Toefl Reading Guide 2018.8.13
1. General choice questions (except essentialinformation question)
Step 1: Read everyparagraph and identify key information. Key words can express author’s opinion.
Step 2: Keyinformation and Correct answer should have same word, synonym, or not+antonym.
Key information include：
1） Negative and Contrast
(1)Not...but..., not, but, however are must-test.
(2)negative prefix and suffix:
im, in, un, dis, de, under, -less, mis-
(3) Negative words:
fail, lack,avoid, difficult, different, loss, without, few, little , wrong, doubt, skeptical,whether（mainly negative） , appear to, -free, free of, absence, miss, rather than,instead of, assume（positive or negative), problem,resistance, obstacle,obstruct, limit, limitation...
(4) words after However/but are usually answers.
(5)Guess words: not...but..the word before but and the word afterbut are usually antonym (opposite meaning)
2) Special punctuations andcharacters
Special punctuations: dash, hyphon, quotation marks, question mark,parentheses
Capital, number, location, time.
3）Comparativeand superlative（than, increasing,increased, increasingly）
4）4) Variables and changes， increase the quantity, reducethe amount, less density
5) Transition words。
However, hence, therefore, in fact, forexample ...
6) Adj clause。that, which, who, whose, whom,when, where
7) Clause-effect： because, so, therefore, thus,result, hence, cause, caused by, the cause of,...
8) Adv clause:
Contrast： whereas, while, though
Condition: when, while, if, as (when isoften tested)
9） noun clause (believe that, argue that, assume that, reveal that,suggest)
10) People’s opinion, contribution, invention,and discovery.
Experiment’scondition, feature, conclusion.
Wordsfor opinion: confirm, reveal, show, believe, think
11) Appositive
12) 12) intensifier and emphasizing words
13) Parallel structure
14) Key words：Adj., adv., abstract noun.,important verbs
