What is text-dependent questioning and why is it important?

• A. Questions that ask about information outside of the text.
• B. Questions that require evidence from the text to answer; they ensure accountability and deep comprehension.
• C. Questions that focus on the author's life rather than the text.
• D. Questions that test reading speed rather than comprehension.

Answer: (B)

Text-dependent questioning asks you to answer using evidence from the text itself. You point to specific words, lines, or details and explain how they support your idea, showing you’ve read closely and can reason with what the text literally says and implies. This matters because it keeps your understanding tied to the actual writing, not just personal opinions or background knowledge. It helps you demonstrate deep comprehension, develop the ability to justify your thinking, and show that you can locate and use relevant information to back up your answers. Questions that rely on outside information don’t check this, and focusing on the author’s life or on speed rather than meaning misses the goal of understanding the text.