What is the first and lowest level of comprehension?

The first and lowest level of comprehension is often considered to be literal comprehension.

Here's why:

* Focus on facts: Literal comprehension involves understanding the explicit information presented in a text, focusing on facts, details, and definitions. It doesn't require any inferencing or interpretation beyond what is directly stated.

* Basic understanding: It's the foundation for higher-level comprehension skills. If you don't understand the literal meaning of a text, you can't grasp its deeper implications.

* Example: Reading a sentence like "The cat sat on the mat" and understanding that a cat physically positioned itself on a mat.

While literal comprehension is the foundation, it's important to remember that it's just the first step in the comprehension process. As we move up the comprehension ladder, we start to use higher-level skills like inferencing, analyzing, and evaluating.