New Hampshire Foundations of Reading Practice Test

Which aspect of fluency contributes significantly to comprehending nonfiction texts?

1. Ability to recite texts from memory

2. Quick and accurate word recognition and prosodic reading

3. Reading at a fast pace without understanding

4. Looking up every unknown word in a dictionary

The correct answer is: Quick and accurate word recognition and prosodic reading

The ability to quickly and accurately recognize words, along with prosodic reading, plays a vital role in fluency and significantly enhances the comprehension of nonfiction texts. Quick word recognition allows readers to focus their cognitive resources on understanding the content instead of decoding individual words. This is particularly important for nonfiction, which often features complex ideas and structures that require the reader's full attention to grasp the meaning. Prosodic reading, which includes elements such as expression, intonation, and rhythm, further aids comprehension by providing cues about the organization of information and the emphasis on key points. When readers can grasp the flow and nuances in punctuation and phrasing, they better comprehend the main ideas and details presented in nonfiction, making this aspect of fluency critical for effective understanding. In contrast, skills such as reciting texts from memory or looking up every word in a dictionary may not contribute to overall comprehension when engaging with nonfiction materials. Reading at a fast pace without understanding simply leads to a lack of comprehension, diminishing the purpose of reading nonfiction texts, which is to gain knowledge and insight.