Which term describes the ability to gain meaning from text?

Which term describes the ability to gain meaning from text?

• A. Endowment
• B. Reading Disability
• C. Reading Comprehension
• D. Decoding

Answer: (C)

Gaining meaning from text is reading comprehension. It involves understanding ideas, identifying main points, making inferences, and connecting what you read to prior knowledge. This goes beyond simply turning letters into sounds (decoding) or recognizing words; comprehension is about interpreting and deriving meaning from the text. Endowment refers to natural talent or resources and isn’t about processing meaning. A reading disability describes a difficulty with reading, not the ability to understand text. Decoding is the mechanical step of translating written symbols into sounds and is only one part of the reading process, not the full ability to grasp meaning.

Gaining meaning from text is reading comprehension. It involves understanding ideas, identifying main points, making inferences, and connecting what you read to prior knowledge. This goes beyond simply turning letters into sounds (decoding) or recognizing words; comprehension is about interpreting and deriving meaning from the text. Endowment refers to natural talent or resources and isn’t about processing meaning. A reading disability describes a difficulty with reading, not the ability to understand text. Decoding is the mechanical step of translating written symbols into sounds and is only one part of the reading process, not the full ability to grasp meaning.