Reading Comprehension Study Guide for the HESI Exam

Fact and Opinion

A fact is provable, while an opinion is entirely subjective.

Facts are derived from tangible evidence (using sight, taste, touch, etc.) and are frequently regarded as universal truths.

Opinions, however, are not presented with evidence but are presented as feelings and interpretations from one individual or a group of individuals.

When trying to determine whether something is a fact or an opinion, seek out supporting details. If something has numerous evidential supporting details, it is likely to be a fact. If something is supported largely with arguments or appeals to emotion, it is likely to be an opinion.

For example, it is a fact that the rate of depression in American teens has increased over the past 10 years. This can be supported by details such as statistics, interviews with psychiatrists, and even anecdotes from teenagers who suffer from the illness.

On the other hand, teenagers becoming more impolite over the past decade is an opinion. Teachers or parents can share stories that support this idea, but there are no statistics or numbers to prove it as a fact. It is a subject that can be debated as wrong or right.

Examine Writer Assumptions

Writer’s assumptions are things they believe but do not explicitly state, based on your understanding. Examining their word usage and bias can help determine what the author is implying. You may be asked on the HESI what the author assumes about the topic, and you will be required to read between the lines to assess their opinion.

Examine Writer Statements

Writer’s statements are things the author explicitly states. These will be right in front of you, without you needing to read between the lines. However, you will still need to assess whether the direct statements are fact or opinion.

If the statement can be proven true or false without argument, it is a fact. If the statement includes a feeling, judgment, or opinion that can vary based on the person, it is an opinion.

Inferences

Making inferences is the ability to use information that is provided to you, and read between the lines to draw out assumptions and conclusions. Inference is an incredibly important skill for not only the HESI, but for your overall reading comprehension. Inferences will not be stated directly in the passage; you will need to use the evidence presented to you in the text to take it a step further. Let’s look at some examples.

In the following few sentences, what can we infer about Matt’s mood?

Matt slammed the door behind him as he entered his bedroom. Throwing his backpack on the ground, his books echoed a thump on his bedroom floor. He put his head into his hands, and ignored the familiar voices of his parents calling to him through his bedroom door.

The passage does not clearly state Matt’s emotional state or his mood, but we can use clues in the text to make inferences. Matt slammed the door, threw his backpack on the ground, and put his head in his hands. All these point toward him being angry, frustrated, or sad.

Now, let’s try it with an informational text:

The town’s official water report stayed the same; the website still reported no issues with iron levels or unknown chemicals. However, many residents continue to buy bottled water and use high-grade home filtration systems. The number of complaints to the town continues to rise, and the calls and texts continue to go unanswered.

There are a lot of vague sentences in this short passage. There is no clear statement saying “the town is ignoring the citizens’ complaints” or “there is a problem with the water”, but both can be inferred by the information provided. Inferring is something you probably do without even noticing.

Summarizing Content

A summary is a few sentences and is used to give a general idea of a work’s content. While a passage is filled with many details and minor points to advance its agenda, a summary only contains the bare basics: the most important points conveyed in the passage. On the HESI Reading Comprehension test, you may be given a passage to read and then several summaries of that passage. You’ll need to choose the best summary based on the following considerations.

Main Points

Remember, a summary is not the same information reworded. Summaries are meant to only include the main points, or the most important takeaways from a piece of reading. If a detail wasn’t necessary in understanding the passage, it is not necessary in the summary. Your summary should answer the question, “What is the main point (or points) the author was trying to make?”

Appropriate Order

Not every passage presents its information in a specific order; some passages may include material that does not depend on chronology or sequence. However, if the information is presented in a specific, intentional way, you need to ensure that you keep the information in this order when summarizing.

To know whether you should be ordering the information in a summary or not, look for key transitional phrases that would require an appropriate order to the information. Some common phrases are first, next, then, last, and finally, but there are many more. Also, keep an eye out for dates if events are being presented chronologically and must stay in the same order in a summary.

Accurate Information

On the HESI, you may be asked if a summary of a text is accurate. These questions can be challenging, as the summaries often provide false information. Make sure that, when summarizing a passage, all the information is accurate and was explicitly provided in the passage.

If you see a summary with a fact or piece of information that was not present in the original passage, you can automatically assume that the summary is ineffective.

No Small Details

Since a summary is meant to focus on the main idea, it is unnecessary to include supporting details, examples, or minor pieces of evidence.

For instance, if you are reading an argumentative passage about the importance of community gardens for eco-friendly city living, the author would most likely provide specific examples and details regarding why it is important. These small details are not necessary in your summary. Instead, try to focus on the big idea: the things the author would absolutely want you to know after reading their piece.