SKIMMING

SKIMMING
Speed is often important when you are reading. You may have a lot to read but not much
time. In fact, you probably don’t need to read everything carefully. You don’t need to know and
remember all of the facts and ideas. You only need to get the general meaning of a chapter,
article, or passage. You can do this by skimming.
You usually skim:
▪ Articles in newspapers and magazines
▪ Parts of library books (to see if they’ll be useful to you)
▪ Tests and exams (to see what there is to do and to plan your time)
▪ The first few pages of a new pleasure reading book (to find out if you want to read it)
4.1 SKIMMING FOR POINT OF VIEW
Skimming is helpful when you want to find out quickly about the writer. You can skim to
find out what the writer thinks about something. This is the writer’s point of view. When you
want to know the writer’s point of view, you don’t need to read everything. You need to read
only a few important words or phrases.
Example a:
Skim this paragraph quickly. Answer the question by putting a checkmark () beside the
answer.
Dogs are often a problem at home. Many dogs are noisy and dirty. They may even be
dangerous for small children.
Is this writer for or against dogs at home?

For __________ Against ___
You didn’t need to read all the sentences to learn this. You only had to read a few key words:
problem, noisy, dirty, and dangerous. From those words, you could tell the writer’s point of
view. This writer is against dogs at home.
Example b:
Skim this paragraph quickly. Answer the questions by putting a checkmark () beside the
answer.
An apartment looks much nicer with some plants. The green leaves make it seem cooler in
summer. The flowers give it a happy feeling.
Is this writer for or against plants in an apartment?

For __________ Against ___________
How do you know this? What are the key words?
Practice 1: Skim these paragraphs quickly. Ask yourself, “Is the writer for or against the
idea?” Put a checkmark () beside the answer. You should work very fast.
1. Too much fruit juice can be bad for children. It is especially bad for children’s teeth. If
children drink too much fruit juice, they will have problems later.
For __________ Against ___________
2. Sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) often cause serious accidents. They can’t turn quickly and
they often go off the road. These cars are big and heavy, so they are very dangerous for
other, smaller cars.
For __________ Against ___________
3. In San Francisco, the air is always a comfortable temperature. It is never too hot or too cold.
In winter, it never snows and it’s often sunny. There is pleasant weather all year.
For __________ Against ___________
4. Some people take too many vitamin pills every day. These people believe lots of vitamin
pills are good for their health. But they’re wrong. Too many vitamin pills can hurt your
health.
For __________ Against ___________
5. There is something sad about animals in the zoos. They never really looks happy. Maybe
they’re thinking about their real home. Maybe they don’t like people looking at them all the
time.
For __________ Against ___________
6. Children often watch television for six or more hours a day. This is not a good use of their
time. It’s not good for their health because they get very little exercise. Also, they don’t
read or play games.
For __________ Against ___________
7. Computers may cause serious problems in our world. There’s a lot of important information
on computers. If bad people get that information, they can be dangerous.
For __________ Against ___________
8. Sometimes there is a good reason to give children a small amount of sugar or candy. When
they have to take medicine, for example, sweets can help.
For __________ Against ___________
Practice 2:
Find 4 short paragraphs about point of view and Ask yourself, “Is the writer for or
against the idea? You have to write your answer.
4.2 SKIMMING FOR IDEAS
You should skim when you want to find out the general idea quickly. Speed is important
for this kind of skimming, too. You should skim at least two times faster than you usually read.
When you skim for the general idea, you must change the way you read. You can’t read
every word or even every sentence. You have to skip over a lot. In fact, you should skip over
everything except a few important words. These are the words that tell you the general idea.
Guidelines for Skimming for Ideas
1. Read the first sentence or two at your usual speed. Ask yourself, “What is this about?”
2. As soon as you guess the general idea, go to the next paragraph. Remember, you don’t need
to know the details. You only need to learn something very general about the passage.
3. Read only a few words in each paragraph after that. You should look for the words that tell
you about the general idea. Often they are at the beginning of the paragraph, but they may
also be at the end.
4. Always work quickly. Remember that details are not important.
Practice 3: Skim this book review to get the general idea. You should read only a few
sentences and words. Read as quickly as you can. Then, answer the questions below.
The Hot Zone

A Terrifying True Story
By Richard Preston
Around the world, people are catching strange and horrible illnesses. This problem began
in the 1980s and 1990s, and it is even worse today. The new illnesses are caused by tiny viruses.
The illnesses are a big problem because no one knows how to cure them. Most people who catch
these viruses die.
This book tells the story of how the killer viruses are moving around the world.
Sometimes people carry them. Sometimes monkeys carry them. The stories in this book are true,
but they are hard to believe because they are so terrible.
The author writes vivid descriptions of the illnesses. The reader can almost see the sick
patients as they die horrible deaths, with blood coming out of their ears, nose, and mouth.
Near Washington, D.C. a special laboratory works on these dangerous viruses. In one of
the best parts of this book, Preston tells how scientists at that lab work very carefully. They
wear special clothes that make them look like astronauts. A tiny hole in their clothes could let a
killer virus inside!
This book is perfect for people who like exciting stories and is not for people who are
easily scared.
1. Is this book about the past or the present?

2. Where are the killer viruses?
3. What is special about the scientists in the laboratories?
A Taste of Thailand
By Susan Alexander
Thai restaurants are very popular in the United States these days. One reason is that
many people from Thailand live there. These immigrants like eating the food of their home
country.
But the restaurants are also popular with people who are not from Thailand. They love
the food because of the special dishes cooked with unusual spices.
People also like to eat in Tai restaurant because of their reasonable prices. In fact, that’s
why Thai food is especially popular near universities. Students can afford to have a full, tasty
meal with a traditional dessert.
Thai restaurant are known for good, friendly service in a peaceful setting. For many
people, it’s like a visit to Thailand.
1. What is one reason why Thai restaurant are popular?

2. What is special about Thai restaurants?
3. Are Thai restaurant only for immigrants?
Pracrice 4: Find 3 articles and create skimming questions followed by the answer!
4.3 SKIMMING FOR GENERAL INFORMATION
Practice 5: Skim the passage. Then, read each question and circle the correct answer.
Sometimes called puma, panther, or mountain lion, the agile cougar has a greater natural
range than any other mammal in the Western Hemisphere except humans. However, long
viewed as a threat to livestock, it has been intensively hunted since the arrival of European
colonists to the Americas and was almost extinct by the early twentieth century. While
protective measures have been implemented in the United States, human continue to destroy the
cougar’s habitat, further endangering this solitary cat.
1. This passage is about……

a. a person c. an animal
b. a place d. a time
2. This passage discusses ……..

a. a problem
b. a solution
c. an opinion
d. a policy
3. The author of this passage expresses ……

a. love
b. concern
c. joy
d. anger
Pracrice 6: Find 3 passages and create skimming questions followed by the answer!

SKIMMING

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4.1 SKIMMING FOR POINT OF VIEW

Is this writer for or against dogs at home?

Is this writer for or against plants in an apartment?

The Hot Zone

1. Is this book about the past or the present?

1. What is one reason why Thai restaurant are popular?

4.3 SKIMMING FOR GENERAL INFORMATION

1. This passage is about……

2. This passage discusses ……..

3. The author of this passage expresses ……

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