Reading Comprehension

2 Reading Comprehension



Chapter outline


Identifying the Main Idea

Identifying Supporting Details

Finding the Meaning of Words in Context

Identifying a Writer’s Purpose and Tone

Distinguishing between Fact and Opinion

Making Logical Inferences

Summarizing

Review Questions

Answers to Review Questions


Key terms


Antonym


Assumption


Connotation


Context Clue


Inference


Synonym


Tone


Communication, whether written or spoken, sets us apart from all other life forms. We live in an age of instant telecommunication and think nothing of it. Yet, it is the written word that allows a person to record information that can travel across time and distance, to be examined and reexamined. In the health care setting, this is especially true for the health care provider. The client record is written documentation of what is known of the client, which includes health care history, the evaluation or assessment, the diagnosis, the treatment, the care, the progress, and possibly, the outcome. A clear understanding of all client information ensures better health care management for the client. The ability to skillfully read and understand also helps the health care provider clearly document the client’s written record as care is provided. Any student wishing to enter the health care profession must have the ability to read and understand the written word.



Identifying the Main Idea


Identifying the main idea is the key to understanding what has been read and what needs to be remembered. First, identify the topic of the passage or paragraph by asking the question, “What is it about?” Once that question has been answered, ask, “What point is the author making about the topic?” If the reader understands the author’s message about the topic, then the main idea has been identified.


In longer passages the reader might find it helpful to count the number of paragraphs used to describe what is believed to be the main idea statement. If the majority of paragraphs include information about the main idea statement the reader has chosen, then the reader is probably correct. However, if the answer chosen by the reader is mentioned in only one paragraph, then the main idea that was chosen is probably just a detail.


Another helpful hint in identifying main ideas is to read a paragraph and then stop and summarize that paragraph. This type of active reading helps the reader focus on the content and can lessen the need to reread the entire passage several times.


Some students find that visualizing as they read helps them remember details and stay focused. They picture the information they are reading as if it were being projected on a big-screen TV. If you do not already do this, try it. Informal classroom experiments have proved that students who visualize while reading comprehension tests easily outscore their counterparts who do not visualize.



HESI Hint


Main ideas can be found in the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a paragraph or passage. Always check the introduction and conclusion for the main idea.


Finally, not all main ideas are stated. Identify unstated or implied main ideas by looking specifically at the details, examples, causes, and reasons given.


Again, asking the questions stated earlier will help in this task:


• What is the passage about? (Topic)

• What point is the author making about the topic? (Main idea)

Some experts like to compare the main idea with an umbrella covering all or most of the details in a paragraph or passage. The chosen main idea can be tested for accuracy by asking whether the other details will fit under the umbrella. The idea of an umbrella also helps visualize how broad a statement the main idea can be.



Identifying Supporting Details


Writing is made up of main ideas and details. Few would enjoy reading only a writer’s main ideas. The details provide the interest, the visual picture, and the examples that sustain a reader’s interest.


Often students confuse the author’s main idea with the examples or reasons the author gives to support the main idea. These details give the reader a description, the background, or simply more information to support the writer’s assertion or main idea. Without these details, the reader would not be able to evaluate whether the writer has made his or her case nor would the reader find the passage as interesting. In addition to examples, facts and statistics may be used.


The reader’s job is to distinguish between the details, which support the writer’s main idea, and the main idea itself. Usually the reader can discover clues to help identify details because often an author uses transition words such as one, next, another, first, or finally to indicate that a detail is being provided.



Finding the Meaning of Words in Context


Even the most avid of readers will come across words for which they do not know the meaning. Identifying the correct meanings of these words may be the key to identifying the author’s main idea and to fully comprehending the author’s meaning. The reader can, of course, stop and use a dictionary for these words. However, this is usually neither the most efficient nor the most practical way to approach these unknown words.


There are other options the reader can use to find the meanings of unknown words, and these involve using context clues. The phrase context clue refers to the information provided by the author in the words or sentences surrounding the unknown word or words.


Some of the easiest context clues to recognize are as follows:


1. Definition—The author puts the meaning of the word in parentheses or states the definition in the following sentence.

2. Synonym—The author gives the reader another word that means the same or nearly the same as the unknown word.

3. Antonym—The author gives a word that means the opposite of the unknown word.

HESI Hint


The reader needs to watch for clue words such as although, but, and instead, which sometimes signal that an antonym is being used.


4. Restatement—The author restates the unknown word in a sentence using more familiar words.

5. Examples—The author gives examples that clearly help the reader understand the meaning of the unknown word.

6. Explanation—The author gives more information about the unknown word, which better explains the meaning of the word.

Related posts:

  1. Vocabulary
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  3. Physics
  4. Mathematics

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Apr 10, 2017 | Posted by in NURSING | Comments Off on Reading Comprehension

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