17 Building a Strong Foundation Y ou may not have thought of it this way before, but critical readers are a lot like crime scene investigators. In their search for the truth, they do not let opin- ions sway them; they want to know what actually happened. They collect tan- gible evidence and facts and use this information to draw an informed conclusion. Separating fact from opinion is essential during a crime scene investigation. It is also a cru- cial skill for effective reading. When you read, look for clues to understand the author’s meaning. What is this pas- sage about? What is this writer saying? What is his or her message? At times, it may seem like authors are trying to hide their meaning from you. But no matter how complex a piece of writing may be, the author always leaves plenty of clues for the careful reader to find. It is your job to find those clues. Be a good detective when you read. Open your eyes and ask the right questions. In other words, read carefully and actively. The five lessons that follow cover the basics of reading comprehension. By the end of this section, you should be able to: ■ Find the basic facts in a passage ■ Determine the main idea of a passage ■ Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words from context ■ Distinguish between fact and opinion . you’re taking a standardized test, you’ll probably have to answer reading comprehension ques- tions that ask about the facts in a reading passage. These facts are not always easy to determine, especially if. fee. If all the documents and payment are in order, your photo will be taken and a new license will be issued. 7. What documents does one need to renew a driver’s license? 8. What documents represent. there other services? now  Summary Active reading is the first essential step to comprehen- sion. Why? Because active reading forces you to really see what you’re reading, to look closely at what’s there. Like