OET Online OET Reading Part B

Essential Reading Strategies

Part B : Multiple Choice Questions

The Part B MCQ section of the reading sub-test is 45 minutes long and consists of
two texts with associated multiple-choice questions. The content is the same for
all professions taking the exam.
Texts & Content Requirements Question types
The two texts are on The questions are in All questions are multiple
health-related topics and multiple choice format choice and will require
are similar to texts found with four possible the candidate to
in academic or answers. There are
professional journals. between 8 and 10 • distinguish fact from
The reading texts are questions for each text opinion
usually between 600 and and you must choose the • complete unfinished
800 words response which you think statements
is most correct. • work out the meaning
If you get 65% of of a word or phrase
questions correct you from the context it is
should be able to get a B used in
grade • summarise a
paragraph
• understand main ideas
• find specific details

Preparation

It is not easy to get the minimum 65% of questions correct necessary to achieve a B
grade in the reading. This is because the reading texts are complex and contain
sophisticated academic vocabulary and complex sentence structures. As a result, it
can be difficult to choose the correct answer. However, with dedicated practice
and an understanding of the reading test format it is possible to steadily improve
your reading skills and test taking ability.

There are many things you can do to prepare for the exam, but be ready to work
hard, as it takes time to improve reading skills. Here are some tips to help you
prepare for the exam:
 Read academic medical articles from journals in order to build vocabulary
and an understanding of how these types of texts are written and structured
 Read as much OET practice reading material as you can so that you are
familiar with the level of difficulty of the texts and associated question types
 Use practice material from the IELTS reading exam, particularly texts which
have a medical or science related focus. IELTS reading texts are similar to OET in
that they are academic in style.
 Build you vocabulary
 Find out the meaning of new words
 Keep a notebook of all new words and expressions
 Use a thesaurus to build your knowledge of synonyms
 Use the internet to access the wide range of reading material available
related to health professions.

This resource was developed by OET Online 1

Website: http://oetonline.com.au Email: oetonline@gmail.com
OET Online OET Reading Part B

Dos & Don’ts

There are different ways to successfully approach the reading task. Below is a
list of simple points to help you succeed on the day.
Do Don’t
Answer every question in pencil so you Give more than one answer per
can easily change your answer if you need question
to
If you are unsure of the answer, choose Spend too long on one particular
the most logical answer. This is often the question, if can’t find the answer
answer which appears as an overall move to the next question and return
summary of the information rather than a later
specific fact
Read each question first, then skim for Read the whole article first then
the key words to locate the section where answer the questions as you may find
the answer can be found and once you it hard to remember all the details and
find it scan the text and read that section you will run out of time. Remember it
carefully. is a test, not reading for pleasure!
Look for sections in the text which match
the statements in the answer choices.

Useful Websites

http://www.ldoceonline.com/ An excellent dictionary which provides good

example sentences and will help you build your vocabulary

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ On this website you will find a useful medical

dictionary featuring US & English pronunciation of the listed words. There is also a
useful acronym dictionary.

Media Sites

The Australian Newspaper

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/health/ A great source of up to date
health topics aim at medical professionals

ABC Australia Health

http://www.abc.net.au/health/ A wide range of topics on Health Matters –

BBC Health
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/ A wide range of topics on Health Matters from
England

Online Medical Journals

Medical Journal of Australia http://www.mja.com.au/ A large range of

academic articles written for specifically for doctors

The Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing http://www.ajan.com.au

A large range of academic articles written specifically for nurses

Wiley InterScience http://www3.interscience.wiley.com

Contains full text journal articles on Medical, Veterinary, Dental, Nursing and
Health Sciences
This resource was developed by OET Online 2
Website: http://oetonline.com.au Email: oetonline@gmail.com
OET Online OET Reading Part B

Reading strategies for Multiple Choice Questions

 Read the title of the text and the first question. This will let you know what
the topic is and what information you are looking for.
 Underline key words/phrases in the questions then skim though the text
until you find the key words. Then scan that section for words and phrases that
match the multiple choice answers. Finally read carefully to eliminate which
answers are incorrect and determine which answer is most suitable.

Example

Question
According to Robert Moodie, in Australia
a) Government regulation will not help lesson the epidemic
(Incorrect, opposite is true)
b) Modern lifestyle encourages obesity (correct)
c) Health promotion is good way to reduce obesity (Incorrect ,
opposite is true)
d) Obesity is a bigger problem than diabetes (Incorrect, not
mentioned)

Text
In the last decade, fat has moved from being viewed as inert “blubber” to probably
the most active endocrine (hormonal) organ in the human body. It makes a vast
range of chemical substances vital to body function – from control of appetite,
energy balance, our immunity and blood clotting, to regulation of insulin and
other hormonal actions. Fat in the abdominal cavity, the “Aussie beer gut” makes
chemicals that cause
type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

On the public health side, Vic Health CEO Robert Moodie, noted that there was a
role for government regulation and, without it, we will not be able to curb the
epidemic. He said that the contemporary environment promotes obesity. The
obesity diabetes epidemic will continue unless we accept that many years of health
promotion aimed at individuals seem to have had virtually no effect.

Our own state and local governments may have inadvertently contributed to this
epidemic by allowing developers to create urban social problems. New
developments lack proper attention to sidewalks, bike paths, public transport
corridors, playing fields and friendly exercise areas that are essential to maintain a
healthy lifestyle.

This resource was developed by OET Online 3

Website: http://oetonline.com.au Email: oetonline@gmail.com
OET Online OET Reading Part B

 Always be on the look out for different ways of expressing the same idea
such as the use of different words with similar meaning (synonyms). For example,
the question may say “The problem is due to hospital design” but in the text you
will read: This situation occurs because of ward layout. In this case situation is a
synonym for problem and ward layout is a synonym for hospital design.

Example

Question
According to Robert Moodie, in Australia
a) Government regulation will not help lesson the epidemic
(Incorrect, opposite is true)
b) Modern lifestyle encourages obesity (correct, see synonyms
below)
c) Health promotion is good way to reduce obesity ( Incorrect,
opposite is true)
d) Obesity is a bigger problem than diabetes (Incorrect, not
mentioned)

Text
On the public health side, VicHealth CEO Robert Moodie, noted that there was a
role for government regulation and, without it, we will not be able to curb the
epidemic. He said that the contemporary environment promotes obesity. The
obesity diabetes epidemic will continue unless we accept that many years of health
promotion aimed at individuals seem to have had virtually no effect.

 Another way of expressing information differently is by using different

grammar and word forms. So be alert for different forms of the same word

Example

Question
Which of the following statements is true?
GPs should be more active in investigating patient’s possible sight difficulties
Text
GPs can actively investigate the vision of their patients.

 The answers to most questions occur in a logical order through the text so
always read with the purpose of answering a particular question and work your way
through the reading.
 Do not skip paragraphs as you may miss important information or not
understand the reading as a whole. This is important as sometimes there is a
question that will require you to identify the main idea of the reading.
 Be aware of the time. You have two readings to do and your goal should be
to finish each reading between 20~25 minutes and allow 5~10 minutes to check
difficult questions.
 Remember you need to get approximately 65% correct to get a B score, so if
a question is very difficult don’t waste too much time on it.

This resource was developed by OET Online 4

Website: http://oetonline.com.au Email: oetonline@gmail.com
OET Online OET Reading Part B

 On the other hand, some questions will be easier so make sure you get
these ones correct!
 Be on the alert for negatives in questions such as “Which of the following is
not mentioned.

Example

Question
Which of the following is not mentioned as a problem in the health system
a) lack of qualified staff (Incorrect, mentioned)
b) inefficiency (Incorrect, mentioned)
c) wastefulness (Incorrect, mentioned)
d) lack of rural hospitals(correct, not mentioned)
Text
The current commonwealth/state funding model is of public hospitals is inefficient
and wastes resources. The health system is being crippled by workforce
shortages, especially in rural areas. Australia is dire need of not just
doctors and nurses, but also allied health professionals such as
physiotherapists, dieticians and podiatrists.

 Be aware of words which expect you to identify the underlying meaning of a

text or to “read between the lines”. Common words which do this include infer &
imply. For these types of questions, the correct answer is often a summary of what
is written in the text.

Example

Question
1. We can infer from John Macdonald’s words in paragraph 4 that
a) Whales dieing on Sydney’s beaches is a regular occurrence
b) Most of the people who kill themselves are crazy
c) People should be more concerned about the suicide problem
d) In Australia 5 people kill themselves everyday

Text
Paragraph 4
But many suicide experts say that idea is a big mistake. “Five men kill themselves
every day in Australia,” says John Macdonald, president of the Australasian Men’s
Health Forum and professor of primary health care at the University of Western
Sydney. “If there were five whales being washed up on a Sydney beach every day,
we would be really concerned. You don’t have to be ‘crazy’ to kill yourself.”
Nearly 80 percent of suicides are by men. What is puzzling or concerning some
suicide experts, including Macdonald, is that although the overall number of
suicides has levelled off, this has camouflaged the fact that the rate is continuing
to rise among men aged 25-44.
Answer c) is correct as it best summarises John MacDonald’s opinion.

This resource was developed by OET Online 5

Website: http://oetonline.com.au Email: oetonline@gmail.com
OET Online OET Reading Part B

 Another common question type requires the reader to identify the main
idea of a paragraph. In these cases, answers which focus on minor details are
usually incorrect. Look for answers which appear to summarise the overall meaning
of the paragraph rather than minor details which are often examples of the main
idea.
 Questions with numbers and statistics require careful analysis as although
these questions may not be that difficult to answer it is easy to make a mistake

Question
2. Which of the following statements is true
a) Hospital fees have increased more than 40% in recent years
(incorrect, not hospital fees, health insurance premiums)
b) The rate of inflation has doubled every year for the past 5 years
(incorrect, not inflation, health insurance premiums)
c) In recent years the price of health insurance has been increasing
twice as fast as inflation (correct)
d) All of the above (incorrect)

Text
Future health insurance premiums will squeeze out more struggling families,
particularly those on lower incomes. A worrying precedent has already been set.
Over the past five years, premiums have increased by 40.9 per cent. That is a rise
equivalent to double the rate of inflation every year since 2004.

 Some questions require candidates to work out the meaning of particular

word or expression in the article. In these cases the best strategy is to eliminate
obviously incorrect choices (usually 2) then select from the two remaining the most
suitable based on the context and any clues in the sentences.

Question
6. In paragraph 8 the expression anecdotal evidence can best be described as:
a) A personal observation (correct, clue: from people)
b) Scientific investigation (incorrect)
c) An old wives tale (incorrect)
d) Objective information (incorrect)
Text
Paragraph 8
Dieticians also agree that eating fatty fish such as herring, tuna, mackerel, salmon
or sardines at least twice a week is beneficial. There is also anecdotal evidence
from people with arthritis that certain foods impact negatively on their condition.
Keeping a food diary over a period of a month or more could help individuals
identify any particular foods that appear to regularly provoke their arthritic
symptoms.

 Do not worry if you do not understand a particular word in the text, try to
guess the meaning from the surrounding words and context
 Be aware of the effect signal markers have on the text
 Do not spend too long on any particular question. If you are unsure, mark
which choices you feel are most likely then come back and answer at the question
later
This resource was developed by OET Online 6
Website: http://oetonline.com.au Email: oetonline@gmail.com
OET Online OET Reading Part B

 Be aware of words which express different degrees of certainty as this is an

easy thing to overlook in the pressure of taking the test.

For example

• The author believes smoking causes cancer does not equal It is fact
that smoking causes cancer.
• Research suggests that smoking causes cancer does not equal Research
confirms that smoking causes cancer.
• Smoking may lead to cancer does not equal Smoking leads to cancer

This resource was developed by OET Online 7

Website: http://oetonline.com.au Email: oetonline@gmail.com