fast reading passages for class

Skimming Exercise:

Passage 1

While she lived, the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo was known mainly as the wife of the famed muralist Diego Rivera. Yet in the decades since her death, Kahlo has become hugely famous in her own right and is probably now better known than her husband. In 1990, Kahlo became the first Mexican artist to break the one million mark at an auction. The vivid, self-portraits that Kahlo created in the thirties and forties continue to be widely sought after by collectors willing to pay high prices for her painting. Although Kahlo is often described as a painter intent on exploring her own personal reality, many of her paintings include references to Mexico’s political and social history. It’s not surprising, then, that in 1985, the Mexican government publicly proclaimed her work a nation treasure.

Passage 2

Many people begin their day by waiting for a bus or train. Then they may spend a few minutes waiting for an elevator to get to their offices. Moreover, the elevator may then stop at twenty floors, averaging a wait of twenty seconds each. After work, there’s another wait for both an elevator and a bus or train. Most of us also spend a great deal of time waiting in the dentist’s office, in line for tickets or fast food, and on the road in barely moving traffic.

Passage 3

Have you ever wondered why products come in the colours they do? For instance, why is toothpaste often green or blue and shampoo often golden-yellow? Manufacturers pick the colours that are associated with qualities consumers value in certain products. For example, it’s known that blue symbolizes purity to most people and that green is refreshing. These are both desirable qualities in toothpastes. Manufacturers also know that golden-yellow symbolizes richness (as in real gold or egg yolks), so they frequently choose this colour for shampoos and cream rinses – products in which consumers value richness. Baby products, such as body lotion, are often tinted pink because that is a colour commonly associated with softness and gentleness –the very qualities consumers want for their baby’s care.

Passage 4

The concept of a national park differs from nation to nation. In Australia, the United States and Japan the land in national parks is government-owned and the management of these parks is decided by government policy. Activities such as housing or industry within the parks are discouraged.

In Britain, national parks are quite different. Parks such as the Lake District, Dart Moor and Exmore include towns and villages where large numbers of people live. Much of the land in these national parks is privately owned, but there are strict controls on its use, and on the appearance of the landscape and buildings, some of which (including whole villages) are heritage items. This style of national park is well suited to the scenic areas of Britain where human influences such as houses, farms and fields are part of the beauty, and combine with natural scenery to produce an overall attractiveness.

In Africa and Southern Asia, large national parks have been set up to preserve animals in