Section 2 reading skills
Reading skills 3: Understanding vocabulary from context
When you take an IELTS reading text, and frequently when we read in general, we do not have access to a dictionary to explain the meaning of unknown words.
What can you do when you encounter a word or phrase in the IELTS test that you have not seen before, are not familiar with, and do not understand?
- Decide whether the word or phrase is important to understanding the text or answering the questions, because perhaps it is not important. In that case ignore it and focus on other words in the text.
- If it is an important word or phrase, however, one method of trying to understand it is to 'guess vocabulary meaning from the context' - the 'context' means to guess the meaning from the words and phrases near and around it in the same sentence or paragraph.
Words we don't know can seem rather like jumbled words with no meaning. Here are
some example sentences. Use the context - the words and meaning in the sentence - to
guess the jumbled or missing words and phrases.
- It was extremely (tho clan dmihu) that afternoon, so that even with the air-conditioner on at its (ximmuam) speed and lots of (dice) drinking water, we could not get cool.
- At the (douns) of the building alarm, all staff _________ their work
and prepared to (taaveeuc). The floor (rdnewa) checked to see if anyone was
_________ of the alarm.
- There was a small herd of goats grazing on the side of the (onumtian).
- The local town council have tightened (cedporurse) regarding the licensing of (teps), particularly dogs.
Try this activity to practise more guessing from context.
When Mary hit her shin bone against the metal bumper bar of her car, the pain was so excruciating that she hopped around on one foot screaming for quite a long time.
- Choose the best meaning for 'shin bone':
- a bone in the lower arm
- a bone in the lower leg
- a bone located near the shoulder.
- Choose the best meaning for 'bumper bar':
- a bar underneath the car to stop bumps
- a bar above the roof of the car to carry long items like bikes
- a bar at the back of the car to stop damage from bumping into other vehicles.
- Choose the best meaning for 'excruciating':
- extremely painful
- comical
- very surprising.
If you have correctly guessed the meaning of the words above to be 1b, 2c, 3a (and you did not use a dictionary or any other help), ask yourself how you did it.
It is likely you guessed the meaning from the words around it; that is, you guessed the unknown words from the context. This is frequently a skill you need to use when you are faced with a text in the IELTS reading that contains words unfamiliar to you.
How can I understand unknown vocabulary in the IELTS exam?
The texts in the IELTS exam frequently contain words, phrases and idioms that are not common.
Using the context when you read to help you decide the meaning of unknown vocabulary
will give you confidence to read anything; it is a reading 'attack' skill, and you will find that, just as with the exercises above, you are more likely than not to be correct when you guess the meaning of a word!
Before you take the IELTs reading test, practise the sample texts in this book. As you go, do not use a dictionary to help you guess difficult words. Practise your reading skills by using the context to help you to determine unknown vocabulary.
Reading skills 4: Main ideas and details
What are 'main ideas'?
Every text has a 'topic' and an accompanying overall 'main idea' or 'main message' about the topic that the writer wishes to pass to the reader.
An example of this might be that the topic of a text is 'safety at work', but the main idea is that 'new safety-at-work standards are urgently needed and these are the reasons why'.
Longer texts are organised into paragraphs. The main idea of the whole text can often be found in the introductory paragraph to the text, or in the concluding paragraph, or even somewhere in between. It might not be written directly in a sentence in the text, but will become clear as you read the text.
Each paragraph, or section of the text, contains other main ideas that support the main idea as a whole. These supporting main ideas can be found in each paragraph. There is usually, but not always, one main idea per paragraph.
The main idea of the text is really what the writer wants to tell us. It's the writer's purpose for writing the text, so it is important that we understand it.
What are details?
Details support the main ideas of the text. They may be facts, experiences of the writer that support the main idea, examples, or other references.
Details are not the most important things the writer wishes to tell us, but they do support the writer's main idea overall.
Details are often found as supporting sentences to the main idea in each paragraph.
How can I distinguish main ideas from details?
The structure of a typical text often looks like this:
- Introductory paragraph: main idea or main message is introduced
- Par 2: supporting main idea plus supporting details
- Par 3: supporting main idea plus supporting details
- Each continuing paragraph: supporting main idea plus supporting details
- Concluding paragraph: main ideas summarised; overall main idea restated.
How can I use my knowledge of main ideas and details in the IELTS exam?
As you read any text for the IELTS exam, decide:
- What is the main idea of the whole text?
- What are the main ideas presented in sections or paragraphs of the text?
- Which 1nformation in the text is just detail, and not main ideas?
Guided practice activity 1
Read the following text. After each paragraph you will be given a choice of two headings, one of which is the main idea and one of which is a detail. Choose the main idea.
Look at this short extract from a general history book.
A very big part of the history of the modern world is the history of spices, and the story
starts with an unprepossessing vine that once grew only on the coast of south-west
India. The vine is called 'piper nigrum'. If presented with it in its natural state you would almost certainly struggle to guess its importance, but it is the source of all three 'true' peppers-black, white and green. The little round hard peppercorns that we pour into our household pepper mills are actually the vine's tiny fruit, dried to pack a gritty kick.
The difference between the varieties is simply a function of when they are picked and
how they are processed.
Source: Bill Bryson. At Home: A Short History of Private Life, 2010
Heading 1: Pepper was the first spice to become important in the world
Heading 2: The pepper that we know today has come from a vine originally found in India
Why is heading 2 correct?
It is true that pepper is mentioned as the 'start' of the spice story, but the rest of the paragraph goes on to trace the source of pepper back to the Indian vine.
Pepper has been appreciated since time immemorial in its native territory, but it
was the Romans who made it an international commodity. They even peppered their
desserts. Romans loved pepper. Their attachment to it kept the price high and gave it a lasting value. Spice traders from the distant east couldn't believe their luck. 'They arrive with gold and depart with pepper,' one Tamil trader remarked in wonder.
Heading 1: Pepper became important in the world because, although grown in the East, it was desired in the West, with the ancient Romans entering into international trade for it.
Heading 2: Pepper fetched a high price for eastern traders.
Why is heading 1 correct?
Pepper is mentioned as being an 'international commodity' mainly because the Romans
loved it so much. The high price is simply an example of its value.
Now consider what is the main idea of the whole text.
Heading 1: The Ancient Romans loved pepper.
Heading 2: One of the most important spices in the world has been pepper.
Why is heading 2 correct?
The Roman love of pepper is mentioned only in paragraph 2; the first paragraph discusses
the pepper plant itself. Although we only have two of the paragraphs of the whole text, we can
see that, together, the main idea is pepper and its importance.
How are main ideas and details important in the IELTS exam?
The IELTS General Training Reading exam contains questions that test your ability to recognise
main ideas and distinguish them from details. Common IELTS question types that do so are:
- multiple choice
- matching headings to paragraphs.
Other IELTS question types test your knowledge of detail. These can include:
- complete the sentence in no more than two or three words
- complete a summary
- short-answer questions.
Guided practice activity 2
Look at the excerpt below from a Section 2 IELTS text. The extract comes from a booklet
giving practical advice to first-year university students on how to succeed at university. There
are two paragraphs here, A and B. After each paragraph you will be given a choice of two
headings, one of which is the main idea and one of which is a detail. Choose the main idea.
Paragraph A
Usually your Lecturers will give you instructions specific to their units but, because you
will hear so much information during the first couple of weeks, you may forget what
they have said. Therefore, you should make time to read every unit outline carefully as
your success may depend on it. It is useful to have easy access to your unit outlines, so
keep paper copies in your files. If you lose an outline, get another one.
Heading 1: unit outlines
Heading 2: organising your unit outlines
Why is heading 1 correct?
The paragraph deals with matters relating to units: specific instructions, reading your unit,
accessing, organising in files and making copies. These are all specific details related to
the topic.
Paragraph B
Check your timetable and get to know it well. Most of you will have work commitments,
as well as the demands of 'the rest or your life', so get organised about how you want
to live it. If you don't have a plan, you are more likely to get behind in your work and get
stressed. Making your plan public, at least to the important people in your life, is also a
good idea so that they will support you rather than sabotage your plans.
Heading 1: Stresses of studying
Heading 2: Study plans and time management
Why is heading 2 correct?
Stresses, such as work commitments, are mentioned, but the paragraph gives you different
strategies to manage your study better.
Details can also be tested through a sentence completion activity. You complete the gaps with
words from the text. What do you need to do?
- Try to predict the missing word in the sentence.
- Identify key words from the sentence and scan the text to find those words or synonyms.
- Complete the sentence by choosing words from the text, exactly as they are written.
- Check your sentences to ensure that they are grammatically correct; i.e. using the correct part of speech.
Guided practice activity 3
Injury from loud noises can be prevented by using 22 _______
Identify key words: injury, noises, prevented. Rephrase: what prevents injury from loud noise?
- Glasses and ear plugs protect against damage to the eyes and excessive noise.
- Gap is therefore ear plugs _______
Use this strategy for sentence completion questions.
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