Reading Part 2 is called Reading to Apply a Diagram. It has 8 questions. This guide explains how the task is scored, gives a plan you can use on most questions, and walks through a short example. It is written for learners at CLB 6 to 9.
1.What the task is
The task is Reading to Apply a Diagram, task number 2 in the Reading part. It has 8 questions. The name tells you the skill. You read a diagram and then use it to answer questions.
The questions are multiple choice. You are not asked to write anything. You choose the option that fits the diagram.
2.How it is scored
- Each question is right or wrong.
- There is no penalty for a wrong answer. Answer every question, even if you must guess.
- Reading has 38 scored items in total. The 8 questions in this task are part of your Reading result.
- Levels 4 to 12 map one to one to CLB 4 to 12.
3.A plan that fits most tasks
- Skim the whole diagram first. Find the start, the order of the parts and the end. Notice any labels, headings and conditions.
- Read the question slowly. Underline the facts about the person or situation. These facts tell you which part of the diagram to use.
- Find the matching part. Follow the diagram from the start and answer each condition with the facts you underlined.
- Predict the answer. Decide what the answer should be before you look at the options.
- Check each option against the diagram. Remove options the diagram does not support. Watch for options that are true in real life but not in this diagram.
- Do not get stuck. If a question is hard, choose your best answer and move on. A wrong answer costs nothing.
4.A worked example
Diagram (written for this guide): Library Study Room Booking.
- Start: You want to book a study room.
- Step 1: Do you have a library card? If no, go to the front desk with photo ID to get a card. If yes, go to Step 2.
- Step 2: Will more than 4 people use the room? If yes, ask staff to approve the large room. Approval takes 2 days. If no, go to Step 3.
- Step 3: Book a small room online. The limit is 2 hours per day.
Question: Maya has a library card. She and 3 friends want a room for 90 minutes tomorrow. What should she do?
- A. Go to the front desk with photo ID.
- B. Book a small room online.
- C. Ask staff to approve the large room.
- D. Wait 2 days for approval.
Answer: B. Maya has a card, so she passes Step 1. The group is Maya plus 3 friends, so it is 4 people. That is not more than 4, so she passes Step 2. In Step 3 she books a small room online. Ninety minutes is under the limit.
Option A is for people without a card. Options C and D are for groups of more than 4.
5.Common mistakes
- Reading the options before the diagram, then choosing the one that sounds right.
- Missing small words like "more than", "only", "unless" and "before".
- Counting wrongly. In the example, forgetting that Maya is part of the group.
- Using general knowledge instead of what the diagram says.
- Stopping at the first step that seems to fit. Follow the diagram to its end.
- Leaving a question blank. There is no penalty for a wrong answer.
6.Next step
Practice is the best way to get faster at following a diagram. Try a free Reading to Apply a Diagram set. After each question, find the exact part of the diagram that gave you the answer.