New Hampshire Foundations of Reading Practice Test

What role does prior knowledge play in making predictions while reading?

1. It leads to confusion about the text

2. It is irrelevant to comprehension

3. It helps formulate educated guesses about the plot

4. It distracts from the main ideas of the reading

The correct answer is: It helps formulate educated guesses about the plot

Prior knowledge significantly enhances a reader's ability to make predictions while reading by providing a framework of understanding that helps formulate educated guesses about the plot. When readers encounter new information, they draw on their existing knowledge and experiences to fill in gaps, interpret context, and anticipate what might happen next in a narrative. This process aids in comprehension and engages the reader actively with the text, making the reading experience more meaningful and interactive. By relying on prior knowledge, readers can connect themes, characters, and events to their own life experiences or previously acquired knowledge, which enriches their understanding and retention of the material.