Definition: Reading Comprehension — Psychometric Glossary
Reading comprehension is the ability to understand, analyze, and interpret a text. A major section of the psychometric test evaluating active reading skills.
- Definition and levels of comprehension
- Active and effective reading strategies
- Comprehension exercises for the psychometric test
- Question types and answering methods
What is reading comprehension?
Reading comprehension is the ability to read a text and grasp its meaning, both explicit and implicit. It involves several levels: literal comprehension (what is directly stated), inferential comprehension (what is implied), and critical comprehension (evaluating the text).
In an exam context, reading comprehension requires not only understanding the text but also answering specific questions by finding or deducing the relevant information.
Reading comprehension in the psychometric test
The comprehension section of the psychometric test presents texts of 200 to 400 words followed by questions. These questions test your ability to identify the main idea, spot details, make inferences, and understand the author's tone.
Question types include: factual questions, inferences, expression explanations, identifying the appropriate title, text structure, and paragraph summary.
How to practice reading comprehension
Strategies to improve your comprehension:
- Read actively : Don't read passively. Ask yourself questions while reading: what is the main argument? What is the author's intention?
- Identify the structure : Spot the introduction, development, and conclusion. Each paragraph has a central idea.
- Manage your time : Read the questions first, then the text. This allows you to target your reading on the information being sought.
Frequently asked questions
How many texts are in the comprehension section?
The comprehension section typically contains 4 to 6 texts, each followed by 4 to 6 questions, for a total of about 20 to 25 questions. The texts cover varied topics (science, society, culture).
How to read faster without losing comprehension?
Practice speed reading: spot keywords, read in word groups rather than word by word, and focus on the first and last sentences of each paragraph, which often contain the essentials.
Should I read the entire text before answering?
The optimal strategy is to quickly read the questions first, then read the text targeting the requested information. For global comprehension questions, a complete reading is necessary.
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