Changes are shown in boldface type.
1 Skimming is a technique that \take > takes\ a reader through a reading passage much faster than usual. 2 It is not just rapid, casual reading; it is a careful reading of selected parts of paragraphs. 3 Instead of reading every word in a paragraph, a reader \look > looks\ at the first and last sentences and tries to identify key words in between. 4 Skimming in this way \concentrate > concentrates\ a reader's attention on certain parts in each paragraph. 5 Because most textbooks \explains > explain\ a procedure, a situation, an event, or a technique, their expository paragraphs usually \begins > begin\ with a topic sentence. 6 If the topic sentence is not the first sentence of a paragraph, it may be the last sentence. 7 Key words, synonyms, and transitions between these two sentences \expands > expand\ and support the main idea. 8 Identifying the expected organization of paragraphs also \help > helps\ the reader to find the important ideas. 9 Whether readers want to identify the main points of a relatively simple passage or read a complicated passage with greater understanding, skimming can help. 10 In general, skimming before reading \aid > aids\ comprehension and speed during the reading stage. 11 Skimming can also be useful as a review technique before an exam.
1 Our solar system is composed of the sun, its planets, and \object
> objects\ such as meteors, asteroids, satellites, and comets. The
sun itself is a giant, self-luminous body that \contain > contains\
99.9 percent of the mass of the entire system. 3 Its temperature of about
6,000 degree \determine > determines\ the warmth of the rest of
the solar system. 4 The five planets observed since ancient times are named
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn; Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto were
identified more recently. 5 These planets \revolves > revolve\ eastward
around the sun. 6 The time for one revolution around the sun varies
from 248 \year > years\ for Pluto to 88 \day > days\ for
Mercury. 7 Humans have long used the regular movements of the \planet
> planets\ and the \moon > moons\ around the fixed stars
for measuring time. 8 Explanations from the ancient Babylonians, Egyptians,
Greeks, and Hebrews \reveals > reveal\ an early interest in the
origin of the solar system. 9 Currently, many \astronomer > astronomers\
accept the theory that the solar system was formed from a giant cloud
of dust and gas. 10 However, there is still no acceptable theory that \account
> accounts\ for all of the observed \characteristic > characteristics\
of our solar system.
[Go back to the exercise] [Go to class at
cvc.blackboard.com] [marsha_chan@wvmccd.cc.ca.us]
Marsha Chan
English as a Second Language Department
Mission College
3000 Mission College Blvd.
Santa Clara, CA 95054-1897
(408) 855-5314
URL: http://www.missioncollege.org/depts/esl/