New Hampshire Foundations of Reading Practice Test

Which characteristic should be present in texts for early readers?

1. Complex narrative structures

2. Descriptive language only

3. Familiar vocabulary

4. Challenging themes

The correct answer is: Familiar vocabulary

Familiar vocabulary is essential in texts for early readers because it supports their understanding and promotes confidence in reading. Early readers are generally still developing their language skills and may struggle with new or complex words. By using vocabulary that is already known to them, texts can help engage these readers and facilitate a smoother reading experience. Moreover, familiar vocabulary aids in comprehension, allowing early readers to focus on other aspects of reading such as sentence structure, fluency, and comprehension without the additional challenge of deciphering unknown words. This familiarity can also reinforce their learning and retention of language, as repetition of known words helps solidify their reading skills. In contrast, complex narrative structures and challenging themes can overwhelm early readers, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment in reading. Descriptive language, while valuable in enriching a text, can become a barrier if it includes too many unfamiliar terms. Hence, familiar vocabulary is a foundational characteristic that supports the development of early literacy skills effectively.