Hesi A2 Reading Comprehension Study Guide Edits

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? 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. 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. IDENTIFYING MAIN IDEA Worksheet - Answer Key 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” The correct answer is C. The passage cites several examples of Annie being brave and courageous. The other titles are describing supporting details. The entire passage does not talk about just the award, or just or horsemanship skills, or just her father. The story encompasses all of those details which are better “umbrella-d” in the title “The Bravery and Courage of Nurse Annie.” 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. d. There aren’t any benefits to stretching or walking. The correct answer is A. Although the passage talks about sitting for prolonged period of times, it does not mention that it is good for health or that it is a primary cause of heart diseases. Also, walking and stretching are types of activities that can be incorporated to combat the negative effects of sitting for long periods. Thus, any activity performed periodically is beneficial to health. 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 fed 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. The correct answer is A. This answer choice describes the main theme of the passage. The entire paragraph is about the Black Death and how the rats affect the humans and incited disease. It describes how the black death was caused by the black rats. B and C are too specific and are details supporting the main idea. D is not even mentioned as a detail at all in the story. 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. The correct answer is C. Although the passage does talk about a traumatic and crippling accident that happened to Friday, the story never details exactly what happened. Nowhere in the story is it revealed that the tragic, crippling accident was a car accident. All other details A, B, and D were all mentioned explicitly in the passage. What is author’s tone? Author’s Tone Author’s tone is the way the author speaks through her/his words. The author’s tone includes the words that he/she uses to describe people, situations, and events. The tone gives the reader clues about how the author thinks or feels about particular subjects and people. We get a sense of the author’s attitude. What is its purpose? Part of the purpose of tone is to create the mood of the piece. Mostly, however, the tone of the text gives the reader insight into why the author is writing in the first place, especially in non- fiction writing. The reader can infer the author’s purpose by identifying tone. Why is it important? Author’s tone is important because, along with clueing the reader about the purpose of the text, it allows the reader to engage in a deeper way by identifying whether the text is fact or opinion, an expository or persuasive piece, etc. Evaluating the tone also requires the reader to check his or her own biases and prejudices in relation to the topic. Do you find yourself sympathizing with something simply because of how the author speaks? The tone may be partially responsible! How to identify author’s tone Tone can be tricky to identify, but some general rules are to consider context clues, like the adjectives and descriptions of people, places, and events in the text. How is the author using his/her words? What words is he/she choosing? How does he/she compare and contrast items within the text? Is the author trying to prove something to the reader? Or have something to gain by persuading the reader of something? Are the adjectives used almost exclusively negative (or positive) or have negative (or positive) connotations? If asked, how would the author respond to questions about the characters, events, or places? What would his/her face look like when asked? Example: Antibiotics are medicines used to treat infections caused by bacteria. Antibiotics don’t work against infections caused by viruses, such as colds and flu. So, there’s no point in taking antibiotics to treat a cold or flu, and no point asking your doctor to prescribe them for a cold or flu. Taking antibiotics when you don’t need them, like for a cold or flu, is a waste of time and money and completely ridiculous. It can also mean that they won't work when you really need them for a serious infection. What is the overall tone of this passage? a. Disappointed b. Cautionary c. Regretful d. Scornful The correct answer is D. The author uses phrases and words like “no point in,” “complete waste of time,” and “completely ridiculous.” These kinds of phrases are almost mocking and sneering, and definitely scornful. The speaker does not respect anyone who would take antibiotics if they had the cold or flu. Answer A is not correct because there is nothing regarding disappointment or sadness, nor regret (answer B). The author is telling the reader not to take antibiotics which does sound like advice or caution (answer B) however, the overall tone of the entire passage is more disdainful than giving helpful cautionary advice. Identifying Author’s Tone Worksheet For the following examples, identify tone and context clues. 1. Often it can feel that a lot of hard work and effort does not turn out to be an accomplishment. It can seem the little things do not matter and can easily go unnoticed. However, the small things always matter and carry great importance. Just as every tiny stitch that goes into making a dress, counts. Just as each brick or nail toward a house built, counts. Just as each mistake turns into new acquired knowledge, counts. What is the overall tone of this passage? a. Hesitant b. Encouraging c. Regretful d. Amusing Context clues: 2. The swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that regularly cause outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Influenza viruses that commonly circulate in swine are called “swine influenza viruses” or “swine flu viruses.” Like human influenza viruses, there are different subtypes and strains of swine influenza viruses. What is the overall tone of this passage? a. Fearful b. Unsure c. Negative d. Objective Context clues: 3. America is seriously failing their nation’s teenagers when it comes to the education of sexually transmitted diseases. Somehow the leaders of this nation must be convinced, without delay, that these terrible illnesses can infect their nation’s young population. Teenagers must be given this information in order to protect themselves -- before it’s too late. What is the overall tone of this passage? a. Mocking b. Ironic c. Objective d. Earnest Context clues: 4. The Washington Post has reported that a famous country singer has come forward to announce he has signed into an addiction-treatment centre to deal with his alcohol problems. The Post writes in detail about his courage and honesty to come out to the public with his personal issues. That may be the case, but in truth, what it really takes to enter a centre is money. What about your average poor man who may have a drinking problem and “courage,” but who doesn’t happen to have the funds to pay for $500 dollars a nice in a fancy rest home? What is the overall tone of this passage? a. Bitter b. Regretful c. Revengeful d. Sentimental Context clues: 5. Botulism, a type of rare, severe food poisoning, has been reported recently in New Jersey. It is believed that the victim, who is in critical condition at a local hospital, was stricken after eating from a jar of incorrectly preserved home-grown green beans from last summer’s garden. It has been ten years since the last instance of botulism poisoning was reported in the state. What is the overall tone of this passage? a. Hesitant b. Serious c. Cautionary d. Tragic Context clues: 6. Sure, litterbugs account for a lot of the trash blowing around a city’s streets, but there are other villains too. What about people who set out their trash days ahead of their scheduled trash pickup time? Worse yet are the stores that pile boxes in back alleys, and restaurants whose mounds of green—bagged trash draw rodents and roaches. What is the overall tone of this passage? a. Tolerant b. Depressed c. Critical d. Disappointed Context clues: IDENTIFYING AUTHOR’S TONE Worksheet - Answer Key For the following examples, identify tone and context clues. 1. Often it can feel that a lot of hard work and effort does not turn out to be an accomplishment. It can seem the little things do not matter and can easily go unnoticed. However, the small things always matter and carry great importance. Just as every tiny stitch that goes into making a dress, counts. Just as each brick or nail toward a house built, counts. Just as each mistake turns into new acquired knowledge, counts. What is the overall tone of this passage? e. Hesitant f. Encouraging g. Regretful h. Amusing Context clues: small things always matter and carry great importance The correct answer is B. The tone is encouraging because there are a series of context clues that express encouraging and hopeful details like the importance of a tiny stitch, the importance of a single nail, etc. 2. The swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that regularly cause outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Influenza viruses that commonly circulate in swine are called “swine influenza viruses” or “swine flu viruses.” Like human influenza viruses, there are different subtypes and strains of swine influenza viruses. What is the overall tone of this passage? e. Fearful f. Unsure g. Negative h. Objective Context clues: list of facts and no opinionated statements The correct answer is D. The story is objective and has no language or words that would make the reader feel scared. It is merely providing facts. Context clues include the factual sentences included like the names of the influenza viruses and details about it being a respiratory disease. 3. America is seriously failing their nation’s teenagers when it comes to the education of sexually transmitted diseases. Somehow the leaders of this nation must be convinced, without delay, that these terrible illnesses can infect their nation’s young population. Teenagers must be given this information in order to protect themselves -- before it’s too late. What is the overall tone of this passage? a. Mocking b. Ironic c. Objective d. Earnest Context clues: pleading tone, ‘nation must be convinced’ and ‘before it’s too late. The correct answer is D. The author is writing with great earnest and intense conviction. Context clues include phrases like “must be convinced, without delay” and “must be given this information … before it’s too late.” The author describes the importance of this issue with great emotion and urgency. It is not mocking (A) or making fun of anyone and it is not trying to show sarcasm or irony (B). The text is also not objective (C) because there are strong opinions expressed in the passage. 4. The Washington Post has reported that a famous country singer has come forward to announce he has signed into an addiction-treatment centre to deal with his alcohol problems. The Post writes in detail about his courage and honesty to come out to the public with his personal issues. That may be the case, but in truth, what it really takes to enter a center is money. What about your average poor man who may have a drinking problem and “courage,” but who doesn’t happen to have the funds to pay for $500 dollars a night in a fancy rest home? What is the overall tone of this passage? a. Bitter b. Regretful c. Revengeful d. Sentimental Context clues: ‘what it really takes is money’ ‘what about the average poor man’ ‘fancy rest home’ The correct answer is A. The writer is talking about an article with great cynicism and bitterness. Context clues are “what it really takes … is money” and “pay for $500 a night to rest in a fancy home.” The author does not show any words of regret (B) nor does he seem to be seeking revenge (C). Sentimental (D) refers to tender emotions and here, the author is more harsh than tender. 5. Botulism, a type of rare, severe food poisoning, has been reported recently in New Jersey. It is believed that the victim, who is in critical condition at a local hospital, was stricken after eating from a jar of incorrectly preserved home-grown green beans from last summer’s garden. It has been ten years since the last instance of botulism poisoning was reported in the state. What is the overall tone of this passage? a. Hesitant b. Serious c. Cautionary d. Tragic Context clues: serious tone and stating neutral facts, no adjectives to arise emotion The correct answer is B. The passage has a mainly neutral and serious tone. Context clues include the lack of emotional words and merely stating facts like what botulism is and how it can happen if eating incorrectly preserved beans. It is not hesitant (A) because the other doesn’t seem to pause or write feelings that makes the reader feel nervous. It is not cautionary (C) because it does provide any words of advice or warnings. It just states fact. If it was a warning it would say something like “Do not make home-grown green beans or you’ll get sick and possibly die!” There would be more emotion behind it. It is not tragic (D) because there are no emotional words of tragedy or mournfulness. 6. Sure, litterbugs account for a lot of the trash blowing around a city’s streets, but there are other villains too. What about people who set out their trash days ahead of their scheduled trash pickup time? Worse yet are the stores that pile boxes in back alleys, and restaurants whose mounds of green—bagged trash draw rodents and roaches. What is the overall tone of this passage? a. Tolerant b. Depressed c. Critical d. Disappointed Context clues: ‘what about people who…’ ‘worse yet…’ The correct is C. The author is criticizing all the people who contribute to the trash in cities. Context clues include when the author goes into detail about how some people leave their trash about before scheduled time and how restaurant owners leave trash in the back alleys. The passage has no details about sadness or depression (B). There are no encouraging or tolerant (B) phrases and the author is not disappointed (D) or upset. The tone is harsher than that. What is fact or opinion? Fact or Opinion Some texts will be more factual and others will be opinion. It is important that a reader understand the difference between a fact and an opinion statement. A fact is an objective truth that can be supported with evidence. An opinion is a subjective statement that cannot be proven or upheld by objective standards. Each person will have individual thoughts on a particular subject, and there is no demonstrable proof that one way is “right.” Why are there factual and opinionated texts? Factual pieces, like scientific research and historical timelines, exist to spread knowledge or build a foundation of informational understanding. Opinion pieces, like editorials and reviews, seek to engage and persuade the reader, create a dialog, and challenge long-held ideas—even factual ones! How can I tell the difference? When a statement can be validated by other texts and evidence, it is a fact. If it mentions specific times, places, events, or dates, it is most likely a fact. If it cannot be supported by additional information, and especially if the statement draws the reader into any personal views of the author, it is most likely opinion. Ask yourself the following: ● Does the author use value judgements by using words like good, better, horrible, should, must, etc.? ● Is this information found anywhere else and shared in the same way by a credible organization, publication, or individual? ● Does the author cite his/her sources or say things like, “I believe”? Watch out! It is important to understand that even scientific research and historical timelines, as mentioned above, can have opinion statements within their work, even while the whole of the piece is still factual. Critical readers will notice when personal or subjective statements are made within a factual text. They will question the author’s motive and experience regarding that particular statement, based on what they know about opinions. Example: On January 1, 1959, a young Cuban nationalist named Fidel Castro drove his guerrilla army into Havana and overthrew General Fulgencio Batista, the nation’s American-backed president. For the next two years, officials at the U.S. State Department and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) attempted to push Castro from power. Finally, in April 1961, the CIA launched what its leaders believed would be the definitive strike: a full-scale invasion of Cuba by 1,400 American-trained Cubans who had fled their homes when Castro took over. However, the invasion did not go well: The invaders were badly outnumbered by Castro’s troops, and they surrendered after less than 24 hours of fighting. Many Cubans welcomed Fidel Castro’s 1959 overthrow of the dictatorial President Fulgencio Batista. Which of the following statements in an opinion? a. The invaders were outnumbered by Castro’s troops. b. However, the invasion did not go well. c. Fidel Castro drove his guerrilla army into Havana. d. General Fulgencio was the nation’s American-backed president. The correct answer is B. Although this is statement mentioned in the passage, this is a point of view and not a fact. In this point of view and opinion, it states the invasion did not go well. However, it can be argued that this was a good thing for the Cuban people and because it is possible that it can be good and or bad, depending on who you ask, this statement is an opinion. A, C, and D are indisputable facts that are true and not opinion