TOPIK I Strategy: Skimming for Keywords

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Keywords
핵심어 찾기 / 속독 / 독해
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TOPIK I Prep
✅
TL;DR
  • Skimming means reading quickly to find the main topic, keywords, and answer clues.
  • In TOPIK I reading, focus first on nouns, numbers, time words, places, and repeated words.
  • Do not translate every word; find what the question asks and scan for matching information.
🎧
🎧 Helper Note: Practice saying these strategy chunks: 핵심어를 찾아요, 질문을 먼저 봐요, 숫자를 확인해요, 반복되는 단어를 봐요, 답의 근거를 찾아요.

🔑 The Big Picture

TOPIK I reading passages are short, but time pressure matters. Skimming helps you find the important information before you get stuck translating every word.
Skimming is especially useful for:
  • notices and signs
  • short messages
  • schedules and invitations
  • simple advertisements
  • short paragraphs about daily life
  • questions asking for the main idea or correct detail
The goal is not “understand every word.” The goal is:
  1. Read the question.
  1. Find the keywords.
  1. Match the keywords to the text.
  1. Choose the answer supported by the text.

🧩 Core Concepts / Patterns

1. What counts as a keyword?

Look first for:
  • people: 친구, 선생님, 학생, 가족
  • places: 학교, 도서관, 식당, 병원, 집
  • time: 오늘, 내일, 오전, 오후, 주말, 몇 시
  • numbers: prices, dates, times, room numbers
  • actions: 가다, 만나다, 사다, 먹다, 공부하다
  • contrast words: 하지만, 그렇지만, 그리고, 그래서

2. Read the question first

Before reading the passage, ask: “What am I looking for?”
  • 어디에서 합니까? → place
  • 언제 만납니까? → time
  • 왜 갑니까? → reason
  • 무엇을 샀습니까? → object/item
  • 맞는 것을 고르십시오 → correct detail

3. Scan for matching words

If the question asks 언제, scan for time words. If it asks 어디, scan for place words.
Example:
  • Question: 언제 만납니까?
  • Text clue: 토요일 오후 2시에 만나요.
  • Answer: Saturday at 2 p.m.

4. Watch repeated words

Repeated words often show the main topic.
  • Text repeats 도서관, 책, 공부 → likely library/study topic.
  • Text repeats 생일, 초대, 파티 → likely invitation/birthday topic.

✅ Exam Strategy

1. Use the 3-pass method

Pass 1: Question first
  • Find the question type: time, place, reason, topic, or detail.
Pass 2: Skim the text
  • Circle or mentally mark keywords.
Pass 3: Check answer choices
  • Eliminate choices that change a keyword, time, place, or action.

2. Do not panic over unknown words

If one word is unknown, use nearby clues:
  • 오후 3시, 도서관, 책 → probably a library meeting or study plan.
  • 비가 와서, 못 가요 → reason is rain; result is cannot go.

3. Pay attention to small changes

Wrong answers often change:
  • time: 오전 ↔ 오후
  • date: 토요일 ↔ 일요일
  • place: 도서관 ↔ 교실
  • action: 사다 ↔ 빌리다
  • person: 민수 ↔ 수진

4. Main idea questions need repeated clues

For main idea questions, choose the answer that covers the whole text, not just one small detail.

⚠️ Pitfalls

Pitfall 1: Translating too slowly

If you translate every word, you may run out of time. Translate only what answers the question.

Pitfall 2: Matching only one word

A choice may use one same word but give the wrong meaning. Always check the full sentence.

Pitfall 3: Ignoring question words

언제, 어디, 누가, 무엇, 왜 each require a different type of answer.

Pitfall 4: Missing negative words

Words like 안, 못, 없다, 아니다 can completely change the answer.
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Practice Hub: TOPIK I Skimming for Keywords Drill

Complete all 50 questions. Practice finding keywords quickly and choosing the supported answer.

Exercise 1 — Identify the question target

Q1. 언제 만납니까? asks for:
① time ② place ③ person ④ price
Answer
① 언제 asks for time.
Q2. 어디에서 공부합니까? asks for:
① place ② reason ③ food ④ number of people
Answer
① 어디에서 asks for place.
Q3. 왜 못 갑니까? asks for:
① reason ② time ③ color ④ name
Answer
① 왜 asks for the reason.
Q4. 누가 전화했습니까? asks for:
① person ② place ③ price ④ date
Answer
① 누가 asks who.
Q5. 무엇을 샀습니까? asks for:
① item/object ② time ③ reason ④ weather
Answer
① 무엇을 asks what object was bought.
Q6. 얼마입니까? asks for:
① price/amount ② place ③ person ④ reason
Answer
① 얼마 asks how much.
Q7. 몇 시에 시작합니까? asks for:
① start time ② location ③ speaker ④ food
Answer
① 몇 시에 asks what time.
Q8. 맞는 것을 고르십시오 means you should find:
① the correct detail ② only the longest answer ③ the opposite answer ④ the unknown word
Answer
① It asks for the correct statement.
Q9. 이 글의 내용과 같은 것은? asks for:
① a statement matching the text ② a new opinion ③ a grammar rule only ④ a title only
Answer
① It asks what matches the text.
Q10. 이 글은 무엇에 대한 글입니까? asks for:
① topic/main idea ② exact price only ③ speaker name only ④ room number only
Answer
① It asks what the text is about.

Exercise 2 — Find the keyword type

Q11. Text clue: 토요일 오후 3시
This keyword is:
① time ② place ③ person ④ reason
Answer
① It gives a date/time.
Q12. Text clue: 도서관 2층
This keyword is:
① place ② price ③ feeling ④ reason
Answer
① It gives a place.
Q13. Text clue: 비가 와서
This keyword usually gives:
① reason ② price ③ room number ④ name
Answer
① -아서/어서 can show a reason.
Q14. Text clue: 5,000원
This keyword is:
① price ② time ③ person ④ place
Answer
① 원 marks money.
Q15. Text clue: 김민수 씨
This keyword is:
① person/name ② time ③ place ④ price
Answer
① It is a person’s name.
Q16. Text clue: 하지만
This keyword shows:
① contrast ② same meaning only ③ price ④ address
Answer
① 하지만 means but/however.
Q17. Text clue: 그래서
This keyword often shows:
① result ② color ③ room number ④ name
Answer
① 그래서 means so/therefore.
Q18. Text clue: 학생식당에서 점심
Likely topic:
① eating at the cafeteria ② buying a train ticket ③ going to hospital ④ reading at home
Answer
① Student cafeteria and lunch point to eating there.
Q19. Text clue: 시험, 공부, 내일
Likely topic:
① preparing for an exam ② buying clothes ③ birthday party ④ weather forecast
Answer
① Exam, study, tomorrow suggest exam preparation.
Q20. Text clue: 초대합니다, 생일, 토요일
Likely text type:
① invitation ② receipt ③ weather report ④ bus schedule only
Answer
① Invitation, birthday, and Saturday suggest an invitation.

Exercise 3 — Skim short texts

Q21.
내일 오후 2시에 도서관 앞에서 만나요.
When do they meet?
① tomorrow 2 p.m. ② today 2 p.m. ③ tomorrow 9 a.m. ④ Sunday 3 p.m.
Answer
① Keywords: 내일 오후 2시.
Q22.
수업은 3층 305호에서 합니다.
Where is the class?
① room 305 on the 3rd floor ② library 2nd floor ③ cafeteria ④ home
Answer
① Keywords: 3층 305호.
Q23.
비가 와서 오늘 축구를 못 해요.
Why can’t they play soccer?
① because it rains ② because it is expensive ③ because it is far ④ because class starts
Answer
① Keyword: 비가 와서.
Q24.
이 사과는 한 개에 1,000원입니다.
How much is one apple?
① 1,000 won ② 10,000 won ③ 100 won ④ 5,000 won
Answer
① Keyword: 한 개에 1,000원.
Q25.
민수 씨가 어제 저에게 전화했습니다.
Who called?
① Minsu ② me ③ teacher ④ friend’s mother
Answer
① Keyword: 민수 씨가.
Q26.
저는 커피를 좋아합니다. 하지만 오늘은 차를 마십니다.
What does the speaker drink today?
① tea ② coffee ③ milk ④ water only
Answer
① Contrast clue: today the speaker drinks tea.
Q27.
시간이 없어서 택시를 탔습니다.
Why did the person take a taxi?
① no time ② no money ③ bad weather ④ likes taxis
Answer
① Keyword: 시간이 없어서.
Q28.
도서관에서는 조용히 공부하세요.
Where should people study quietly?
① library ② market ③ hospital ④ bus stop
Answer
① Keyword: 도서관에서는.
Q29.
주말에 친구와 영화를 볼 거예요.
What will the speaker do on the weekend?
① watch a movie with a friend ② study alone ③ buy shoes ④ go to school
Answer
① Keywords: 주말, 친구와, 영화.
Q30.
가방은 비싸지만 아주 좋아요.
Which is true?
① The bag is expensive but good ② The bag is cheap and bad ③ The bag is small ④ The bag is not good
Answer
① Keywords: 비싸지만, 좋아요.

Exercise 4 — Avoid traps

Q31.
모임은 오전 10시에 시작합니다.
Trap to avoid:
① 오전 vs 오후 ② teacher vs student ③ apple vs pear ④ big vs small
Answer
① Time trap: morning vs afternoon.
Q32.
오늘은 수업이 없습니다.
Correct meaning:
① There is no class today ② Class starts today ③ Class is expensive ④ Class is long
Answer
① 없습니다 is a negative/existence clue.
Q33.
저는 책을 샀습니다. 빌리지 않았습니다.
What happened?
① bought a book ② borrowed a book ③ lost a book ④ wrote a book
Answer
① Keyword: 샀습니다; negative: 빌리지 않았습니다.
Q34.
수진 씨는 교실에 있고 민수 씨는 도서관에 있습니다.
Where is Minsu?
① library ② classroom ③ cafeteria ④ home
Answer
① Be careful not to choose Sujin’s place.
Q35.
파티는 토요일이 아니라 일요일입니다.
When is the party?
① Sunday ② Saturday ③ Friday ④ Monday
Answer
① 아니라 rejects Saturday; correct is Sunday.
Q36.
저는 매운 음식을 좋아하지 않습니다.
Correct meaning:
① does not like spicy food ② likes spicy food ③ spicy food is cheap ④ eats spicy food every day
Answer
① 좋아하지 않습니다 is negative.
Q37.
회의는 2층이 아니라 3층에서 합니다.
Where is the meeting?
① 3rd floor ② 2nd floor ③ 1st floor ④ basement
Answer
① 아니라 rejects the 2nd floor.
Q38.
이 가게는 월요일에 쉽니다.
What should you know?
① The store is closed Monday ② The store opens Monday ③ The store sells Mondays ④ The store is far
Answer
① 쉽니다 means rests/closes in store context.
Q39.
내일은 비가 오지만 따뜻합니다.
Which is true?
① It will rain but be warm ② It will snow and be cold ③ It will not rain ④ It is hot today
Answer
① 비가 오지만 따뜻합니다 gives both details.
Q40.
저는 아침에는 커피를 마시고 저녁에는 차를 마십니다.
What does the speaker drink in the evening?
① tea ② coffee ③ juice ④ milk
Answer
① Keyword: 저녁에는 차.

Exercise 5 — TOPIK-style strategy questions

Q41. When you see 언제, which keywords should you scan for first?
① time words ② food words ③ colors ④ people’s jobs only
Answer
① 언제 asks for time.
Q42. When you see 어디, which keywords should you scan for first?
① places ② prices ③ feelings ④ verbs only
Answer
① 어디 asks for a place.
Q43. Which word often changes the direction of the sentence?
① 하지만 ② 그리고 ③ 아주 ④ 한 개
Answer
① 하지만 introduces contrast.
Q44. Which word is a negative clue?
① 안 ② 매우 ③ 그리고 ④ 같이
Answer
① 안 marks negation.
Q45. Which pair is a common time trap?
① 오전 / 오후 ② 사과 / 과일 ③ 학교 / 학생 ④ 책 / 공책
Answer
① Morning vs afternoon is a common trap.
Q46. What should you do before reading a passage deeply?
① read the question ② translate every word ③ ignore numbers ④ choose the first answer
Answer
① Read the question first so you know what to find.
Q47. If a text repeats 생일, 초대, 파티, the likely topic is:
① birthday invitation ② hospital notice ③ weather ④ school exam
Answer
① Those repeated keywords point to a birthday invitation.
Q48. If the question asks for price, which keyword matters most?
① 원 ② 층 ③ 씨 ④ 요일
Answer
① 원 marks Korean won/prices.
Q49. If an answer choice changes 도서관 to 교실, what changed?
① place ② time ③ price ④ reason
Answer
① It changed the location.
Q50. The best skimming goal is:
① find evidence for the answer ② understand every grammar point first ③ choose the longest option ④ skip the question
Answer
① Skimming should help you find evidence quickly.

🧠 Quick Review

  • Read the question first.
  • Scan for keywords by category: time, place, person, price, reason, action.
  • Watch traps: negatives, contrast words, changed times/places, and similar-looking answer choices.