Reading Comprehension: Evidence-Based Answers
What the Reading section tests
The ECCE Reading section assesses B2 comprehension of written English in about 60 minutes. Passages include articles, notices, advertisements, letters, and short narratives. Questions ask for main idea, detail, inference, vocabulary in context, writer's purpose, and tone.
Core rules
- Skim each passage first for the topic and purpose, then scan for the information each question requires.
- For main-idea items, check the opening and closing sentences of each paragraph; reject options that are too narrow (one detail) or too broad (the whole topic).
- For detail items, locate the exact line and read the sentence before and after it.
- For inference, the answer must be logically supported by the text, not merely plausible in real life.
- For vocabulary-in-context, substitute each option into the original sentence and test grammar and meaning.
- For NOT/EXCEPT questions, verify three options are true before choosing the false one.
Worked example
Passage: "The city launched a bike-share program last spring. Within six months, ridership had doubled, but complaints about docking stations blocking sidewalks also rose. Officials say they will add stations only where sidewalks are wide enough." Question: What can be inferred about the program? A) It has been unpopular. B) It has grown but caused problems. C) It will be cancelled. D) It is limited to tourists. Answer: B. "Ridership had doubled" shows growth; "complaints...rose" shows problems. A contradicts the text; C and D are not stated. The final sentence shows officials are managing the problem, not cancelling the program.
Traps that cost marks
- Matching a word in the passage to an option without checking meaning.
- Choosing an extreme option ("all", "never", "only") that the text does not support.
- Ignoring the word EXCEPT and selecting a true statement.
- Importing outside knowledge.
- Confusing "the author suggests" with a fact stated directly.