Reading · 4 min read
Workplace and Everyday Documents
The Reading test includes functional texts that adults read to get something done: memos, emails, policies, forms, schedules, brochures, web pages, tables, maps, and graphs. Questions ask what a reader must do, by when, under what conditions, and where the document says so.
Memo / notice
Inform staff of a change, event, or
Header (To, From, Date, Subject); first paragraph; action or
requirement
deadline near the end
Policy / procedure
State rules and the steps to follow
Numbered steps; must, may, should; exceptions (unless, except); effective date
Schedule /
Show times, dates, or shifts
Row and column headings; footnote symbols; time zone or
timetable
a.m./p.m.
Website
Inform, sell, or provide a service
Navigation menu, page title, links, date last updated, who publishes the site
Reading a Document for a Task
Identify the task
Read the question first so you know whether you need a date, a requirement, a cost, or a step.
Preview the layout
Scan the title, header, headings, bold text, and lists to see where each kind of information lives.
Find the five Ws
Who is affected, what changes, when it starts and ends, where it applies, and why (if stated).
Mark conditions and exceptions
Only, unless, except, if, no later than, and business days change who must act and when.
Read the fine print
Footnotes, asterisks, and closing lines often hold the detail a question targets.
Sample Workplace Notice
Staff Notice: Parking Lot Resurfacing
To: All staff, Lakeshore Community Health Centre · From: Facilities Office · Subject: Temporary parking changes
The main staff parking lot (Lot A) will be closed for resurfacing from Monday, June 9, to Friday, June 13. During the closure, staff may park in the overflow lot on Birch Street (Lot C). A shuttle will run between Lot C and the main entrance every 15 minutes from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Display your current staff parking permit on the dashboard. Vehicles without a permit will be ticketed. Accessible parking spaces at the main entrance remain open for staff and visitors with a valid accessible parking permit. Staff working night shifts may park in the visitor lot (Lot B) between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. only.
To request a temporary permit, complete the online Parking Request Form no later than three business days before the closure begins.
Questions: Facilities Office, ext. 2240. If paving is delayed by rain, the closure will be extended one day for each day lost.
A night-shift nurse arrives at 6:45 p.m. on June 10. Where may she park?
Lot C (with her permit). Lot B is open to night staff only from 7:00 p.m., so at 6:45 p.m. it is not yet available to her.
What happens if it rains on June 11 and paving stops for that day?
The closure is extended by one day, so Lot A reopens after June 14 rather than June 13. The answer is in the fine print, not the main paragraph.
Tables and Schedules
Read the title first, then the column headings, then the row labels. Locate a value by moving across a row and down a column to the cell where they meet. Check units (dollars, minutes, kilometres) and footnote symbols before answering.
Riversiderecreationcentre:Fallprogramfees
Beginner Swim (ages 6–9)
Sat 9:00–9:45 a.m.
8
$64.00
$80.00
Pottery Basics*
Wed 6:30–8:30 p.m.
6
$78.00
$97.50
*Materials fee of $25.00 payable to the instructor at the first class. Fees include GST where applicable. Non-resident fees are 25% higher than resident fees. A non-resident registering for Pottery Basics pays $97.50 plus the $25.00 materials fee, a total of $122.50.
Graphs, Maps, and Web Pages
Bar graph
Comparing amounts across categories
Axis labels and units; whether the scale starts at zero
Pie chart
Parts of a whole (totals 100%)
Whether values are percentages or counts; the size of the whole
Diagram /
Parts of an object or steps in a process
Labels, arrows, numbering, captions
infographic
A graphic shows what happened, not why. A choice that explains the cause of a trend is wrong unless the text or caption states the cause. Also confirm that a choice matches the time period and category the question names.
Inferences and Conclusions
An inference is a logical conclusion based on evidence in the text rather than on a direct statement. Writers leave some meaning unstated; readers combine what the text says with general knowledge to fill the gap. A valid inference can always be traced back to specific words in the passage.
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