Name:______________________________ Grade and Section_____________________

Worksheet #1

Scanning
Directions: Find and circle the following words in this passage from Jane Austen’s Emma as quickly
as possible:

CLEVER HOME UNITE DISTRESS MARRIAGE EARLY

Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition,
seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the
world with very little to distress or vex her.

She was the youngest of two daughters of a most affectionate, indulgent father, and had, in
consequence of her sister’s marriage, been mistress of his house from a very early period.

Skimming
Directions: Find out the answer to the following question by skimming the passage below.
What were the names of Degas’s father and mother?

Degas’s background would never have suggested he was to become the revolutionary painter he
was. He was born in Paris, on 19 July 1834. His father, Auguste de Gas, was a banker but his
mother, Célestine, died before Degas reached his teens.

Degas’ father was called: __________________________________________

Degas’s mother was called: ___________________
 Name:______________________________ Grade and Section_____________________
Worksheet # 2

Making notes
Directions: Condense the information below into bullet points.
The Greek island of Rhodes is the most visited of the Dodecanese islands. It became part of Greece
in 1948. The capital is Rhodes City, a port on the northern tip of the island which caters for the vast
tourism the island experiences in the summer months. There is lots to see here, including an
archaeological museum and Mussolini’s old holiday home, The Palace of the Grand Masters.

 _____________________________________________________________
 _____________________________________________________________
 _____________________________________________________________

Directions Now condense this text into bullet points.

The city of Athens became the capital of independent Greece in 1834 when the Ottoman rule ended.
At the time, Athens was no more than a run-down village, but the city was reconstructed and much of
the neoclassical architecture of that time still exists, although the city’s beauty has been slightly
marred by the concrete sprawl which developed in the last fifty years.

 _____________________________________________________________
 _____________________________________________________________
 _____________________________________________________________
 Name:______________________________ Grade and Section_____________________

Worksheet #3

Directions: Read each sentence below , Then encircle the letter of the correct answer.

1. You're skimming a book called "Plant Life" to see if it would be a good source for you research
paper on how flowers grow.
Where would you look to see if it has the info you need?
a. the title
b. the cover
c. the table of contents
d. the first paragraph
2. It's time to pick a book for silent reading time. You have a stack of novels in front of you.
What is the best thing to look at to decide if the book will interest you?
a. the title
b. the list of chapters
c. the first sentence or paragraph
d. the index
3. You're interested in learning more about dogs, but you don't want a boring book full of text.
What is the best part of the book to look at to see if it will interest you?
a. the title
b. the cover
c. the table of contents
d. the pictures
4. You're skimming a newspaper to find the comics section.

What is the best thing to look at to find the section you want?
a. the section headings
b. the pictures
c. the headlines
d. the index
5. You're reading a short story and want to quickly determine what it is about.

What is the best thing to look at?

a. the title
b. the first and last sentence of each paragraph
c. dialogue
d. the author
6. You're reading a chapter in your textbook to prepare for a test.

What is the best thing to look for to find the most important information quickly?
a. the bold words
b. charts
c. picture captions
d. the first sentence of each paragraph
7. You're playing a game and want to know how the winner is determined, so you open the
instructions, but they are long.

What is the best thing to look at to quickly find what you're looking for?
a. the headings
b. the pictures
c. the first sentence of each paragraph
d. the numbered lists
8. You're writing a research paper about a particular general during the Civil War, but the book you
have on the Civil War is huge.
What is the best thing to look at to quickly find what you need?
a. the title
b. the first and last sentence of each paragraph
c. bold words
d. the index
9. You're reading a book about flies. You want to know how each type of fly compares to the others.

While scanning the book, you should focus on:

a. pictures and charts
b. headings
c. bold words
d. the index
10. You're browsing the Help Wanted ads to find a job. The job must pay at least $10/hour.
When scanning the job ads, what should you look at in each ad before reading the rest of the ad?
a. the $ amount
b. the contact number
c. the heading
d. the first sentence
Answer Key
Worksheet 3
1. c
2. c
3. d
4. a
5. a
6. a
7. d
8. d
9. a
10. a
 Name:______________________________ Grade and Section_____________________

Worksheet #4
Directions: Read the questions first to work out which key words to look for in the text. You don’t
need to read every word in each passage.

Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. It is named after the Roman god of war and is often described
as the ‘red planet’ due to its red appearance. This red tint is caused by a mineral called iron oxide,
which is very common on the surface of Mars. Mars has the largest dust storms in the solar system,
which can often last for months and cover the entire planet. Olympus Mons is the largest mountain
in the solar system and it is found on Mars.
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet in the solar system and is famous for the rings which surround it.
Saturn is one of the planets known as a ‘gas giant’ because it is mainly composed of the gases
hydrogen, helium and methane. Saturn has many moons, the largest of which are Titan and Rhea.
Neptune
Neptune can only be seen through a large telescope and was not discovered until 1845. It is the
eighth planet from the Sun and is also a ‘gas giant’, as it is mainly composed of hydrogen and helium.
It takes Neptune 165 earth years to orbit the sun.
Pluto
Pluto was once described as the ninth planet in the solar system. However, in 2006, it was agreed
that it should be classed as a dwarf planet rather than an official planet in the solar system.
Questions
1. Why does Mars have a red appearance?

2. What is Olympus Mons?

3. Which is the sixth planet in the solar system?

4. Which planets mentioned in this passage are known as ‘gas giants’?

5. What was discovered in 1845?

6. Is Pluto a planet in our solar system?

 Name:______________________________ Grade and Section_____________________

Worksheet #5
Directions: Skim and scan the following passages to answer the questions below each text. Read
the questions first to know what you are looking for. You don’t need to read every word in each
passage.
Passage 1
Mary Stuart was born an Linlithgow Palace on 7th December 1542. Her father was James V of
Scotland and her mother was Mary of Guise. Six days after she was born, Mary’s father died, and
she became Queen of Scotland
1. Who was the father of Mary Stuart?

2. When did her father die?

Passage 2
Robert the Bruce was King of Scotland from 1306 until his death in 1329. He is known for the
important role he played in the Scottish wars of independence. Once of his biggest victories was at
the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, when he defeated a large army. He died in 1329 and was buried
in Dunfermline Abbey.

3. When was the Battle of Bannockburn?

4. When did Robert the Bruce die?

Passage 3
In AD 79, Agricola, the Roman governor of Britannia, sent ships to scout Scotland’s coast. They
conquered many parts of southern Scotland and it looked like the Caledonian tribes would be
defeated.
However, the Caledonian tribes began to attack with force, hitting Roman forts head on and
skirmishing with their legions. In a surprise night-time attack, the Caledonians were close to wiping
out an entire legion until it was saved by Agricola’s cavalry.

5. Who was Agricola?

6. Who saved the Roman legion?

Passage 4
The bubonic plague was a disease that spread across Europe in the 14th century, killing
around a third of the population. The biggest outbreak to hit Edinburgh was the Great
Plague of 1645.
The plague was spread through the bites of infected fleas which were carried into Edinburgh
by rats. People were not aware of this information at the time and did little to protect
themselves from bites.
Early symptoms of plague were similar to the flu, with sufferers experiencing fever, headaches
and vomiting. Swollen lumps called ‘buboes’, that were filled with pus, would appear on the
body. Many people would develop a rash all over their body. Some would also cough up
blood.

7. When was the biggest outbreak of plague in Edinburgh?

8. What were ‘buboes’?

9. What did some people cough up?

Answer Key
Work Sheet #4
1. Why does Mars have a red appearance?
The iron oxide on the planet’s surface gives it its red appearance.
2. What is Olympus Mons?
Olympus Mons is a mountain on Mars. It is the largest mountain in the solar system.
3. Which is the sixth planet in the solar system?
Saturn.
4. Which planets mentioned in this passage are known as ‘gas giants’?
Saturn and Neptune.
5. What was discovered in 1845?
Neptune.
6. Is Pluto a planet in our solar system?
No, it is a dwarf planet.

Work Sheet #5
1. Queen Of Scotland
2. Six days after Mary Stuart was born
3. In 1314
4. In 1329
5. Is the Roman Governor Of Britannia
6. Agricola’s cavalry
7. 1645
8. Swollen lumps
9. Blood