Tips to Master Reading Comprehension & Précis Writing

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Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension is one of the most important questions (in Pakistani Educational System) if one is taking a linguistics exam in which one has to read a passage and answer the questions asked relevant to that passage. Comprehension means to extract the hidden information. We have been doing this all our lives; read a lesson and answer the question asked at the end of the lesson.
I'll cover some important step one must follow to master reading comprehension and, of course, excel in the examination.

Step 1:-

Skim through the passage multiple times in order to get a gist of it and get to know its main idea. This step is often called earmarking. Earmarking is done to find the thesis sentence of the paragraph. Skimming makes you aware of which information is where in the paragraph. Make sure you underline important phrases / words.

Step 2:-

After you've read the piece of text and marked some important information, you are now able to answer the questions. Read the questions carefully and recall the main idea which you had got from Step 1 The question asked can be of following four types:

1. Specific Point Questions
2. Main Idea
3. Inference or  Indirect Questions
4. Words' Meanings

Specific point questions are those which you can answer by just copying some part of the passage. The main idea of the passage can also be asked which is not a big deal if you've done Step 1 with a lot of care. Inference questions are the most important ones. Inference questions are those which you have to answer by understanding the indirect meaning of the text (which comprehension really is all about) and answer in your own words.

Step 3:-

Now, you know the passage well and have read the questions, you can now search for the answers from the passage. This step is called scanning. In scanning, the information gathered in Step 1 enables you to answer the questions.

I've discussed Step 1 in other 2 steps also, this makes it clear how important is to read and understand the paragraph before moving on.

Quick Tip:
      After enough practice, you can perform Step 2 in the beginning and then perform Step 1 and Step 3 together. This would save a lot of time.

Don't miss: List of Top Educational Websites

Précis Writing

Précis writing, like comprehension, is very important when it comes to showing one's writing skills. Précis means to write the main idea of something in one's own words by concizing the original text. Précis writing has no steps to follow, instead it has some tips one should always remember while writing a précis:

• Read the passage carefully and count the number of words or make a wild guess
• The précis should not be more than one-third of the original text
• Facts, figures, and dates are supporting the main text, so they can be omitted
• Repeating ideas must be excluded
• Always write the writer's point of view 
• Never try to merge your own ideas into the original theme
• Try to use one-word substitutions as much as possible
• Adverbs should be used instead of long explanations

Quick Tip:
      Beginners can divide the original text into as many parts as they like and then precise each part one by one. Summing these parts` précis will get the job done!

Don't miss: How To: Get Fluency In English

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10+ Top Interviewing Tips

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Everyone has to face interviewing at least once in life. For better future, one really needs to flourish in an interview as jobs and admissions in well-reputed institutions are only ensured iff  one takes the interviewer by surprise. I've compiled a short list of tips that can help you getting a decent job. You must go through these before having a feeling of regret.

• Research the opportunity before you visit
• Prepare a list of questions you want to ask
• Dress professionally and be neat and well-groomed
• Arrive a few minutes early
• Take a few copies of your CV, a notepad and pen
• Maintain eye contact and show interest in everyone involved in the interview
• Confidence is the key
• Never discuss money
• Do not have more than one alcoholic drink before the interview
• Show equal respect to all you meet
• Follow up with a thank you note to each interviewer

Don't miss: 10+ Tips to Get Makeup Free Good Look

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10+ Tips to Get Makeup Free Good Look

Everyone of has a desire of looking like a magazine poster hero or heroine. A lot find it difficult because it can hurt monetarily. With these tricks, you can get a fancy look with very low expenses. Get a healthy, fair and fresh look and  be the hero/heroine you've ever dreamt of......

Image Source: Unsplash

Here's how:-

• Healthy diet with more fruits
• Plenty of water
• A good night's sleep
• Drink hot water with lemon in the morning
• Give skin a boost: Ginseng, Mint & Rosemary in a topical cream
• Groom your brows to frame your face
• Exfoliate
• Gentle cleanser mild toner moisturizer with SPF
• Accessorize your outfit & hair
• Curl your lashes
• Apply lip balm
• Don't pick or touch your skin

Don't miss: What is the Effect of Exercise on Our Body?

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How to: download videos from facebook without any software

Downloading media has always been a problem for those who like to have all the fun free. Some use Internet Download Manager but it creates some problems when you have to buy it after 30 days and some hacks don't go your way, either. Everyone likes to watch videos on Facebook and some download to watch later. World's top social network is on its way to become the second most popular network for sharing videos after YouTube.
In this tutorial, I'll show you how you can download Facebook videos without any software or third-party website simply by following these steps:

1. Open facebook.com and login to your profile.
2. Play the video of your choice by clicking on it.
   
   
3. When the video is playing, go to the URL(address) of the video and replace www with m. For example, if my video address is "https://www.facebook.com/raja.hasnain.570/videos/vb.100004950877781/380632628778430/?type=3&theater" I'll have to make it "https://m.facebook.com/raja.hasnain.570/videos/vb.100004950877781/380632628778430/?type=3&theater".
4. Hit Enter key and you'll be redirected to the mobile version of facebook.
5. While the video is playing, right-click on the video and click on "Save video as...", select the location from popup and your video will start downloading.
   

Watch the Video Tutorial

This trick has been tested on Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Keep sharing!

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Useful Tips for Studying Efficiently

It is a dream of every student to score excellent grades in exam. Some succeed while others don't. There might be nothing wrong with hard work but technique. Yeah, studying has some rules and today I'll give you some tips and bits of advice to study efficiently with more chances of success. I've sorted a list of some Do's and Don'ts that have helped me a lot throughout my school and now in college.

Do's

Planning & Managing Time

Study time is any time you doing something related to studies. Make your study schedule for the entire week and also manage your day time. Make a one-day schedule for study hours, play time and time you have to give to your family and friends. BUT stick to it no matter how hard it is to follow, you have to follow it anyway.

You can use spreadsheet software in your phone or computer for making schedule, but I recommend drawing some tables on a page and always keep it in your pocket or make multiple copies as a backup if you lose one.

Study at Same Time Each Day

Studying at the same time everyday establishes a routine that becomes a regular part of your life, just like sleeping and eating. When a scheduled study time comes up during the day, you'll be mentally prepared to begin studying.

My personal recommendation is to study early in the morning. If you are a Muslim, study after Fajar, an ideal time to study with an open and fresh mind.

Find a Peaceful Place

A noiseless place is an essential part of effective studying, since while studying you need to concentrate and this is only possible if you are not surrounded by music and  a lot of people, noisy people. If your study place is too cold, your speed might slow down. If it is too warm you might become sleepy (like me). Make sure it is not very comfortable because in that case you might prefer sleep over study. However, some individuals are able to concentrate better with a little noise in the background. You must look for a place that fits your nature.

Review Notes Before Beginning an Assignment

Reviewing your notes can help you make sure you are doing an assignment correctly. Also, your notes may include information that will help you complete an assignment. Moreover, the chances of forgetting something you've memorized earlier are minimized.

The best way to make your own notes and not to depend on others is to highlight or underline the text in your book or any other study resource. It saves you from reading the entire paragraph again. Try not to underline or highlight so much that it is really useless.

Don't miss: List of Top Educational Websites

Study in 50 Minute Intervals

Make sure you study for an interval of 40-50 minutes. When you feel you cannot concentrate anymore, take a short break of 10-15 minutes. During the break, you can have some snacks and even go for a short walk or try something that would refresh your mind and body. Ahaaan, now get back to work!

Challenge Yourself

Be your own master! Give yourself challenges and try to compete yourself. For example, you may decide to complete one unit in a sitting, stick to your target and try to complete this task in time. Next day, give yourself a task to memorize 1.5 units or more in the same time. Try something new every day and beat your own record. You'll always win, isn't it interesting?

Practice and Learn From Your Mistakes

Practice is everything. If you don't practice what you learn, you learn nothing. Try to learn by doing and don't be discouraged if you mess up everything. Remember, wise people learn from their mistakes. Don't be shy, ask your elders to help you out or try some other way yourself to do better.

“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.” —Thomas Edison

Review What You've Studied  Before Going to Bed 

Usually, a textbook has some Self-Assessment Questions at the end of each unit alongside the summary of that unit. When you make a habit of reviewing these questions and summaries at the end of your day as well as at the end of a week, you will find that you'll remember the words very strongly the next morning.

Do You Know?
     An average person remembers only 20% of what he/she has read in a day.

For this reason, it is recommended that one must revise what one has studied in a day, at the end of the day.

Don'ts

Cram

Cramming is not useful for long term memory. So, if you're planning to remember your textbook for good, do not be a fan of cramming.

Study on Computer

Try to avoid studying on the computer as much as possible. You will be tempted by many interesting things on the web such as your email or Facebook.

Mobile Usage

Most of the students place their cell phones close of them. This will distract you from studying. Do not use your phone except when it is very important. Before beginning your homework, turn off your Wi-Fi or mobile data, if you can't turn that off, mute notifications. Tell your friends you study timing so they can't disturb your studies. I know they won't mind.

Study After Meal

Studies have shown that thinking is slower after having a meal. It is recommended to take a walk after having a meal then study.

Study Too Much at One Time

If you try to do too much studying  at one time, you'll be tired and your studying will not be very effective anymore. Taking short breaks, as I said earlier, will restore your mental energy.

Look at your daily routine and try to build your routine identical to the above-mentioned habits. Always "study smart, not hard". If you have some other tips, put a comment below, I'll be glad to mention those as well.

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