READING SKILLS

Read the passage given below and complete the sentences that follow:

1. Broadly speaking, Reading Comprehension (RC) passages can be classified into 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.

On the basis of your reading of the passage given above, answer any ten of the following questions.

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 describes the central idea in the following quotes .

1. 2. 3. 4.

Once you The more that you read, the To learn to read is to light a Comprehension is the goal
learn to read, more things you will know. fire; every syllable that is between the reader and the text.
you are The more that you learn, the spelled out is a spark. - - Unknown
forever free. - more places you’ll go. - Victor Hugo
Frederick Dr.Seuss
Douglas

i)Option 1 ii) Option 2 iii) Option 3 iv)Option 4

c) Which of the characteristics given below are apt in the case of fact based reading comprehensions?

1. simple 2. Dull 3. Brief 4. Informative 5. for fast reading 6. 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

e) The phrase ‘toughest form of reference to context’ refers to passage 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 word ‘passage’, as used in given text, to fill in the
black 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 the medical supplies were _______ through the bombed city.

g) The author tries to ______ the readers in this passage

(i)inform (ii)infer (iii)intimidate (iv) intuit

h) The author of the passage uses the abbreviation ‘RC’ to describe reading comprehension. Pick the
word which is not a standard abbreviation.
READING SKILLS

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’ means?

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

k) Choose the option that correctly states the use of the most popular strategy for answering
Reference to Context questions.

i) read question first and then the passage

ii) read passage first and the questions

iii) understand the passage and then answer questions

iv) read only part of the passage which pertains to the question asked.

l) The main thrust of this passage is on........................

i) types of reference to context passage

ii) methods of tackling questions in reference to context

iii) Strategise reading and answering of reference to context

iv) choose a personal style for reference to context work