Reading Comprehension

Analysis Divide the questions into the different reading selections Identify the different genres (poetry, short story, nonfiction, etc.) Which genres gave you the least problems? Which genres did you struggle with? Identify why you think you struggled with or excelled at these particular genres Was it the type of language used? (poetry vs. prose) Was it the subject of the reading selection? Was it the structure of the reading selection?

Look for commonalities between the questions: Do they focus on certain skills? Such as: Identifying vocabulary through using context Understanding characterization Understanding speaker’s tone/attitude Understanding theme or message Comprehending meaning of dialogue Recognizing metaphor, simile, symbol, etc.

Goal-setting Once you have identified the areas you need to work on, develop achievable steps to take to improve your skills For example, if you struggle with vocabulary, invest more time in learning new vocabulary while you read If you struggle with terminology (metaphor, simile, etc.) study these as much as possible If you struggle with poetry, figure out strategies to help you understand it Do not expect this class to be able to cover ALL areas of need for EVERY student, some of the work has to be done on your own – sorry  ALWAYS work on these goals!!!

Multiple Choice First and foremost, the BEST way to improve your ability to read is to actually read (I know! That’s a novel idea…get it?) Multiple choice questions are generally structured in a specific pattern Two of the four answers are usually easily identifiable as incorrect One answer is the best of the four One answer is created to be a distracter – it is an answer that may seem right, but is not the best answer for the question

Strategies for answering multiple choice Cover up the options and try to answer the question before reading the options given – then, if one answer matches your initial answer, chances are that’s the correct one Identify the key words/terms in the stem of the question “’The loon has left its voice’ (line 1) implies that the loon’s song” - key words? “The impression most clearly expressed in lines 6 to 10 is of the” “In the context of the stanza, the verb ‘empty’ (line 11) means to” “The simile ‘like five white cups’ (line 13) refers to” “The image of a nest in a white cup (lines 11 to 14) is a metaphor for the”

Read the questions before reading the selection Acts as a primer for your brain – a signal of things to look for while you read Answer the questions in order They are structured in a specific order The first few questions will clue you in to the bigger ideas in the reading selection The remaining questions are usually based on those ideas targeted in the first few questions Reread the citation (line # to #) as well as the surrounding text If you struggle with a question, leave it and come back to it later – do not spend 20 minutes exhausting your brain and getting frustrated, it will negatively impact the rest of your exam

Read ALL aspects of the text: Title (…seriously) – usually the title of a work speaks to important symbolic or thematic concepts developed in the texts Preamble – the (usually italicized) paragraph or chunk of text found just before or after the title that is not IN the reading selection, but is ABOUT the reading selection Stage directions in dramatic pieces – this includes anything about what the character does, how a character speaks, how the set is established, entrances, exits, sound effects, etc. Footnotes, endnotes, etc. – any explanations made at the bottom or in the margins of the page that relate to parts of the text Visuals that accompany the text and any captions that accompany or modify the visuals GUARANTEED you will get somewhere in the ballpark of 5-10 questions asked specifically about the supplementary information included with the actual text