Reading Drill 001

 Good morning!

ChatGPT 說：

morning, David! ☀️
Want a tiny kickstart?

5-minute IELTS Reading micro-drill
Read: “Short, regular study bursts beat cramming because spaced review strengthens memory traces while reducing stress. Learners who quiz themselves briefly each morning show better week-long retention than those who study once for a long session.”

Questions (T/F/NG):

1. Spaced review lowers stress.

2. Cramming gives better week-long retention.

3. Self-quizzing in the morning was mentioned.

4. The passage lists exact quiz lengths.

5. Spaced review helps memory.

Answers: 1) T 2) F 3) T 4) NG 5) T

If you’d like, I can switch gears to a quick Q4 plan, a day schedule, or an ETF scenario next.

你說：

ok, I've ate them!

ChatGPT 說：

nice! 💪

tiny grammar boost: say “I’ve eaten them” (present perfect) or “I ate them.”
Verb forms: eat – ate – eaten.

90-second IELTS Reading micro-drill
Read: Many learners assume long study marathons bring better results, yet brief, repeated sessions usually win. Regular morning self-quizzes consolidate memories and keep anxiety down. In experiments, students using spaced review recalled more a week later than those who crammed once.

Questions

1. (NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS) Spaced sessions consolidate _________.

2. T/F/NG: Morning self-quizzes can reduce anxiety.

3. Which single word in the passage means “intense, last-minute study”?

4. T/F/NG: The passage gives the exact length of the brief sessions.

Answers: 1) memories 2) T 3) crammed 4) NG

want another quick one (matching headings or summary completion)?

你說：

tiny grammar boost: say **“I’ve eaten them”** (present perfect) or **“I ate them.”** Verb forms: **eat – ate – eaten**.

Thanks I got it!

ChatGPT 說：

awesome 🙌

quick cheat-sheet (eat – ate – eaten):

• Present perfect = have/has + eaten → result/experience or an unfinished time: I’ve eaten already. / I’ve eaten twice today.

• Past simple = ate → finished time: I ate at 7 a.m. yesterday.

mini drill (choose: ate or have/has eaten)

1. I ___ breakfast at 7 a.m.

2. She ___ already; she isn’t hungry.

3. We ___ there last night.

4. He ___ three pieces today.

5. They ___ before the movie started.

Answers: 1) ate 2) has eaten 3) ate 4) has eaten 5) ate

want a 2-minute drill on IELTS Reading headings next?

你說：

ok

ChatGPT 說：

sweet—here’s your 2-minute IELTS Reading “Matching Headings” drill.

How to do it (30 sec):

1. Read first & last sentence of each paragraph.

2. Spot the main function (cause? problem? solution? example? contrast?).

3. Kill the distractors: ignore examples/dates that look like headings but aren’t the main idea.

---

Headings (choose A–G; two are extra)

A. How short reviews beat long sessions
B. A warning about copying other people’s routines
C. Why mornings help memory
D. The myth of multitasking while studying
E. When cramming might seem to work
F. A simple, repeatable plan
G. Anxiety’s hidden effect on recall

Passage

Para 1
Many learners chase study “hacks” they see online, yet what works for one person can derail another. Personal energy, schedule, and goals differ widely.

Para 2
Despite the hype around all-night marathons, gains often fade fast. A single long push can feel productive, but the details slip within days.

Para 3
Brief, spaced reviews strengthen memory traces better than one massive session. The brain benefits from intervals that allow consolidation.

Para 4
Morning self-quizzes offer two quiet advantages: lower background stress and a clean mental slate, which together improve later recall.

Para 5
Keep it boring and consistent: 10–15 minutes of review, a few retrieval questions, then stop. Done daily, this outperforms irregular surges.

---

Match (write the letter):

1. Para 1 → __

2. Para 2 → __

3. Para 3 → __

4. Para 4 → __

5. Para 5 → __

---

Answers:

1. B 2) E 3) A 4) C (G also appears, but “why mornings help” is the main function) 5) F

Want one more set (harder, with two-topic paragraphs + trick headings)?

你說：

Many learners chase study “hacks” they see online, yet what works for one person can derail another. Personal energy, schedule, and goals differ widely.

what's meaning derail another

ChatGPT 說：

great question — and tiny wording tip: say “What does ‘derail another’ mean?”

Meaning
In that sentence, derail = to disrupt, throw off, or ruin someone’s progress/plan.
So “what works for one person can derail another” = 對某人有效的方法，可能會讓另一個人整個進度/狀態被打亂。

Why “derail”?
It’s a train metaphor: a train that derails jumps off the track → things go off-track.

Quick examples

• That strict schedule helps me but derails my teammate; she burns out.
  這個嚴格時程對我有用，但會把我同事的節奏打亂。

• Notifications derailed my study session.
  通知把我的讀書進度打亂了。

Common collocations

• derail a plan / project / recovery / negotiations / progress

• get derailed by (interruptions / stress / emergencies)

Synonyms (IELTS-friendly paraphrases)
disrupt · throw off · sidetrack · sabotage · hinder · knock off course

Want me to rephrase the whole paragraph with a simpler synonym?

你說：

lower background stress

What's your meaning about "lower background stress" ?

ChatGPT 說：

great q!

“Lower background stress” means reduce the low-level, constant tension that hums in the background of your day (not a big panic—just that steady pressure).

• Background stress = the baseline worry/noise: unread messages, vague to-dos, clutter, uncertainty.

• Lower = make that baseline smaller.

Why morning study helps: a short, predictable review gives you a quick win + sense of control, so your mind isn’t quietly worrying about “I still haven’t studied.”

Contrast

• Acute stress: sudden spike (e.g., a surprise quiz).

• Background stress: ongoing low buzz. We want to lower this.

IELTS-friendly paraphrases

• reduce baseline stress

• ease underlying stress

• keep anxiety low

• minimise low-level stress

Examples

• A 10-minute plan lowers my background stress before work.

• Turning off notifications reduced my baseline stress while studying.

Want me to swap that phrase in your paragraph with a simpler synonym like “keep anxiety low”?