Reading comprehension HAVO

Reading comprehension HAVO

What do you usually struggle with while making a CITO reading test?

What is expected?

You...

• understand main idea of the text
• see and recognise linking words
• recognize opinion of experts
• recognize examples

Types of questions

1. Multiple choice
2.  True / false statements
3. Open questions
4. Gap fill

General steps

1. Vocabulary: which words do you know about the topic?

2. Topic: what do you know about the topic?

3. Strategy: What type of text is it? What type of question is it? What should your answer look like?

General strategies

• Read the first question, DO NOT READ THE OPTIONS YET!
  
• Now go to the passage mentioned in the first question.
  
• Try to “answer” the question in your own words, using the passage.
  
• Now look at the options presented below the question.
  
• Usually, 2 of the options are utter nonsense. Delete those.
  
• Compare the 2 which are left to the passage.
  
• Underline in the text where you found the answer.
  
• Look carefully, it should be there but in different words!
• Proceed with question 2 and repeat steps as mentioned above.

Title & Picture

Title: Bugs a la mode

What do you think the text will be about?

-> alludes to the main idea

What the text will be about?

Question 33

Which of the following is not mentioned as a benefit of eating insects in paragraph 1?

What is the most important information in the question?

Answer the question 33

Question 34

“they’re gross” (paragraph 2)

34 How does Gordon try to challenge this notion?

What the synonym of gross?

Question 35

Which of the following fits the gap in paragraph 3?

A However

B Instead

C Likewise

D Moreover

General strategy 

• Read always until the gap and then the following sentece
• Divide the words in positive and negative
• Think of the function of the linking words - to contrast; to add; to give reasons; to compare etc.
• If there are antonyms in the options, then it is usually one of the two (A hot; B clear; C cold; D pretty)

Question 35

What is the function of paragraph 3?

What are the linking words in paragraph 3?

Pay attention to what is said after the linking word.

Answer question 36

37 - Open question

• Mark the quote
• Think what they want to know
• Answer in Dutch
• Use short sentence to answer this question

Answer question 37

Possible answers

dat het populair kan worden / een kwestie van wennen is

of

dat je mensen insecten kunt laten eten door die op sushi te laten lijken / op een aantrekkelijke manier aan te bieden

of

dat vroeger sushi ook niet werd gegeten en nu wel

of

dat het al eerder gelukt is om een onbekend/nieuw product geaccepteerd

te krijgen

How do your rate your knowledge of the reading strategies? (1-10)