What term describes the background knowledge readers bring to a text to aid comprehension?

• A. Schema
• B. Fluency
• C. Decoding
• D. Inference

Answer: (A)

This question is about how readers use their existing knowledge to understand a text. The term for the background knowledge, experiences, and expectations that readers bring to reading is schema. Schema acts like a mental framework that helps you organize new information, connect it to what you already know, and anticipate what might come next, which boosts comprehension.

Fluency is about reading smoothly and accurately, not about the knowledge you bring to a text. Decoding is the ability to translate printed letters into spoken sounds, a word-level skill. Inference involves drawing conclusions from the text, often using your knowledge, but the concept described in the question specifically refers to the background knowledge itself, which is schema.