What is the main purpose of a reading comprehension test?

The main purpose of a reading comprehension test is to assess the ability to understand and interpret written content. This involves evaluating how well a reader can grasp the meaning of a text, analyze its ideas, draw inferences, and make connections between the information presented and their own knowledge or experiences.

Reading comprehension goes beyond simply recognizing words or phrases; it requires a deeper engagement with the text, allowing the reader to synthesize information, evaluate arguments, and identify main ideas and supporting details. This skill is crucial for academic success, as it enables students to process and utilize information effectively in various subjects.

While memorization, reading speed, and vocabulary knowledge are all important aspects of literacy, they do not encapsulate the overarching goal of reading comprehension tests, which is to ascertain a reader's understanding of and ability to interact with the material they read.