<SYSTEM_TASK:>
Solve the following problem using Python, implementing the functions described below, one line at a time
<END_TASK>
<USER_TASK:>
Description:
 def _skip(self, cnt):
 """Read and discard data"""

        while cnt > 0:
            if cnt > 8192:
                buf = self.read(8192)
            else:
                buf = self.read(cnt)
            if not buf:
                break
            cnt -= len(buf)