CAHSEE Test Strategies
San Fernando High School
The Reading Comprehension strand has
18 multiple-choice questions which
measure your ability to read and
understand informational documents. You
will identify main ideas, supporting
details, text organization, logic, and
author’s purpose.
You will be asked to read and understand
non-fiction documents such as:
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Textbooks
Instruction manuals
Articles
Letters
First do this…
1. Skim the title and the
text.
2. Read the first and last
paragraphs or first and
last sentences.
3. Scan the questions.
Then ask yourself…
What can I predict the
text is about?
What does the text seem
to be about?
What did you learn about
the text by scanning the
questions?
There are five distinct types of reading comprehension
questions on the CAHSEE:
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Right There!
In Other Words…
Brain Power
What’s the Big Idea?
Read All!
Question Type
Strategy
Right There!
Example: The question asks,
“What is the best way to choose Skim and Scan for a particular
a password?” Let’s see…it says fact and look for an answer in
right here that the best way to the same words as the text.
choose a password is to select
something memorable from
you past, and that’s one of the
answers. Got it!
Question Type
Strategy
In Other Words…
Example: The question asks, “What
should you do first before choosing a
password?” Let’s see…the text says I
need to know the type of password
required. But I don’t see that in any of
the answer choices. Hey! Here’s
something: “Read the directions for
creating the password and be sure
that your password conforms to the
specifications required.” That
summarizes what the author said, it
must be the answer!
Skim and scan the text for the idea
referred to in the question. The
correct answer will paraphrase or
summarize what’s in the text — it will
be stated in different words. Look at
each answer carefully and choose the
one that is the closest in meaning.
Question Type
Strategy
Brain Power
Example: Let’s see…the
question asks, “Which of the
four phrases is an example of a
simile?” I already know what a
simile is, so I should look at
each phrase and see which one
fits.
Just use your brain. No need to
go back to the text because it
doesn’t define simile for you.
Question Type
Strategy
What’s the Big Idea…
Example: Just from looking at
the title, “Electric Cars Deserve
a Second Chance,” I can see
that the main idea must be that
people should consider buying
electrical cars. Oh, then the
author’s purpose must be to
persuade the reader to consider
electric cars, and the tone is
persuasive! Wow! Easy!
Look at big idea places:
1. Title
2. 1st Paragraph
3. Last Paragraph
Question Type
Strategy
Read All!
Example: How does the
speaker’s attitude change
No shortcuts on this one! Read
throughout the essay? Let’s
the whole text, from beginning
see…I need to know what she
to end.
was like in the beginning and
compare this to what she is like
at the end.