OET Reading success

OET Reading Test Structure

The Reading Sub-test has three parts to be completed in 60 minutes: Part A, Part B and Part C. In comparison to the original version of the OET, the current version of the Reading Sub-test (introduced in 2018) has a few differences:

More texts are used (12 rather than 6) There is a broader range of text types

Texts are more relevant to the healthcare workplace

Questions will test a broader range of reading skills, such as reading for: General ideas (the “gist” of a text)

Opinion Attitude

The structure of each part of the updated Reading Sub-test is outlined below. Part A

Part A requires candidates to skim and scan 4 short, health-related texts (labelled A, B, C and D) and answer 20 questions relating to the texts. The texts use a vocabulary and structure that can be understood by all health professions.

Texts

All of the texts can be found in the workplace of a healthcare professional. This means that the texts do not include journal abstracts, which were common in Part A of the previous version of the OET. At least one of the texts contains visual or numerical information (e.g. a graph, table or flow chart).

Examples of texts that may be used are:

Diagnostic tools or algorithms Advice to be given to patients Dosage options for a medication Treatment guidelines

Questions

The questions for Part A will be grouped into 3 or 4 sets (most often, there will be 3 sets). Each set will have 6-7 questions. The questions will be easiest in the first set and get harder as candidates move through each set.

All of the questions must be completed within a 15 minute time limit.

The question types used are:

Matching questions (always used for the 1st set)

These will require candidates to identify which text features certain types of information.

E.g. “Which text contains information about treating melanoma?” The candidate is required to write their answer as “A”, “B”, “C” or “D”, according to the text that the information is found in.

This set tests skimming and scanning for relevant information.

The purpose of this set is to orient candidates to the general content of each text.

Short answer questions (used for the next 2 or 3 sets)

These will require candidates to find specific information within the texts.

E.g. “What is the first-line treatment recommended for epilepsy?” The answers will always be taken directly from the texts, in the same word form. This means that candidates do not need to change the grammar or spelling of the answer in order to get it correct. Each answer will be approximately 2 or 3 words long, although there is no set limit.

Gap filling questions

These are similar to the gap filling questions found in Part A of the previous version of the OET Reading test.

E.g. Asthma attacks are the                         reason for emergency room presentations (the answer from the text could be “most common”).

As for short answer questions, each answer will be approximately 2 or 3 words long, although there is no set limit.

To receive a mark for your answer, you must:

Write legibly (an answer with unreadable handwriting will receive zero marks)

Use correct spelling and grammar (you will not need to change the grammar used in the text. Simply transfer the words exactly as they are

found).

Be accurate according to the text (even if your answer is generally correct, it must communicate the same meaning as the text)

For gap fill questions, you should always read the full sentence, to check if your answer makes sense in the context of the words immediately around it.

Part B

Part B consists of 6 short texts (with a word length of 100-150 words each). For each text, there is one multiple choice question.

Texts

Each text uses vocabulary that is understandable to all health professions. The types of texts used are those which can be found in the healthcare workplace. They include:

Policies Procedures

Staff updates or announcements.

Although the texts are relatively short, they are also designed to contain a substantial amount of information. This means that candidates will need to be able to read and understand information relatively quickly.

This is the part of the Reading Sub-test that differs most from the original version of the OET. Candidates who have only taken the original test, or have only used original test samples to prepare for the new OET, will encounter new text types in Part B.

Questions

The question for each text will ask candidates for one of three types of information:

General idea of the text (the “gist”),

Main point of the text, or

Purpose of the text.

The answers may require candidates to infer information that isn’t explicitly provided in the text. However, candidates will not need to understand every part of the text to answer the question correctly.

Part C

Part C requires candidates to read 2 longer, health-related texts and answer 16 multiple choice questions based on the content of these texts.

This part of the Reading Sub-test tests a candidate’s ability to: Understand comprehensive texts,

Infer meaning, and

Identify points of view.

Texts

Each text in Part C is approximately 1.5 to 2 pages in length (750-850 words each) and is divided into paragraphs (the texts in this book will be the same length as the real test, but cover 2-3 pages due to the smaller page size).

Both texts will be on healthcare-related topics, but the precise topic for each text will be different. The texts will contain:

Medical facts, AND

Different perspectives on the topic.

Examples of the type of information used in these texts include:

Progress of research in an area of healthcare Case studies

Unlike Parts A and B, Part C will use information from academia (e.g. journal articles) rather than just from the workplace.

Questions

Each question will have 4 possible answers to choose from (A, B, C or D). You must select only one answer. Incorrect answers receive zero marks, but marks aren’t taken away for them. Therefore, if you run out of time in the test, you should always guess the answers to any questions you haven’t answered yet.

The questions in Part C of the revised Reading Sub-test will not test concrete facts as much as the original version of Part B. They will be more focused on abstract, general information. Each answer option will have similar format and assess the same reading skill from the same section of text.

Six of the eight questions for each text will request information about: Gist

Main points Attitudes

Opinions (or their source)

Two of the eight questions will be testing lexical reference (2 types):

First type: the meaning of vocabulary and expressions used in the text This will not necessarily be the exact dictionary definition. The correct meaning will depend on the context in which it is used.

By reading the sentences before and after a word or phrase, you may still be able to guess the answer correctly even if you don’t know the exact meaning of the words.

Second type: comprehension of cohesive and other devices

“Cohesion” is the linking of text within a sentence. This can be achieved by using cohesive devices, namely grammar (e.g. pronouns) or vocabulary (e.g. a research study may be referred to as “the investigation” later in the text).

Examples of words or phrases that may be tested include:

Pronouns referring to someone or something, which was

previously mentioned in the text. E.g. the author may use “she” instead of “Dr Karen Rogers” to avoid repetition. The question may ask who “she” refers to.

References to someone or something before it is identified.

E.g. “A commonly used diagnostic test, which has equivocal value in identifying patients at risk of colon cancer, is…” (the diagnostic test is referred to as “commonly used” and of “equivocal value”, before it is finally identified).

Linking words/phrases that connect parts of a sentence or paragraph. E.g. “The new drug is highly efficacious, however, it has a narrow therapeutic index” (“however” is used to connect and emphasize contrast between the two parts of the sentence).

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For the latest information about the test structure, don’t forget to go to the OET Centre official website: www.occupationalenglishtest.org.

Part 3: Test-taking Strategies and Preparation

Part A

Part A of the Reading Sub-test is probably the one part of the OET where having a good strategy is most helpful, since you only have 15 minutes to find the answers.

The following approach has helped many candidates maximize their marks despite the time constraints:

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For the 1st set (e.g. Questions 1-7):

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1. Read the heading of each text, and underline or circle the key words

(these are the words that carry the main meaning of the heading).

1. Read the first question, paying attention to the key words.

2. Based on the key words in the first question, select the most relevant text. If you're not sure which text the question is referring to, try the next question! It might be more obvious.

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For the remaining 2-3 sets:

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1. Read each question, paying attention to the key words.

2. Based on the key words in the question, select the most relevant text.

3. Scan the relevant text for more of the key words you found in the question. This will lead you to the part of the text that contains the required information.

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Most importantly of all, if you get stuck - move on! You only have 15 minutes, and there might be answers you can find further along in the set.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR PART A:

Expose Yourself to Similar Texts

Since Part A is focussed on candidates’ ability to find specific information within texts, it is important to practice reading detailed texts, as well as skimming and scanning.

The texts are all ones that can be found in the healthcare workplace, so candidates with work experience may find this part of the test easier. Candidates who don’t currently work in a healthcare setting (or those who do, but want to expose themselves to a wide variety of relevant texts) should use the Internet to find the text types listed in Part 1 of this book.

Practice Skimming and Scanning

Part A is also designed to simulate situations in the healthcare setting, where you will be required to read and understand written information without having time to read the whole text in detail.

To help you prepare for this, you should work on your ability to read information quickly and accurately. Skimming and scanning are two essential skills that you can practice by doing the following:

Skimming (reading just the main words of a text)

Pick a text with a mixture of written information and pictures, figures or graphs.

Read through the text, paying attention only to the main words in each sentence, ignoring small words like “and” or “the”. Look at headings, subheadings and images.

Write down a few dot points of the main points you picked up from skimming the text.

Do this regularly – it is a skill that you develop with practice.

Scanning (looking for particular information in a text) Again, pick a text.

Read the first 1-2 sentences of the text and underline 2 or 3 key words.

Keeping these 2 or 3 keywords in mind, look at the rest of the text and try to find any other places in which they are used. If you don’t succeed, read the text more slowly to make sure you haven’t missed them. If the key words you chose don’t appear again in the text, select different key words and do this step again.

Practice doing the same exercise, but with numbers instead of key words.

Part B

In order to answer the multiple-choice questions in Part B as accurately as possible, follow the approach below:

1. Read the question for Text 1 and underline or circle the key words.

2. Read answer option A and underline or circle the key words.

3. Scan through the text, looking for the key words in the question and answer option A. Underline or circle pieces of information that support this answer.

4. Read the second answer option and underline or circle the key words.

5. Scan through the text, looking for the key words in answer option B. Underline or circle pieces of information that support this answer.

6. Repeat this for answer option C.

7. Select the answer that has the most supporting information throughout the text.

If you are not sure which part of the text to go to for a question, use the following strategies:

1. Remember that the questions move through the text in order. Therefore, if you used the third paragraph to find the answer for the last question, you will probably need to use the fourth paragraph next.

2.    Circle or underline the keywords in the question (or the first answer option, if the question stem is very short). Then, read the first sentence ONLY of each paragraph and look for similar words. This can give you clues about which paragraph is relevant to that question.

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HOW TO PREPARE FOR PART B:

Expose Yourself to Similar Texts

Practice reading the types of texts mentioned in Part 1, namely: Policies

Procedures

Staff updates or announcements

These can easily be accessed by searching the Internet, or by requesting copies from your actual workplace.

Expand Your Vocabulary

Obviously, the more words you understand within a text, the more likely you are to answer questions about it correctly. Since the OET is a test of English, it makes sense to increase your English vocabulary in preparation for the test.

For a methodical study approach to increase your vocabulary, see Part 2 of this book. In addition, Volume 2 of this series provides a comprehensive list of medical prefixes and suffixes (words used at the beginning of end of a longer word) that can help you to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words in the test.

This list should be used to supplement your study of vocabulary.

Improve Your Tolerance of Ambiguity

To answer the questions in Part B correctly, you will need to be able to understand the general idea or main points of a text without necessarily understanding all the words within it. The more ready you are to accept this, the less likely you will be to spend too much time on each text.

You can to help yourself to be more comfortable with not understanding all of the words in a text by:

Obtaining a text sample (such as those mentioned above, but other types of texts can be used effectively as well)

Skim one paragraph or section of text (about 100-150 words)

Write down 1 or 2 main points that the author has made in the paragraph or section. Avoid writing down specific details.

The more you do this exercise, the more effectively you will be able to tackle Part B.

Part C

The best strategy to use for Part C is similar to that for Part B:

Read the first question of Text 1 and underline or circle the key words.

1. Based on the key words in the question, go to the relevant part of the Text. In many cases, you will be told which paragraph to go to in the first question, so the paragraph number will be one of your key words.

2. Scan the relevant section of the Text for any of the key words you found in the first question. This will lead you to the part of the text that contains the relevant information for that question.

3. Once you have found the relevant section of the Text, check each answer option according to the information in the text. Do not simply select the first answer you see that looks correct – there may be a better answer further down the list of options.

Since there are 2 texts to read and answer questions, it is recommended that you divide up your time to manage it effectively:

Spend no more than about 15 minutes answering questions about Text 1. After 15 minutes, move on to Text 2. There may be easier questions further along that you won’t have a chance to answer if you spend all your time on Text 1.

Spend no more than 15 minutes answering questions about Text 2.

Aim to finish Parts B and C with at least 5 minutes to spare. This is for checking your answers and returning to questions that you didn’t have time to complete.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR PART C:

Expand Your Vocabulary

Since the focus of Part C is language comprehension (understanding), it is again very important to increase your English vocabulary before the test.

As for Part B, you can find a methodical study approach to increase your vocabulary in Part 2 of this book. In addition, Volume 2 of this series provides a

comprehensive list of medical prefixes and suffixes (words used at the beginning of end of a longer word) that can help you to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words in the test. This list should be used to supplement your study of vocabulary.

Practice Reading for Opinions/Attitudes

There is a strong focus in Part C on testing whether candidates can accurately identify the opinions or attitudes of the author, as well as other people mentioned in each text. Therefore, when you are doing a practice test or reading any other text for study purposes, you should write down at least 1-5 points about the opinions or attitudes expressed in the text. The exact number of points you write down will depend on the length and content of the text.

Remember that not all opinions or attitudes are stated explicitly. Implicit information is either unstated, or expressed indirectly. To practice identifying an implicit point in a passage of text, you can use the following method:

1. Read the passage of text

2. Ask yourself: "What do each of the details of the passage have in common?"

3. In your own words, find the common theme among all the details of the passage and the author's point about this theme.

4. Write a short sentence stating the theme and what the author says about it.

The following passage from demonstrates an example of this process:

“When you're with your friends, it's okay to be loud and use slang. They'll expect it and they aren't grading you on your grammar. When you're standing in a boardroom or sitting for an interview, you should use your best English possible, and keep your tone suitable to the working environment. Try to gauge the personality of the interviewer and the setting of the workplace before cracking jokes or speaking out of turn. If you're ever in a position to speak publicly, always ask about your audience, and modify your language, tone, pitch and topic based on what you think the audience's preferences would be. You'd never give a lecture about atoms to children!”

What do the details in the passage have in common?

In this case, the author is writing about hanging out with friends, going on an interview, and speaking publicly, which, at first glance, don't seem to relate to each other that much. If you find a common theme among all them, though, you'll see that the author is giving you different situations and then telling us to speak differently in each setting (use slang with friends, be respectful and quiet in an interview, modify your tone publicly). The common theme is speaking situations, and the author’s opinion about it is “different situations require different ways of speaking”. Therefore, the implicit point is: “different situations require different ways of speaking”.

Improve Your Grammar

Studying English grammar will help you to accurately answer the two lexical reference questions for each text in Part C. It is also important to be able to use English correctly to perform well in the other Sub-tests of the OET.

This part of preparation is especially important for candidates who have not formally studied English before, or not for a long time (e.g. studied some English in school but not since).

A guide to English grammar is beyond the scope of this book, but there are plenty of resources you can access for free (e.g. grammar guides on the Internet or books about English grammar at your local library).

Tips for Choosing the Correct Answer in Multiple Choice

The right approach to multiple choice questions is quite important in Parts B and

C. The following tips may help you to make up your mind about whether an answer option is correct:

Be suspicious of absolute answers. These might use absolute words such as "always", "will" or "never". Alternatively, they might be too definite.

E.g. "Breastfeeding leads to fewer infections in babies" is a very definite statement, due to the words "leads to" (rather than "can/might lead to"). This doesn't allow for the possibility that this might not be true in all cases.

Answer the questions according to the information in the passage, not the information you know from other sources. You're being tested on how well you read and understand a sample of English, not whether you agree with it!

Pay attention to words that describe relationships. Sometimes, the answer option will sound correct but a single word can make it wrong. This is usually a word describing a relationship between two facts. For example:

"A shows that B" or "A is associated with B" (a definite relationship between two factors, but one doesn't necessarily cause the other)

"A suggests B" or "A implies B" (a possible relationship)

"A is more/greater/less/lesser than B" (e.g. "A diet containing too much food high in sugar has a greater effect on the risk of cardiovascular disease than fatty foods.")

"A causes B" or "A leads to B" (a definite relationship, where one factor is the direct result of another)