Reading comprehension
Reading comprehension is the understanding of the ideas given in a text.
This ability is related to the development of several parts of the brain, and it is the reason you can read and understand any text as long as you train yourself on it. The more you read, the more you will perfect this skill.
You can also put into practice the following advice to enhance this ability and have better results on the reading part of your exams:
- Understand through personal interests
You comprehend better when you read something you like. When you do this, your mind better remembers the information received.
Have you ever read something that you had to read, even though it wasn’t something that interested you? Maybe you were able to understand a big part of what you read even though your retention wasn’t the best, but you also might have passed over some essential ideas and details.
While you are training yourself to achieve optimal reading comprehension, try to read all types of texts so you will be acquainted with different topics. This way, by the time you take your exam you won’t have trouble reading any topic. - Increase your vocabulary
The best method to increase your vocabulary is to read. If you want to expand your vocabulary, try to read different types of texts, like news stories, science articles, fictional stories, and academic texts.
Every time you have doubts about a word, whether it is new to you or you aren’t sure of its meaning, go to the dictionary. If you don’t have one near to you, figure it out from the text. Analyze the context and the previous and subsequent sentences of the word to understand a bit more about what it is trying to tell you. - Read as many times as you need to
If you get confused, don’t worry! You can return to the text and reread it to focus on a specific part until you can fully understand what is being said.
If it is better for you to read the text aloud to better understand it, do it. The most important thing is to get the main message so you can fully understand what you’re reading, no matter what topic.
Remember, you can read something as many times you want and extract the essential details of your text. This way, you can clarify the given ideas and consciously understand the story, article, or essay you are reading. - Discuss your reading
When you participate in a discussion around a text, you can understand the different points of view and extend your interpretation.
Talking to others about the read text helps you affirm your ideas and argue correctly if necessary.
These abilities are a plus when taking your exams. In addition to making you a critical reader, they will help with the speaking part of your test.