HESI A2 Reading flashcards
HESI A2 Reading · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Main idea
- The central point a whole passage supports. It must be broad enough to cover every paragraph yet specific enough to exclude unrelated topics.
- Topic
- The subject of a passage, usually a word or short phrase such as "volcanoes" or "school lunch policy." It is narrower than the main idea, which makes a claim about it.
- Supporting detail
- A fact, example, statistic, or reason that backs up the main idea. Detail questions ask what the passage says, not what it implies.
- Stated detail question
- A question whose answer appears directly in the text. Strategy: find the key word from the question in the passage, then read the sentence containing it plus one sentence on each side.
- Paraphrase
- Restating the same meaning in different words. Correct answers on detail questions usually paraphrase the passage, while wrong answers often copy exact wording from an unrelated sentence.
- Inference
- A conclusion the passage strongly supports without stating it outright. A valid inference must be traceable to specific lines in the text, not to general knowledge.
- Vocabulary in context
- Determining a word's meaning from surrounding sentences. Test each choice by substituting it into the original sentence and checking whether the logic still holds.
- Author's purpose
- The writer's reason for the passage, expressed with a verb: to inform, to persuade, to explain a process, to compare two things, or to entertain.
- Tone
- The writer's attitude toward the subject, revealed by word choice. Common tones include neutral, objective, skeptical, critical, humorous, and enthusiastic.
- Sequence of events
- The order in which things happen. Time markers such as first, afterward, meanwhile, and by 2005 signal order and help answer chronology questions.
- Cause and effect
- A relationship in which one event produces another. Signal words include because, therefore, as a result, consequently, and led to.
- Comparison and contrast
- Showing how two or more things are alike or different. Signal words include similarly, both, unlike, whereas, in contrast, and on the other hand.
- Fact versus opinion
- A fact can be verified by evidence; an opinion expresses a judgment, value, or belief. Words like best, should, and seems often mark opinion.
- Transition words
- Words that signal relationships between ideas: however and but show contrast, moreover shows addition, thus shows result, for example shows illustration.
- Pronoun reference
- Identifying which noun a pronoun such as it, they, or this refers to. Look back to the nearest noun that agrees in number and makes logical sense.
- Topic sentence
- The sentence that states a paragraph's main point, often first but sometimes last or implied. It is broader than the sentences that support it.
- Summary
- A brief restatement of a passage's main ideas in your own words, omitting minor details and examples. A good summary covers the whole text, not one section.
- Eliminating extreme answers
- Choices using always, never, all, none, or only are usually wrong unless the passage states them outright. Qualified choices (often, some, may) are more likely correct.
- Reading the question first
- Scanning the question stem before the passage tells you which key words to hunt for and whether you need the main idea or a specific detail.
- Passage mapping
- Mentally labeling each paragraph's job (introduces topic, gives example, presents counterargument, concludes) helps locate answers quickly during timed reading.
- Negative questions
- Questions asking which choice is NOT stated or EXCEPT require checking each option against the passage and choosing the one with no textual support.
- Chronological organization
- A passage arranged by time order, common in biographies and historical accounts. Answers follow the order of dates and sequence markers.
- Problem-solution organization
- A passage that names a problem, explains its effects, and proposes remedies. Main-idea questions usually target the solution or the problem's significance.
- Definition context clue
- The passage states a term's meaning directly, often after a dash, comma, or the words means, refers to, or is called.
- Example context clue
- Specific instances after words like such as, including, or for instance reveal the meaning of a broader or unfamiliar term.
- Contrast context clue
- Words like but, unlike, however, or instead signal that an unfamiliar word means the opposite of something nearby in the sentence.
- Logical conclusion
- A judgment that follows necessarily from stated evidence. If two or more answers could be true, the passage probably does not support a conclusion question.
- Title selection
- Choosing a heading for a passage. The best title names the topic and hints at the main idea without being too broad or too narrow.
- Irrelevant answer choice
- An option that is true in real life or interesting but not supported by the passage. It must be rejected even when it sounds reasonable.
- Time management in reading
- Answering easier vocabulary and detail questions first, then returning to inference and main-idea questions, preserves time on a timed section.
- Restatement trap
- A wrong answer that repeats exact words from the passage but answers a different question. Matching wording alone does not confirm correctness.
- Author's attitude shift
- A change in tone partway through a passage, often signaled by but, yet, or however. Questions about tone usually target the final or dominant attitude.