The IELTS reading test poses a common problem with its time limit. With only 60 minutes to find 40 answers across three sections containing up to 3000 words, efficient skimming and scanning skills are essential for achieving a good result.

Skimming involves quickly looking through a text to grasp its general understanding, structure, and writing style. It is not about finding specific information but rather getting an overview. An analogy to skimming can be seen when deciding whether to buy a newspaper or magazine – quickly glancing through to identify any interesting content for closer reading.

On the other hand, scanning is the act of searching for a particular piece of information within a text. This could be a name, place, date, or any specific detail. Scanning is comparable to looking through a telephone directory to find a specific name.

To improve skimming and scanning speed, here are some strategies:

1. Reading the title/observing illustrations: Titles and illustrations, if present, can provide clues about the content of the text, aiding in quicker skimming.

2. Avoiding reading every word: Attempting to read every word of the complete text is impractical within the given time frame. Skimming and scanning are more efficient methods.

3. Avoiding reading only the first and last sentence of each paragraph: Such a shortcut may lead to vital information being missed or being misled by deliberately misleading sentences.

4. Underlining/circling names during skimming: Names of people, places, or other entities can guide you to relevant information within the text.

5. Not getting stuck on difficult vocabulary: Concentrating on difficult words or phrases may waste valuable time. Prioritize answering easier questions first and revisit challenging vocabulary later, if time permits.

In conclusion, the recommended approach is to skim for general meaning, then scan for the specific answer location, and finally, use close reading to determine the correct answer. Considering the variety of question types (over 10) in the reading test, a one-size-fits-all strategy will not suffice. Each question type demands a tailored approach to maximize efficiency and achieve the deserved score.

Instead of mindlessly skimming and scanning without considering the question’s nature, test-takers should develop specific strategies for each question type to optimize their performance.