In item 3 of the extended characterisation the ability to deal with written and spoken texts that is expected of learners at Threshold Level is related – and confined – to texts relevant to certain specified situations and to certain specified topics. What the learners can do with regard to these texts – the ‘tasks’ they can perform – is described in the same item as ‘understanding the gist and/or relevant details’. In carrying out these tasks the learners may have to use certain interpretation strategies as listed under item 5 of the extended characterisation:

• distinguishing main points and secondary points

• distinguishing fact from comment

• identifying relevant information

• making use of clues such as titles, illustrations, typography (e.g. bolding, italics, capitals), paragraphing, and, in oral texts, discourse markers such as phrasing, the placing of emphasis, structurally relevant pauses, tone of voice, etc.

The nature of the texts to be understood is further defined by the following criteria:

• they have a clear structure, both conceptually and formally

• the information contained in them is exclusively or mainly offered explicitly

• their understanding presupposes little or no familiarity with specific features of a foreign culture, other than ‘general European culture’

• they are produced in an easily accessible form.

No limitation is put on the kind of information to be understood from a text as defined above.