Answering reading questions in Italian requires locating key facts in texts and giving accurate responses in the target language. The Junior Cycle examination tests your ability to understand the main message, find specific details, evaluate True/False statements, and write clear Italian answers.
Reading Strategy and Question Words
Read the text once first to grasp the general topic before searching for individual answers. You do not need to translate every single word.
Question words show the exact type of information to find:
| Question Word | Meaning | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Chi? | Who? | A person, name, or relative (il fratello, Giulia) |
| Dove? | Where? | A place, city, or venue (a Roma, in piazza) |
| Quando? | When? | A day, date, season, or time (martedì, in estate) |
| A che ora? | At what time? | An exact clock time (alle otto, alle 14:00) |
| Cosa? / Che cosa? | What? | An object, activity, or hobby |
| Perché? | Why? | A reason (perché...) or purpose (per...) |
| Come? | How? | A method, means of transport or description |
| Quanto / Quanti? | How much / many? | A price, quantity, or number |
Target-Language Question Formats
Junior Cycle reading sections use several recurring formats:
- Risposta breve: Give a word, phrase, or short sentence that answers the question. Include all the details requested.
- Vero o Falso: Decide whether a statement matches the facts in the text. Never leave these blank.
- Menziona / Nomina: Give exactly the number of items asked for (e.g. due = 2, tre = 3).
- Completa / Completate: Complete the missing words or entries using details from the text.
Handling Vero o Falso Statements
True/False items often repeat words from the text, but a small word can change the meaning completely.
- Watch for qualifiers: sempre (always), mai (never), tutti (all), and solo (only).
- Look out for negative words like non (not) or nessuno (nobody), which flip the meaning of a sentence.
- Check numbers, dates, and place names carefully against the passage.
- If a statement says a shop opens on Monday, but the passage states aperto dal martedì al sabato, mark it Falso.
Adapting Text Details into Answers
Marks are awarded for the correct fact, so a short phrase copied straight from the passage is usually enough. If you write about the speaker, change the wording where needed: Abito becomes abita; mia madre becomes sua madre.
| Text Statement | Question | Written Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Abito a Torino. | Dove abita Roberta? | (Abita) a Torino. |
| Vado con mia madre. | Con chi va Luca? | Con sua madre (or la madre). |
| Prendo il treno per vedere la partita. | Perché prende il treno? | Per vedere la partita. |
Keep the accents on words like è, città, and perché — leaving them off can lose you marks.
Key terms
- Vero / Falso
- True / False: indicates whether a statement matches the text.
- Secondo il testo
- According to the text: base your answer on information in the passage.
- Menziona / Nomina
- 'Mention' or 'Name': give the requested number of items.
- Risposta breve
- Short answer: a word, phrase or short sentence giving the requested information.
- Perché
- Means 'Why?' in a question and 'Because' in an explanation.
- Sempre / Mai
- Always / Never; qualifiers that determine whether a statement is True or False.
Check yourself
What is the first step when reading a comprehension text?
Read it once for general sense before searching for specific answers.
How many items do you give for «Menzionate due sport...»?
Exactly two sports.
Give two ways to answer a Perché...? question.
Use Perché... with a reason, or Per... with an infinitive verb.
A notice says «Aperto dal martedì alla domenica.» Is «Aperto il lunedì» Vero or Falso?
Falso.