TOPIK Reading Section Overview
The TOPIK I reading section contains 40 questions. TOPIK II reading contains 50 questions. All are multiple choice. Reading passages range from notices, advertisements, and schedules (short texts) to news articles, academic essays, and literary extracts (long texts). The reading section is the most time-pressured part of TOPIK — particularly in TOPIK II, where the combined time for writing and reading is 110 minutes, and writing tasks should consume the first 50 to 60 minutes.
Question Types in TOPIK Reading
TOPIK reading includes these question types: 이 글의 주제 (main topic of this text), 이 글의 제목으로 알맞은 것 (most appropriate title), ( )에 들어갈 말 (what goes in the blank), 이 글의 내용과 같은 것 (which statement matches the text), 이 글을 쓴 목적 (purpose of the text), 밑줄 친 부분과 같은 뜻 (same meaning as the underlined phrase), and 이 글 다음에 올 내용 (what most likely comes next). Each type requires a different reading strategy.
Reading Short Texts Efficiently
For notices, advertisements, and schedules (typically questions 1–20 in TOPIK II), use a scanning strategy. Read the question first, identify the specific information required, then scan the text for that information. Avoid re-reading the full text for every question. Common question types for short texts ask for contact information, prices, eligibility conditions, schedules, or purposes of an event. The correct answer is almost always directly and explicitly stated in the text.
Reading Long Texts Strategically
For extended essays and articles (questions 30–50 in TOPIK II), use a top-down strategy. Read the first sentence of each paragraph before reading in detail — this gives you the overall structure. Then read the question. Return to the relevant paragraph for evidence. For main idea questions, the author’s thesis is usually in the first or last paragraph. For content-matching questions, work through each option and eliminate those that contradict or misrepresent the text.
Handling Vocabulary Gaps in Reading
When you encounter an unfamiliar word in a reading passage, do not stop. Continue reading and attempt to infer meaning from context. Korean compound words (한자어 compounds) often reveal their meaning through their component parts — for example, 환경오염 breaks into 환경 (environment) + 오염 (pollution). If a question directly asks about an unfamiliar word’s meaning, look for a definition or synonym in the surrounding sentences.
Time Management in TOPIK II Reading
The TOPIK II writing and reading section runs for 110 minutes. Plan to spend 50 to 60 minutes on writing (tasks 51–54), leaving 50 to 60 minutes for 50 reading questions — approximately 1 minute per question. This is tight. Practise reading under strict time pressure during mock sessions. Questions you cannot answer in 90 seconds should be marked and returned to after completing all others. Never leave a question unanswered — there is no penalty for incorrect answers in TOPIK.
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