eng6-R2· Reading· ~15 min

Reading: Stories & People

Read a short story summary, a biography and a social-media post about a person.

When you read a short text, first read it quickly to understand the main idea — what the text is mostly about. Then read the questions and look back at the text to find specific details like names, dates and places. For vocabulary questions, use the words around the unknown word as clues to guess its meaning. Always choose an answer that is directly supported by information in the text, not by what you already know.

Key terms

main idea — what the text is mostly about — the most important point the writer wants to say
detail — a small but specific piece of information in the text, such as a name, number or place
inference — a conclusion you reach by thinking about what the text says, even if it is not written directly
context clue — other words in the same sentence or paragraph that help you understand the meaning of an unknown word
skim — to read a text quickly to get the general idea before reading it carefully
scan — to look through a text quickly to find a specific word, number or fact
Question Types in Reading Comprehension
Question TypeWhat It AsksHow to Answer
Main IdeaWhat is the text mostly about?Read the title and first sentence. Think about the whole text.
DetailWho? What? When? Where?Find the exact sentence in the text that has the answer.
ReferenceWhat does 'it' or 'she' refer to?Read the sentence before. Find the noun it replaces.
VocabularyWhat does the word mean here?Read the sentence again. Use the other words as clues.

Four common question types in reading comprehension and how to answer each one.

✎How to Answer a 'Main Idea' Question
  1. 1Step 1: Read the whole passage once, quickly (skim). Do not stop at new words.
  2. 2Step 2: Ask yourself: 'What is this text mostly about?'
  3. 3Step 3: Look at the four choices. Cross out choices that are too narrow (only one detail) or not mentioned in the text.
  4. 4Step 4: Choose the answer that covers the whole text, not just one part of it.
🚫Common mistake

Many students choose an answer because it sounds true in real life, not because it is in the text. Always check: is this answer supported by the passage?

💡Note

For vocabulary questions, try replacing the unknown word with each choice. The correct meaning will make the sentence sound right.

⚠️Caution

Do not spend too much time on one question. If you are stuck, skip it and come back later.

Rules

  1. 1Read the title and the first sentence carefully — they tell you the main topic.
  2. 2Underline or remember key details: names, dates, places and actions.
  3. 3For reference questions, read the sentence before and after to find what a word like 'it' or 'she' points to.
  4. 4Guess new words from context — look at the other words in the same sentence.
  5. 5Cross out wrong choices one by one before picking your answer.
  6. 6All answers must come from the text, not from what you already know about the world.

Practice

4 easy · 4 medium · 4 hard

10 random questions per test

EasyMediumHardMixed