ABSTRACT

Reading is a kind of activity that include the process of identifying words from
the visible letters and identifying words that have different meanings in different
sentences. In this paper, the writer tries to explore the information regarding reading
in teaching English language. This paper has five parts. The first part examines the
importance of reading. The second part discusses regarding the definition of reading.
The third part is about the general concept of reading test. The fourth is concerned on
the coverage of reading test. And the last is about how to conduct and develop
reading test.

I. INTRODUCTION

Reading is directed to the activity that enables a reader to understand and gain what
are the text contains. Reading comprehension is so complex process of constructing
meaning by coordinating a number of skills related to decoding, word reading, and
fluency, the integration of background knowledge, vocabulary, and previous experiences.
According to Nunan (1999: 33), reading is a fluent process of combining information
from the text and the background knowledge of the reader. Reading is the center or
capital of identifying the problem. Reading is the main step to write a language. Reading
for the second language learners is difficult and is still big problem because English is
not their native language.

II. DISCUSSION

A. The Importance of Reading

Reading is one of the language skills that plays very important role to learn in
order to know all of the information and also the development in this modern era.
These types of information can be recorded and disseminated through print media
such as manuscripts, newspapers, books, magazines and so on. In order to understand
and comprehend all this type of information, it is necessary to understand the content
of reading activities and also its purpose. If the person doesn’t have the ability to
understand the content of a reading, there are a lot of information’s that can’t be
absorbed quickly and precisely. Therefore, the ability to understand the content of the
reading in language teaching and also ability in reading test are needed.

B. Definition of Reading

According to Moats (1999), reading is a process of getting information from

written words. Reading passage usually tells about the aim to grasp the author’s
ideas. Reading is not simply a process of getting the meaning of the printed speech. It
involves skills of the visual recognition of word. The readers interpret what they have
read and comprehended. The main purpose of reading is comprehension. Reading
comprehension is an attempt to understand, evaluate, and also recognize the author’s
ideas of reading text. A reader needs comprehension to catch the content of message
or information from the text. Reading comprehension means the ability to understand
the materials given by the author.

Heaton (1990) stated that reading can be defined as the ability to recognize words
and word groups, associating sounds with their corresponding graphic symbols;
deduce the meaning of words by understanding the word formation (e.g. roots,
affixation, derivation, and compounding); contextual clues, understand explicitly
stated information, understand relations within the sentences, understand the relations
between parts of a text through both lexical devices (e.g. repetition, synonym),
grammatical cohesive device (e.g. he, she, it, they, etc.), and connectives (e.g. since,
after, because, however, therefore, etc.), identify the main idea and other features in a
text, drawing a conclusion based on the text, understand the information not explicitly
by making inferences (reading between the lines) and understanding the figurative
language. Heaton (1990) says that there are two different kinds of reading activities
such as intensive and extensive reading.
 C. Definition of Reading Test

According to Heaton (1990), reading tests may have a various terms of forms and
they may evaluate a wide range of reading activities ranging from pre-reading
activities, to reading speed, reading comprehension, scanning or skimming
techniques, translation, and reading aloud, reading literature and so on. Reading tests
may sometimes integrate testing language sub skills, in particular vocabulary and
grammar. Heaton claims that “tests of vocabulary often provide a good guide to
reading ability” since it is important to show not only knowledge of the meaning but
also knowledge of collocations. When constructing a reading test that integrates
vocabulary, it is necessary to decide which words students are expected to use (active
or productive vocabulary) and which words they are expected to recognize (passive
or receptive vocabulary).

D. The Coverage of Reading Test

Reading is more focus on the ability of language skill which is belongs to passive-
receptive. The information in reading can be in the form of discourse written. In
terms of the information and the message conveyed a reader essentially acts as a
receiver. The written information that is used to read can be expressed in a various
forms of language use, ranging from a short phrase like sentences into the long
phrases such as in the form of paragraphs, essays, and books. The main purpose of
the test is to understand and measure the level of ability in reading itself. The level of
reading skills is concerned on understanding the content of the reading, either implicit
or explicit, and also the implications of reading.

Test reading can be presented in the form of subjective tests with questions
answered via a short answer or it could be with a complete answer. In addition, a test
of reading can also be presented in the form of objective tests such as a complete
answer, matching, multiple choices, and other combined forms.