Skim a passage to state its main idea quickly, then deep read to answer specific detail questions, choosing the right mode for the purpose.
Skimming means reading fast to get the gist -- glancing at the title, first and last sentences, and any bold words or numbers, without reading every word. Deep reading means slowing down and reading every sentence carefully for full understanding. Good researchers skim first to decide if a source is even useful, then deep read only the parts that matter.
Read this passage: "California condors are the largest flying birds in North America, with wingspans that can stretch over nine feet. By 1987, hunting, poisoning, and habitat loss had reduced the entire wild condor population to just 27 birds. Scientists made the difficult decision to capture every remaining wild condor and begin a captive breeding program. Thanks to decades of work, several hundred condors now fly free again over California, Arizona, and Baja California, though the species remains critically endangered."
Mastery looks like: They can skim a passage to state its main idea quickly, then deep read to answer specific detail questions, choosing the right mode for the purpose.
Common stumbles: Deep reading everything out of habit, even when skimming would answer the question faster; skimming when a specific detail is actually required.
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