導語：在雅思考試中，閱讀和平時讀報時找關鍵的特定信息有類似之處。這樣的閱讀方法其實就是在雅思考試當中所需要的技巧。讀者需要把閱讀重點限定在跟問題有關的細節上，而其他部分只需要去概讀、尋讀和掃讀也就夠了。
雅思閱讀中的特殊信號詞
特殊的信號詞，就是那些很容易識別的詞，如大寫字母開頭的人名，地名，專有名詞，以及特殊印刷體和黑體，這些詞在英語文章中顯得尤爲突出，往往也是題幹中關鍵詞的原詞定位。
例如'the US Congress voted NASA $10 million per year for ten years toconduct a thorough search for the extra-terrestrial life’'這句話，出現了US Congress, NASA 專有名詞信號詞，極有可能成爲定位的訊息。的確，判斷題型中有一題'the NASA project attracted criticism fromsome members of Congress.'就是根據這兩個信號詞精確地回到原文定位。
雅思閱讀中的普通信號詞
雅思閱讀作爲一項專業的語言水平測試，當然不能只依靠容易識別的特殊信號詞，文章中的普通信號詞對於解題可謂是功不可沒。
1)表原因的信號詞
例如reason, cause, since, in that, as, because, thanks to, owing to，解釋說明某一事物或事件，往往會蘊含重要信息。如'since the lifetime of a planet like ours is severalbillion years, we can expect that……'該句是之後簡答題'what is the life expectancy ofEarth'的答案信息來源，如果考生只定位Earth，那就很有可能失分，因爲原句對Earth做了同義替換的表述，而since這個信號詞則提示了答案所在的地方。
2)表結論的信號詞
例如 thus, therefore, so, hence, consequently, as a result，這些詞往往是對前面所論述的總結歸納，例如'Tortoises therefore represent a remarkable double return'，該句出現在整篇文章的末段首句，很明顯是對前文的總結概括，高度濃縮了信息。最後的主旨選擇題，就是對該句的改寫：they have made thetransition from sea to land more than once。
3)錶轉折的信號詞
例如however, but, by comparison, nonetheless, nevertheless，這些詞往往表示文章觀點或方向的重大轉變，重點應該關注信號詞後面的內容。如this definition implies thaticonoclasts are different from other people, but more precisely, it is theirbrains that are different in three distinct ways，前半句指出iconoclasts異於常人，用but轉折詞，強調指出區別的關鍵地方。這也是選擇題iconoclasts are distinctivebecause… 的出題方向。
4)表讓步的信號詞
例如although, though, while, whereas, whilst等連接的.句子，是引出的話題和強調內容。 如Heaccurately predicted that Venus would cross the face of the Sun in both 1761 and1769——though he didn’t survive to see either，前半句講述他精確預測金星跨越太陽的兩次時間，後半句用though引出讓步內容，他沒有看到任何一次。判斷題中Halley observed onetransit of the planet Venus主要就是以原文定位句的後半句爲判斷依據。
5)表舉例的信號詞
例如for example, for instance, that is to say, such as, include，後面引出具體事物的詳細例子，同時原文中破折號和冒號也有異曲同工之妙，對前面的內容補充說明。如in other worlds, the life form weare looking for may well have two green heads and seven fingers, but it willnevertheless resemble us in that it should communicate with its fellows, beinterested in the Universe, live on a planet orbiting a star like our Sun, andperhaps most restrictively, have a chemistry, like us, based on carbon andwater.’ 整句話都在解釋說明該段的第二個假設'we are looking for a life form that is pretty welllike us'， 所舉的例子也是判斷題'SETI scientists are trying to find a life form thatresembles humans in many ways'的判斷依據。
6)表順序的信號詞
例如first, second, finally, eventually, later, then, next等，體現出文章內容的邏輯性與發展性。如'In discussing whether we are alone, most SETI scientistsadopt two ground rules. First,…Second……'， 使用first和second這兩個序數詞，清晰邏輯地講述了兩個重要的假設。這兩個信號詞，也是這篇文章heading題型段落大意的重點提示。
7)表比較級和最高級的信號詞
例如more, most, -est, best, better, exclusively, extremely, superior, preferable，表示事物之間的比較，也是文章要強調的地方。如'one part is a targeted search using theworld’s largest radio telescopes, the American-operated telescope'， 該句的theworld’s largest radio telescopes 對應了題目中the world's most powerful radiotelescopes，答案信息就在這裏。
