Welcome to Unit 1: Text 1!

Welcome to the very first part of your Reading exam! This chapter focuses on Text 1, which is designed to be a friendly start to your assessment. Think of this section as looking at the kind of information you see every day: posters on a school wall, advertisements in a magazine, or a timetable at a train station. Because these texts are short and visual, they are a great way to build your confidence before moving on to longer articles.

In this chapter, we will break down exactly what to expect, the types of questions you will face, and the best strategies to find the right answers quickly and accurately.

What is Text 1?

In your exam, Text 1 is a collection of short texts. Instead of one long story, you might see several small pieces of information grouped together. These texts are usually between 190 and 200 words in total.

Common Text Types

The examiners use "real-world" formats that you would encounter in daily life, such as:

  • Adverts: Selling a product, a service, or a club.
  • Invitations: Inviting people to a party, a meeting, or a school event.
  • Timetables: Showing when buses, trains, or school lessons happen.
  • Bulletin Boards: Short notices or messages posted for a group of people to see.

The Four Core Topics

Everything you read in Text 1 will relate to one of these four areas:

  1. Myself and Others: Hobbies, leisure time, family, and home life.
  2. Travel and Tourism: Holidays, accommodation, and how we get around.
  3. Education: School life, future studies, and technology (ICT).
  4. Employment: Part-time jobs, volunteering, and future career plans.

Note: You will NOT be tested on "Global Issues" (Topic 5) in this reading section.

Quick Takeaway: Text 1 is short (under 200 words) and focuses on practical, everyday information like adverts and notices.

Understanding the Question Types

For Text 1, you don't need to write long sentences. You just need to identify the correct information using two specific formats:

1. Multiple Choice

You will be given a question and a list of options (usually A, B, C, and D). You must choose one correct answer.
Example: "What time does the chess club start?"

2. Multiple Response

This is slightly different. You might be asked to select more than one correct answer from a longer list.
Example: "Which TWO things must students bring to the field trip?"

Common Mistake: In Multiple Response questions, many students only tick one box because they are in a hurry. Always read the instruction carefully—if it asks for two answers, make sure you provide two!

Top Strategies for Success

Look Beyond the Main Text

Information isn't just in the paragraphs. In Text 1, the answer might be hidden in:

  • Headings and Sub-headings: These tell you the main topic of a section.
  • Images and Captions: A picture of a laptop might confirm the text is about ICT.
  • Pop-up Boxes or Sidebars: Extra details like prices, dates, or contact numbers are often put in small boxes on the side.

The Power of Keywords

Don't try to translate every single word in your head. Instead, look for keywords in the question and scan the text for them. If the question asks about a "discount," look for the \(\%\) symbol or the word "off" or "cheap" in the text.

Watch Out for "Distractors"

A "distractor" is an option that looks correct but is actually wrong. For example, an advert might mention "Monday to Friday: \$10" and "Saturday: \$15." If the question asks for the price on the weekend, "10" is a distractor meant to trick you if you aren't reading carefully.

Quick Tip: If you find a word you don't know, don't panic! Try to look at the words around it (the context) to guess the meaning. For example, if you see "Please wear sturdy footwear for the hike," and you know "wear" and "hike," you can guess that "footwear" means shoes.

Step-by-Step Approach

  1. Read the questions first: This gives your brain a "mission" so you know exactly what information to hunt for.
  2. Scan the text: Run your eyes quickly over the text to find the general area where the answer might be.
  3. Read closely: Once you find the right section, read it slowly to ensure you don't fall for a distractor.
  4. Check the "Number of Responses": Ensure you have ticked the correct number of boxes for multiple-response questions.

Did you know? In the Reading unit, your spelling doesn't have to be perfect! As long as the examiner can understand what you meant, you won't lose marks for small spelling mistakes. However, for Text 1, you are mostly just ticking boxes, so this is even less of a worry!

Chapter Summary

Key Takeaways:

  • Text 1 is the shortest text in the Reading unit (190–200 words).
  • It uses Multiple Choice and Multiple Response questions.
  • It covers everyday topics like hobbies, travel, school, and work.
  • Always check headings, images, and captions for information.
  • Be careful to select the exact number of answers requested in Multiple Response questions.

Ready for more? In the next chapter, we will look at Text 2, which introduces emails, blog posts, and "gap-fill" questions!