Reading Comprehension

Step 1: Preparations

With reading comprehension tasks, time management is vital. Give yourself time limits for reading the text and completing the exercise.
Sometimes, your teacher might give you further information on the text. Take notes!
Identify the type of exercise! (Multiple choice, True-False, answering questions?)
Look at the title of the text! Does it give you further information?
Read the instructions carefully! If you’ve got dictionaries at hand, make sure all the words in the instruction text are perfectly clear to you.
Check for additional vocabulary provided with the text!
Analyze the information referring to the source the text is taken from: Who wrote it? When did they publish it? What was their intention? Which medium was used?
If the text doesn’t offer any line numbers, it’s your job to add them. Otherwise you’ll find yourself unable to quote from the text!
Figure out whether the questions appear in the same order as the information given in the text – this is not always the case in reading comprehension!
After reading the headline, try to anticipate what the text will be about!
Collect vocabulary you might need for this topic!
If you are supposed to answer questions, prepare an extra sheet for collecting important information, ideally with suitable headings or categories!
Use a pen that will work under exam conditions – you need to be able to write fast. Get all the other materials ready as well.

Step 2: Skimming and marking

First, read the whole text first.
In step 2, look for the main ideas. It’s not essential to understand every single word. In reading exercises, you can usually draw information from the context.
Make sure you understand the overall structure of the text.
It might be helpful to read the first and the last sentence of each paragraph before you start reading the passages intensely.
If there are illustrations or information boxes, take a closer look at them. They usually relate to what’s said in the text.
Next, read the text with your questions in mind. Sort out useless information.
First, read the heading. Then read all the sub-headings.
Marking skills are important. Always take notes for every paragraph, giving each section your own heading.
When highlighting information, use different colors for different kinds of information.
you will be able to see how the text is divided up into different paragraphs.
Some authors or editors will guide you through the text using lists, bold print, or italics.
Highlight passages that seem confusing. Save them for re-reading them at a later stage. Mark them with a question mark (“?”).
Sometimes, the following text clarifies the meaning of this specific section. You may have to read ahead.
Sometimes, authors may emphasize certain aspects. Look for phrases which indicate something is important (“It is very important that...”, “A key aspect is...”).
In your first draft, leave some space between your notes to allow for additions! Another way to structure your information would be mind-mapping.

Step 3: Evaluation

To make sure you’ve understood the text, summarize it briefly.
Read the tasks again. Fill in or add the information that is still missing.
Mark all the gaps and the things you are not sure about!

Step 4: Scanning

In step 4, take down information that is still missing!
It is essential to distinguish between the author’s point of view, statements by other people and neutral facts. Watch out for quotes! Highlight phrases that reflect the author’s perspective!
Argumentative texts make use of claims, reasons and illustrative examples. Identify these three stages in argumentation!
It can be dangerous to use information from outside the text. If you are supposed to present the author’s view on the respective problem, the general context doesn’t matter.
Reading out the text aloud can also be helpful to understand difficult passages.
Look for connecting phrases – they may help you to work out the overall structure of the text!
Check the information you already have! Does it still seem valid and logical?

Step 5: Elaboration

Complete the text / exercise.
In closed test formats, don’t leave anything unanswered.
If it’s about answering question, elaborate on your notes.
If necessary, you need to restructure your findings or connect them to other contexts.

How to master multiple choice exercises

1	The relationships that children and young people have with their peers
2	are very significant to their development.
3	Research has shown that children who have poor peer relationships
4	might become more vulnerable to emotional problems
5	and social adjustment as they grow up.

TASK: What can scientists tell about the importance of belonging for children’s mental health?

Students who have poor relationships with their peers

A - are frequently bullied by other students

B - can develop problems regarding their emotional wellbeing

C - will not be able to perform well at school

D - have problems fitting in and making friends

Solution:

Q: line(s) 3-4: “children who have … to emotional problems”

How to master this task

Read the entire text to get the gist of what the author wants to say.
Divide the text up into paragraphs – add keywords that indicate what each paragraph is about.
Look at the task description. How many boxes will you have to tick?
Select the one or two items that are apparently irrelevant. Focus on the remaining items.
Break down the article into smaller units of meaning. Here: Research / children / poor peer relationships / more vulnerable / emotional problems.
Skim the text for these aspects.
Identify the key words related to “scientists”: Research;
Identify a clue for “children”: students;
Identify information having to do with “belonging”: peer relationships;
Identify hints associated with “mental health”: emotional problems.

Typical problems

Wrong quote

You have picked a correct answer, but your quotation doesn’t fit

Q: line(s) 1-2 “The relationships that … to their development.”

Too much context

You have included more information than you need

Q: line(s) 3-5 “Research has shown … they grow up.”

Not enough text

You have left out information that you need

Q: line(s) 3-4 “who have poor … might become more vulnerable”

Technical problems

Your quote does not give the first and the last three words of the respective passage (which may not always cost you credit points)

Q: line(s) 3-4 “children … problems”

Quotation incomplete

No quotation marks, lines not given, no text

Q: line(s) 3-4 children … problems

Q: line(s) ___ “children who have … to emotional problems

Quotation scrambled

You change the order of words or use phrases different from those in the text.

Q: line(s) 3-4: “students that have … to emotional problems”

Quotation jumbled

You mix up the items and the respective quotations.