When a beginner reader uses his/her general knowledge about the text theme, cultural aspects etc. to make sense of the specific textual content, it is called :

The correct answer is Top-down approach.

Explanation:

In reading instruction and language processing, reading strategies are broadly divided into two main approaches: top-down and bottom-up models.

1. Top-Down Approach:
In a top-down reading process, the reader relies on prior knowledge, context, overall understanding of the topic, theme, culture, and expectations to comprehend the text. The reader moves from the macro-level (general knowledge, context, background knowledge/schema) down to micro-details (specific words and letters) to make sense of what is written.

2. Bottom-Up Approach:
Conversely, a bottom-up reading process focuses on decoding smaller components first—such as phonemes, letters, words, and grammar rules—and building up to larger concepts and global understanding.

Therefore, when a reader uses general background knowledge, cultural context, and overarching themes to understand specific textual content, it is referred to as a Top-down approach.