Part 7: the reading strategy that wins you points
Skimming, scanning, handling multiple passages: the method to read fast without missing anything on the longest part.
Part 7 (reading comprehension) is the longest section of the TOEIC: 54 questions on emails, articles, notices and multiple passages. The real challenge isn't the difficulty of the texts — it's time.
Read the questions first
Before diving into the text, read the matching questions. You'll know what to look for and avoid re-reading the same paragraph three times.
Skimming vs scanning
- Skimming: glance over to grasp the general idea and tone. Ideal for purpose or topic questions.
- Scanning: sweep the text to find one precise piece of information (date, price, name). Ideal for factual questions.
Multiple passages
The final sets combine 2 or 3 documents (e.g. a notice + a reply email). Some questions require you to cross-reference information between documents — that's where the hard points hide.
- Skim the first document.
- Read the questions.
- Go back for the details, noting links between the documents.
Manage your clock
Keep about a third of your Reading time for Part 7. If time is slipping away, answer the single-passage questions first (they're faster) before tackling the multiple passages.
Practise on timed Part 7 sets
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