Reading Comprehension of a Written Text in English
The Canary PAU English reading-comprehension domain tests whether you can extract explicit and implicit meaning from a single English text - usually a 300–350-word article or opinion piece - and prove your answers with evidence from the printed lines. Each option contains a text followed by tasks such as true/false statements with justification, short-answer questions, synonym or antonym matching, and reference questions about pronouns and cohesive devices. Marks are lost less often through poor English than through answers that are not anchored in the text.
Read the items before the text
Scan the questions first so you know which details to hunt for. Then read the text once for gist, marking topic sentences at the start of paragraphs and contrast signals (however, although, despite, whereas). These signals usually carry the point that a true/false item will test.
Justify with a quotation, not a paraphrase
When the task says 'justify', copy the exact words from the text that make the statement true or false. A paraphrase is not evidence. For false items, the quotation must show the contradiction: if the text says 'postponed', quoting 'delayed' may be acceptable only if the text uses that word.
Reference and vocabulary items
For reference questions ('What does it refer to?'), look at the previous clause for the noun that agrees in number and logic. For synonym items, test the candidate word back in the original sentence; if the sentence still means the same, it is likely correct.
Worked example
Text line: 'Although the council approved the budget, it postponed the construction of the new cycle lanes until 2026.' Item: 'The council cancelled the cycle lanes.' - False. The concessive 'Although' shows approval of the budget did not prevent postponement, and 'postponed ... until 2026' means delayed, not cancelled. Justification: 'it postponed the construction of the new cycle lanes until 2026.'
Traps that cost marks
- Absolute words in the item (always, never, all, only) often make a statement false when the text uses hedges (often, some, may).
- Copying a whole paragraph as justification wastes time and may not answer the item; quote the minimum.
- Confusing cause and effect, or a condition with a result.
- Answering from general knowledge rather than the text.
- Writing a synonym where an antonym is requested.