Reading and Comprehension is the new first section of CEnT-S. With it the test grows to 65 questions in 140 minutes across six separately timed sections. Reading has 10 questions and 30 minutes — 3 minutes per question, the most generous time per item in the test.

Scoring is the same as in the other sections: +1 for a correct answer, 0 for a blank and −0.25 for a wrong answer. Because the section is new, no reliable topic distribution exists yet; this guide is built on the official syllabus.

Official syllabus

What CISIA Says About Reading & Comprehension

According to the official CISIA syllabus, this section checks whether you can read and understand English texts at B2 (upper-intermediate) level. Beyond language command, it assesses your ability to abstract, to grasp the formal and semantic relationships between the parts of a text, and to decode what is implicit or implied.

Passages come in three types — non-fiction, literary and journalistic. CISIA states that no specific subject preparation is required: the section rewards reading skill, not prior knowledge.

Question distribution

CISIA has not published how the 10 questions are split across text types or question types, and the section is too new for reliable data. We will add a distribution analysis once enough exams have been sat.

Official CISIA Syllabus

The full, official CEnT-S syllabus and test structure are published by CISIA:

cisiaonline.it — CEnT-S structure and syllabus

Syllabus breakdown

The 3 Text Types in CEnT-S Reading

Non-Fiction Texts

Essays, popular-science and academic-style prose taken from books and magazines published from the 1890s onwards.

Following an argument: thesis, supporting reasons, examples and conclusion.
Separating the author's claim from opinions the author reports or rejects.
Older texts may use formal or dated vocabulary — meaning must be inferred from context.

Literary Texts

Extracts from novels, short stories and other literary prose, from the same period (1890s to today).

Understanding narrative point of view, tone and characters' attitudes.
Interpreting figurative language and what is suggested rather than stated.
Recognising the mood or purpose of a passage.

Journalistic Texts

Articles on current affairs from newspapers and magazines published within the last ten years.

Identifying the main point and the angle of an article.
Distinguishing facts, quoted views and the journalist's own stance.
Reading data or claims critically within a news context.

Skills analysis

Skills Being Tested

The four abilities named in the CISIA syllabus, and what they mean in practice:

English Language Command (B2)

Upper-intermediate (B2) reading level: vocabulary in context, complex sentences, connectors and reference words.

Abstraction

Moving from details to the general idea: main purpose, best title, best summary of a paragraph or passage.

Formal & Semantic Relationships

How parts of a text connect: what a pronoun refers to, how a paragraph relates to the previous one, cause/contrast/concession signals.

Implicit & Implied Meaning

What the author suggests but does not say: inferences, assumptions, attitude and tone.

Not Sure Where to Begin Your Preparation?

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Solved practice problem

CEnT-S Reading Sample Passage & Elimination Tactics

An original practice passage in the CEnT-S style, with two typical question types:

Sample Passage

Many cities now plant trees along their streets to fight summer heat. The idea is simple: leaves shade the pavement, and water evaporating from them cools the air. Yet planners have learned that the choice of species matters as much as the number of trees. Some fast-growing varieties need so much water that, in dry years, they wither precisely when shade is most needed.

01Main IdeaQuestion 1

What is the main point of the passage?

Pick an answer to see the explanation

02Implied MeaningQuestion 2

What does the author imply about some fast-growing varieties?

Pick an answer to see the explanation

Candidate trap analysis

5 Most Common Mistakes in CEnT-S Reading

Answering from general knowledge

Choose what the text supports, not what is true in the real world. If the passage does not say it, it is not the answer.

Extreme wording

Options with ‘always’, ‘only’, ‘never’ or ‘all’ are usually wrong when the text is more cautious.

Right detail, wrong question

An option can quote the passage accurately and still not answer what is asked (e.g. a detail offered as the main idea).

Missing the turn

Words such as ‘yet’, ‘however’ and ‘although’ often signal the author's real point.

Spending too long on one text

30 minutes for 10 questions: skim the passage first for structure, then return to the lines each question points to.

Study roadmap

10-Week Strategic Study Roadmap

Weeks 1–2

Diagnostic

Time yourself on 2–3 passages; note whether errors come from vocabulary, inference or time.

Weeks 3–5

Daily Reading

15–20 minutes a day of quality English: essays, classic fiction and current-affairs articles.

Weeks 6–7

Question Types

Drill main idea, reference, inference and tone questions; justify every answer with a line from the text.

Weeks 8–9

Timed Sets

Practise 10 questions in 30 minutes, then add the section to full 65-question mocks.

Week 10

Final Polish

Review your error log and the trap list; refine your skim-then-target routine.