Reading Comprehension

---
name: reading-comprehension
description: Strategy for unseen passages in English (20 marks total). Students waste time re-reading. This teaches the read-questions-first method that toppers use.
---

# Reading Comprehension — 20 Marks Strategy

## Paper Structure
```
Passage 1: Factual (10M) — facts, data, informational
Passage 2: Case-based (10M) — scenario with sub-questions
Total: 20 marks from 2 passages = 25% of English paper
```

## The Topper Method: Questions FIRST, Passage SECOND

```
WRONG (most students):
  Read full passage (5 min) → Read questions → Re-read passage to find answers (3 min)
  = 8 min per passage, lots of wasted re-reading

RIGHT (toppers):
  Read questions first (1 min) → Read passage with answers in mind (3 min) → Write (2 min)
  = 6 min per passage, targeted reading
```

## Step-by-Step Strategy

```
STEP 1 (30 sec): Read ALL questions first
  → Know exactly what you're looking for
  → Note: vocabulary Q, inference Q, title Q, detail Q

STEP 2 (2-3 min): Read passage with purpose
  → Underline key phrases that relate to questions
  → Don't try to understand everything — focus on question areas
  → Note paragraph numbers where answers might be

STEP 3 (2-3 min): Answer in order
  → Direct answer Qs: copy relevant sentence + rephrase slightly
  → Vocabulary Qs: use context clues (surrounding words)
  → Inference Qs: what the passage IMPLIES, not states
  → Title Qs: what's the MAIN idea of the WHOLE passage

STEP 4 (30 sec): Quick check
  → Did I answer every sub-part?
  → Did I stay within word limit?
```

## Question Type Strategies

### Factual/Detail Questions
```
"According to the passage, what causes...?"
Strategy: Answer is DIRECTLY in the passage. Find and rephrase.
❌ Don't add your own knowledge
✅ Use passage language, slightly rephrased
```

### Vocabulary in Context
```
"What does the word 'X' mean in the passage?"
Strategy: Replace X with each option. Which one fits the sentence?
❌ Don't use dictionary meaning — use CONTEXTUAL meaning
✅ The meaning that makes the sentence make sense
```

### Inference Questions
```
"What can be inferred from..."
Strategy: What the passage SUGGESTS without directly saying
❌ Don't guess wildly
✅ Find 2 clues in the passage that lead to the inference
```

### Main Idea / Title
```
"What is the best title for this passage?"
Strategy: What's the ONE topic the ENTIRE passage discusses?
❌ Don't pick a title that covers only one paragraph
✅ The title should cover ALL paragraphs
```

## Timing Budget
```
Passage 1 (Factual, 10M): 15 minutes max
Passage 2 (Case-based, 10M): 15 minutes max
Total: 30 minutes for 20 marks
This leaves 150 minutes for remaining 60 marks
```