Reading Comprehension
ICSE Class 8 · English · Chapter 1
What this chapter covers
- Unseen prose passages
- Factual questions and the central theme
- Inference questions
- Evaluation questions and your own response
- Vocabulary for different registers
- Reading print and digital sources
Key points
- Reading comprehension means understanding a text's facts, hidden meanings and purpose.
- An unseen passage is read three times: skim for the gist, read closely, then scan for details.
- Factual answers come straight from the text; write them as short, complete sentences in your own words.
- The central theme is the main message; trace how each paragraph develops it.
- An inference is a conclusion drawn from clues; always support it with evidence and do not stretch it.
- Evaluation asks for your judgement with reasons; a different view is welcome if it is reasoned.
- Tone is the writer's attitude; mood is the feeling the text creates in the reader.
- Register is the level of formality: formal, neutral or informal, chosen to suit the reader and purpose.
- A summary keeps all main points in order, in your own words, without opinion, examples or repetition.
- Judge every print or digital source by who, when, why, what evidence and where else.
- Always acknowledge the sources you use; copying without credit is plagiarism.
Questions answered
What is the difference between skimming and scanning?
Skimming is a quick reading to get the general idea of the whole text. Scanning is a quick search for one particular detail, such as a name, number or date.
Why should you read the questions before your second reading of an unseen passage?
The questions tell you what information to look for, so your careful second reading has a clear purpose and you can mark useful lines as you go.
How is the theme of a passage different from its topic?
The topic is what the passage is about, such as a pavement library. The theme is the message or main idea that runs through it, such as the power of patience and trust.
What two parts should a good inference answer have?
A clear statement of what you infer, and evidence from the passage that supports it.
The passage says that Meher carried the books "two boxes at a time, to the busiest corner of her town". What can you infer about her from this detail?
She was hard-working and determined. There were twelve boxes, so carrying two at a time meant at least six trips, and she made that effort rather than leave the books in a godown.
Give one way in which an evaluation question differs from a factual question.
A factual question has an answer stated in the passage, while an evaluation question asks for your own judgement, supported by reasons, and may have more than one acceptable answer.
Rewrite in a formal register: "Can you send me the form ASAP?"
"Kindly send me the form at the earliest."
Name three things that should be left out of a summary.
Any three of: examples, minor details, repetition, figures of speech, direct speech, and your own opinions.