How does familiarity with different text types assist in reading comprehension?

How does familiarity with different text types assist in reading comprehension?

• A. It provides longer reading material
• B. It helps predict content and structure
• C. It simplifies vocabulary
• D. It reduces comprehension difficulty

Answer: (B)

Familiarity with different text types significantly enhances reading comprehension by allowing readers to predict both the content and structure of a text. When a reader recognizes the specific features of a particular genre—such as the narrative structure in a story, the format of a recipe, or the argument structure in an essay—they can anticipate what to expect in terms of information and organization. This predictive ability means that readers can focus their attention more effectively as they navigate through the text, making connections between ideas and improving overall understanding. For instance, if a reader encounters a scientific article, their prior knowledge of how such texts are structured (e.g., abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion) helps them to sift through information more efficiently and grasp the main arguments and data presented. Thus, this familiarity acts as a cognitive guide, enabling readers to approach texts with a framework that makes comprehension easier and more intuitive.

Familiarity with different text types significantly enhances reading comprehension by allowing readers to predict both the content and structure of a text. When a reader recognizes the specific features of a particular genre—such as the narrative structure in a story, the format of a recipe, or the argument structure in an essay—they can anticipate what to expect in terms of information and organization. This predictive ability means that readers can focus their attention more effectively as they navigate through the text, making connections between ideas and improving overall understanding.

For instance, if a reader encounters a scientific article, their prior knowledge of how such texts are structured (e.g., abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion) helps them to sift through information more efficiently and grasp the main arguments and data presented. Thus, this familiarity acts as a cognitive guide, enabling readers to approach texts with a framework that makes comprehension easier and more intuitive.