BEC (Reading)

8/6/2019 BEC (Reading)

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8/11/2011 1BCA, Birla Institute of Management Technology


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Purpose of Readingy Reading

y The meeting of the mind of the author with the mind of the

readery Written text contains

y Facts, ideas and values of society along with

y the level of maturity of the mind of the author

y Writers ability to reflect upon a problem and bring out itsrelevance for him and for the readers

y reflected in the process of systematization,

y in the form and style of writing



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Knowledge transmission

y Radio, TV, Films, telephone etc.

y Emergence of audio-visual and multi-media technology,

y Written text is a permanent document

y One may agree / disagree with a given text.

y Opinion of a reader is subject to verification by any

reader



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Knowledge transmission contd

y The process is called-

y the method ofadvancement of learning

y which leads to the growth ofeducation and

enlightenment.y Preservation of written texts - all civilized societies

y In civilized societies, great libraries have always existed

y In short

y The more you read, the better you become in reading

and learn more

Good reading habit is the hall-mark of a cultured person



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The Process of Effective Reading (ER)

y ER is an important skill

y demands conscious and sustained cultivation of good

reading materials.y It is the end result of a complex mental process that

comprises

1. Recognition of words

2. Perception

3. Comprehension

4. Association



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WORDS

RecognitionOf

symbol

Perception Comprehension Association

Writes

ideas

facts

Goodknowledge of

vocabulary

Translation

of symbols

into

meanings

Understanding

Meaning.

Putting It incontext

Reconstruct the

whole Idea

presented by the

writer

Referring to

present

Knowledge.Fusing new ideas &

knowledge with the

old for better

understanding &

Good recall

Literal

What is actually

said on the page?

What are the facts,

how do they relate?

Interpretive

Reading between

the Lines

Is author saying

what he means

Is he saying more

than written

Awareness of

grammar

The Process of Reading



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Eye Movements

y The mental process of readingrequires coordination

y with the physical process ofreading.

y We generally perceive that oureyes move smoothly

y across the page from left to righteach line and back again.

y Fact is we do not move our eyes

smoothly along the printed lines,y but in an irregular sequence of

rapid jerksFixation

Saccade



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y Jumps are called saccades

y The focuses as fixations

y At the points of fixation the eyeball is almost stationaryy for approximately sec for adults

y The saccades / jerks from one point to another are rapid andy the eye spends 90% of the time fixated

y A reader is not aware of this irregularity in motion andy the time taken for any one saccadic leap is not under his/her control.

y The time fixated on points in the printed page can be reducedy by training

Fixation

Saccade



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2 difficulties in readingy Problem of feedback

y i.e. difficulties in understanding, arising from

y

poor vocabulary ory lack of familiarity with the material (pg 26)

y Regression and visual wandering

y i.e. slow and faulty eye movements



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Reading Strategies

y How do we read texts?

y Use different approaches to read different texts.

y

Can read quickly or slowlyy skimming for the general ideas or scanning for a specific point.

y How we read depends on the text

y its length, its type and

y our purpose in reading it

y for information, for the general idea, etc.



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What to identify?

y BEC Preliminary Reading paper - you need to identify

y the text type and

y the purpose of the task and

y to apply the appropriate approach.



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Am I successful?

y Our relative success as readers is showny in the outcome of our reading.

y Do we -y find the information we want, or

y understand the general idea?

y Success depends ony applying different reading strategies to different types of text.

y The range of tasks and text types in the BEC Preliminary

Reading paper requiresy you to apply these different strategies effectively.



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E.g. of situations to apply different approaches to

reading:


Most important

Reading for gist

Reading for detailedunderstanding

Travelling on a bus

Reading for mainpoints

Instructionmanual


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Examples contd


2 product brochures

Specific information

Complete a form

Sign board

Guess / deduce the meaning

Accuracy


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What aspects of reading are tested?

y On your ability to understand

y gist, detail and the text structure

y to identify main points andy specific information

y vocabulary and

y understanding discourse features.



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How long should I spend on each part?

y No time limit for each task;

y Some tasks may take longer than others

y You should be aware of how long you need for differenttasks.

y Keep in mind

y some tasks have more items and

y therefore worth more marks.



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How to answer the Reading part of the paper?

y In this paper, put the answers on an answer sheet by -

y filling in a lozenge (a kind of box) or

y by writing a word (use CAPITALS)y a short phrase or (use CAPITALS)

y a number onto the answer sheet in pencil.



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The Paper Format



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8/11/2011 BCA, Birla Institute of Management Technology 21

BEC (P) BEC (V) BEC (H)

Paper format parts 5 parts 6 parts

Length of texts 750 900 words overall;

20 400 words per text

1500 1950 words overall;

150-500 words per text

2050 2300 words overall;

200 600 words per text

Questions 45 45 52

Text types Business related texts

from newspaper &

magazine articles,

business letters, product

descriptions, reports,

minutes, ads, notices,

timetables, leaflets &

messages

Business related from

newspapers, magazine,

article, book review,

notices, annual reports, co.

literature, letters, books on

management,

advertisements and

messages

Business related from

newspapers, magazine,

article, book review,

notices, annual reports, co.

literature, letters, books on

management,

advertisements and

messages

Task types Multiple choice,

matching, Right / wrong

/ doesnt say; form

filling, note completion

Matching, multiple choice

& proof reading

Matching, multiple-choice,

rational deletion, proof

reading


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BEC (P) BEC (V) BEC (H)

Task focus Understand gist & global

meaning, detailed

comprehension of factual

material, interpreting

visual information,

grammatical accuracy,

transferring information

Understand gist & global

meaning, Structure &

detail, Opinion &

inference. Lexical &

collocation knowledge, &

error identification

Understand gist & global

meaning, Structure &

detail, Opinion &

inference. Lexical &

collocation knowledge, &

error identification

Answer

format

Parts 1 to 6 shade

lozenges on answer sheet.

Part 7 write a one or

two answer or number

onto answer sheet

Parts 1 to 4 shade

lozenges on answer

sheet.

Part 5 write one word

onto the answer sheet

Parts 1 to 4 shade

lozenges on answer

sheet.

Part 5 & 6 write one

word onto the answer

sheet

Time 1hr 30 mins (including

writing)

One Hour One Hour

Marks Each item carries 1 mark.

Scores weighted to 30.Worth 25% of total exam

Each item carries 1 mark.

Scores weighted to 30.

Worth 25% of total exam

Each item carries 1 mark.

Scores weighted to 30.

Worth 25% of total exam


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PART Task type and format Task focus Number of

questions

1 Multiple choice

There are five short texts. Each text is followed by a three-option

multiple-choice task.

Reading for gist and global

meaning.

5

2 Matching

One text with five questions. Candidates match the questions to a part

of the text labelled A H. Three of the parts A H are

redundant.

Reading for vocabulary and

meaning.

5

3 Matching

There are eight graphs or charts (or one graphic with 8 distinct parts)

and five questions. Candidates match the questions to their

corresponding graphs which are labelled A H. Three of thegraphs or parts of the graph are redundant.

Interpreting visual information. 5

4 Right / Wrong / Doesn't say

A single text with seven, 3-option multiple-choice statements.

Candidates indicate whether the statement is A Right, B Wrong

or C Doesn't say.

Reading for detailed, factual

information.

7

5 Multiple choice

A single text with six, 3-option multiple-choice statements or

questions. Candidates have to choose the correct option.

Reading for gist and specific

meaning.

6

6 3-option multiple-choice cloze

A single text. Candidates have to select the correct word from three

options to complete twelve gaps.

Reading for grammatical accuracy

and understanding sentence

structure.

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7 Form-filling, note completion

Two short texts providing information. Candidates have to complete

five gaps in a form based on this information.

Reading and information transfer. 5

BEC (P) Reading



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BEC (P) answer sheet



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BEC (V)


Part Task type and format Task focus Number of questions

1 Matching

There could be a single text or four related shorter texts. The

text/texts are preceded by seven statements which can be

matched with only one of the texts.

Reading for gist and globalmeaning

7

2 Matching

A gapped text with five sentence-length gaps.

Reading for structure and

detail

5

3 4-option multiple-choice

A longer text based on authentic source material. The multiple-

choice item may be a question or incomplete sentence.

Candidates must choose the correct option. The sentences test

opinion and inference not straightforward facts.

Understanding general

points and specific details

6

4 4-option multiple-choice clozeA single business-related gapped text mainly to test

vocabulary. Candidates have to choose the correct option from

a choice of four words.

- vocabulary and structure 15

5 Proof reading

A short text. Candidates have to identify additional

unnecessary words in the text.

- understanding sentence

structure; error identification

12


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BEC (H) Reading


Part ask t and f r at ask f s r fsti ns

1 Mat hing

There could be a single text or five related shorter texts. The

text/texts are preceded by eight statements which can be matched

with only one of the texts.

Reading for gist and

global meaning.

8

2 Mat hing

A gapped text with six sentence-length gaps.

Reading for structure

and detail.

6

3 4- tin

lti l - h iA longer text based on authentic source material. The multiple-

choice item may be a question or incomplete sentence. Candidates

must choose the correct option. The sentences test opinion and

inference not straightforward facts.

Understanding generalpoints and specific

details

6

4 4- ti n lti l - h i l z

A single business-related gapped text mainly to test vocabulary.

Candidates have to choose the correct option from a choice of four

words.

- vocabulary and

structure

10

5 Rati nal deleti n with en l ze

A single business-related text with structure and discourse gaps.

Candidates have to supply a word to fill each gap.

- structure and

discourse features

10

6 Pr f reading

A short text. Candidates have to identify additional unnecessarywords in the text.

- understanding

sentence structure;error identification

12


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Thanks.



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y



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y



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y



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BEC (Reading)

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