Reading Comprehension

Question 1

Global Question: Definition

Answer 1

Determining main ideas (i.e. summarizing a passage).

Question 2

Global Question: Location in Paragraph

Answer 2

First and last sentence of the paragraph. Keywords: “primary purpose of the passage” and “author’s tone”

Question 3

Detail Question: Definition

Answer 3

Understanding details/facts (i.e. distinguishing between minor and major points).

Question 4

Detail Question: Location in Paragraph

Answer 4

Middle of a paragraph and scan for key words. Keywords: “according to the author/passage” and “mentioned in the passage”

Question 5

Inference Question: Definition

Answer 5

Making inferences/conclusions (i.e. drawing conclusions from the information provided or reasoning from incomplete data to infer missing information).

Question 6

Inference Question: Location in Paragraph

Answer 6

non-specific - read the first and last sentence of the paragraph or each paragraph of the passage, specific - find the relevant part of the passage based on clues and look in the middle. Keywords: “suggests,” “implies,” and “most likely agrees”

Question 7

Logic/Function Question: Definition

Answer 7

Identifying the author’s logic or the function of a certain word or phrase the author included (i.e. why did the author include a certain word, phrase, or statement).

Question 8

Logic/Function Question: Location in Paragraph

Answer 8

At the minimum read before and after the referenced text. Keywords: “in order to” and “primarily serves to”

Question 9

Reasoning Question: Definition

Answer 9

Analyzing the author’s reasoning in an argument (i.e. identifying the author’s assumptions and perspective and identifying strengths and weaknesses of a position).

Question 10

Reasoning Question: Location in Paragraph

Answer 10

Whole paragraph or section referenced. Keywords: “requires the assumption,” “cast the most doubt on the conclusion”, and “author’s argument”

Question 11

Vocab in Context Question: Definition

Answer 11

Vocabulary in context (i.e. understanding the meaning of individual words and sentences).

Question 12

Vocab in Context Question: Location in Paragraph

Answer 12

Sentence that contains the word in question, sometimes sentences above and below. Keywords: “as it is used in line” and “most closely corresponds to the meaning of the word”

Question 13

Topic

Answer 13

What the passage is about, a very broad statement

Question 14

Scope

Answer 14

The specific aspect of the topic that interests the author

Question 15

Purpose

Answer 15

The author’s reason for writing

Question 16

Author’s Purpose Themes: Explain

Answer 16

The author wants to explain a phenomenon — specifically, why that phenomenon occurred.

Question 17

Author’s Purpose Themes: Advocate

Answer 17

The author wants to argue for, to recommend, a particular proposal or approach or idea.

Question 18

Author’s Purpose Themes: Rebut

Answer 18

The author wants to rebut or challenge someone else’s idea or theory.

Question 19

Author’s Purpose Themes: Compare or Contrast

Answer 19

The author wants to examine the similarities and differences between two ideas, theories, proposals, or schools of thought.

Question 20

Author’s Purpose Themes: Critique

Answer 20

The author wants to evaluate the success or failure, the quality or deficiency, of a policy, organization, philosophy, or work of art or literature.

Question 21

Author’s Purpose Themes: Describe

Answer 21

The author wants to present the salient facts and features, but deliberately takes no positions and makes no judgments. Such a passage is totally objective.

Question 22

Distractors: Outside the Scope

Answer 22

These choices are outside the scope of the passage and are commonly found in Inference questions. Looking back at your map can help detect these wrong answers.

Question 23

Distractors: Extreme

Answer 23

These answer choices include extreme language like always, never, rarely, etc. and are commonly found in Inference questions. If you see this extreme language make sure the passage actually supports such a strong view.

Question 24

Distractors: Distortion

Answer 24

These choices use specific language from the passage but distort the meaning of details from the passage and are commonly found in Detail and Logic questions. Again check your map to make sure the concept in the choice matches the details in the passage.

Question 25

Distractors: 180

Answer 25

These answer choices are 180 degrees different from statements made in the passage. Again looking at the evidence in your map can help detect these contradictory answer choices.

Question 26

Distractors: Half-right/Half-wrong

Answer 26

These wrong answers are usually easy to spot because they are typically longer. The first part of the statement is usually correct, but then the second half is incorrect. Remember that if part of it is wrong, it is all wrong. An answer cannot be half-right.

Question 27

Evidence

Answer 27

The author’s reasons or proof for that point, why they believes their conclusion is correct.

Question 28

Conclusion

Answer 28

The author’s main point, what they’re trying to prove.

Question 29

Assumption

Answer 29

An assumption is an unstated, necessary premise. It is something that must be true in order for the argument’s evidence to flow logically to the conclusion.
Evidence + Assumption → Conclusion

Question 30

Common Arguments and Flaws: Scope Shift

Answer 30

The scope of the argument will shift from the evidence to conclusion

Question 31

Common Arguments and Flaws: Representativeness

Answer 31

Conclusion is made about a different population from the evidence

Question 32

Common Arguments and Flaws: Causal

Answer 32

Conclusion made essentially says one thing makes another thing happen

Question 33

Difficult RC Questions: Explain

Answer 33

Present you with a paradox or discrepancy in the passage. A paradox or discrepancy exists when a passage contains two or more seemingly inconsistent statements. It’s your job to find the answer choice that explains the paradox.

Question 34

Difficult RC Questions: Parallelism

Answer 34

Require you to make a connection between something in the passage and a different, specific, hypothetical situation. It is structure that is important on these questions! The subject matter of the correct choice is almost always very different from the content of the passage.

Question 35

Difficult RC Questions: Bolded Statement

Answer 35

Akin to Logic questions. The difference is that TWO portions of the passage will be highlighted, and it will be your job to determine the role each highlighted portion plays in the passage or in relationship to each other. The answer choices can be abstract and wordy on these questions, but predicting your answer will help you make quick work of the choices.

Question 36

Keywords: Emphasis

Answer 36

Clues to key pieces of information.

Examples: most of all, especially, above all, best/worst

Question 37

Keywords: Continuation

Answer 37

These indicate no change in the author’s line of reasoning — the opinion or viewpoint previously mentioned is simply expanded upon.
Examples: and, moreover, also, furthermore

Question 38

Keywords: Conclusion

Answer 38

Provide a quick and easy way to locate the main point of the passage.
Examples: therefore, thus, hence, so, clearly

Question 39

Keywords: Contrast

Answer 39

Signal a change in the passage’s direction, and therefore are strong indicators of passage structure.
Examples: but, however, on the other hand, not, by contrast, alternatively

Question 40

Keywords: Sequence

Answer 40

Allow the reader to locate a string of relevant details quickly.
Examples: first of all, next, secondly, finally

Question 41

Keywords: Evidence

Answer 41

Indicate that specific support for the author’s point is forthcoming.
Examples: because, since, for example, due to