PSSA PSSA Reading Comprehension

Question 1

What is the main idea of a passage?

Accepted Answer

The central point or most important message the author wants to convey

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

A conclusion drawn using evidence from the text and prior knowledge

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

To introduce the main idea of the paragraph

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

Fiction is imaginative and made-up; nonfiction is based on real facts and events

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

Using the words and sentences around an unfamiliar word to determine its meaning

Answer

Context clues are the words, phrases, and sentences surrounding an unfamiliar word that help the reader determine its meaning.

PSSA - Pennsylvania System of School Assessment Practice Test