MUET READING SKILLS NOTES

THE MUET READING PAPER DETAILED BRIEFING

MUET Paper 3 Reading consists of 40 multiple-choice

questions with three or four answer options and a gapped

text section.

The composition of the paper is as follows:

Part 1 Questions 1-4

Part 2 Questions 5-9

Part 3 Questions 10-14

Part 4 Questions 15-20

Part 5 Questions 21-26

Part 6 Questions 27-33

Part 7 Questions 34-40

> Developing Reading Skills
Good reading skills are important for academic studies. The MUET Reading
paper tests a variety of reading skills. Candidates are given 75 minutes to
answer 40 questions on 10 texts, so it can be helpful to identify which skills
are being tested in each question and be able to apply them appropriately.

Reading multiple texts for specific factual information
Test focus for Part 1 of the Reading paper:
• When you are presented with multiple texts, scanning can help

you obtain specific information from the text. This involves
reading quickly and selectively

• Useful when you need to locate a particular piece of information

such as

- a number - a date - certain phrases

- a name- a place

Steps to scan for specific factual information:
• Keep in mind what you are searching for
• Read the headings and subheadings quickly.
• Let your eyes run rapidly over several lines of print

Reading for main ideas and supporting details
Text focus for Parts 2.3 and 4 of the Reading paper
• The main idea is the central thought of a passage or a
paragraph
* It is the key issue of what the writer is trying to tell the reader
*The topic sentence is the sentence that gives the main idea. It can be
found:
- at the beginning of the text
-in the middle of the text, or
-at the end of the text

Steps to find the main idea:
*Study the title/heading for the main ideas.
*Look for the main idea in the first sentence.
*Read the last sentence for the main idea.
*Decide if the main idea is implied.
*Look for a main idea that is expressed in two sentences
*The other sentences in the texture supporting details, which explain and
develop the central idea

The supporting details can be:

*descriptions *facts *reasons

*definitions *examples

Inferencing (Test focus for Parts 2 and 3 of the Reading paper)

*An inference is an assumption based on evidence provided in the text

*The reader may infer something based on:

-facts -experiences -descriptions

- opinions - observations

Steps to make an inference to answer a question:
. Read the question carefully
• Decide what is asked.
• Scan the first and last sentence of each paragraph.
• Skim each paragraph for clues and highlight them.
• Consider the language used. Is it positive or negative?
• Choose the best answer using clues from the text

Identifying details and examples to support an argument (Test focus for
Parts 2 and 3 of the Reading paper)
• Sometimes a passage utilizes an argument to make a point. This could be

a reason or set of reasons that the writer uses to show that something is
true or correct.

In straightforward factual texts, an argument usually consists of two parts:
(a) a claim that summarizes the main idea, and
(b) details and examples to support the claim

Steps to identify details and examples to support an argument:
• Keep in mind what you are searching for. The question may be referring to

information found in a specific paragraph
• Read the paragraph/passage carefully to avoid missing out on crucial

details.
• Pay careful attention to the wording to avoid being misled.

Predicting outcomes (Text focus for Part 2 of the Reading paper)
• Predicting outcomes is a reading skill that allows a reader to make an

educated guess about what the writer is trying to say
• You may also be required to make a prediction about what will happen

next based on a scenario event that occurs in the passage.

Steps to predict an outcome:
* Keep in mind the attitude/actions/main argument/intention of the

writer/narrator/main character
* Based on what you have read in the passage, determine the most likely

outcome/consequence
* Think logically
* Look for clues that the writer may provide about the outcome.

* Some contextual clues include:

-synonyms -examples - affixes -antonyms

- definitions - restatement

Distinguishing facts and opinions (Test focus for Part 4 of the Reading paper)
Fact

> The truth, something proven to be true by experiments or observations
Opinon

> A personal belief feeling or evaluation, a judgement which is not proven

Steps to distinguish facts from opinions:
» Look for signal words such as ‘I believe’ and ‘In my opinion’ and judgments

like ‘He is the best’ and ‘She is brave’
» Check if the statement is backed up by evidence in the text
« Identify the purpose of the text—opinion are expressed to convince or

persuade a reader

Interpreting text for author’s intention, attitudes and style (Test focus for Part 4
of the Reading paper)
* Reading critically allows the reader to deduce how the writer feels about the

issues presented and why the writer is presenting them
* The tone of the text indicates the writers attitude towards the subject
* The author’s style can be determined through the syntax, word choice and

tone. It can also be described as a ‘voice’ that readers listen to when they
read the writer s work.
* Emotive words in the text can help you to infer the writer’s purpose and/or
feelings about the subject matter
* Emotive words are seldom used in texts such as reports or extracts from
scientific journals as these texts present hard facts.
* Emotive words are more often used in articles or texts where the writer is
trying to persuade the reader to support his or her point of view
* Some texts are biased, which means they heavily favour one particular side
or opinion

Comparing and evaluating information in different texts (Test focus for
Part 4 of the Reading paper)
• When there are two (or more) texts that require comparison you will
need to determine the ways in which they are similar and different.
• Comparing texts can help you determine which arguments and points
of view are more accurate and/or relevant to what you are looking for

Steps to compare and evaluate information in different texts:
* Read both (or all) of the texts carefully
• Figure out the purpose of the texts. They might feature different
viewpoints about the same topic They may also have the same of a
different target audience in mind.
• Pay attention to the vocabulary, imagery, sentence length and
complexity paragraph length structuring of ideas and rhetorical devices
used in the texts One text may achieve its purpose more effectively
than the other.
• Determine the similarities and differences of the texts They might
agree and/or disagree on one or several aspects of a topic.
• Pay attention to the claims, facts and opinions presented in the texts.
By comparing them, it is possible to determine the reliability of the
writer(s) and distinguish facts from opinions.

Identifying the purpose of a paragraph or text (Test focus for Part 5 of the
Reading paper)
• The purpose of a text is the writer’s reason for writing. Many texts have

more than one purpose, but one usually stands out above the rest.
•There are several main categories:
-To entertain - To persuade - To explain - To inform -To instruct

- To describe
* These can be applied to individual paragraphs as well.
• Determining the purpose of a paragraph or text is particularly helpful when
completing a gapped text, as it makes easier for the reader to find an
appropriate sentence to fill in the gap.
* Steps to identify the purpose of a paragraph or text:
>>Skim the passage to get an idea of what the whole text is about.
>>While the main idea is usually contained in the first sentence of a paragraph,

the next most common placement is in the last sentence of a paragraph.
>>Look for keywords

Recognizing the text structure of the whole text (Test focus for Part 5 of the
Reading paper)
<<The organization of a text refers to how the author has arranged or shaped

the ideas in the passage
<<Discerning the structure involves understanding on how the information is

grouped or ordered.
<< It helps the reader understand the writer’s point of view and ay make

meaningful connections.

Identifying cause and effect relationships in a text (Test focus for Part 5 of the

Reading paper)

# A cause-effect relationship is a relationship in which an event (the cause)

makes another event happen (the eflect).

# In a gapped text, being able to identify cause and effect associations can help

you identify which sentence is right after another.

Steps to identify cause and effect associations:

*Look out for signal words:

~ Because ~ So ~ Consequently ~ Therefore ~ Thus ~ Due to

~ As a result ~ Hence ~ Since ~ If... then ~ Before/After

Read each paragraph carefully. The writer may be using each paragraph to
address a different argument or point. An argument may feature a
cause—effect relationship to justify the writer’s point.
Recognizing text content features (Test focus for Parts 6 and 7 of the
Reading paper)
•Text content features include detail, opinion, emotions, attitude,
writer’s purpose, main idea and implication. A writer uses these
features to shape a text.
@ Being able to identify these features will help you answer questions

that require you to be able to recognize them.
@ The writer may use personal opinions and emotional persuasion to

shape the purpose of the text You can use these to determine the
writer’s attitude towards the subject.
@ Implication is when a writer suggests or states something indirectly.
@ The writer may provide specific details in the form of facts or
examples.
@ Skimming the passage should help you figure out the main ideas
present in the text.

Understanding and recognizing text organization features (Test focus for Parts 4, 6
and 7 of the Reading paper)
*A writer may use a variety of techniques and features to organize the text. The

techniques and features used are likely to vary based on the text genre.
Examples of how passages can be developed based on genre:
* Narrative texts and other types of literary writing.
~ Chronological (sequence): Presents items in the order that they occurred or in

which they were planned. Some signal words include first, before, after, later and
next
~ Time order: Ideas or details are organized 1n the order of when they happened.
Some signal words include during, immediately, initially, now, next and then.
~ Anecdote and illustration: Presents an interesting account or story supported by
examples, explanations or description, Some signal words and phrases include for
example, like, such as and for instance.
~ Articles, reports and other types of academic writing.
-Exemplification: Makes ideas clearer by giving examples to prove or support a
point. The examples act as supporting material to explain or clarify a main idea.
Some signal words and phrases include such as, for example, for instance and
like

~Reference: Refers to a credible source or individual to emphasize a point.

Some signal words and phrases include by, according to and stated that.

~Cause and effect: Presents an action or event that causes an effect or

outcome. Some signal words and phrases include consequently, hence,

because and for this reason.

~Problem and solution: Presents a problem along with a solution. Some

signal words and phrases include should, need to, advise and

solve.

~Comparison and contrast: Presents similarities and/or differences

between ideas. Some signal words and phrases include similar,

different, however and on the other hand

~Factual description: Description that is based on facts

~Hypothesis and evidence: Presents a hypothesis supported by research

findings, facts or analysis.

~Listing: Items are listed randomly. Some signal words and phrases

include another, in addition, also, several and a number

of.

~Classification: Ideas are grouped in categories to illustrate a term or

concept. The concept is further explained with examples and

restatements. Some signal phrases include an example of, characterized

by and is defined as.