Comprehension is about the meaning of words. Learning how to spell, write and say words is one thing, but it's vital to know the meaning of them. Otherwise your writing and language will be nonsense!
If you are not familiar with Charles Dickens, you might enjoy reading his stories. He was an English author of the 19th century and many of his stories have been adapted into films or plays. Some of his most famous works are Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, David Copperfield and A Christmas Carol. His books should be available in your local school or public library.
See how much you comprehend by playing this 11-plus quiz. Read the text carefully before you answer the questions.
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The gruel (a watery porridge) was served from the copper
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It's a small soup bowl
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They were so hungry that they literally cleaned the bowls with their spoons
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'devour' means 'to eat quickly and hungrily'
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A bowl of gruel a day would be considered as starvation
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A typical example is drawing straws: the person who by chance draws the smallest straw has to do the deed
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So Oliver must have drawn the shortest straw
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Read the previous sentence
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By asking for more gruel, he went against what was considered to be acceptable behaviour
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A 'beadle' is an official of the church, but he is not a priest
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