At the beginning level of reading a  second language lies a set of tasks that  are fundamental and basic: recognition  of alphabetic symbols, capitalized and

lowercase letters, punctuation, words  and grapheme-phoneme  correspondences.

Test-takers are presented with a text  (prose or something in a chart or  graph format) and requiring rapid  identification of relevant bits of  information.

It is the process of rapid coverage of  reading matter to determine its gist  or main idea.

It requires a synopsis or overview of the  text.

It asks the reader to provide his/her  own opinion on the text as a whole  or on some statement or issue within  it.

Their utility is in the strategic training  that learners gain in retaining  information through marginal notes that  highlight key information or  organizational outlines that put  supporting ideas into a visually  manageable framework.