PSSA PSSA Reading Comprehension 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the main idea of a passage?
- The first sentence of every paragraph
- The central point or most important message the author wants to convey (Correct answer)
- A specific detail that supports the argument
- The final conclusion stated in the last paragraph
Correct answer: The central point or most important message the author wants to convey
The main idea is the central point or most important message the author intends to communicate throughout the passage.
Question 2: What is an inference in reading comprehension?
- A direct quote from the text
- A conclusion drawn using evidence from the text and prior knowledge (Correct answer)
- A summary of the entire passage
- A definition of a difficult vocabulary word
Correct answer: A conclusion drawn using evidence from the text and prior knowledge
An inference is a logical conclusion drawn by combining evidence from the text with the reader's own background knowledge.
Question 3: What is the purpose of a topic sentence in a paragraph?
- To provide specific facts and evidence
- To introduce the main idea of the paragraph (Correct answer)
- To summarize the entire passage
- To provide a transition to the next paragraph
Correct answer: To introduce the main idea of the paragraph
A topic sentence introduces the main idea of a paragraph and tells the reader what the paragraph will be about.
Question 4: What is the difference between fiction and nonfiction?
- Fiction is longer than nonfiction
- Fiction is imaginative and made-up; nonfiction is based on real facts and events (Correct answer)
- Fiction uses formal language; nonfiction uses informal language
- Fiction is only written for children; nonfiction is for adults
Correct answer: Fiction is imaginative and made-up; nonfiction is based on real facts and events
Fiction is imaginative writing that is made up, while nonfiction is based on real facts, events, and people.
Question 5: What does 'context clues' mean in reading?
- Using a dictionary to find word definitions
- Using the words and sentences around an unfamiliar word to determine its meaning (Correct answer)
- Asking a teacher for help with a word
- Rereading the passage from the beginning
Correct answer: Using the words and sentences around an unfamiliar word to determine its meaning
Context clues are the words, phrases, and sentences surrounding an unfamiliar word that help the reader determine its meaning.
Question 6: In the PSSA Reading assessment, what does the term 'author's purpose' refer to?
- The setting where the author wrote the text
- The reason the author wrote the piece — to inform, persuade, or entertain (Correct answer)
- The author's personal background and experience
- The length and format of the text
Correct answer: The reason the author wrote the piece — to inform, persuade, or entertain
Author's purpose refers to the reason an author writes a piece, most commonly to inform, persuade, or entertain the reader.
PSSA PSSA Reading Comprehension 1
What is the main idea of a passage?