Reading comprehension Flashcards
How do you read GMAT passages?
In stages
What are the two tasks you should focus on at two select times when doing reading comprehension passages?
Specific Details
Major Ideas
Whats the difference between a major point and a detail
Detail=fact
Major fact= summary of several thoughts
What should you identify when you read a passage?
The three major points
If you have one short paragraph and one long one what should you conclude in terms of main points?
The short passage has one main point and the long one two
The correct answer to a synthesis big idea question should?
Summarize or restate at least two of your three major points
What are the two wrong answers to avoid for big picture problems?
One word F ups
Answers that are two specific
What do purpose questions ask you to do?
Identify the purpose of a specific piece of info
Meaning of a word
Purpose of a sentence
Purpose of a paragraph
How do you attack a purpose question?
Understand the context around a passage
Reread two or three lines before and after the specified locational
What is a fetch question?
Questions that require you to understand the details of a passage
Go fetch the details
When fetching what should you do?
Skim a 3-4 line area around that location
How do you answer attitude questions?
Go fetch for words describing the area in question
How long should a reading comp question take you?
1 minute
No more than 1.5 minutes
How many minutes should you spend reading a long reading comp passage ?
4.5 minutes
How are long passages organized differently from short passages?
Each paragraph usually only has one major point
The first sentence of a paragraph is usually its topic sentence
What should you do once you read a paragraph in a long passage?
Write down its main idea
What are the 4 story arcs?
The problem
The claim
The review
The phenomenon
Describe how a problem passage may be set up?
The first paragraph broaches a problem while the remaining paragraphs discuss possible solutions
Usually one flawed solution and one somewhat promising solution
Describe how a claim passage may be set up?
The fist paragraph typically states an opinion while the remaining paragraphs provide examples that support the claim
Describe a review passage
The first paragraph usually describes the study or provides its conclusions while remaining paragraphs critique its strengths and weaknesses
Describe a phenomenon passage
The first paragraph generally describes the phenomenon while the remaining paragraphs explain various features or aspects of that phenomenon
These passages are usually science oriented
Whats the max amount of time you should spend on a reading comp question?
1 min 45 sec
