How to Answer Comprehension Questions Effectively

Grade 10H October 2019

How to Answer Comprehension Questions Effectively

1. Write how to answer questions

2. Read comprehension and answer questions in complete sentences

·      Problems  seen in answering questions

1. Begin sentence with a common letter

2. Begin sentence with ‘because’ or with the answer alone

3. When asked to give own words, words were taken from the passage.

4. Give answers in 5 words.

These are unacceptable!!!!!

·        Here are few guidelines for answering comprehensions questions

·         Try to link the question to your answer

·         Never provide your opinion as answers, base your answer on facts.

·         Never move out from the original question, answer to it precisely

·         Upgrade your vocabulary

Comprehension #1

Olympic 400 metres hurdle champion Deon Hemmings is in a no non-sense mood. She is bent on keeping the title she won four years ago in Atlanta.

On Sunday she warned her rivals after winning her first round heat in 55.44 seconds-“I am very experienced now and I am hungry. In my mind, being in Sydney is like coming to my first Olympics. My gold medal is locked away. It’s like I haven’t won a medal yet. So I am hungry for one.”

1.      What is the passage about?

Ans. The passage is about Deon Hemmings , an Olympic title holder who is working hard to win again.  Or

Ans. The passage is about a young athlete by the name of Deon Hemmings who is serious about her championship . She had won a gold medal but is hungry for more

2. What does the word ‘rivals’ mean?

Ans.  The word ‘rivals’ mean her fellow opponents who are running the same race.

3. Explain what “I am hungry for one’ means?

Ans. The term ‘I am hungry for one’ means that she is determined to win the race.

Inferential Comprehension

Techniques of how  to answer questions.

1.       Answer questions  in complete sentences. Do NOT begin with ‘and’ or ‘because’ or ‘reason being’

2.       Find at least 8 new words and their meanings

1. Read the following extract carefully and then answer all the questions set on it.

Pita panicked. There was nothing he could do. He was trapped. Trapped with hundreds of others. The monster had come and was slowly, surely dragging them from the deep. He swam through the excited crowd to try the bottom. Then he tried the top again. The great monster had encircled them completely. There were millions of holes in its great hands, but none large enough. If only they were a little larger. Pita tried to push himself through one of the holes again. He squeezed and squeezed. Great tails lashed around him. Not only he but against his eyes. If only his head could get through. He pushed again, hard, and the pain quivered through his body.

There was nothing he could do. He heard the breakers roaring above now. That meant they were nearing the shore. Pita whipped his tail in fury. The monster was gradually closing its hands. There were cries now above the surface. Below, the monster grated on sand. The shore! They had reached the shore! Frantically, Pita flung himself against one of the tiny holes. He gave a cry as the scales tore from his back - then a cry of joy. He was free! Free!

He lunged forward below the surface. Down he sped, rejoicing in his tinyness. If he was only a little bigger, he would have been dying on the shore now. The fateful shore! There had been those who had actually come back from that world. This was one of the great mysteries. But some said they had been there, and had talked of that awesome place.

There was no more blood now. Down he swam. Deep, deep until the sound of the breakers was only a bitter memory, and the sea was not sandy but blue and clear, and until, far, far away in the distance, green with fern and the tender moss, he saw the rocks of home.

Questions

a) To whom or what does 'he' refer? (1 mark)

b) What effect is the author trying to create by using short sentences in the passage? (2 marks)

c) State ONE word which could describe Pita's feelings when he realised, There were millions of holes ... but none large enough. (2 marks)

d) Why does the author repeat 'squeezed' in line 6? (3 marks)

e) Who or what does the 'monster' refer to? (2 marks)

f) Why does the writer use 'fateful' to describe the shore? (2 marks)

g) Why does Pita utter a cry of joy? (1 mark)

h) Why was 'the sound of the breakers' a bitter memory? (2 marks)