Reading Comprehension of Non-Literary Texts
What the task demands
Non-literary texts (articles, reports, announcements, essays, official letters, advertisements) test your ability to extract explicit information, infer implicit meaning, follow an argument, and judge the writer's purpose and audience. You must separate fact from opinion, identify the main claim and supporting evidence, and recognise the function of headings, lists and formatting.
Concepts to master
Know the structure of an argument: thesis, arguments, evidence, conclusion. Recognise typical text types and their conventions, such as the neutral register of a report versus the persuasive register of an advertisement. Understand cohesion devices (pronouns, repetition, synonyms, connectors like обаче, следователно, въпреки това) and how they signal contrast, cause or conclusion.
Traps
- Confusing the main idea with a supporting detail.
- Treating a stated opinion as an established fact.
- Missing negation or hedging (не непременно, едва ли, по всяка вероятност), which reverses the meaning.
- Answering from general knowledge rather than from the text.
- Misreading the question's focus: cause versus result, or the author's attitude versus the reader's reaction.
Rule of thumb
Before reading the options, state the main idea in one sentence of your own. Then eliminate any option that contradicts that sentence, and choose among the rest by checking each against a specific line.
Worked example
A text states: "Although the new measure was widely welcomed, its long-term effect remains unclear." A question asks about the author's attitude. "Enthusiastic support" is wrong; the concessive structure (въпреки че... остава неясен) signals cautious, reserved assessment.