Connecticut Foundations of Reading Test (FORT) Practice 2025 – The All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

Background knowledge significantly enhances understanding of the text. When readers approach a text, their prior knowledge and experiences allow them to make connections with the content, which facilitates deeper comprehension. This schema, or mental framework, enables readers to infer meaning, understand context, and grasp the underlying themes or ideas that might not be explicitly stated.

For instance, when a reader encounters a story about a cultural event they are familiar with, their background knowledge helps them interpret the nuances and significance of that event more effectively. Furthermore, background knowledge aids in predicting what might happen next in the text, as well as drawing on additional information that enriches their understanding.

In contrast, the idea that background knowledge has no impact misrepresents its crucial function in reading comprehension. Additionally, limiting its role to merely aiding vocabulary acquisition undermines the broader influence that background knowledge has on overall understanding. Lastly, suggesting that background knowledge complicates understanding overlooks how vital and supportive it is for readers to navigate and make sense of texts.