HESI Reading Comprehension

Summarizing

1.) The summary should include the main ideas from the beginning, middle, and end of the passage. 2.) The summary must be presented in sequence; it cannot move from the beginning to the end and then back to the middle. 3.) The summary must have accurate information. Sometimes a test summary will deliberately include false information. In that case, the critical reader will automatically throw that test option out. This question usually takes the longest to answer because to answer it correctly the student must go through each summary choice and locate the related information or main idea in the passage itself. DOuble-checking the summary choices is one way of proving that the reader has the best summary, because if the summary choice presents information that is inaccurate or out of order, the reader will automatically eliminate those choices.

3. What is the meaning of the word behoove as used in the last paragraph? A. To be needful B. To be responsible for C. To increase D. To tell others

A

7. Which statement would not be inferred by the reader? A. Most Americans will never have a need for Medicare and its various parts. B. Some age-related illnesses might be averted with preventive care. C. Some seniors could find themselves changing their Part D coverage yearly. D. The "donut hole" in Part D does create a financial hardship for seniors.

A

Making Logical inference

A critical reader is constantly required to make logical inferences. A critical reader does not always known whether the inference is correct, but the inference is made based on the reader's own set of beliefs or assumptions. Determining inferences is a skill that is often referred to as reading between the lines. It's a logical connection that is based on the situation, the facts provided and the reader's knowledge and experience. The key to making logical inference is to be sure the inference are supportable by the evidence or facts presented in the reading. This often requires reading the passage twice so that details can be identified. Inferences are not stated in the reading but are derived from the information presented and influenced by the reader's knowledge and experience.

DIstinguishing between fact and opinion

A critical reader must question and evaluate the writer's underlying assumptions. The reader must determine whether the writer's statement are facts and opinions and whether the supporting evidence and details are relevant and valid. And also determine whether the author's argument is credible and logical. To find the difference between fact and opinion the reader must understand the common definitions of those words. Fact is considered something that can be proved (right or wrong). ex. at the time Columbus sailed for the New World, it was considered a scientific fact that the world was flat. Columbus proved the scientists wrong. An opinion is a statement that cannot be proved. Ex. " I thought the movie Avatar was the best movie ever made" is a statement of opinion. It is subjective; it is the writer's personal opinion. On the other hand, the following is a statement of fact: " The movie Avatar was nominated for an Academy Award for best picture in 2010 but did not win." This statement is a fact because it can be proved to be correct. THE READER MUST LOOK CLOSELY AT THE WRITER'S CHOICE OF WORDS IN DETERMINING FACT OR OPINION. Word choices that include measurable data and colors are considered factual or concrete words. "Frank weighs 220 pounds" and "Mary's dress is red" are examples of concrete words being used in statements of fact. If the writer uses evaluative or judgmental words (good, better, best, worst), it is considered a statement of opinion. Abstract words (love, hate, envy) are also used in statements of opinion. These include ideas or concepts that cannot be measured. Statements that deal with probabilities or speculations about future events are also considered opinions.

Anatonym

A word that means the opposite of another word.

Synonym

A word that means the same thing as another word.

Inference

An educated guess or conclusion drawn by the reader based on the available facts and information.

5. Identify the overall tone of the essay. A. Argumentative B. Cautious C. Sympathetic D. Pessimistic

B

6. Which of the following statements is an opinion? A. Senior citizens pay a monthly insurance premium for Part D coverage. B. The high cost of prescription drugs has made life difficult for seniors. C. In 2006, Congress enacted Medicare legislation that provides prescription drug coverage. D. Not all prescription drugs are covered in each plan provided by Medicare Part D.

B

1. What is the main idea of the passage? A. The high cost of prescription drugs is a difficult financial burden for seniors. B. Medicare Part D has many problems and no benefits. C. Medicare Part D, along with Part A and Part B, helps seniors afford prescription drugs and better health care. D. Senior citizens enrolled in Medicare Part D have no prescription drug concerns.

C

2. Which of the following is not listed as a detail in the passage? A. By the year 2050 the number of seniors over the age of 65 will increase. B. Medicare Parts A and B help pay for hospital costs and doctor services. C. Seniors are required to enroll in Medicare Part D. D. Medicare Part D includes a "donut hole."

C

4. What is the author's primary purpose in writing this essay? A. To inform people how to enroll in Medicare B. To persuade seniors to enroll in Medicare Part D C. To entertain non-health care professionals D. To analyze the provisions of Medicare Part D

D

8. Choose the best summary of the passage. A. Americans are growing older every year and are requiring more and more health care. Health care professionals can help meet those needs if seniors enroll in Medicare Parts A, B, and D. The three parts of Medicare can ease the financial burden of seniors. B. At the age of 65, senior citizens sign up for Medicare Parts A, B, and D that will cover medical costs up to $2830 a year. For those seniors who suffer from multiple health issues the cost is $4450. Prescription drug care provided through Part D makes life much easier for seniors. C. "Baby boomers" are the most common senior citizens requiring health care. This group is the fastest growing group and will comprise 21% of the population by 2050. Even though there are concerns about Medicare, Part D ensures that all seniors have the medical coverage they need. D. Medicare Parts A, B, and D help seniors pay for hospital costs, doctor and outpatient services, and most recently, prescription drugs. Even though Part D offers many benefits, concerns about various plans with different covered prescriptions and the "donut hole" are still of concern. For seniors, life with Medicare is much better.

D

Not all main ideas are stated.

Identify unstated or implied main ideas by looking specifically at the details, examples, causes, and reasons given. Again, asking the questions stated earlier will help in this task: -What is the passage about? (topic) -What point is the author making about the topic? (Main idea)

Inference

Is an educated guess or conclusion drawn by the reader based on the available facts and information.

Identifying a writer's purpose and tone

It's important for the readers to ask the following questions: Who is the intended audience? and why is this being written? due to the reader can be easily fooled into believing that they are reading something objective when in fact the author can try to manipulate the reader's thinking. Trying to persuade them into buying something, or voting for someone. Words that are biased, or words that have a positive or negative connotations, will help the reader determine the author's reason for writing. "If the writer uses a number of words with negative or positive connotations, the writer is usually trying to manipulate the reader's thinking about a person, place, or thing."

HESI HINT

Main ideas can be found in the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a paragraph or passage. Always check the introduction and conclusion for the main idea. In longer passages it's helpful to count the number of paragraphs that are used to describe what is believed to be the main idea statement. If the majority of the paragraphs include information about the main idea statement the reader has chosen, then the reader is probably correct. But if the answer that is chosen by the reader is only mentioned in one paragraph, then the main idea that was chosen is probably just a detail. Another helpful hint is reading the paragraph and then stop and summarize that paragraph. This helps the reader to focus on the content and can lessen the need to reread the entire passage several times. Another way to help is by visualizing as you read, it helps remember details and stay focused. Picturing the information as you ready helps gives a big picture of what its about.

Finding the meaning of words in context

Most reader will come across words for which they do not know the meaning. Identifying the correct meanings of these words may be the key to identifying the author's main idea and to fully comprehending the author's meaning. Using a dictionary doesn't help with finding the correct meaning of these words that may be the key to identifying the author's main idea and fully comprehend the author's meaning. Other options to find the meaning of an unknown word involves using context clues. These phrase context clue refers to the information provided by the author in the words or sentences surrounding the unknown word or words.

Author's tone

Refers to the attitude or feelings the author has about the topic.

Connotation

Refers to the emotions or feelings that the reader attaches to words.

HESI HINT.

Remember, the summary should include the main ideas of the passage, possibly with some major supporting details. Finally, it is a shortened version of the passage that includes all the important information, eliminating the unnecessary and redundant.

Word structure

Sometimes simply knowing the meanings of a basic prefixes, suffixes, and root words can help the reader make an educated guess about an unknown word.

Tone

The attitude or feelings the author has about the topic.

Antonym

The author gives a word that means the opposite of the unknown word.

Examples

The author gives examples that clearly help the reader understand the meaning of the unknown word.

Explanation

The author gives more information about the unknown word, which better explains the meaning of the word.

Synonym

The author gives the reader another word that means the same or nearly the same as the unknown word.

Definition

The author puts the meaning of the word in parentheses or states the definition in the following sentence.

Restatement

The author restates the unknown word in a sentence using more familiar words.

Connotation

The emotions or feelings that the reader attaches to words.

Context clue

The information provided in the words or sentences surrounding an unknown word or words.

HESI HINT

The reader needs to watch for clue words such as although, but, and instead, which sometimes signal that an antonym is being used.

HESI HINT:

When being tested on finding the meaning of a word in the context of a passage, look carefully at the words and sentences surrounding the unknown word. The context clues are usually there for the reader to uncover. Once the correct meaning has been chosen, test that meaning in the passage. It should make sense, and the meaning should make sense, and the meaning should be supported by the other sentences in the passage or paragraph.

HESI Hint

When determining the writer's purpose and/or tone, look closely at the writer's choice of words. The words are the key clues.

Identifying supporting details.

Writing is made up of main ideas and details. The details provide the interest, the visual picture, and the examples that sustain a reader's interest. Many students confuse the author's main ideas with the examples or reasons the author gives to support the main idea. These details give the reader a description, the background, or simply more information to support the writer's assertion or main idea. WIthout these details, the reader would not be able to evaluate whether the writer has made his or her case nor would the reader find the passage as interesting. In addition to examples, facts and statistics may be used. The reader's job is to distinguish between the details, which support the writer's main idea, and the main idea itself. Usually the reader can discover clues to help identify details because often an author uses transition words such as one, next, another, first, or finally to indicate that a detail is being provided.

Identifying the main idea by

identifying the topic of the passage or paragraph by asking "What is it about?" Once that question has been answered, ask, "What point is the author making about the topic?" If the reader understands the author's message about the topic, then the main idea has been identified.

Assumption

is a set of beliefs that the writer has about the subject.