Strategies for Mastering English News Reading in Graduate Entrance Exams

English news reading is a critical component of the graduate entrance exam, testing candidates' ability to comprehend and analyze complex texts under time constraints. This section provides targeted insights and solutions to common challenges, helping students improve their reading efficiency and accuracy. Whether you're struggling with vocabulary, sentence structure, or overall comprehension, these explanations offer practical tips and examples to build your confidence. By focusing on key strategies and common pitfalls, you can enhance your performance and approach the exam with greater preparedness.

1. How Can I Effectively Skim and Scan News Articles Quickly?

To tackle English news articles efficiently, skimming and scanning are essential skills. Skimming involves reading the title, headings, and the first and last sentences of paragraphs to grasp the main idea. For example, if an article discusses climate change, the introduction and conclusion will highlight key arguments, while subheadings may indicate specific sections like causes or solutions. Scanning, on the other hand, is about finding specific details like dates, names, or statistics by focusing on keywords. Practice by timing yourself—aim for 2-3 minutes to skim an article and 1 minute to scan for a particular answer. This method saves time during the exam and reduces anxiety. Additionally, familiarize yourself with common news structures (e.g., inverted pyramid) to predict where answers might appear.

2. What Should I Do When Encountering Difficult Vocabulary?

Encountering unfamiliar words is normal, but there are ways to manage this without losing focus. First, try to deduce the meaning from context—look at the surrounding words and the sentence structure. For instance, if "policies were enacted to mitigate" the issue, you can infer that "enacted" means "passed" or "implemented." Second, prioritize understanding the overall message over individual words. If a word doesn’t affect your comprehension, mark it and move on. For example, if you’re reading about economic trends but don’t know "disinflation," you can still answer questions about the main points. Also, build a vocabulary list of common news terms (e.g., "initiative," "paradigm shift") and review them regularly. This approach ensures you don’t get bogged down by minor obstacles.

3. How Can I Improve My Ability to Understand Authorial Tone and Purpose?

Recognizing the author’s tone and purpose is crucial for nuanced comprehension. News articles often use formal language, but the tone can vary—whether it’s objective, critical, or supportive. For example, an article about a political debate might use neutral language, while one critiquing a policy could employ sarcasm or strong adjectives. To identify the tone, look for words like "notably," "surprisingly," or "criticized." The author’s purpose is usually to inform, persuade, or analyze. For instance, an opinion piece will clearly express a viewpoint, while a report will present facts. Practice by summarizing each paragraph in your own words—this helps clarify whether the author is explaining, arguing, or evaluating. Additionally, pay attention to transitions like "however" or "furthermore," as they reveal shifts in thought. Developing this skill requires practice, so consider analyzing articles from reputable sources like The Economist or BBC News.