Reading comprehension of unseen prose and poetry
Reading comprehension of unseen prose and poetry
This domain tests how accurately you read a passage or poem you have never seen. The exam expects literal comprehension, inference, tone, vocabulary in context, and the ability to support answers with textual evidence rather than outside knowledge.
Core rules
- Read the questions first only to mark key words; then read the passage twice for gist and structure.
- Separate literal statements from inferential claims. An inference must be implied by words such as 'stopped', 'no one', 'empty'.
- For poetry, identify speaker, situation, stanza shape, rhyme, and figures before attempting theme.
- Answer in your own words where asked; keep quotations short and integrated.
- Match the number of points to the mark allocation: a 3-mark question usually needs three distinct ideas.
Worked example
Sentence: 'The old clock in the hall had stopped at ten past four, but no one in the family thought to wind it.' Question: What does the sentence suggest about the family? Reasoning: The clock has stopped, and the family does not wind it. Literally, the clock is broken or unwound. The implied suggestion is neglect or a broken routine. A weak answer says 'They have a clock.' A strong answer says 'The family has become neglectful of small routines, perhaps because of grief or change.' Notice that 'perhaps' is acceptable for inference, but it must be tied to 'no one thought'.
Traps
- Importing facts from your own life instead of using the passage.
- Copying a full sentence as an answer when the question asks for a reason.
- Missing negative or limiting words: 'not', 'except', 'mainly'.
- Confusing the poet with the speaker in a poem.
- Giving a one-word theme such as 'nature' without explaining the attitude to nature.