Reading Comprehension

Question 1

Reading Comprehension: Detail Questions

Answer 1

Explain what is stated in the passage concerning a specific detail.

Specific. Locate the detail in the passage, using the Initial Reading to point to the paragraph in which the detail is most likely to be found.

Stated. You are asked to describe what is explicitly said in the passage concerning this detail.

Beware of (a) answer choices containing details that appear elsewhere in the passage; (b) distortions of the detail (replacing hill with mountain, etc.).

Look for (a) synonyms (replacing die with perish); (b) different word order, same meaning.

Common phrasing:

1. Which of the following is mentioned in the passage (about…)?
2. According to the passage…
3. Which statement about… is supported by information in the passage?

Question 2

Critical Reasoning: Boldface Type Questions

Answer 2

Identify the function of the two portions in Boldface Type and their relationship

Two parts of the argument are in boldface type. You are asked to make out which function they serve in the argument (premise, conclusion, assumption) and\or what is the relationship between them.

Remember! To save time, eliminate answer choices that incorrectly define the first boldface type part. There is no need to continue reading them.

These questions are easy to identify by their boldface type formatting.

Question 3

Reading Comprehension: Initial Reading

Answer 3

The purpose of Initial Reading is to understand the main idea and structure of the passage:

1. First paragraph: read one sentence at a time until you have a firm grasp of the main idea of the passage. In most cases, read the entire first paragraph sentence by sentence. If the first paragraph has more than four sentences, stop reading when the paragraph begins to go into details.
2. Following paragraphs: read the first sentence only and see how it’s related to the previous paragraphs and to the main idea of the passage.

NEVER READ THE ENTIRE PASSAGE!

Question 4

Reading Comprehension: Application Questions

Answer 4

Reading Comprehension: Application Questions

Apply a specific idea that appears in the passage to a new, unrelated context

Specific. Locate the idea or concept in the passage, using the Initial Reading to point to the paragraph in which the detail is most likely to be found.

Implied. You are asked to strip the concept from its content, and apply it to new content or recognize a similar process masked in a different context.

Remember: application questions stray furthest from the information stated in the passage.

Common phrasing:

1. The author is most likely to agree with which of the following statements about X?
2. X is most similar to which of the following?
3. Which of the following statements would provide the most logical continuation of the final paragraph of the passage?
4. Which of the following, if true, would best support the author’s theory regarding X?

Question 5

Reading Comprehension: Structure Questions

Answer 5

Identify the structural purpose of a paragraph and\or how it relates to other paragraphs.

General. Answer based on the Initial Reading only.

You are asked to understand the structure of the passage and how the discussed paragraph(s) serves this structure.

Common phrasing:

1. One function of the third paragraph is to…
2. The last paragraph performs which of the following functions in the passage?
3. Which of the following best describes the relation of the first paragraph to the passage as a whole?

Question 6

Reading Comprehension: Style and Tone Questions

Answer 6

Reading Comprehension: Style and Tone Questions

Identify the tone, attitude, or style of the author.

Specific or General. These questions may apply to the entire passage or to a specific detail.

Implied. You are asked to detect the attitude of the author indirectly through the information and statements he\she includes in the passage.

Beware of answer choices which are (a) radical (b) disrespectful (c) undermine American values.

Common phrasing:

1. The attitude of the author of the passage toward X is best described as
2. X is regarded by the author with

The following words violate the above principles, and seeing them in an answer choice is enough to eliminate it:
absolute, absolutely, complete, completely, extreme, extremely, total, totally, utter, utterly

abusive, agitated, condescending, cynical, denunciatory, derogatory, fervent, harsh, perplexed

amusement, astonishment, contempt, disdain, dismay, ridicule, scorn, skepticism

Question 7

Sentence Correction: Comparatives - As vs. Like

Answer 7

As serves us to compare verbs (that is, actions), e.g., Jane goes hill-walking every Sunday as does John.

The section beginning with as must always include a conjugated verb, though it may be in a different tense than the verb in the other section.
Incorrect: As John, Jane is now starting her training
Correct: As John once did, Jane is now starting her training (as + verb)
Correct: Like John, Jane is now starting her training (like + no verb)

When as separates the sections of the comparison there is no need for a comma; if as is at the beginning of the sentence, a comma is used to separate the sections.
Jane goes hill-walking every Sunday as does John.
As does John, Jane goes hill-walking every Sunday