This document provides advice to students on how to approach reading comprehension questions. It recommends that students skim the text to understand the overall structure and key ideas rather than reading every word. Students should then look at the questions before searching for the relevant sections of text, or "target phrases", to answer each question. When answering questions, students can copy short phrases from the text but should not over-copy. They are also advised to choose the central rather than a clever interpretation as the answer and to check that synonyms fit grammatically.

1. Paper 1 Advice to students

2. General advice * You don't have to read the whole text, word for word

3. General advice * You don't have to read the whole text, word for word * You don't have to understand the whole text - if you don't know what a word means, don't panic ... there may be no question about it!

4. General advice * You don't have to read the whole text, word for word * You don't have to understand the whole text - if you don't know what a word means, don't panic ... there may be no question about it! * Almost all questions rest on a 'target phrase / section' - look for it

5. General advice * You don't have to read the whole text, word for word * You don't have to understand the whole text - if you don't know what a word means, don't panic ... there may be no question about it! * Almost all questions rest on a 'target phrase / section' - look for it * Don't 'import' knowledge: the answer is in the text

6. General methodical approach - with each text ... Step 1 ... SKIM the text - look for general ideas + rough overall structure (e.g. paragraphs)

7. General methodical approach - with each text ... Step 1 ... SKIM the text - look for general ideas + rough overall structure (e.g. paragraphs) Step 2 ... look at the questions, quickly, overall

8. General methodical approach - with each text ... Step 1 ... SKIM the text - look for general ideas + rough overall structure (e.g. paragraphs) Step 2 ... look at the questions, quickly, overall Step 3 ... work through question-by-question, looking for 'target phrases' / evidence in the text)

9. 'Write-in' questions * you can copy from the text, but ...

10. 'Write-in' questions * you can copy from the text, but ... * ... only the target phrase (over-copying will lose the mark)

11. 'Write-in' questions * you can copy from the text, but ... * ... only the target phrase (over-copying will lose the mark) * in short written answers, grammar is not marked

12. 'Write-in' questions * you can copy from the text, but ... * ... only the target phrase (over-copying will lose the mark) * in short written answers, grammar is not marked * short written answers should be SHORT

13. Checking #1 * Examiners never expect the same answer twice.

14. Checking #1 * Examiners never expect the same answer twice. * Keep it simple - chose the central answer, not the clever interpretation

15. Checking #1 * Examiners never expect the same answer twice. * Keep it simple - chose the central answer, not the clever interpretation * Synonym questions - same grammar must fit (e.g. verb = right tense) – So ...

16. Checking #1 * Examiners never expect the same answer twice. * Keep it simple - chose the central answer, not the clever interpretation * Synonym questions - same grammar must fit (e.g. verb = right tense) – So ... (try the word or phrase in the context - does it 'sound right' ?)

17. Checking #2 List-type questions : * Step 1 ... the answers which DO fit

18. Checking #2 List-type questions : * Step 1 ... the answers which DO fit * Step 2 ... checking procedure: eliminate answers which DON'T fit (if there's time)

19. Checking #2 List-type questions : * Step 1 ... the answers which DO fit * Step 2 ... checking procedure: eliminate answers which DON'T fit (if there's time) MCQ questions : * Step 1 ... eliminate the two that are 'obviously wrong'

20. Checking #2 List-type questions : * Step 1 ... the answers which DO fit * Step 2 ... checking procedure: eliminate answers which DON'T fit (if there's time) MCQ questions : * Step 1 ... eliminate the two that are 'obviously wrong' * Step 2 ... decide between the distractor, and the true answer