兩大基本考點——skimming和scanning
其實“快速閱讀”這個稱謂是對這部分題型名稱的一種誤解，甚或說是一種誤譯。實際上試題冊上所給的題型英文名稱是Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning)——閱讀理解(略讀與跳讀)。不少考生正是由于受到所謂“快速”兩字的誤導(dǎo)，以為單純求快就可以萬事大吉，殊不知這其中是另有“隱情”。
Skimming——略讀
略讀，顧名思義就是要求考生在較短時間內(nèi)把握住文章某個段落的主題思想。我們首先來看一下2010年6月份快速閱讀第一題：
1. What eventually made Carla Toebe realize she was spending too much time on the Internet?
A) Her daughter's repeated complaints.
B) Fatigue resulting from lack of sleep.
C) The poorly managed state of her house.
D) The high financial costs adding up.
一般來說快速閱讀的第一題往往是針對文章的開頭部分。以該題為例，基本上所有考生都能夠定位到第一段?？墒堑谝欢蔚降讘?yīng)該怎么讀就成了個大問題。
A few months ago, it wasn't unusual for 47-year-old Carla Toebe to spend 15 hours per day online. She'd wake up early, turn on her laptop and chat on Internet dating sites and instant-messaging programs – leaving her bed for only brief intervals. Her household bills piled up, along with the dishes and dirty laundry, but it took near-constant complaints from her four daughters before she realized she had a problem.
誠然，從頭到尾“快速”讀完確實是個辦法——而且也是絕大多數(shù)考生使用的辦法，但這樣做完全失去了skimming的意義。換個角度來說，如果每個題目都像這樣把段落讀完，那么十道題加在一起所積累的閱讀量勢必將超過15分鐘的大限。其實大部分文章的段落重點或者說中心都集中在首末句上。略讀所要考察的就是考生是否敢于大膽抓住首末句，拋去段落中間的無效部分，從而迅速找到答案。以本題而言，該段最后一句，尤其是but之后的“it took near-constant complaints from her four daughters before she realized she had a problem”(直到她的四個女兒開始不斷發(fā)出抱怨的時候她在開始意識到自己出問題了)就是答案所在位置。故而選擇A選項。