Strategies for Reading Tests

  • Read the questions first – This helps you to identify your purpose for reading and to focus your attention on the most important parts of the reading passage.
  • Understanding the questions - Read every word of each question to assure that you fully understand the question. Stop and take a moment to think about what information you will need to look for in the reading passage. Reread the question if you do not completely understand it.
  • Types of Questions –
  1. Right there- The answer to these questions is found right in the text.
  2. Think and search – These questions require you to find information from two or more places in the text.
  3. Author and me- These questions require you to make an inference or draw a conclusion. You need to use information the author provides along with your own background knowledge to answer these questions.
  • Reread – Don’t expect to know the answer to the question after only one reading. Good test takers go back into the passage again and again to find specific information needed to answer the question. An important strategy for reading tests is to know what information you need and reread until you find the information.
  • Skim – Skimming means to glance quickly at a reading passage to gain an understanding of the topic and main ideas. After carefully reading the passage, skimming back through the passage can help you locate specific information needed to answer questions.
  • Choose an answer supported by information in the passage – If the question states According to the passage…or Based on the text…make sure that your answer is found in the text.
  • Vocabulary questions – When asked to select the correct meaning of a word use your context clues. The context clues are the words, phrases, and sentences that surround the word. Reread the sentence in which the word appears, and the sentences right before and after.
  • Read Carefully – Multiple choice answers that are often wrong:

→ Answers that seem humorous or ridiculous

→ Answers that contain extreme or absolute statements (all, always, never, no one, everyone, impossible, must, absolutely, etc.)

→ Answer choices that are almost exactly alike or say the same thing in different words

→ Questions that contain the word NOT or EXCEPT

Remember to use your background knowledge. Try to connect what you are reading to what you already know. Read and think! 