How to Do Well in Reading Comprehension Test - Interviews

When you're taking reading comprehension exams, you'll encounter different types of passages. Some of them may involve interviews or conversations. These passages aim to evaluate how well you can grasp and make sense of information when it's presented as a dialogue. 

Let's explore this special aspect of reading comprehension exams.

An interview is like a chat between two or more people. There are two roles:

1. Interviewer: This person asks questions to find out information.

2. Interviewee: This person answers questions and shares information.

During an interview, the interviewer asks the interviewee questions to uncover:

• Facts: These are the straightforward details—the things that really happened.

• Opinions: These are personal thoughts and feelings about things.

Interviews have a couple of goals:

1. Reveal the Unknown: They show us something new about the person being interviewed, like opening a treasure chest of hidden information.

2. Unearth Different Views: Interviews help us see events or facts from someone else's perspective. It's like trying on someone else's glasses to see the world in a new way.

When answering questions about interviews, remember these points:

• Around the View: Understand the perspective of the interviewer and interviewee to grasp the whole conversation.

• Detail Questions: Focus on specific facts and information mentioned in the interview to understand it better.

• Inference Questions: Look for implied meanings and what is not said directly in the interview.

• Attitude Exploration: Consider the tone and emotions expressed during the interview.

Reading Passage for Practice

Now let's see an example of how to apply this knowledge, and we'll also show you how to approach these types of questions.

Miep Gies

Source: https://teacher.scholastic.com/frank/tscripts/miep.htm

Miep Gies, the woman who risked her life daily to help hide Anne Frank and her family from the Nazis, visited the Scholastic Web site in May 1997. During this project, students had the opportunity to ask Miep questions about Anne Frank, her family, and the other people in hiding.

Below are Miep's answers to questions from students.

Hiding the Franks

How did you react when you heard that you were going to be taking in Anne Frank? Did you agree right away or did it take time to convince you to do this?

I agreed right away to take care of the Frank family. I simply could not do anything else, First, because Otto Frank had been a wonderful boss all the years I had known him. Further, I had often met with his family, who were also great and received me at their home most friendly numerous times. By the way, I did not take them into my home. They were going to hide at Otto Frank's business. I also felt very sorry for them. I had to help.

What were your feelings about the Franks going into hiding?

I was glad that Otto Frank decided to go into hiding, because I was extremely concerned about him and his family, seeing what was happening to the Jews in Amsterdam. Every day you saw trucks with Jews heading for the railway station, from where the trains left for the camps. Nobody ever heard from them again, so I thought Otto did wise to go into hiding.

What was it like to watch Anne and her family in hiding? What was Anne's personality like?

I found it extremely painful to see people who would love to go out and live in freedom now sitting in a small place and worrying all the time what the future would bring. It is truly awful to watch people living in fear. Otto had been my boss for many years. Now, all of sudden, he was dependent on me.

How was it determined who would hide in the Annex?

Otto Frank decided who would stay in the hiding place.

Did you know about the secret room before the Franks hid there?

The hiding place was initially just part of the business. It was the laboratory, used for product development. During the war there was no development of new products, so Otto Frank decided to transform this space into a hiding space.

Why did you take on the responsibility of hiding the Franks?

My decision to help Otto was because I saw no alternative. I could foresee many sleepless nights and an unhappy life if I refused. And that was not the kind of failure I wanted for myself. Permanent remorse about failing to do your human duty, in my opinion, can be worse than losing your life.

Did your husband agree with you about hiding the Franks, or did you have to convince him?

My husband was in full agreement with my efforts to help the Franks. Actually, he was just as active in assisting them and often visited with the families.

What was it like knowing that the fate of eight people rested in your hands and that you were one of their most valuable resources?

I certainly felt responsible. Particularly to find them enough food so they would stay healthy, that was always on my mind.

Questions

1. What motivated Miep Gies to agree immediately to take care of the Frank family during their time in hiding?

A) Financial gain

B) Pressure from her husband

C) Her strong personal connection with Otto Frank and his family

D) Fear of punishment

2. Why was Miep Gies glad that Otto Frank decided to go into hiding?

A) She thought hiding was unnecessary.

B) She wanted to take control of their business.

C) She was concerned about the Franks' safety due to the persecution of Jews.

D) She was eager to join them in hiding.

3. What was the initial purpose of the hiding place in Otto Frank's business?

A) It was intended for product development.

B) It was built as a secret room from the beginning.

C) It was a storage area.

D) It was a bedroom for Anne Frank.

4. Detail Question: What role did Miep Gies's husband play in assisting the Franks during their time in hiding?

A) He was opposed to helping them.

B) He occasionally visited them.

C) He was unaware of their presence.

D) He actively supported Miep in helping the Franks.

5. Inference Question: Why did Miep Gies decide to take on the responsibility of hiding the Franks, even though it was a challenging task?

A) She expected to receive a reward.

B) She feared punishment if she refused.

C) She believed it was her human duty and wanted to avoid permanent remorse.

D) She was promised a better life.

Answers

1. The correct answer is C) Her strong personal connection with Otto Frank and his family. This question requires readers to infer Miep Gies's motivation from the given information.

2. The correct answer is C) She was concerned about the Franks' safety due to the persecution of Jews. This question tests the reader's comprehension of Miep Gies's feelings and the historical context.

3. The correct answer is A) It was intended for product development. This question evaluates the reader's understanding of the original purpose of the hiding place.

4. The correct answer is D) He actively supported Miep in helping the Franks. This question assesses the reader's knowledge of Miep Gies's husband's involvement.

5. The correct answer is C) She believed it was her human duty and wanted to avoid permanent remorse. This question requires readers to infer Miep Gies's motivation from her statement.

Final Words

Reading comprehension exams often include interview or conversation passages to assess a student's ability to understand information presented in dialogue. These passages reveal new information and offer different perspectives.

When answering questions about interviews, consider both viewpoints, focus on specific details, look for implied meanings, and consider tone and emotions.