Duolingo English Test Question Type Intro 5："Interactive Reading"

In Duolingo English Test, 'Interactive Reading' serves as a thorough evaluation featuring five different types of reading questions. This blog post offers an in-depth look at each question type along with strategies to effectively approach them.

Understanding the "Interactive Reading" Question Type

The Interactive Reading section of the Duolingo English Test is an innovative feature aimed at assessing reading comprehension in a more engaging manner. This section presents five distinct types of questions. Overall, the Interactive Reading segment lasts about 15 minutes during the exam. Test-takers will face two different sets of questions in each session, which adds variety to the evaluation process. Each set usually contains 6 questions, allowing for a focused yet comprehensive assessment of reading skills. Participants have roughly 7 to 8 minutes to finish each set, giving them enough time to read the material and respond thoughtfully. The table below presents five different types of questions.

Question Types and Answering Strategies

Complete the Sentences

In this task, you'll choose the missing words. It's similar to the "Read and Complete" type of question, but instead of typing out the entire word, you simply select it from a list.

Answering Strategy:

l Read the entire passage first to understand the context.

l Skip difficult blanks and return to them later.

l Review your answers before submitting to catch illogical choices and familiarize yourself with the passage for follow-up questions.

Complete the Passage

Complete the Passage requires you to “Choose the most suitable sentence to fill in the gap.” In this activity, you will encounter two parts of a passage with a sentence missing in between.

Answering Strategy:

l Commence by thoroughly examining the entire text: While you may have previously encountered the initial segment during the sentence completion phase, it's advisable to review it again to ensure accuracy and refresh your understanding.

l Give special attention to the sentences directly preceding and succeeding the blank space. These contextual clues are often the most valuable in identifying the correct missing sentence.

l Carefully evaluate all provided options: Duolingo will deliberately include choices that may seem correct, making it essential for you to examine all available options thoroughly.

Highlight the Answer

Highlight the Answer instructs you to "Click and drag the text to emphasize the response to the question presented below." You will encounter a question displayed on the screen, after which you should locate and highlight the corresponding answer within the text.

Answering Strategy:

l Be exact and comprehensive in selecting the text, ensuring that only the pertinent answer is highlighted. Avoid over-highlighting or under-highlighting.

l After highlighting, the selected text will be displayed in a box beneath the question, allowing you to review it in context.

l To modify your selection, simply click and drag your cursor to re-highlight. Ensure that the desired answer is captured in the box before proceeding to the next step.

Identify the Idea

Identify the Idea instructs you to "Determine the notion articulated in the passage." In this task, you are to select an idea from the options given that best encapsulates the essence of the passage you have reviewed.

Answering Strategy:

l Examine all the available options and determine the correct answer: At this stage, you should have a solid understanding of the passage. A brief review of the options will enable you to select the appropriate answer.

Title the Passage

Title the passage requests that you "Choose the most appropriate title for the passage." You are to select a title from a provided list of options.

Answering Strategy:

Carefully consider all alternatives: During Interactive Reading, the official may group some ambiguous answers, requiring you to identify the most fitting option.

Conclusion

Regardless of the strategy you choose, the key is to practice extensively. While it's essential to understand the different types of questions, managing your time effectively is even more crucial. For practice, you may utilize Det Practice! This platform allows you to engage with various question types for the Duolingo English Test.