skimming

Everyday

1. Skimming means reading something quickly to get the main idea, without reading every word. tree →
2. Skimming means removing something from the top of a liquid, like cream from milk or leaves from a pond. tree →
3. Skimming means moving quickly just above or across a surface: a bird skimming the water. tree →
4. Skimming stones is throwing flat stones so they bounce across water. tree →
5. (crime) Skimming is secretly copying bank card details with a hidden device, or secretly taking small amounts of money. tree →

In the lessons

Reading lessons: skimming (for the main idea) and scanning (for one fact) are two quick-reading skills. Cooking: skimming fat off soup. Outdoors: skimming stones on a lake (in the USA often called «skipping stones»). Safety: card skimming devices can be hidden on cash machines, so grown-ups cover the keypad and check the slot.

Examples

• I am skimming the article to see what it is about. tree →
• Skimming is useful before you answer questions on a text. tree →
• Grandma was skimming the cream off the milk. tree →
• Swallows were skimming low over the river. tree →
• We spent the afternoon skimming stones at the beach. tree →
• My stone skimmed five times! tree →
• Police warned shoppers about card skimming at cash machines. tree →
• They were now so high, that a large ship beneath them looked like a white sea-gull skimming the waves. tree →

Note

Spelling: skim doubles the m: skimmed, skimming. «Skimmed milk» (UK) = «skim milk» (US), milk with most fat removed. Skimming is not the same as scanning: skim = main idea, scan = find one detail.