Skills assessed
Literal comprehension
Finding and using information stated directly in the text.
Inference & interpretation
Reading between the lines to work out what is implied.
Purpose, tone & viewpoint
Understanding why a text was written and how the author feels.
Vocabulary in context
Working out word meaning from the surrounding sentence.
Common question types
Main idea & summary
What the passage is mostly about, or the best summary of it.
Inference
Conclusions the text supports without stating outright.
Text structure
How ideas are ordered, and where sentences best fit.
Poetry & figurative language
Imagery, metaphor and mood in shorter, denser texts.
Why Reading matters
Reading is the section that quietly powers every other one. A student who reads quickly and accurately understands maths word problems faster, follows Thinking Skills puzzles more easily, and plans stronger writing.
It also rewards depth over speed-reading: the hardest questions test careful interpretation, so slowing down at the right moments matters more than racing to the end.
One example question
A single representative question, to show what this section looks like — not a practice set. The full sets live on the free practice questions page below.
A passage describes a character who “kept checking the door, unable to sit still.” This most strongly suggests the character is:
- bored
- anxious ✓
- sleepy
- angry
Answer & explanation
anxious. The behaviour — repeated checking and restlessness — implies nervous anticipation. Nothing points to boredom, tiredness or anger, so “anxious” is the best-supported inference.
Want more? Try a set of free practice questions across all four subjects.
How to prepare at home
What helps between now and the test. Technique for the test itself — pacing, elimination, checking your reasoning — is a separate job, and has its own guide.
- ✓Read widely every day — fiction, news, and non-fiction.
- ✓Talk about what was read: “What did the author want you to feel?”
- ✓Read something a level harder together once a week, and stop to unpack it.
For technique in the test itself, read how to improve at Reading.
Ready to practise Reading?
Sit a free, full-length sample test and practise Reading under real exam conditions.