Reading Comprehension
Reading comprehension in the Basque PAU English exam assesses your ability to understand an authentic text (typically 200–300 words) and answer questions that test main ideas, specific details, inference, reference, and vocabulary in context. The text may be an article, an opinion piece, or a short story. Questions usually follow the order of the text.
Core strategies
- Skim first: read the title, first paragraph, and last paragraph to identify the topic and the author's purpose. Do not read every word.
- Read the questions before the text so you know what to look for. Underline key words in each question (names, dates, numbers, negations).
- Scan for details: locate the relevant section by matching key words, then read that sentence and the one before/after.
- True/False with justification: write T or F, then copy a short phrase (maximum 10–15 words) from the text that proves your answer. Do not copy the whole sentence.
- Short answer: answer in your own words, keep it concise, and include all parts of the question.
- Reference questions: identify what a pronoun refers to (e.g., 'it' may refer to a noun phrase earlier in the same sentence or previous sentence).
- Vocabulary in context: use surrounding words to guess meaning; do not rely on a dictionary definition that may not fit.
Worked example
Text: 'Despite the rain, the festival drew record crowds, prompting organizers to consider moving it to a larger venue next year.' Question: True or False? The festival was poorly attended because of the rain. Justify. Reasoning: The phrase 'drew record crowds' means attendance was very high, which contradicts 'poorly attended'. The rain is mentioned as a contrast ('Despite'), not as a cause of low attendance. Answer: False. Justification: 'the festival drew record crowds'. Notice that the justification is a short exact quote, not a paraphrase.
Traps that cost marks
- Copying an entire sentence as justification: examiners penalize this because it shows you cannot select the relevant evidence.
- Using outside knowledge instead of the text.
- Missing negation in questions ('Which is NOT mentioned?').
- Confusing 'true' with 'mentioned': a statement can be mentioned but not true according to the text.
- Giving a correct T/F but a wrong justification: both parts are graded.
- Writing too much in short answers and making grammar errors that obscure meaning.