Some students have problems answering particular IELTS Reading questions. These techniques below you can apply to question as Multiple-Choice!
Use the words in the questions to help locate the relevant part of the passage. Some questions are easier to search for, as they stand out from the rest of the text.
Note: The key words that contain numbers, names or distinctive words are sometimes called 'locators' or 'landmarks'.
Find the key words in the question. These are typically nouns, verbs, numbers, or phrases in the question that will probably be duplicated in the passage. Once you have identified those key words, skim the passage quickly to find where those key words appear.
What caused Martin to suddenly return to Paris?
The key word (locator) is Paris. Skim the passage quickly to find where this word appears. The answer will be close by that word.
However, sometimes key words in the question are not repeated in the passage. In those cases, search for the general idea of the question.
Example:
Which of the following was the psychological impact of the author's childhood upon the remainder of his life?
Key words are 'childhood' or 'psychology'. While searching for those words, be alert for other words or phrases that have similar meaning, such as 'emotional effect' or 'mentally' which could be used in the passage, rather than the exact word 'psychology’.
Some questions will not have a key word.
Example:
Which of the following would the author of this passage likely agree with?
In these cases, look for key words in the answer choices. Then skim the passage to find where the answer choice occurs. By skimming to find where to look, you can minimise the time required.