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Everyday English for Construction and Engineering 2
Everyday English for Construction and Engineering 2

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Everyday English for Construction and Engineering 2

1.3 Extracting information

You will now explore different techniques for extracting information and reading with a time limit. This skill is particularly important for situations such as exams when time is short. Staying calm and being able to read under pressure can be the difference between a pass or a fail!

Activity 3 Reading with a time limit (1)

Timing: Allow about 5 minutes

This activity involves reading something in a limited time. Click anywhere on the image below and read as much of the advert as you can in 15 seconds. After this time, the advert will disappear. Then have a go at answering the questions.

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  1. What is the job?
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  1. What are the duties of the post?
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  1. Who should applicants contact?
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  1. When is the closing date?
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  1. What is the rate of pay per hour?
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Discussion

Check your answers against these:

  1. Health and Safety Officer – Team Leader
  2. To coordinate and supervise the Health and Safety team.
  3. Michael White.
  4. 28 September 2019.
  5. £10.25.

It can be quite difficult to take in a lot of text in a short time. The layout can help you to identify what the text is about. If the text is important, spending more time reading will help you to digest the information.

Activity 4 Reading with a time limit (2)

Timing: Allow about 5 minutes

Complete the same activity again with a different text.

  1. Click anywhere on the text below and read as much as you can in 30 seconds. After this time, the text will disappear. Then have a go at answering the questions.
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a. What length is the saw?

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b. What is the saw designed to cut?

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c. What type of blade does the saw have?

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d. Why is the blade water-based lacquered?

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e. What brand is the saw?

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  1. Did you find it easier to extract information from one of the texts? If so, which one? Why do you think this was so?
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Discussion

Check your answers against these:

  1.  

    • a.700 mm

    • b.Cellular concrete

    • c.A C75 steel blade.

    • d.Because it provides four times better rust protection than standard lacquer.

    • e.Strickton

  2. I found the second text more difficult to read than the first. There were not enough clues as to which were the important points in the passage.

    The first text had clues as to the key points that the author wanted to get over:

    • bold type

    • headings in the middle

    • short paragraphs.

    This made it easier to extract the information.

In this section you have:

  • thought about the different types of text you read
  • practised identifying the main points from a text.
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