Skimming and scanning
Read for the gist in two minutes, then find exact details fast. The two skills behind every Reading question type.
বাংলায় সারাংশ (Bangla summary)
দুই মিনিটে মূল ভাব বুঝে নিন (skimming), তারপর নির্দিষ্ট তথ্য দ্রুত খুঁজুন (scanning)।
By the end of this lesson you can
- Skim a passage for its topic and structure
- Scan for names, numbers and key words
- Choose the right skill for each question
Skimming: the map of the passage
Skimming means reading quickly for the main idea. Read the title, the first sentence of each paragraph and the last paragraph. In about two minutes you should know what the passage is about and roughly what each paragraph does.
Skimming is not careful reading. You are building a map so you know where to look later.
Scanning: finding one detail
Scanning means moving your eyes over the text looking for something specific: a name, a date, a number, a technical word. Capital letters and digits are easy to spot, so they are the fastest scan targets.
Once you find the place, slow down and read the sentences around it carefully. That is where the answer is decided.
Which skill?
Matching headings → skim each paragraph for its main idea.
"In which year was the first plant built?" → scan for years.
True/False/Not Given → scan for the key word, then read that part carefully.
Guided practice
Which skill fits best?
Practise on your own
Answer on your own.
Mini test
Check what you learned. Wrong answers go to your mistake notebook for revision.