Reading Comprehension

What the examiner tests

A comprehension passage is followed by questions that test whether you understood its ideas, its details, its implied meanings and its language. In the CSS paper there are five questions of 4 marks each, so every answer should be complete, precise and well expressed.

Types of questions

• Main idea: What is the central theme of the passage?
• Factual detail: What does the author say about X?
• Inference: What can be concluded from the passage, even if it is not stated directly?
• Vocabulary in context: What does a word or phrase mean as used in the passage?
• Author's tone or purpose: Is the author critical, hopeful, ironic or neutral? Why did the author write this?
• Explanation: Explain a sentence or idea in your own words.

Strategy

• Read the passage once for the general idea, then read the questions, then read the passage again carefully.
• Locate the part of the passage each question refers to.
• Answer in your own words; copying long sentences loses marks.
• Answer exactly what is asked, no more and no less; use complete sentences.
• For inference questions, base your answer on evidence in the passage, not on outside knowledge.
• For vocabulary questions, give the meaning that fits the context, which may differ from the dictionary's first meaning.
• Keep answers proportionate to the marks: usually three to five sentences for a 4-mark question.

Worked example: passage

Water scarcity is no longer a distant threat for many countries; it is a present reality. Rapid population growth, wasteful irrigation and the pollution of rivers have reduced the amount of clean water available per person. Climate change adds a further strain, as glaciers that feed great rivers shrink and rainfall becomes more erratic. Yet the crisis is as much one of management as of supply. In many regions, a large share of water is lost through leaking canals and pipes, while farmers flood their fields because water is cheap or free. Experts argue that modern irrigation methods, fair pricing and investment in storage could save enormous quantities. Such measures, however, require political courage, because they challenge long-standing habits and powerful interests.

Worked example: questions and model answers

• Q1. What is the main idea of the passage? A: Water scarcity is a present crisis caused by population growth, waste, pollution and climate change, but it is largely a problem of poor management that can be solved through better methods, pricing and storage.
• Q2. Name two causes of the decline in clean water mentioned by the author. A: Rapid population growth and wasteful irrigation (the author also mentions river pollution and climate change).
• Q3. Why does the author say the crisis is 'as much one of management as of supply'? A: Because much water is wasted through leaking canals and pipes and excessive irrigation; better management could save large amounts even without new sources.
• Q4. What does the word 'erratic' mean as used in the passage? A: Irregular and unpredictable.
• Q5. Why are the proposed solutions difficult to implement? A: They need political courage, because they challenge long-established habits, such as cheap or free water for farmers, and the interests of powerful groups.