Reading
Comprehensive notes, formulas, and practice questions for Reading.
Reading
Reading Comprehension — Active Reading Skills
What is Comprehension?
Comprehension means understanding what you read — not just decoding words, but grasping meaning, drawing inferences, and responding thoughtfully to the text.
A good reader is active: they predict, question, visualise, connect, and evaluate as they read.
Two Reading Modes
| Mode | When to Use | How |
|---|---|---|
| Skimming | Finding the main idea quickly | Read title, first sentence of each para, conclusion |
| Scanning | Finding a specific fact, name, or date | Run your eye down looking for the target word |
| Close reading | Answering detailed questions | Read every sentence, mark key evidence |
The PQRS Reading Strategy
P — Preview (Before reading): Look at title, headings, pictures; predict the topic; activate prior knowledge.
Q — Question (During reading): Ask "What is the author saying here?" Underline unfamiliar words.
R — Read and Respond (During reading): Read at understanding pace; visualise; mark key phrases.
S — Summarise (After reading): In 2–3 sentences, state what the passage was about.
Types of Questions
| Type | What it asks | How to answer |
|---|---|---|
| Literal | Fact stated directly in text | Find the line and quote it |
| Inferential | Meaning implied, not stated | Reason from clues in the text |
| Vocabulary in context | Word meaning in that passage | Re-read the sentence; choose what fits |
| Main idea / theme | Overall point of the passage | Must cover the WHOLE passage, not one detail |
| Title suggestion | Suggest a title | Short, captures main idea, interesting |
Answering Technique (CBSE Method)
- Identify the question type
- Locate the relevant part of the passage
- Quote evidence where asked ("According to the passage, …")
- Answer in complete sentences — never a single word
- Keep to word limits — "in 20–30 words" means approximately that
Worked Passage + Q&A
"The old lighthouse stood alone on the cliff, its beam sweeping the dark sea every 30 seconds. For over a century it had guided ships safely past the treacherous rocks below. Now, with automated systems taking over, it would be decommissioned — a silent witness to a changing era."
Q1 (Literal): How often did the beam sweep? → Every 30 seconds.
Q2 (Inferential): What does "decommissioned" tell us about the lighthouse? → It will be shut down and taken out of service.
Q3 (Vocabulary): What does "treacherous" mean here? → Dangerous (likely to cause ships to crash on the rocks).
Q4 (Main idea in one sentence): → An old lighthouse that guided ships for a century is being replaced by modern automated navigation.
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Copying entire paragraphs | Write only what's relevant, in your own words |
| Answering without evidence | Quote the supporting line |
| Guessing vocabulary | Use the surrounding sentence as context |
| Treating a detail as the main idea | The main idea must cover the WHOLE passage |
Quick Check
- What is the difference between skimming and scanning?
- "How did the character feel?" — but the word "sad" never appears. What type of question is this?
- A student copies two full sentences as the "main idea." What went wrong?
- Find a 200-word passage. Skim it in 30 seconds, write one sentence stating the main idea.
- Stretch: Write three questions about the lighthouse passage — one literal, one inferential, one vocabulary.
Key Takeaways (TL;DR)
- What is Comprehension?
- Two Reading Modes
- The PQRS Reading Strategy
- Types of Questions
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