HESI A2 Reading Comprehension Study Guide
HESI A2 READING
COMPREHENSION STUDY
GUIDE
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,HESI A2 Reading Comprehension Study Guide
HESI A2 Full Reading Comprehension Guide
Main Idea
What is the “Main Idea”?
The main idea is what the text is about and what the author wants you, the reader, to know. If
someone were to ask you, “What was that book or article about?” they are asking you about the
main idea. When you can tell them exactly what it is about, you have grasped the main idea.
What is the purpose of the main idea?
The purpose of the main idea is two-fold. First, it lets the reader know what the text is about so
that the reader can decide whether or not to continue reading. Secondly, its purpose is to engage
the reader quickly. It serves to capture and take hold of the reader within the first minute or two
of picking up the text.
How can you identify the main idea?
The main idea is usually (but not always) apparent within the first two to three sentences. Often,
the main idea is the same as the topic sentence. At other times, the title may state the main idea.
After the first two or three paragraphs of a text, a reader should be able to identify the main idea
and what the text is seeking to do. Some questions you can ask yourself after these first
paragraphs include:
● Does this book/article/text tell me who, what, when, where, or how about something?
● Does this piece’s title tell me what I am reading?
● What is the point of this text?
Main idea and supporting details
The text you are reading will have additional details that help support or lend credence to the
main idea. As you are reading, it is important to stop periodically to decide reflect how the
supporting details help illustrate the main idea and to determine how they relate to each other.
Rereading and reviewing
Sometimes it is necessary to read the text again to decipher the main idea and the supporting
details. Read each paragraph carefully and consider why the author is sharing this information.
Example: Glass is such a popular material in our homes because it has all kinds of really useful
properties. Apart from being transparent, it's inexpensive to make, easy to shape when it's
molten, reasonably resistant to heat when it's set, chemically inert (so a glass jar doesn't react
with the things you put inside it), and it can be recycled many number of times.
What is the main idea of this paragraph?
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,HESI A2 Reading Comprehension Study Guide
a. Glass is transparent.
b. Glass can be recycled.
c. Glass is useful in varied ways.
d. Glass is resistant to heat.
The answer is C. The first sentence states that glass is a popular material because it is useful in
many ways. All the other answers (a, b, d) are supporting details that illustrate the main idea.
Identifying the Main Idea Worksheet
Select the main idea of each paragraph from the choices provided.
1. Annie Etheridge is one of the most famous nurses of the Civil War. Annie decided to
become a nurse after her experience looking after her father when he was very ill and
who eventually passed away. When the war broke out, Annie joined the 2nd Michigan
Volunteer Infantry. She was affectionately nicknamed “Gentle Annie” and known for her
bravery and courage. Annie was also an expert horsewoman and would ride throughout
the battlefields with her saddlebags full of medical supplies. At one point, Annie’s horse
was shot out from under her, but she continued to work in the field and tend to wounded
soldiers. Her dedication and courage led her to become one of only two women in history
to ever be awarded the Kearny Cross. When she died in 1913, Annie was buried as a
veteran.
What is the best title for this passage?
a. “The Greatest Horsewoman of the Civil War”
b. “The Famous Kearny Cross Award”
c. “The Bravery and Courage of Nurse Annie”
d. “Annie’s Dying Father”
2. Studies show that people who work in front of the computer all day can benefit from
getting up from their desk and moving around. Prolonged inactivity can cause serious
long-term health issues, including an increased risk of heart disease. To combat some of
the negative effects of sitting in front of a computer for extended periods of time, it is
recommended that workers should incorporate 5 to 10 minutes of activity per hour into
their daily schedule. This can include activities such as stretching or walking.
What is the main idea of this passage?
a. Engaging in activity periodically throughout the day can be beneficial to your
health.
b. Sitting for prolonged periods of time is good for your overall health.
c. Working at a desk is the primary cause of heart disease.
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, HESI A2 Reading Comprehension Study Guide
d. There aren’t any benefits to stretching or walking.
3. The Black Death, also known as the Black Plague, was an epidemic of the bubonic plague.
A disease caused by a bacterium carried by wild rodents where they live in great numbers
and density. These kinds of rodents, specifically black rodents, like to live among humans,
unlike the grey and brown rats, who prefer to keep distance and live in sewers and cellars.
The black rats carry fleas and once the infected rats died, the fleas became hungry and
then feed on humans. Therefore, infecting the humans and carrying the contagion from
the rat to the person.
Choose the best summary for this passage.
a. The Black Death was caused by a high number of rats living in high populated
areas.
b. Black rodents like to live in areas where there are a lot of humans.
c. The Black Death has various names including the Black Plague.
d. Black rats are one of the most dangerous animals in the world.
4. Frida Kahlo is a cultural icon and is especially revered in her home country of Mexico.
Frida’s art was heavily influenced by her traumatic experiences as a child and early
adulthood. Her works of art showcased physical and psychological events, including a
crippling accident, and the infidelity of her husband. The tone of her pieces was brooding
and introspective as she dealt with personal identity issues. Frida was of mixed ancestry
- Mexican and German - and at one point changed the spelling of her first name to be of
less Germanic influence. Later in her life, Frida had to rely on painkillers because of her
physical condition which ended up affecting the quality of her work. Today she is one of
the most famous artists in the world. Her name alone brings in many fans to museums
and cultural events.
Which of the following is not listed as a detail?
a. Frida was of mixed ancestry.
b. Traumatic events in Frida’s life that influenced her art.
c. Frida was in a terrible, life-altering car accident.
d. Frida was in a crippling accident.
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HESI A2 READING
COMPREHENSION STUDY
GUIDE
2 | Page
© All Rights Reserved. www.ReadyForTHeHESI.org
,HESI A2 Reading Comprehension Study Guide
HESI A2 Full Reading Comprehension Guide
Main Idea
What is the “Main Idea”?
The main idea is what the text is about and what the author wants you, the reader, to know. If
someone were to ask you, “What was that book or article about?” they are asking you about the
main idea. When you can tell them exactly what it is about, you have grasped the main idea.
What is the purpose of the main idea?
The purpose of the main idea is two-fold. First, it lets the reader know what the text is about so
that the reader can decide whether or not to continue reading. Secondly, its purpose is to engage
the reader quickly. It serves to capture and take hold of the reader within the first minute or two
of picking up the text.
How can you identify the main idea?
The main idea is usually (but not always) apparent within the first two to three sentences. Often,
the main idea is the same as the topic sentence. At other times, the title may state the main idea.
After the first two or three paragraphs of a text, a reader should be able to identify the main idea
and what the text is seeking to do. Some questions you can ask yourself after these first
paragraphs include:
● Does this book/article/text tell me who, what, when, where, or how about something?
● Does this piece’s title tell me what I am reading?
● What is the point of this text?
Main idea and supporting details
The text you are reading will have additional details that help support or lend credence to the
main idea. As you are reading, it is important to stop periodically to decide reflect how the
supporting details help illustrate the main idea and to determine how they relate to each other.
Rereading and reviewing
Sometimes it is necessary to read the text again to decipher the main idea and the supporting
details. Read each paragraph carefully and consider why the author is sharing this information.
Example: Glass is such a popular material in our homes because it has all kinds of really useful
properties. Apart from being transparent, it's inexpensive to make, easy to shape when it's
molten, reasonably resistant to heat when it's set, chemically inert (so a glass jar doesn't react
with the things you put inside it), and it can be recycled many number of times.
What is the main idea of this paragraph?
3 | Page
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,HESI A2 Reading Comprehension Study Guide
a. Glass is transparent.
b. Glass can be recycled.
c. Glass is useful in varied ways.
d. Glass is resistant to heat.
The answer is C. The first sentence states that glass is a popular material because it is useful in
many ways. All the other answers (a, b, d) are supporting details that illustrate the main idea.
Identifying the Main Idea Worksheet
Select the main idea of each paragraph from the choices provided.
1. Annie Etheridge is one of the most famous nurses of the Civil War. Annie decided to
become a nurse after her experience looking after her father when he was very ill and
who eventually passed away. When the war broke out, Annie joined the 2nd Michigan
Volunteer Infantry. She was affectionately nicknamed “Gentle Annie” and known for her
bravery and courage. Annie was also an expert horsewoman and would ride throughout
the battlefields with her saddlebags full of medical supplies. At one point, Annie’s horse
was shot out from under her, but she continued to work in the field and tend to wounded
soldiers. Her dedication and courage led her to become one of only two women in history
to ever be awarded the Kearny Cross. When she died in 1913, Annie was buried as a
veteran.
What is the best title for this passage?
a. “The Greatest Horsewoman of the Civil War”
b. “The Famous Kearny Cross Award”
c. “The Bravery and Courage of Nurse Annie”
d. “Annie’s Dying Father”
2. Studies show that people who work in front of the computer all day can benefit from
getting up from their desk and moving around. Prolonged inactivity can cause serious
long-term health issues, including an increased risk of heart disease. To combat some of
the negative effects of sitting in front of a computer for extended periods of time, it is
recommended that workers should incorporate 5 to 10 minutes of activity per hour into
their daily schedule. This can include activities such as stretching or walking.
What is the main idea of this passage?
a. Engaging in activity periodically throughout the day can be beneficial to your
health.
b. Sitting for prolonged periods of time is good for your overall health.
c. Working at a desk is the primary cause of heart disease.
4 | Page
© All Rights Reserved. www.ReadyForTHeHESI.org
, HESI A2 Reading Comprehension Study Guide
d. There aren’t any benefits to stretching or walking.
3. The Black Death, also known as the Black Plague, was an epidemic of the bubonic plague.
A disease caused by a bacterium carried by wild rodents where they live in great numbers
and density. These kinds of rodents, specifically black rodents, like to live among humans,
unlike the grey and brown rats, who prefer to keep distance and live in sewers and cellars.
The black rats carry fleas and once the infected rats died, the fleas became hungry and
then feed on humans. Therefore, infecting the humans and carrying the contagion from
the rat to the person.
Choose the best summary for this passage.
a. The Black Death was caused by a high number of rats living in high populated
areas.
b. Black rodents like to live in areas where there are a lot of humans.
c. The Black Death has various names including the Black Plague.
d. Black rats are one of the most dangerous animals in the world.
4. Frida Kahlo is a cultural icon and is especially revered in her home country of Mexico.
Frida’s art was heavily influenced by her traumatic experiences as a child and early
adulthood. Her works of art showcased physical and psychological events, including a
crippling accident, and the infidelity of her husband. The tone of her pieces was brooding
and introspective as she dealt with personal identity issues. Frida was of mixed ancestry
- Mexican and German - and at one point changed the spelling of her first name to be of
less Germanic influence. Later in her life, Frida had to rely on painkillers because of her
physical condition which ended up affecting the quality of her work. Today she is one of
the most famous artists in the world. Her name alone brings in many fans to museums
and cultural events.
Which of the following is not listed as a detail?
a. Frida was of mixed ancestry.
b. Traumatic events in Frida’s life that influenced her art.
c. Frida was in a terrible, life-altering car accident.
d. Frida was in a crippling accident.
5 | Page
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