If the text is definitely not useful, she discards it. What remains is possibly useful. Don't start on the useful texts unless you are pressed for time. Attack the possibly useful texts by skimming closely. Review the beginning and the end and pull out the main points.
News stories present the main ideas at the top.
Technical material and feature stories may not be so forthcoming. Academic material usually offers end summaries. Then check the graphics against the main points. Graphics, as the saying nearly goes, can be worth a thousand words. Steps two and three should answer some of the questions you raised in step one.