Why is presenting evidence from the text important when answering comprehension questions?

Why is presenting evidence from the text important when answering comprehension questions?

• A. It allows guessing without reading.
• B. It distracts from the main idea.
• C. It demonstrates the writer's craft.
• D. It supports conclusions with specific details and evidence.

Answer: (D)

The main idea being tested is that using evidence from the text strengthens your answers by grounding them in what actually happened or was stated. When you back up your conclusion with specific details or quotes, you show you read closely and understood the passage. This makes your reasoning clear and credible because you’re tying your answer directly to parts of the text rather than guessing. It also helps you separate what is explicitly stated from what you infer, which is a key skill in reading comprehension. One option suggesting you can guess without reading isn’t a fit because it ignores the need to reference the text to justify your thinking. Another option implying it distracts from the main idea isn’t aligned with how comprehension works—evidence keeps the focus on what the text shows. Another option about the writer’s craft isn’t about understanding the reading itself; comprehension questions are about meaning and support from the text, not about how the author writes. The correct approach is to answer using evidence from the passage to support conclusions with specific details and evidence. For example, if asked why a character acted a certain way, point to a line or event in the text that explains their motivation.

The main idea being tested is that using evidence from the text strengthens your answers by grounding them in what actually happened or was stated. When you back up your conclusion with specific details or quotes, you show you read closely and understood the passage. This makes your reasoning clear and credible because you’re tying your answer directly to parts of the text rather than guessing. It also helps you separate what is explicitly stated from what you infer, which is a key skill in reading comprehension.

One option suggesting you can guess without reading isn’t a fit because it ignores the need to reference the text to justify your thinking. Another option implying it distracts from the main idea isn’t aligned with how comprehension works—evidence keeps the focus on what the text shows. Another option about the writer’s craft isn’t about understanding the reading itself; comprehension questions are about meaning and support from the text, not about how the author writes. The correct approach is to answer using evidence from the passage to support conclusions with specific details and evidence. For example, if asked why a character acted a certain way, point to a line or event in the text that explains their motivation.