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Purpose of Reading
y Reading
y The meeting of the mind of the author with the mind of the

reader

y Written text contains

y Facts, ideas and values of society along with y the level of maturity of the mind of the author y Writer s ability to reflect upon a problem and bring out its

relevance for him and for the readers

y y

reflected in the process of systematization, in the form and style of writing

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Knowledge transmission
y Radio, TV, Films, telephone etc. y Emergence of audio-visual and multi-media technology, y Written text is a permanent document y One may agree / disagree with a given text. y Opinion of a reader is subject to verification by any

reader

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Knowledge transmission contd

y The process is calledy the method of advancement of learning y which leads to the growth of education and enlightenment. y Preservation of written texts - all civilized societies y In civilized societies, great libraries have always existed y In short y The more you read, the better you become in reading

and learn more

Good reading habit is the hall-mark of a cultured person
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The Process of Effective Reading (ER)

y
y y

ER is an important skill
demands conscious and sustained cultivation of good reading materials. It is the end result of a complex mental process that comprises
1. 2. 3. 4.

Recognition of words Perception Comprehension Association

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Writes ideas facts

WORDS

The Process of Reading

Recognition Of symbol

Perception

Comprehension

Association

Good knowledge of vocabulary

Awareness of grammar

Translation of symbols into meanings

Understanding Meaning. Putting It in context Reconstruct the whole Idea presented by the writer

Referring to present Knowledge. Fusing new ideas & knowledge with the old for better understanding & Good recall

Literal What is actually said on the page? What are the facts, how do they relate?
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Interpretive Reading between the Lines Is author saying what he means Is he saying more than written
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Eye Movements
y The mental process of reading

requires coordination
y with the physical process of

reading.

y We generally perceive that our

eyes move smoothly

y across the page from left to right

each line and back again.

y Fact is we do not move our eyes

smoothly along the printed lines,

y but in an irregular sequence of

Saccade

rapid jerks Fixation

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Saccade Fixation

y Jumps are called saccades y The focuses as fixations y At the points of fixation the eyeball is almost stationary
y y y y

for approximately sec for adults the eye spends 90% of the time fixated the time taken for any one saccadic leap is not under his/her control. by training

y The saccades / jerks from one point to another are rapid and y A reader is not aware of this irregularity in motion and y The time fixated on points in the printed page can be reduced

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2 difficulties in reading
y Problem of feedback y i.e. difficulties in understanding, arising from
y y

poor vocabulary or lack of familiarity with the material (pg 26)

y Regression and visual wandering y i.e. slow and faulty eye movements

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Reading Strategies
y How do we read texts? y Use different approaches to read different texts.
y y

Can read quickly or slowly skimming for the general ideas or scanning for a specific point.

y How we read depends on the text y its length, its type and
y

our purpose in reading it y for information, for the general idea, etc.

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What to identify?
y BEC Preliminary Reading paper - you need to identify y the text type and
y

the purpose of the task and y to apply the appropriate approach.

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Am I successful?
y Our relative success as readers is shown
y y y y

in the outcome of our reading. find the information we want, or understand the general idea? applying different reading strategies to different types of text.

y Do we y Success depends on y The range of tasks and text types in the BEC Preliminary Reading paper requires y you to apply these different strategies effectively.

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E.g. of situations to apply different approaches to reading:

Most important

Reading for gist Travelling on a bus

Instruction manual

Reading for main points

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Reading for detailed understanding

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Examples contd
2 product brochures Complete a form Specific information

Sign board Accuracy

Guess / deduce the meaning

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What aspects of reading are tested?

y On your ability to understand y gist, detail and the text structure y to identify main points and y specific information y vocabulary and y understanding discourse features.

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How long should I spend on each part?

y No time limit for each task; y Some tasks may take longer than others y You should be aware of how long you need for different tasks. y Keep in mind y some tasks have more items and
y

therefore worth more marks.

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How to answer the Reading part of the paper?

y In this paper, put the answers on an answer sheet by y filling in a lozenge (a kind of box) or y by writing a word (use CAPITALS)
y

a short phrase or (use CAPITALS) y a number onto the answer sheet in pencil.

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The Paper Format

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BEC (P) Paper format Length of texts Questions Text types parts

BEC (V) 5 parts

BEC (H) 6 parts 2050 2300 words overall; 200 600 words per text 52 Business related from newspapers, magazine, article, book review, notices, annual reports, co. literature, letters, books on management, advertisements and messages Matching, multiple-choice, rational deletion, proof reading

750 900 words overall; 1500 1950 words overall; 20 400 words per text 150-500 words per text 45 Business related texts from newspaper & magazine articles, business letters, product descriptions, reports, minutes, ads, notices, timetables, leaflets & messages 45 Business related from newspapers, magazine, article, book review, notices, annual reports, co. literature, letters, books on management, advertisements and messages

Task types

Multiple choice, Matching, multiple choice matching, Right / wrong & proof reading / doesn t say; form filling, note completion
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BEC (P) Task focus Understand gist & global meaning, detailed comprehension of factual material, interpreting visual information, grammatical accuracy, transferring information Parts 1 to 6 shade lozenges on answer sheet. Part 7 write a one or two answer or number onto answer sheet 1hr 30 mins (including writing)

BEC (V) Understand gist & global meaning, Structure & detail, Opinion & inference. Lexical & collocation knowledge, & error identification Parts 1 to 4 shade lozenges on answer sheet. Part 5 write one word onto the answer sheet One Hour

BEC (H) Understand gist & global meaning, Structure & detail, Opinion & inference. Lexical & collocation knowledge, & error identification Parts 1 to 4 shade lozenges on answer sheet. Part 5 & 6 write one word onto the answer sheet One Hour Each item carries 1 mark. Scores weighted to 30. Worth 25% of total exam
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Answer format

Time Marks

Each item carries 1 mark. Each item carries 1 mark. Scores weighted to 30. Scores weighted to 30. Worth 25% of total exam Worth 25% of total exam
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BEC (P) Reading

PART
1

Task type and format

Multiple choice There are five short texts. Each text is followed by a three-option multiple-choice task. Matching One text with five questions. Candidates match the questions to a part of the text labelled A H. Three of the parts A H are redundant. Matching There are eight graphs or charts (or one graphic with 8 distinct parts) and five questions. Candidates match the questions to their corresponding graphs which are labelled A H. Three of the graphs or parts of the graph are redundant. Right / Wrong / Doesn't say A single text with seven, 3-option multiple-choice statements. Candidates indicate whether the statement is A Right, B Wrong or C Doesn't say. Multiple choice A single text with six, 3-option multiple-choice statements or questions. Candidates have to choose the correct option. 3-option multiple-choice cloze A single text. Candidates have to select the correct word from three options to complete twelve gaps. Form-filling, note completion Two short texts providing information. Candidates have to complete five gaps in a form based on this information.

Task focus
Reading for gist and global meaning. Reading for vocabulary and meaning.

Number of questions
5

Interpreting visual information.

Reading for detailed, factual information.

Reading for gist and specific meaning.

Reading for grammatical accuracy and understanding sentence structure. Reading and information transfer.

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BEC (P) answer sheet

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BEC (V)
Part 1 Task type and format Matching There could be a single text or four related shorter texts. The text/texts are preceded by seven statements which can be matched with only one of the texts. Task focus Reading for gist and global meaning Number of questions 7

Matching A gapped text with five sentence-length gaps.

Reading for structure and detail

4-option multiple-choice Understanding general A longer text based on authentic source material. The multiple- points and specific details choice item may be a question or incomplete sentence. Candidates must choose the correct option. The sentences test opinion and inference not straightforward facts.

4-option multiple-choice cloze - vocabulary and structure A single business-related gapped text mainly to test vocabulary. Candidates have to choose the correct option from a choice of four words. Proof reading A short text. Candidates have to identify additional unnecessary words in the text. - understanding sentence structure; error identification

15

12

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BEC (H) Reading

Part 1 ask t and f r at ask f s r f sti ns 8 Mat hing There could be a single text or five related shorter texts. The text/texts are preceded by eight statements which can be matched with only one of the texts. Mat hing A gapped text with six sentence-length gaps. Reading for gist and global meaning.

2 3

Reading for structure and detail.

6 6

4- ti n lti l - h i Understanding general A longer text based on authentic source material. The multiplepoints and specific choice item may be a question or incomplete sentence. Candidates details must choose the correct option. The sentences test opinion and inference not straightforward facts. 4- ti n lti l - h i l z A single business-related gapped text mainly to test vocabulary. Candidates have to choose the correct option from a choice of four words. Rati nal deleti n with en l ze A single business-related text with structure and discourse gaps. Candidates have to supply a word to fill each gap. Pr f reading A short text. Candidates have to identify additional unnecessary words in the text. - vocabulary and structure

10

- structure and discourse features

10

- understanding sentence structure; error identification

12

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Thanks

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