Reading Comprehension

Question 1

Tone

Answer 1

Refers to an author’s attitude towards his or her topic, or how she or he expresses a point of view.

Ex:) Passage of new research tone is detached and academic.

Question 2

Topic

Answer 2

Is broad. For example, The Ulysses, has a broad topic. The author can focus on something more specific which is the scope.

Question 3

Scope

Answer 3

The narrow aspect of a topic. In Ulysses it can be the author’s use of stream of consciousness, the novel’s Homeric influences, or the principle characters.

Question 4

Purpose

Answer 4

He or she chooses to develop certain aspects of the topic at hand and exclude others.

Topic (world hunger)
Scope (a high yielding farming technique)
Author’s purpose (describe a new farming technique and its promise)
Main idea (that technology currently exists to end world hunger)

Question 5

When reading each passage, what should one remember to do?

Answer 5

Identify the topic
Narrow it down to its precise scope
Make a prediction about why the author is writing and where he or she is going with the passage.

Question 6

Structure

Answer 6

How the author organizes or expresses his or her ideas

• Arguing a position (social science)
• Discussing something specific within a field of study (Passage about Shakespearean sonnets in literature)
• Explaining some significant new findings or research (often a science passage)