Reading Comprehension Skills Flashcards

Read this sentence: 'Despite the heavy rain, the outdoor concert continued.' What does 'despite' tell you about the relationship between the rain and the concert?

Answer: The concert continued even though rain was a problem

'Despite' signals a contrast — something happened even though an obstacle existed.

A recipe instruction reads: 'Fold the egg whites gently into the batter to avoid deflating them.' What is the main reason for folding gently?

Answer: To prevent the egg whites from losing their volume

The instruction says to avoid 'deflating' them, meaning the goal is to preserve their air and volume.

Which reading strategy helps you understand an unfamiliar word by examining surrounding sentences?

Answer: Using context clues

Using context clues means looking at surrounding words and sentences to infer the meaning of an unknown word.

A job listing states: 'Candidates must be proficient in Microsoft Office.' What does 'proficient' mean in this context?

Answer: Skilled and competent

'Proficient' means having a high level of skill or competence in something.

A text includes a bar chart showing sales figures for four quarters. What is the primary purpose of this chart?

Answer: To visually compare data across the four quarters

Bar charts are used to make comparisons between categories or time periods visually clear.

A notice reads: 'This medication must not be taken on an empty stomach.' What does this instruction require the reader to do?

Answer: Eat food before or with the medication

If medication must not be taken on an empty stomach, the reader must eat before or with taking it.

When skimming a long document, a reader should focus primarily on which of the following?

Answer: Headings, subheadings, and the first sentence of each paragraph

Skimming involves quickly reading structural elements like headings and topic sentences to get the overall gist.