Reading Comprehension
Domain 2: Reading Comprehension
This domain tests unseen and seen texts: literal detail, inference, vocabulary in context, reference, and summary. You must show where meaning comes from in the text, not rely on general knowledge.
Core rules
- First read for gist: identify text type, topic, writer's purpose and tone before answering.
- Second read with questions: underline the exact phrase that supports each answer. For reference questions, track noun-class concords: a pronoun or concord must point back to a noun of the same class.
- Inference: an inference is a conclusion forced by clues. State the clue and the conclusion; do not invent.
- Summary: select the main points, not examples; rewrite them in your own words; use linking words; keep within the word limit. Do not lift long phrases.
Worked example
A passage describes three reasons why a village market failed: poor roads, few buyers, and no storage. The summary question asks for 50 words. Weak answer: copy the three sentences. Strong answer: "The market failed because transport was difficult, customers were scarce and produce could not be stored." The reasoning: the three causes are compressed into one sentence, synonyms replace the original wording, and no example is included.
Traps
Answering from memory rather than text; confusing fact with opinion; copying the question stem; exceeding the summary limit; ignoring the final sentence, which often carries the writer's attitude; misreading class concords as different referents.