No competence.

Can decode orthographic system of the foreign language.
Can understand most common public notices.

Can identify topic of continuous, unsimplified prose and can follow minimally structured material (lexical items) relating to overall objectives.
Can understand gist of elaborate public notices, forms etc.

Can, without a dictionary, identify topic and preoccupation of texts in fields relevant to overall objectives, but can follow detail of text only with extensive use of dictionary.
Reading rate generally very slow and can be increased only with immediate considerable loss of comprehension.
Handwriting particularly difficult to read.

Can read most texts in domain with satisfactory level of comprehension. Rereading necessary where complex discussion in text, but information can normally be extracted and narrative followed with little difficulty. Significant or marked stylistic features unlikely to be noticed, but unfamiliar lexical items can usually be identified from redundancy of text. Dictionary still needed where significant point of detail may be lost. (Reading skill acquired in own domain transfers quite effectively to other types of text - specialist vocabulary items apart)
Reading rate still generally slow and inflexible.
Can read most handwriting with an effort.

Can read all types of text in domain with high level of comprehension. Perceives and understands many stylistic markers. Rereading rarely necessary, except where normal even for native speaker. Needs dictionary only when dealing with text of quite unusual orientation. Can read more familiar kinds of text with little attention. Reading ability an effective tool.
Some flexibility in rate of reading but even familiar types of text read noticeably more slowly than by native speaker.

Able to read with complete comprehension all texts associated with objectives.
Differs from native speaker only in rate of reading and possibly in flexibility with which reading can be adapted to different text and purposes.
Level achievable only where learner uses the foreign language frequently.

Wholly competent to read all types of texts associated with objectives.
Able to adapt reading to style and content of text and to purpose in reading. No measurable difference from native speaker of similar background in rate and comprehension.
Level normally attained only by person accustomed to operating almost wholly in the foreign language.