Reading Comprehension: Unseen and Seen Passages
Reading Comprehension tests how you retrieve, interpret, and evaluate information from unseen passages and from prescribed textbook passages. Unseen texts are often factual, discursive, or literary; seen texts reward close reading of lessons already studied.
Core reading moves
- Preview the questions, then return to the passage for evidence.
- Mark line or paragraph references so answers stay anchored.
- For inference, combine two details rather than guessing.
- For vocabulary in context, substitute the option into the original sentence.
- For seen passages, recall the theme but quote the words that prove your point.
Worked example
Passage: 'When the power failed, the hall did not panic. Meera struck a match, lit the old lantern, and continued reading aloud. Her steady voice made the darkness feel ordinary.' Question: What does the passage suggest about Meera? Answer: She is calm and resourceful. Reasoning: 'did not panic' and 'steady voice' show calm; 'struck a match, lit the old lantern, and continued' show resourcefulness. 'Made the darkness feel ordinary' supports composure, not fear. Avoid 'She likes reading' because reading is the activity, not the main trait.
Traps that cost marks
- Choosing a true statement that does not answer the question.
- Copying a whole sentence when a single word is asked.
- Missing negatives and limits such as 'not', 'except', and 'mainly'.
- Treating a guess as inference without textual support.
- Ignoring paragraph order in sequencing questions.