Reading Comprehension Flashcards

Which of the following is a supporting detail rather than a main idea?

Answer: A specific statistic showing a 20% rise in test scores after tutoring

A specific statistic provides evidence for the main idea rather than being the central argument itself.

When a passage presents two sides of an issue without clearly favoring one, the author's purpose is most likely to:

Answer: Inform readers about multiple perspectives

A balanced presentation of two sides indicates an informational or analytical purpose rather than a persuasive one.

What does it mean to 'summarize' a passage?

Answer: To restate the main points briefly in your own words

A summary condenses the key points of a passage into a shorter form using the reader's own language.

A passage compares the advantages and disadvantages of online learning. Which transition word signals a contrast?

Answer: However

'However' is a transition word used to signal a contrast or shift to an opposing idea.

Which of the following questions targets a reader's ability to make an inference from a passage?

Answer: Based on the author's description of the factory's conditions, how might workers feel?

Asking how workers might feel requires drawing a conclusion not directly stated in the passage.

What does it mean when an author uses a rhetorical question in a passage?

Answer: To make a point or provoke thought without expecting a literal answer

Rhetorical questions are used for emphasis or to engage the reader's thinking, not to elicit an actual answer.