Reading, vocabulary and useful information

The main idea is what a text mostly explains or describes. Supporting details give examples, reasons or facts about that idea. A paragraph about saving water may mention turning off taps, repairing leaks and collecting rainwater. The main idea is saving water, not only one of those examples. A title such as ‘Ways to Save Water’ fits all three details. ‘A Broken Tap’ would be too narrow if the paragraph discusses several methods.

Read the whole paragraph before choosing a heading. Ask which idea includes the important details without adding information the text does not contain. Then find one supporting detail to show why the heading fits. For a detail question, return to the exact part needed; the main idea and a specific fact are different kinds of answer. Avoid copying a whole paragraph when only a short answer is requested.

වැඩි විස්තර අවශ්‍ය විට පමණක් මෙම කොටස කියවන්න.

Context means the words and ideas around an unfamiliar word. A sentence may explain it, contrast it with another word or show an example. In ‘The path was narrow; only one person could walk along it’, the second part suggests that narrow means not wide. The clue comes from the situation, not from guessing a random similar-looking word. A familiar prefix or suffix may help too, but it does not always tell the whole meaning. Unhappy contains un plus happy, giving a negative meaning.

Read before and after the word, suggest a meaning and try it in the sentence. If the sentence still makes sense, the guess may be reasonable. Confirm with a learner’s dictionary when needed. Keep the part of speech in mind: a verb meaning must fit an action position, while an adjective meaning must fit a description.

වැඩි විස්තර අවශ්‍ය විට පමණක් මෙම කොටස කියවන්න.

A notice gives important information quickly. A timetable organises events by time, place or day. Before answering, read the heading and any labels so you know what the numbers mean. A 9:30 entry may be an arrival time, a departure time or a lesson start; the column heading decides which. If a bus table says ‘Leaves town 8:00; arrives school 8:25’, the journey takes twenty-five minutes. A question about arrival needs 8:25, not the first number seen.

Follow one row or entry at a time to avoid mixing information from different events. Look for conditions such as ‘only on weekdays’ or a changed venue. In a written answer, include a unit such as minutes when needed. If the table does not supply a fact, do not invent it from general knowledge.

වැඩි විස්තර අවශ්‍ය විට පමණක් මෙම කොටස කියවන්න.