Read quickly to get the main idea of the text. Don't try to understand every word.
Read the title and headings first
Look at pictures, diagrams
Read the first and last sentences of paragraphs
Purpose: Get a quick overview
2. Scanning (Gezielte Suche)
Read to find specific information (names, numbers, dates, facts). Move your eyes quickly down the page.
Know what information you're looking for
Skip unimportant parts
Look for key words related to your question
Purpose: Find specific facts quickly
3. Detailed Reading (Genaues Lesen)
Read carefully and slowly. Try to understand everything.
Read every word
Use context to guess unknown words
Understand the main idea and details
Purpose: Deep understanding
Different texts need different reading strategies. A story → detailed reading. An exam question → scanning. A news article → skimming.
Before You Start Reading
Always do these things BEFORE you read:
Look at the title: What does the text probably talk about?
Check for pictures: Pictures give you clues about the content
Read headings: They help organize the information
Ask yourself: What do I already know about this topic?
Look at questions: They tell you what information is important
How to Answer Reading Questions
True / False / Not mentioned
Find the relevant sentence in the text. Check if the statement matches the text exactly.
True: The text says this.
False: The text says the opposite.
Not mentioned: The text doesn't talk about this.
Multiple Choice Questions
Read the question carefully. Find the answer in the text. Eliminate wrong options.
Open Questions
Write your answer in full sentences using words from the question:
Question: "Where does Sarah live?"
Answer: "Sarah lives in London." (NOT just "London")
Finding evidence: Always show WHERE in the text you found your answer. Quote parts of the text to support your answer.
Example Text and Questions
Reading: A School Trip to Munich
Last week, Class 6b went on a school trip to Munich. We travelled by bus for two hours. The weather was beautiful and sunny. In Munich, we visited three museums: the German Museum, the Art Museum, and the Sports Museum. My favourite was the Sports Museum because I love football. We also saw the famous Marienplatz square and the old Town Hall. The trip was exciting, and everyone had a great time. We arrived back at school at 6 PM.
Questions:
Q1: How did Class 6b travel to Munich?
Answer: "Class 6b travelled to Munich by bus."
Q2: Which museum was the writer's favourite?
Answer: "The writer's favourite museum was the Sports Museum because they love football."
Q3: What time did they arrive back at school?
Answer: "They arrived back at school at 6 PM."
Key Vocabulary for Reading
English
Deutsch
passage
Textabschnitt
paragraph
Absatz
heading
Überschrift
main idea
Hauptgedanke
detail
Einzelheit, Detail
evidence
Beweis, Beleg
infer
schlussfolgern
summarise
zusammenfassen
context clue
Kontexthilfe
Übungsaufgaben
❓ What is 'skimming'?
❓ What is 'scanning'?
❓ When you answer a reading question, what should you do?