Final answer:
Asking students to make predictions about a text improves reading comprehension through informal analysis, enhances close-reading skills, and serves as preparation for writing formal essays.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a teacher asks students to make predictions about a text, he or she is fostering the students' ability to engage with the text in a more active and critical manner. This practice helps students better understand the reading through informal analysis by allowing them to anticipate what might happen next and why it is significant in the context of the story or argument presented. It also enables students to practice close-reading in a relaxed setting, which can contribute to improving their analytical skills without the pressure of a formal assessment. Furthermore, making predictions prepares students for writing a more formal essay as they record their initial impressions and hypotheses, which can later be revised and elaborated upon after discussing different perspectives and additional information.