I know a word in an other language that looks similar (watch out for false friends)

Signal words

Signal words are very important for understanding a text. Come back to this Lessonup if you need to see what function a signal word has.

You can also find lists online by googling for 'signal words' or 'linking words'

ADDITION

• and
• as well as
• additionally
• along with
• also
• furthermore
• besides
• on top of that
• in addition
• to add to that
• plus
• moreover
  

COMPARISON

• similarly
• likewise
• in the same way
• as well
• too
• in common
• equally
  

CONTRAST

• but
• although
• though
  
• however
• in contrast
• on the contrary
• on the other hand
• nevertheless
• yet
• despite
  

EXPLANATION

• because
• since
• for
• as
  

What signal words do you remember

What tips would you give

Now go to 'Weekly assignments' on Google Classroom

And read Roald Dahl's: " Lamb to the slaughter".

Roald Dahl is/was

1. a writer of children's books
2. a writer of adult fiction
3. a RAF fighter pilot
4. all these things

Which book was NOT written by Roald Dahl

1. Matilda
2. Charlie and the Chocolate factory
3. Charlotte's web
4. The BFG (GVR in Dutch)

Why does Mary kill her husband

What did Patrick tell Mary

What is the theme do you think

Why did the detectives not suspect Mary

Do you think it is ok she gets away with murder?

Did you like this lesson about reading and the story?