How to conquer reading comprehension questions in the GCSE

Owing to these necessities, I have made up my mind to choose “how to conquer reading comprehension questions in the GCSE” as my topic of the study.. Types of reading comprehension questi

3 1.2 Objective and Purposes of the research 1

10 2.3.1 Tips to do reading comprehension tests 3

11 2.3.2 Types of reading comprehension questions in the

GCSE and how to deal with each type

13 2.6 The effect of experience initative 19

14 PART 3: CONCLUSIONS AND

1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Reasons to choose the theme

Nowadays English has become an international language since it iswidely used in many parts of the world and in many fields of our life As aresult, in Vietnam, English has been a core subject at school and a compulsorysubject in the GCSE

In the GCSEs, there are twelve- thirteen reading comprehesion questionswith two passages Passage 1 contains 5 questions and passage 2 contains 7-8questions Therefore, reading comprehension question accounts for 24 percent

of the total mark of the test.However, Studying English to get ready for theGCSE , especially reading comprehension section is a hard problem and usuallymakes students nervous and discouraged Most students fear the readingcomprehension questions and they often lose the most points They areoverwhelmed with vocabulary they do not know the meaning

I notice that the majority of students always find it hard to do this type oftests At first sight, they do not figure out the content of the passage, but they arenot patient enough to read the passage to the end under the pressure of timeduring the test Also, this part accounts for a small percentage in the whole test

As a result, students usually put this part aside and return to it at the end of thetest time At that time, students will make ticks on this part without intention

From the fact above, my concern is how to help students overcome thefears of comprehensive questions and conquer the questions in readingcomprehension section to get better result in the GCSE

Owing to these necessities, I have made up my mind to choose “how to conquer reading comprehension questions in the GCSE” as my topic of the

study

1.2.Objective and Purposes of the research

The objective of the study is to help my students do reading comprehensionquestions in the GCSE effectively

The main purposes of the research are:

- To help the 12th grade students at Nhu Xuan High School recognisetypes of reading comprehesion questions in the GCSE

- To provide students some ways to confidently and effectively deal withcommon types of comprehensive reading questions in the national exam

- To improve students’ reading skills by analysing the tests in the previousGCSEs

- To help students be more confident when taking the coming nationalexam to get full mark on the reading comprehension section of the test

1.3 Method of the research.

I have used a variety of research methods in the process of doing mystudy:

- Teaching English reading lessons at some 12 classes at Nhu Xuan Highschool to find out the reasons why students do not do the reading comprehensionquestions effectively.

- Giving students some reading practice tests, observing them do the tests,measuring the time they spend doing reading comprehenson section

- Asking students some questions related to reading comprehension test todiscover which types of reading comprehension questions they are afraid of ,which one they are good or bad at

- Providing students with a number of tests for practice and assessment

- Jotting down the students’ results, the questions many students makemistakes

- Analysing the students’s work and comparing with the previous result tofind out what are students’s strength and weakness

1.4 Scope of the research.

The study was carried on students at three classes 12A3, 12A4 and 12A5

at Nhu Xuan high school

2 PROBLEM SOLVING

2.1 Theoretic basis of the problem

Reading comprehension is not learned in a short time, it is a process that

is learned over time In other words, reading comprehension requirespractice.Without reading comprehesion skills, they are unable to fullyunderstand the content, predict what happen next In reading comprehensiontest, not only reading skills but also vocabulary is tested Therefore, studentsneed strategies, some tips to conquer reading comprehension questions

2.2 Practical basis of the problem

Nhu Xuan high school is one of the mountainous schools in Thanh Hoaprovince Students have not had much good chance of studying and usingEnglish until recently

There is a fact that the result of English in national examination ofstudents at Nhu Xuan high school has not been good I notice that the majority

of students from my school refused to read the passages or only read themwithout intention, then choose the answers randomly As a result, students didnot make efforts into the reading comprehension section Meanwhile this sectionaccounts for approximately one fourths of the score in the whole test

Working as a teacher for a long time, I myself understand the nature ofthe problem and usually find it necessary to find out the ways to improve thesituation I try my best to do this research with a view to getting my students tobenefit from it by giving students detailed tips and strategies for doing readingcomprehension questions and sample passages to practice

2.3 Solutions to the problem

2.3.1 Tips to do reading comprehension tests

Each reading passage is often followed by 5-8 questions of readingcomprehension and vocabulary.Some students, especially average students, notethat they are unable to finish all the questions in this section Others cannotunderstand what the passage is about, so they do without intention and don’tknow surely if their answer is true Therefore, they need to make the mostefficient use of their time in this section to get the highest score The followingtips are the best ways of attacking a reading passage to get the most questionscorrect in a limited amount of time.

Do not spend too much time reading the passage Remember that it is notexpected of every student to undersatnd all the words, all the sentences and allthe lines of the passage

Do not worry if a reading passage is on the topic we are unfamiliar Keep

in mind that all of the information that we need to answer the questions isincluded in the passage

Be familiar with questions: there are some common types of questions inthe GCSE Students will save time and get over them efectively if they get toknow of types of questions and methods to deal with each type

Skim the reading passage to determine the main idea and the overallorganizations of ideas in the passage You do not need to understand every detail

in each passage to answer the questions correctly It is therefore a waste of time

to read the passage with the intent of understanding every single detail beforeyou try to answer the questions

Look ahead at the questions to determine what types of questions youmust answer Each type of question is answered in a different way

Read the part of the passage that contains the answers carefully Theanswer will probably be in the same sentence (or one sentence before or after)the key word or idea

2.3.2 Types of reading comprehension questions in the GCSE and how to deal with each type of question.

The reading comprehension questions in GCSEs are designed to measurehow well students comprehend what they read Students have only about fifteenminutes to read two passages and answer 12-13 questions Each passage hasthree or four types of questions According to the sample test of the ministry ofeducation and training in the year 2020, there are mainly five or six diferentcomprehension questions that are tested in GCSEs:

- Main idea question (tiltle question is mainly tested in the 2020 GCSE)

In the 2020 GCSE, students will be asked identify the title for the readingpassage This question is all really asking what primary point that the author istrying to get across in the passage, and it is not difficult to find the main idea bystudying the topic sentence, which is most probably found at the beginning of aparagraph.

The following chart outlines the key information that students shouldremember about main idea questions:

MAIN IDEA QUESTIONSHOW TO

IDENTIFY THE

QUESTIONS

What is the topic of the passage?

What is the subject of the passage?

What is the main idea of the passage?

Which of the following would be the best title?

HOW TO

ANSWER THE

QUESTION

1.Read the first line of each paragraph

2.Look for a common theme or idea in the first lines

3.Pass your eyes quickly over the rest of the passage tocheck that you really have found the topic sentence(s).4.Eliminate any definitely wrong answers and choose thebest answer from the remaining choices

Example 1: In the GCSE examination 2017, the reading comprehension

is that:

Oxford University has released a sample of interview questions including what a rock looks like and how you listen to music - to help studentswho want to study at the top institution Among the list of questions are: “Whatcan historians not find out about the past?”, “Is religion of value whether or notthere is a God?” and “How can we estimate the mass of the atmosphere?”

-Prospective earth sciences students could be asked what a rock handed to them

looks like, meanwhile chemistry candidates are asked to calculate how manydifferent molecules can be made from six carbon atoms and 12 hydrogen atoms

In efforts to make the interview process more transparent, the prestigiousuniversity has released advice on how to answer the example questions just daysafter the deadline for applications closed Dr Samina Khan, director ofadmissions and outreach, said: “Interviews will be an entirely new experiencefor most students, and we know many prospective applicants are already worriedabout being in an unfamiliar place and being questioned by people they have notmet.”

She added: “We want to underscore that every question asked by ourtutors has a purpose, and that purpose is to assess how students think about theirsubject and respond to new information or unfamiliar ideas No matter whatkind of educational background or opportunities you have had, the interviewshould be an opportunity to present your interest and ability in your chosen

subject, since they are not just about recitingwhat you already know.”

Question 35: Which of the following best serves as the title for the article?

A. Oxford University: Lowering Standards in Times of Change!

B. The History of Oxford’s Interviewing Schemes

C. Oxford University Interview Questions: Would You Pass the Test?

D. The Oxford’s Guide to Success in Job Interviews

In the above given passage, there are five paragraphs Students should besure to read the first sentence of each paragraph to determine the subject, title, ormain idea The first paragraph mentions types of interview questions that Oxforduniversity has released The next paragraphs of the passage mention advice on

how to answer sample interview questions” So the best title for the article is

Oxford “University Interview Questions: Would You Pass the Test?”.Therefore, the best choice is answer C

2.3.2.2 VOCABULARY QUESTIONS.

In the test students will be asked to determine the meanings of thedifficult words, a word that you are not expected to know In this case, thepassage will give you a clear indication of what the word means

The following chart outlines the key information that students should rememberabout vocabulary questions containing difficult words:

VOCABULARY QUESTIONS CONTAINING DIFFICULT WORDSHOW TO

IDENTIFY THE

QUESTION

- “What is the word/ phrase “ ”closest meaning to?

- The word/ phrase “ ” closest meaning to ?

- The word/ phrase “ ” most likely means?

1 Find the word in the passage

2 Read the sentence that contains the word carefully

3 Look for context clues to help you understand themeaning

4 Choose the answer that the context indicates

EXAMPLE : A passage in the GCSE exam in the year 2018, code 403

Another solution is to reduce the amount of energy required in a building

It is possible to cut electricity use noticeably by improving natural lighting andinstalling low-energy light bulbs To reduce the amount of fuel needed for

heating or cooling, builders also add insulation to the walls so that the building

stays warmer in winter and cooler in summer

A larger project is under way in China The first phase of this project will

include houses for 400 families built with solar power, non-polluting bricks, andrecycled wall insulation In a second phase, entire neighborhoods in six citieswill be built If all goes well, the Chinese government plans to copy these ideas

in new neighborhoods across China

(Adapted from by Beatrice S Mikulecky and Linda Jeffries) "Advanced Reading Power"

Question 38: The word "insulation" in paragraph 3 mostly means

A systems that protect buildings from the sun's rays

B devices that monitor changes in temperature

C panels that convert solar energy into electricity

D materials that prevent heat loss and absorption

Question 40: The phrase "under way" in paragraph 6 mostly means

A being notified B being certified C being inspected D being launched

To answer question 38, students should look at the sentence that contains

the word insulation It is a substance that buiders use to make the house warmer

in winter and cooler in summer As a result, we can infer, the correct answer isD

To answer question 40, students should look at the sentence that contains

the phrase “under way” : A larger project is under way in China.Therefore this

phrase is a verb with passive meaning.we can see that this verb relates to projectand base on the meaning of this sentence and the sentence before it to ifentifythe correct answer is D

2.3.2.3 Reference question

In the Reading comprehension of the test, students will sometimes beasked to determine which noun a pronoun refers to The following chart outlinesthe key information that students should remember about pronoun referents:

PRONOUN REFERENTSHOW TO IDENTIFY

2 Look for nouns that come before the pronoun.

3 Read the part of the passage before the pronoun

carefully

4 Eliminate any definitely wrong answers and choosethe best answer from the remaining choices

EXAMPLE : In the GCSE 2018, Code 401

Like a résumé, the letter of application is a sample of your work and an

opportunity to demonstrate your skills and personality If it is written with flair

and understanding and prepared with professional care, it is likely to be veryeffective While the résumé must be factual, objective, and brief, the letter is

your chance to interpret and expand It should state explicitly how your

background relates to the specific job, and it should emphasise your strongestand most relevant characteristics

Question 38: The word "it" in paragraph 2 refers to

A the letter of application B an opportunity C your work D the résumé

To answer this question, students should look before the pronoun it for

singular nouns that pronoun could refer to.the résumé, the letter of application,

an opportunit, your work come before the pronoun, so they are possible

answers We should try the three possible answers in the sentence in place of thepronoun Carefully read the sentence before and the sentence contains thispronoun, we can identify that “it” refers to the letter of application So A is thecorrect answer

2.3.2.4 Factual question

A stated detail question asks about one piece of information in thepassage rather than the passage as a whole The answers to these questions aregenerally given in order in the passage, and the correct answer is often arestatement of what is given in the passage This means that the correct answeroften expresses the same idea as what is written in the passage, but the words arenot exactly the same

The following chart outlines the key information that students shouldremember about stated detail questions:

STATED DETAIL QUESTIONS

HOW TO

IDENTIFY THE

QUESTION

- According to the passage, …

- It is stated in the passage …

- The passage indicates that …

- Which of the following is TRUE …according to the passage?

1 Choose a key word in the question

2 Skim in the appropriate part of the passage for the keyword or idea

3 Read the sentence that contains the key word or ideacarefully

4 Look for the answer that restates an idea in the passage

5 Eliminate the definitely wrong answers and choose thebest answer from the remaining choices

EXAMPLE:

Birds aren't the only animals thought to take lost teeth In Mexico andSpain, tradition says a mouse takes a lost tooth and leaves some money.However, in Mongolia, dogs are responsible for taking teeth away Dogs arehighly respected in Mongolian culture and are considered guardian angels of thepeople Tradition says that the new tooth will grow good and strong if the baby

tooth is fed to a guardian angel Accordingly, parents in Mongolia will put their

GCSE exam 2017 )

Question 30 According to the passage, where is a child's lost tooth

thought to be taken away by a mouse?

A In Mexico and Spain B In Mongolia

C In Japan and Vietnam D In Korea

With this question, we need to focus on key words “where, lost tooth,taken away a mouse” Then we look for the information in the passage It is inthe second sentence of the second paragraph So the correct answer is A

2.3.2.5 Negative factual question

Students will sometimes be asked to find an answer that is not stated or not mentioned or not true in the passage This type of question really means that three of the answers are stated, mentioned, or true in the passage, while one

answer is not The actual job is to find the three correct answers and then choosethe letter of the one remaining answer

The following chart outlines the key information that students should remember about negative factual questions

“UNSTATED” DETAIL QUESTIONSHOW TO

IDENTIFY THE

QUESTION

Which of the following is not stated …?

Which of the following is not mentioned …?

All of the following are true except …?

1 Choose a key word in the question

2 Scan in the appropriate place in the passage for the keyword (or related idea)

3.Read the sentence that contains the key word or idea carefully

4 Look for answers that are definitely true according to thepassage Eliminate those answers

5 Choose the answer that is not true or not discussed in thepassage

Example: In English 12, page 163 and 164, Unit 15 “Woman in Society”, Part Reading, the last paragraph:

Today, although their status varies in different countries, women in mostparts of the world have gained significant legal rights The most important ofthese are: the rig

ht to have equal work opportunities and pay to men, the right to vote, and theright to formal education

Question 5: Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the last

paragraph as one of women’s legal rights today?

A.the right to hold property B.the right to equal pay

equal employment opportunity rights D the right to vote

The question asks for the one answer that is not mentioned, so three of the answers are listed in the passage and one is not Since the right to equal pay, equal employment opportunity rights, the right to vote, are listed in the passage, answers B, C, and D are incorrect However, the right to hold property is not

listed in the passage, so answer D is the best answer to this question

2.3.2.6 Inference question

You will sometimes be asked to answer a question by drawing aconclusion from a specific detail are details in the passage Questions of thistype contain the words implied, inferred, likely, or probably to let you know thatthe answer to the question is not directly stated

The following chart outlines the key information that students should rememberabout implied detail questions:

IMPLIED DETAIL QUESTION

HOW TO

IDENTIFY THE

QUESTION

It is implied in the passage that …

It can be inferred from the passage that …

It is most likely that … What probably happened …?

1 Choose a key word in the passage

2 Scan the passage for the key word (or a related idea)

3 Carefully read the sentence that contains the key word

4 Look for a answer that could be true, according to thatsentence

EXAMPLE : A passage in the GCSE examination in the year 2018, code 404

While watching sports on TV, the chances are children will seeprofessional players cheating, having tantrums, fighting, or abusing officials Inaddition, it's highly likely that children will be aware of well-known cases ofsportspeople being caught using drugs to improve their performance The danger

of all this is that it could give children the idea that winning is all that counts andyou should win at all costs Good behaviour and fair play aren't the message thatcomes across Instead, it looks as if cheating and bad behaviour are reasonable

ways of getting what you want This message is further bolstered by the fact

that some of these sportspeople acquire enormous fame and wealth, making itseem they are being handsomely rewarded either despite or because of their badbehaviour

However, what children learn from watching sports is by no means all

negative and parents should make sure they accentuate the positives too They

should emphasise to children the high reputation that well-behaved players have,

not just with their teammates but also with spectators and the media They can

focus on the contribution made by such players during a game, discussing howvaluable they are in the team In the interviews after a game, point out to a childthat the well-behaved sportspeople don't gloat when they win or sulk when theylose And parents can stress how well these people conduct themselves in theirpersonal lives and the good work they do for others when not playing In otherwords, parents should get their children to focus on the positive role models,rather than the antics of the badly behaved but often more publicised players

(Adapted from "New English File - Advanced" by Will Maddox)

Question 50: Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

A Well-mannered players sometimes display strong emotions after

winning or losing a game

B The media tend to turn the spotlight more on sportspeople's

wrongdoings than on their good deeds

C The well-behaved players in a game invariably display desirable

conducts when not playing

D Players with good attitudes make a greater contribution to their teams'

budgets than others

To answer this question, students should read the last paragraph of thepassge carefully, especially we should focus on the sentence : “ In other words,parents should get their children to focus on the positive role models, rather thanthe antics of the badly behaved but often more publicised players” Therefore,the correct answer is B

is to impinge upon the environment in such a way that it attracts attention, for

example, the dots and dashes of a telegraph circuit Coded to refer to speech, thepotential for communication is really great Less adaptable to the codification of words, signs also contain meaning in and of themselves A stop sign or barber pole conveys meaning quickly and conveniently Symbols are more difficult to describe than either signals or signs because of their intricate relationship with the receiver’s cultural perceptions In some culture, applauding in a theater