Ace the 'Rephrase' Comprehension Questions

Let’s explore what rephrase comprehension questions are and how to answer them effectively. These questions often ask you to respond in your own words, and we'll provide you with a strategic framework to answer them to get the highest score.

What are rephrase content comprehension questions?

Rephrase content questions, also known as paraphrase questions, present a unique challenge. Unlike conventional questions that ask for direct information from the text, these questions demand that you provide answers in your own words while drawing on the information found within the passage. This necessitates a keen understanding of the passage's content and a skilful ability to communicate the same ideas using different phrasing.

Strategical steps to answer rephrase questions

Step 1: Identifying the answer within the text

The first step in navigating rephrase content questions is to identify the answer within the text. This requires an in-depth understanding of the passage's content. To achieve this, you must read the text thoroughly, understand its context and extract the information relevant to the question. If possible, underline the text that you have identified.

Step 2: Pick out the right keywords for rephrasing

Once you've identified the answer, the next crucial step is to identify the keywords within the passage. Keywords are the terms, phrases, or expressions that are integral to the answer you will provide. Recognising these keywords is pivotal for the success of your response.

Step 3: Replace the identified keywords with suitable synonyms

With the keywords identified, the next phase involves skilfully replacing them with suitable synonyms. This is where your linguistic finesse comes into play. Selecting synonyms that accurately convey the intended meaning is of paramount importance. In some cases, you may find it challenging to find direct synonyms, and in such instances, you can opt to rephrase the keywords while preserving the core concept. This dynamic approach ensures that your answer remains accurate and meaningful.

Example from a previous sample paper

Passage

1. A politically adept and popular leader of the Roman Republic, Julius Caesar significantly transformed what became known as the Roman Empire, by greatly expanding its geographic reach and establishing its imperial system. While it has long been disputed, it's estimated that Julius Caesar was born in Rome on July 12 or 13, 100 BC. While he hailed from Roman aristocrats, his family was far from rich.

Question

In your own words, explain the phrase "greatly expanding Its geographic reach and establishing its imperial system." (lines 2 and 3 in 4th point)

Answer

Let's use the three-step strategy to figure out how to answer this question.

Step 1: Identifying the answer within the text

Let's look at each sentence in the text and try to identify phrases that could tell us the answer.

A politically adept and popular leader of the Roman Republic, Julius Caesar significantly transformed what became known as the Roman Empire, by greatly expanding its geographic reach and establishing its imperial system.

In the above sentence, let's highlight words and phrases that can help us answer the question.

While it has long been disputed, it's estimated that Julius Caesar was born in Rome on July 12 or 13, 100 BC. While he hailed from Roman aristocrats, his family was far from rich.

This second line does not tell us anything about the question so we can leave it as is.

Step 2: Pick out the right keywords for rephrasing

The keywords for this question can be:

- significantly transformed

- expanding its geographic reach, and

- establishing its imperial system.

Step 3: Replace the identified keywords with suitable synonyms

How can we say "Significantly transformed and expanded its geographic reach"?

We can say that "Rome was increasing its presence in many territorial boundaries."

Next, we need to think of a different way to say "Rome was establishing its imperial system."

Imperial system means a system of government, so we can say "Rome was bringing its system of government to these new lands."

That's our solution!

Answer:

- Rome was increasing its presence in many territorial boundaries.

- Rome was bringing its system of government to these new lands.

In conclusion, the ability to effectively answer rephrase content questions is a valuable skill that can significantly enhance your performance in exams and assessments. By embracing the three-step approach and understanding the nuances of rephrasing keywords, you can tackle these questions with confidence and precision, securing the marks you deserve.