1- Part Time Jobs: Reading Comprehension
1.1- Article: What is a part-time job?
1. First of all, it is important to emphasize that the expression “part-time job” does not exist in the Chilean labor code. However, any paid job that has a workday of less than 30 hours can be considered as part-time job. (For more information, you can check article 40 of Chilean labor code).
2. There are several motivations for why people prefer part-time jobs. One of them is because the person studies and requires an income to pay for their studies, either partially or totally. Another reason is to spend time caring for children or family. A third cause is to have more free time to enjoy other projects or personal interests. Even retired people select a part-time job because they want to remain active while supplementing their pension.
3. Working part-time can have several positive aspects, the main one being to generate an income with fewer hours, and although the salary may not be as high as that of a full-time worker, it is especially valued by mothers or fathers who want to have a more active participation while raising their children. Also, for students who can complete their academic degrees at the same time as receiving a salary who might already have training in their labor field.
Tips when reading in English
- Pay attention to titles and pictures.
- Ignore words that are not relevant.
- Use context to guess the meaning of a word.
- Focus on the main idea of the text or article.
1.2- Reading Strategies
a. Skimming
It is a fast reading technique, in order to find the main idea of a text. Identifying main concepts. Generally, by reading the first sentence of each paragraph, you are going to obtain the main idea about a specific paragraph. However, when the information in the first line is not completely clear. It is recommended to read the entire paragraph.
Steps to skim
- Read the title
- Read first sentence of each paragraph
- Pay attention to pictures, charts or bold words.
Example: Read the paragraph and skim for the main idea.
Karla and Fabian haven’t spoken today. It was strange to sit down at lunch with them looking at each other. I hope they talk again soon. We’re inseparable at work and I wouldn’t like to have to choose a side.
a) I ate lunch alone. (El narrador comió con sus compañeros de trabajo).
b) I didn’t go to work. (El narrador estaba almorzando con sus compañeros en el trabajo).
c) Karla and Fabian had a fight. (Ellos no se hablan y son inseparables, se puede concluir que tuvieron una discusión, siendo esta es la idea general del párrafo).
d) Carla is looking at Fabian. (Es un antecedente, no el motivo que fundamenta la idea principal).
The main idea is C.
b. Scanning
It is a fast reading technique in order to find specific information quickly. You should search for specific information within a text such as a number or a word. You should scan what is needed, ignoring information that it is not related.
Steps to scan
- Move your eyes quickly through the text in search of the keyword you are looking for.
- Keywords are relevant such as dates, numbers, names, words, what you are looking for.
- Pay attention to headings, paragraph enumeration or any information that will allow you to get to the specific information sought faster.
- It is recommended to use your fingers or a pen to help you scan the text faster.
Example:
Your friend Richard asks you to help him find a part-time job. He can only work on weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) after 2:00 p.m.
Read the ads (advertisement) and scan for the best job for your friend.
Solution: When scanning the information from the 4 ads, the red paperclip ad is the job that fits Richard's needs. By scanning the information in this ad, you are looking for a phone operator that only works on Saturday and Sunday afternoons which was what Richard required.
- Black paperclip ad doesn't meet Richard's requirement, because the work is done from Friday to Sunday.
- Green paperclip ad doesn’t meet Richard's requirements because the work is weekdays only.
- Yellow paperclip ad doesn’t meet Richard's requirements because the job requests an assistant in the mornings.
c. Skimming and Scanning
Reading News
Skimming (Look at pictures and headings).
1. Does the newspaper have information for children?
Answer: No, it doesn’t have information for children. (The newspaper talks about the new presidential election)
2. What is the news about?
Answer: Presidential Election. By reading the headlines, you can see that it talks about the new president election.
Scanning (look for keywords).
1. What year is the presidential election?
Answer: 2018. This is found in the main heading.
2. What date is the meeting in the town hall?
Answer: Sunday, October 28, 2018. On the lower left side.
| As you may have noticed, these fast reading strategies, skimming and scanning, are very useful in reading and understanding diverse texts and can be of great help to study and review content. |
