1. Broadly speaking, Reading Comprehension (RC) passages can be classified in a few categories. Fact based RC is the simplest form of RC. These types of passages have a lot of information in the form of names, numbers, etc. In this type of passages one should read very fast.
2. Inference based RC is the toughest form of RC. Here the passage is fairly tough to understand. This includes passages on topics like Religion, Spirituality, Philosophy, etc. Most of the students will not be comfortable attempting these passages at least in RC. The reading speed is fairly slow in this type of passages. The way to master this type of passages is to read them again and again while practicing.
3. Topic based RC includes passages on any particular topic like economics, astrology, medical science, etc. Generally what makes these passages tough is usage of technical terms. If a topic is new to us then the presence of technical terms scares us even if they are defined in the passage. For success in this type of passages we need to have an understanding of the definition of the term if it is defined in the passage. Read that definition twice if you need to. But don’t worry about technical terms if they are not defined in the passage. Assume them to be non-existent and proceed. The key principle in tackling these passages is not to go to the next line unless the previous line is clear.
4. Reading the passage first and then questions is the most popular strategy for RC. While answering the question you may come back to the passage to find answer as you have just read the passage initially and not crammed it. But you should not come back for each and every question. If you come back for majority of questions then you haven’t read the passage properly. The key to success for this strategy is that you should understand the passage very well. We will suggest students to follow this technique from the beginning and work upon this.
5. Reading questions first and then the passage is the strategy followed by a few students. They just look at the questions and not options. The objective is that after seeing the questions when you read the passage then you read only that part carefully where the answer is given. The flaw with this is that you will not be able to remember all the questions.
6. Besides this, this strategy fails when there are questions that require understanding of the passage.
Q1.(a) Most students find Reading Comprehension difficult because _________.
(i) The language is tough
(ii) The vocabulary is difficult
(iii) The style is too involved
(iv) The topics are unrelated to their interest
(b) Choose the option that best describes the central idea in the following quotes.
(i) Once you learn to read, you are forever free. ---- Frederick Douglas
(ii) “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” --- Dr. Seuss
(iii) To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark ---- Victor Hugo
(iv) Comprehension is the goal between the reader and the text. ---- Unknown
(c) Which of the characteristics given below are apt in the case of fact based reading comprehensions?
(i) Simple
(ii) Dull
(iii) Brief
(iv) Informative
(v) For fast reading
(vi) Fact based
(i) 2 and 3
(ii) 4 and 6
(iii) 2 and 5
(iv) 4 and 1
(d) Suggest an appropriate title for the passage from the following:
(i) Reading writing and arithmetic
(ii) Tackling reading comprehension
(iii) How to read and Comprehend
(iv) Read, Comprehend and Answer
(e) The phrase ‘toughest form of reference to Context’ refers to passages that are ______
(i) Tough to understand
(ii) Tough to read
(iii) Tough to answer
(iv) Tough to define
(f) Select the sentence that makes the correct use of the word ‘passage’, as used in the given text, to fill the blank spaces.
(i) The cricket team was ______ through India on their way to New Zealand.
(ii) The dictation ______ was very tough.
(iii) The pupil has_____ the class X examination.
(iv) Only trucks with medical supplies were _______ through the bombed city.
(g) Choose the option that correctly states the use of the most popular strategy for answering Reference to Context questions.
(i) Read questions first and then the passage
(ii) Read passage first and then questions
(iii) Understand the passage and then answer questions
(iv) Read only part of the passage which pertains to the question asked.
(h) The author of the passage uses the abbreviation ‘RC’ to describe reading comprehension. Pick the word which is not a standard abbreviation.
(I) DIY
(II) abbrev
(III) ASOP
(IV) ASAP
(i) The word ‘inference’ in para 2 means _______.
(i) similar
(ii) same
(iii) conclusion
(iv) assumption
(j) What does the phrase ‘most popular strategy’ mean?
(I) A commonly adopted plan for answers
(II) A sharp plan to solve answers
(III) An easy plan to write answers
(IV) A tested method of writing answers
Answers
Tackling reading comprehension
Explanation:
(a) Most students find Reading Comprehension difficult because-
(iii) the style is too involved
(b) Choose the option that best describes the central idea in the following quotes.
(iv) Comprehension is the goal between the reader and the text. ---- Unknown
(c) Which of the characteristics given below are apt in the case of fact-based reading comprehensions?
(ii) 4 and 6
(d) Suggest an appropriate title for the passage from the following:
(ii) Tackling reading comprehension
(e) The phrase ‘toughest form of reference to Context’ refers to passages that are
(i) Tough to understand
(f) Select the sentence that makes the correct use of the word ‘passage’, as used in the given text, to fill the blank spaces.
(ii) The dictation passage was very tough.
(g) Choose the option that correctly states the use of the most popular strategy for answering Reference to Context questions.
(ii) Read the passage first and then questions
(h) The author of the passage uses the abbreviation ‘RC’ to describe reading comprehension. Pick the word which is not a standard abbreviation.
(II) abbrev
(i) The word ‘inference’ in para 2 means _______.
(iii) conclusion
(j) What does the phrase ‘most popular strategy’ mean?
(I) A commonly adopted plan for answers
Answer:
1 the topics are unrelated to their interest