eng6-R4· Reading· ~15 min

Reading: Our Natural World

Read a nature letter, a poster and a weather text about the environment.

Reading short texts in English is an important skill. First, read the text quickly to understand the main idea. Then, read each question and look back at the text to find the answer. If you see a word you do not know, look at the words around it — they can help you guess the meaning. Always check that your answer matches what the text says, not what you think outside the text.

Key terms

main idea — What the text is mostly about — the big message of the whole text.
detail — A small piece of information in the text, like a name, number, or fact.
skim — To read a text very quickly to understand the general topic.
scan — To look quickly through a text to find a specific word or number.
context — The words and sentences around an unknown word that help you understand its meaning.
inference — A conclusion you reach by thinking about what the text says, even if it is not written directly.
Reading Strategies
StrategyWhat You DoWhen to Use It
SkimRead quickly to understand the topicBefore you read the questions
ScanLook for specific words or numbersFor detail questions
Read carefullyRead every sentence slowlyFor difficult or inference questions
Guess from contextRead the words around the unknown wordFor vocabulary questions

Four strategies to help you answer reading questions.

✎How to Answer a Main Idea Question
  1. 1Step 1: Read the text quickly (skim). Do not stop at difficult words.
  2. 2Step 2: Ask yourself: "What is the text mostly about?"
  3. 3Step 3: Look at the four choices. Cross out answers that are about only one small detail.
  4. 4Step 4: Choose the answer that covers the whole text, not just one part.
🚫Common mistake

Do not choose an answer just because it has the same words as the text. Wrong answers often use the same words but say something different.

💡Note

For vocabulary questions, always go back and read the whole sentence with the word. The words before and after it can help you guess the meaning.

⚠️Caution

If you see a word you do not know, do not stop. Keep reading and try to understand the main idea first. You can come back to the difficult word later.

Rules

  1. 1Read the title first — it tells you the topic of the text.
  2. 2Skim the text quickly before you read the questions.
  3. 3For detail questions, scan the text to find the exact word or number.
  4. 4For vocabulary questions, read the whole sentence with the word — the context helps you.
  5. 5Always check your answer against the text. Do not use outside knowledge.
  6. 6If two answers look correct, go back and read the text again carefully.

Practice

4 easy · 4 medium · 4 hard

10 random questions per test

EasyMediumHardMixed