Page 4 Answering Reading Comprehension Multiple-Choice

1. Skim the questions before you read the passage.
2. Use the title as a clue. Ask yourself what it tells you about the topic of the piece of writing.
3. Check the first and final paragraphs or stanzas for clues to meaning.
4. As you are reading the text, underline key words. Make notes in the margin to help you remember what you have read. (Usually, you can write on the exam papers without penalty!)
5. Look for clues in the words. For vocabulary questions, read the sentence, the sentence before, and the sentence after for context clues.
6. Aim to get to know well the characters or speaker of the text.
7. When you are finished, summarize the writer's main message in one sentence. Use your knowledge of the genre (short story, non-fiction, poem, etc.).
8. When finished, summarize what you read in one sentence.
9. Choose an answer that is supported by evidence in the selection.

Remember...

Each set of multiple-choice questions is are randomly selected from a larger database of questions.

• Some questions will refer to the title or first paragraph. For questions about main ideas, always reread the first and last sentences. 
  • Questions regarding a fictional piece may ask about the setting or atmosphere, which could provide clues to later events.
  • Do not confuse a supporting detail with a main idea. That is, read the text more than once to get the big picture of ideas.

• Some questions will address specific details. Keeping track of details can be difficult while you read. A useful tool is note-taking. For each paragraph, note a label or one important sentence that answers a question. Questions may be asked about
• word meanings
• figures of speech
• the writer's tone
• details about character motivation, feelings, behaviour
• conflicts

• Other questions may ask about general ideas that apply to the passage as a whole. Questions may be asked about 
  • main ideas
  • writer's purpose
  • theme
  • author's point of view