泛读和精读的区别 英文理解（Exploring the Difference between Skimming and Scanning）

Exploring the Difference between Skimming and Scanning

In our daily lives, we often come across texts that we need to read and understand. Sometimes, we may need to read those texts in detail, while at other times, we might just need to gather some quick information. In such situations, we use two common reading techniques: skimming and scanning. Although both techniques involve reading quickly, they are different in their approach and purpose.

Skimming

Skimming refers to the technique of reading quickly in order to get the gist of a text or to locate a specific piece of information. Skimming is often used when we don't have the time or inclination to read the entire text in detail. Rather, we glance through the text quickly, focusing on the headings, subheadings, bold or italicized words, and images. This helps us to get a general idea about the main topic of the text and the key points being discussed. By skimming a text, one can quickly determine whether it is relevant to their needs or not.

Skimming is a useful technique when you want to get a general idea of a topic, or when you need to determine if a text is worth reading in detail. For example, when you are reading a newspaper or magazine article, you may skim through it first to determine if it is interesting to you. Similarly, when you are searching for a specific piece of information in a long document, you can skim through it to locate the relevant section.

Scanning

Scanning is another reading technique that involves quickly searching a text for specific information. Unlike skimming, scanning requires you to focus on particular words or phrases that are relevant to your purpose. For example, if you need to find a phone number in a directory, you would scan the pages quickly, looking only for the numbers and ignoring anything else that does not match your search criteria.

Scanning is particularly useful when you need to find specific details quickly. It is commonly used when researching a topic, when looking for a specific fact or statistic in a long text, or when checking through a list of names or addresses.

Conclusion

In summary, skimming and scanning are two different techniques that are used for different purposes. Skimming is useful when you want to get a general idea about a text and determine if it is relevant to your needs. Scanning, on the other hand, is useful when you need to find specific information quickly. Both techniques are useful in their own way and can save you a lot of time and effort while reading.

By using these reading techniques effectively, you can become a more efficient reader, and quickly find the information you need from any text.