Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension

A reading comprehension exercise consists of a passage followed by questions that test a student’s ability to understand, interpret, and infer information from the text. It helps develop intelligent and analytical reading habits.

Comprehension tests evaluate a student’s ability to express ideas clearly and accurately in simple language. They test understanding rather than memory.

Usually, questions test:

(a) Understanding of the main idea
(b) Grasp of essential details
(c) Observation and inference skills
(d) Ability to express answers in one’s own words

Hints for Answering Comprehension Questions

Read the passage carefully two or three times for full understanding.
Identify the central idea — this becomes the title. Titles should be short, simple, and capitalized appropriately.
Read each question carefully and answer briefly in your own words.
Number your answers correctly to match the questions.
Learn synonyms, antonyms, and one-word substitutions to handle vocabulary-based questions.
Compare your answers with the questions to ensure accuracy.
Write complete sentences and maintain grammatical correctness.
If asked for meanings, express them clearly in your own words.
Keep answers short, precise, and in the same tense as the question.
Derive the title from the main theme of the passage.

Hints for Making a Summary

Read the passage carefully to understand the writer’s main idea.
Identify the central theme, usually in the first or last sentence.
Note down key points related to the theme.
Underline relevant information.
Arrange the main points logically — this becomes your outline.
Write the summary in your own words, using third person and past tense where possible.
Keep it concise — about one-third of the original length.
Give a suitable heading even if not asked.
Avoid examples, quotations, or repetition.