RC Question Types

Question 1

Identification

Answer 1

A specific and explicitly mentioned detail that must be identified

Question 2

Inference

Answer 2

The information in the passage is used to support an answer that isn’t explicitly stated

Question 3

Synthesis

Answer 3

A “big picture” question that’s asking about the overall debate, a viewpoint, or the structure of the argument

Question 4

Strengthen/Weaken

Answer 4

Questions that ask you to identify a detail that would impact one of the arguments in the passage

Question 5

Analogy/Application

Answer 5

Questions that call out some feature of the passage and ask you to choose either an answer that is analogous or an answer to which a called-out principle applies