The Level 2 Reading test
Two or three documents on everyday, work or study topics, with multiple-choice and short-answer questions.
| Pearson Edexcel | 75 minutes, 35 marks |
|---|---|
| NCFE | 60 minutes, 30 marks in three sections |
| Dictionary | Allowed |
| Marked by | The awarding body |
The skills it tests
- Main points and the specific details a reader needs
- Comparing information, ideas and opinions across texts
- Implied meaning
- How features and devices suit the audience and purpose
- Word meanings, using reference features such as a key or a glossary
- Using headings and layout to find information
- Vocabulary, formality and bias
- Following an argument, and telling fact from opinion
- Styles of writing and the writer's voice
How to use your time
Read the questions first, then the document, so you know what to look for. Short answers need the exact detail, such as a date, a price or a name, copied from the text.
Next step
What kinds of documents appear?
Everyday, work and study texts: articles, leaflets, emails, webpages, reports, reviews and notices, some straightforward and some complex.