Reading question types (reconstruction, synonyms)
In the TEF Canada and TCF Canada reading sections, the texts on society and the environment are rarely the hard part. What trips candidates up is the shape of the questions. The exam does not just ask what a text says; it asks you to recognise a synonym, to reconstruct the logical order of a passage, or to spot which sentence the author would actually endorse. Knowing each question type in advance lets you read with a purpose instead of reading blindly.
| un synonyme | a synonym |
| reformuler | to rephrase / reword |
| reconstituer | to reconstruct / piece back together |
| un connecteur logique | a logical connector / linking word |
| déduire | to infer / deduce |
| l'intention de l'auteur | the author's intent |
| un intrus | an odd one out / a distractor |
| le sens équivalent | the equivalent meaning |
| une affirmation | a statement / assertion |
| un piège | a trap |
| l'idée principale | the main idea |
| remettre dans l'ordre | to put back in order |
Associez chaque type de question à ce qu'il demande.
Match each question type to what it asks you to do.
En contexte, « préserver les ressources » est le plus proche de :
In context, "préserver les ressources" is closest to:
Une phrase commence par « Or,... ». Cela indique que l'auteur va :
A sentence begins with "Or,...". This signals that the author is about to:
A very common item gives you a word or phrase from the text and asks which option means the same thing in context. The correct answer is rarely the dictionary translation; it is the one that fits the register and the surrounding idea. Beware the distractor that shares a word with the text but shifts the meaning. The skill is to read the whole sentence, not the isolated word.
Complétez avec le connecteur qui annonce une conséquence.
Complete with the connector that announces a consequence.
Les émissions continuent d'augmenter ; ____ , les objectifs climatiques seront difficiles à tenir.
Reconstituez la phrase d'ouverture d'un texte argumentatif.
Rebuild the opening sentence of an argumentative text.
Quelle phrase ne peut PAS être la première phrase d'un passage ?
Which sentence can NOT be the first sentence of a passage?
Reconstruction items show a passage whose sentences or paragraphs have been scrambled, and you must restore the original order. The trick is to follow the logical connectors (d'abord, ensuite, en revanche, par conséquent) and the chains of reference: a pronoun like celle-ci must point to a noun introduced just before. Start by finding the sentence that can only be the opening, then build forward.
Traduisez en français (registre formel de l'examen).
Translate into French (formal exam register).
The author defends the idea that public transport must be developed.
Un item porte sur l'intention de l'auteur. Deux options sont vraies dans les faits. Vous devez choisir :
An item asks for the author's intent. Two options are factually true. You should choose:
Complétez la phrase de stratégie.
Complete the strategy sentence.
Pour une question de synonyme, il faut lire toute la ____ , pas seulement le mot isolé.
Écoutez et tapez la phrase que vous entendez.
Listen and type the sentence you hear.
Remettez les mots dans l'ordre pour former une phrase de stratégie cohérente.
Reorder the words into a coherent exam-strategy sentence.
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