Reading Comprehension and Text Study
This domain tests reading of authentic and literary Oshindonga texts. You must find main ideas and details, infer meaning, recognise the writer’s purpose and tone, explain vocabulary in context and summarise.
Command words
Read the command carefully: lombwela (state), nyamukula (answer), finda (explain), yeleka (compare). A why question needs a shaashi or omolwa- clause, not a list.
Main idea and inference
Locate the topic sentence, then test each answer against the whole paragraph. Inference questions use clues: ovanhu ova li va teka omeya implies drought, not a picnic.
Summary
Keep the topic and main points, cut examples and repetition, and stay within the word limit. Use your own wording unless the question asks for a quotation.
Worked example
Text: ‘Ovanhu vomomukunda ova li va teka omeya, osho oshe va ninga okukonga oshilongo shimwe.’ Question: Omolwashike ovanhu va ya koshilongo shimwe? Answer: Omolwokute ka omeya. Reasoning: osho oshe va ninga links cause and result; okukonga oshilongo shimwe is the result. The answer must name the cause, not repeat the whole sentence.
Traps that cost marks
- Copying a full sentence when the question says momwaasho (in your own words).
- Giving a detail instead of the main idea.
- Missing negation such as kashi na.
- Exceeding a summary word limit.
- Confusing oshilongo (country) with oshikola (school).