What is Prior Knowledge?

• A. Something from long term memory
• B. A repetition of vowel sounds
• C. Angle from which story is told
• D. Attitude of narrator

Answer: (A)

Prior knowledge is the background information a reader already has stored in long-term memory that helps make sense of a new text. When you read, you draw on this knowledge to interpret ideas, fill in gaps, predict what might happen next, and connect new information to what you already know. Tapping into prior knowledge is a key way readers build understanding because it gives context and relevance to what’s being read.

Think of it as the reservoir of experiences, facts, vocabulary, and cultural understanding that a reader brings with them. That’s why this option fits best: it describes something from long-term memory that influences how you comprehend a new passage.

The other options describe things that aren’t about what a reader brings to the text. A repetition of vowel sounds is a literary device, not prior knowledge. The angle from which a story is told refers to point of view, which shapes presentation, not the reader’s background. The attitude of the narrator describes tone or stance, not what the reader already knows.