The Reading test: managing 60 minutes
Skimming, scanning, and why you should not read every word first.
12 minutes · A free lesson from Reading
You have 60 minutes for 40 questions and no extra time to transfer answers. That is about 20 minutes per passage — and the last passage is the hardest, so do not let the first one take 25.
You do not need to understand every word. Most questions test whether you can find the right part of the text quickly and then read that part carefully.
Lesson quiz
Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.
Quick check: About how long should you spend on each Reading passage?
- 10 minutes
- 20 minutes
- 30 minutes
Show the answer
B: 20 minutes — Sixty minutes for three passages is about 20 each. The last is the hardest, so do not let the first take 25.
Quick check: What is skimming?
- Reading every word slowly
- Reading only the questions
- A quick look at the title, first sentences, names and numbers, to build a map
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C: A quick look at the title, first sentences, names and numbers, to build a map — Skim for about a minute, then scan for a keyword from the question.
Quick check: Which question type does not follow the order of the passage?
- Matching headings
- Sentence completion
- True / False / Not Given
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A: Matching headings — Matching headings and matching information go paragraph by paragraph instead.
Quick check: How much extra time do you get to transfer your Reading answers?
- Ten minutes
- None
- Two minutes
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B: None — Reading has no transfer time, so write your answers as you go.