Proficiency in Reading

PREFACE

Universities and colleges in Turkey where the medium of education is English administer an English proficiency examination to all incoming students. Those who can demonstrate the required level of English proficiency start their freshman programs. Those who cannot provide proof of English proficiency via a proficiency exam complete the program at English preparatory schools.

The English preparatory schools instruct incoming students in academic English so that at the end of their preparatory year they can start their freshman programs and pursue their studies in English. Even though they are instructed in Academic English they are expected to submit proof of English proficiency via a proficiency exam.

International students applying to programs taught in English must provide proof of their English proficiency as part of their applications. This ensures that they have the necessary English skills to understand academic English, produce scholarly writing, and communicate effectively with their supervisor in English. As well as the proficiency exams administered by colleges and universities there are also internationally-accepted English proficiency tests such as the TOEFL, the IELTS, the CAE, and the CPE.

Although these exams have four parts, it is the reading comprehension part on which the others can be based and through which skills which are integral to success in other parts can be improved. That’s where Proficiency in Reading comes to fore and helps students acquire both basic and critical skills needed for English proficiency exams.

The book is designed in such a way as to prepare students not only for reading but also for the other parts of the exam via main idea, inference, skimming, scanning, reference, guessing the meaning from the context and vocabulary exercises using meticulously selected authentic reading texts.

Each unit provides a passage the student must read followed by numerous exercises grouped in tasks. Each task aims to develop one of the skills mentioned above. Some questions are open-ended, some multiple-choice while others require students to match. Basic key words that are sin qua non for understanding the text is provided so that any student irrespective of his background vocabulary knowledge can at least understand the main idea expressed in the text and form a foundation to read the text.

We believe that Proficiency in Reading will improve students’ reading comprehension and help them get better grades from English proficiency exams.