Verbal Strategies

Question 1

Single blank

Answer 1

1. SET UP POE & COVER the answers
2. Find the HISTORY: If complex, rephrase.
   
   • Who or what is the sentence about?
   • What is told about it?
   • What else is said about?
3. Identify CLUES:
4. NOTICE direction of triggers:
   
   • It will tell you if your word match the clue
   • Triggers can be several words, phrases, and semicolons.
5. MOVE ON IF:
   
   • You don’t immediately know what to do.
   • A question seems particularly difficult.
   • You you are working through a question and realize you aren’t getting any closer to the answer.
   • You work through a question and the answer you got isn’t among the answer choices.
   • MARK the question:
     
     • Do two or three and come back to it.
     • If it still difficult, walk away again.
6. PREDICT the answer:
   
   • Match you answer with the clue.
7. APPLY POE:
   
   • If stuck between two options, walk away.
   • If there are words in the answers that you not know
     
     • Use word roots, suffix, or prefix.
     • Focus in trying to match the word you know with the clues in the sentence.
     • Use positive/negative associations whenever possible.
8. CHECK your answer
   
   • Ask if the question “Does the clue point to my answer choice only?”

Question 2

Multiple blank

Answer 2

1. SET UP POE & COVER the answers.
2. Find the HISTORY: If complex, rephrase

ATTACK each sentence separately

* Who?  
* What is told about it?  
* What else is said about?  3. Identify CLUES:    4. NOTICE direction of triggers: 
* It will tell you if your word match the clue  
* IF is difficult to find the clue and the trigger: 
    * Use relation between blanks P(62).  5. MOVE ON IF: 
* You don’t immediately know what to do. 
* A question seems particularly difficult.  
* You you are working through a question and realize you aren’t getting any closer to the answer. 
* You work through a question and the answer you got isn’t among the answer choices. 
* MARK the question: 
    * Do two or three and come back to it.  
    * If it still difficult, walk away again.  6. PREDICT the answer: 
* Match you answer with the clues.   7. APPLY POE: 
* If stuck between two options, walk away.  
* If there are words in the answers that you not know 
    * Use word roots, suffix, or prefix. 
    * Focus in trying to match the word you know with the clues in the sentence.  
    * Use positive/negative associations whenever possible. p(51).  8. CHECK your answer 
* Ask if the question "Does the clue point to my answer choice only?"

Question 3

Sentence equivalence

Answer 3

1. SET UP POE & COVER the answers.
2. Find the HISTORY: If complex, rephrase
   
   • Who?
   • What is the sentence about?
   • What else is said about?
3. Identify CLUES:
4. NOTICE direction of triggers:
   
   • It will tell you if your word match the clue
   • Triggers can be several words, phrases, and semicolons.
5. MOVE ON IF:
   
   • You don’t immediately know what to do.
   • A question seems particularly difficult.
   • You you are working through a question and realize you aren’t getting any closer to the answer.
   • You work through a question and the answer you got isn’t among the answer choices.
   • MARK the question:
     
     • Do two or three and come back to it.
     • If it still difficult, walk away again.
6. PREDICT the answer:
   
   • Match you answer with the clues.
7. APPLY POE:
   
   • If stuck between two options, walk away.
   • If there are words in the answers that you not know
     
     • Use word roots, suffix, or prefix.
     • Focus in trying to match the word you know with the clues in the sentence.
     • Use positive/negative associations whenever possible. P(72)
     • Eliminate words that have not synonyms. P(73)
8. CHECK your answer
   
   • Ask if the question “Does the clue point to my answer choice only?”
   • Be sure both sentences have the same meaning.

Question 4

Attack the passage.

Answer 4

• Look ONLY for the basics (if difficult, Paraphrase paragraphs)
• Read fast looking for and jotting down if necessary:
  
  • Main and secondary ideas, claims, arguments, etc
  • The structure; use trigger words such transitions
  • The tone & purpose for paragraph P(85) (PRICE: predict, recommend, inform, correct, evaluate.)
  • Scope
  • Read well the last paragraph.
• Does the author finish nicely or there is some doubt.
• Does the author suggest further avenues of inquiry

Question 5

Reasoning or General Questions Strategy

Answer 5

1. Identify the type of question
   
   • Fetch, reasoning, or critical thinking.
2. Figure what the question wants
   
   • What type of information the question requires before going back to the passage.
3. Read as necessary to answer the question and focus in the main idea, scope and structure
4. Answer in your own words, if possible.
   
   • Beyond the scope.
     
     • Wrong answers on these will go too far beyond the scope of the passage
     • Too general or specific. Choose the answer that is closest to the information in the passage
     • Mention something you haven’t read about
   • Have the wrong tone. Be sure the tone is appropriated to the question task.
     
     • Contain extreme wording, specially with tone questions
   • Are only half right. If is only half right eliminate it.

Question 6

Reasoning of General Questions’ Types

Answer 6

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**Main Idea **

• The primary purpose of the passage is to
• The main idea of the passage is
• The passage focuses primarily on which of the following?
• The passage is primarily concerned with
• Which of the following best states the central idea of the passage?

Organization/Structure

• Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage as a whole?
• Which of the following is the most accurate description of the organization of the passage?

Other

• Which of the following titles best describes the content of the passage?
• Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
• The passage would most likely be found in
• The passage would be most likely to appear as part of

Tone

• The author’s attitude toward … can best be described as
• The author’s attitude toward … is best described as which of the following?
  *

Question 7

Specific or Fetch Questions Strategy

Answer 7

Size up the questions.

• Identify the type of question
  
  • Fetch, reasoning, or critical thinking.
• Make the question into a question with your own words.
• Find proof
  • Find the lead word in the question
  • Read 5 lines up and down, 3 up and down for vocal questions.
  • Answer the question in your own words
• If select in passage use sentences answers
• If a a Word in Context use single black strategies.

Use POE

Use yes and not if is a Except, least, not

• Avoid extreme statement or language. Word such as is, all, always, etc. are usually wrong.
• Scope. If you can’t put your finger on it, you can’t pick it. Watch for answers that expand the scope of the passage.
• Be careful with half right answers. Make sure to read the whole answer.
• Garbled information. Contain information that’s true according to the passage but that doesn’t answer the question
• Correct answers are paraphrases of information stated in the passage.

Question 8

Specific or Fetch Questions’ Types

Answer 8

Line reference

These questions are easy to identify because they always contain a line reference or a highlighted portion of the passage.

**Lead Word **

Lead word questions are basically line reference questions without the line reference. Use lead word.

Question 9

Argument questions Strategy

Answer 9

1. Identify the type of question
   
   • Fetch, reasoning, or critical thinking.
   • Be sure is a critical reasoning question and not a simple reading question.
2. Analyze the argument
   
   • Read and identify the premise, conclusion, and assumption.
3. Predict the answer
   
   • Before looking at the answers, try to answer the question in your own words.
4. Use POE

• Give new information. Answers choices that discuses information that is not part of the original argument are wrong.
• Have the wrong tone. The tone of the answer choice should match the tone of the argument. Arguments that have very strong conclusions require very strong worded answer choices, and arguments that have milder tones require milder answer choices.
• Weaken the argument. Eliminate any answer that would weaken or hurt the argument.

Question 10

Strengthen questions

Answer 10

The right answer will be a premise that support the assumption

1. Identify the type of question
   
   • Fetch, reasoning, or critical thinking.
   • Be sure is a critical reasoning question and not a simple reading question.
2. Analyze the argument
   
   • Read and identify the premise, conclusion, and assumption.
3. Predict the answer
   
   • Before looking at the answers, try to answer the question in your own words.
4. Use POE
5. Are only half good. Some answers won’t strengthen the argument enough. You shouldn’t have to make any assumption about the answer choice in order to strengthen the argument.
6. Weaken the argument. Eliminate the answers that weaken the argument.
7. So nothing. Get rid of those that neither strength or weaken.

Question 11

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Weaken questions

Answer 11

The right answer will attack the assumption breaking the link between the premise and the conclusion.

1. Identify the type of question
   
   • Fetch, reasoning, or critical thinking.
   • Be sure is a critical reasoning question and not a simple reading question.
2. Analyze the argument
   
   • Read and identify the premise, conclusion, and assumption.
3. Predict the answer
   
   • Before looking at the answers, try to answer the question in your own words.
4. Use POE
   
   • Are half good. Make sure the answer attacks the assumption thoroughly.
   • Strengthen the argument. Eliminate the answers that strengthen the argument.
   • Do nothing. Some answer choices do nothing, eliminate them.

Question 12

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Resolve/Explain questions

Answer 12

• Some will present you with a paradox - a sect of fact that contradicts each other.
• Find the answer choice that best explain the contradiction.
  1. Identify the type of question
  
  • Fetch, reasoning, or critical thinking.
  • Be sure is a critical reasoning question and not a simple reading question.
    
    2. Read the argument
  • Look for two facts that are in conflict.
    
    3. Use POE
    4. Do nothing.
    5. Are only half right. Some answers will deal with half of the conflict.
    6. Worsen the situation. Eliminate those.

Question 13

Breaking Down the Argument

Answer 13

1. dentify the conclusion

Generally, this is the opinion of the author and can be a believe or a prediction.

Look for word that express a:

• Conclusion such as therefore, thus, consequently.
• Opinion: suggest, believe, hope, etc.
• Belief: should, would, must, etc.
  1. Find the premise
  
  • You can look for facts: stats, surveys, polls, or reports, etc.
  • Or ask why you should accept the conclusion you found, the answer is the premise.
  • Look for words such as: because, due to, since, based on.
    
    2. Locating the assumptions
  • It is never explicitly stated and it is the link between the conclusion and the premise.
  • Look for a gap and ask: Just because (premise) is true, does it really mean (conclusion) is true?

Question 14

EXCEPT/LEAST/NOT

Answer 14

1. Identify the type of question
   
   • Fetch, reasoning, or critical thinking.
2. Figure what the question wants
   
   • What type of information the question requires before going back to the passage.
   • Use Yes/No
3. Focus on each answer at a time
4. Apply POE
5. Select the negative

Question 15

Select All that Apply

Answer 15

1. Identify the type of question
   
   • Fetch, reasoning, or critical thinking.
2. Figure what the question wants
   
   • What type of information the question requires before going back to the passage.
3. Focus on each answer at a time
4. Apply POE
5. Beyond the information given. Wrong answers on these will go too far beyond the scope of the passage. Choose the answer that is closest to the information in the passage
6. Have the wrong tone. Be sure the tone is appropriated to the question task.
7. Are only half right. If is only half right eliminate it.

Question 16

Wird Questions’ Types

Answer 16

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All That Apply

For the following question, consider each of the answer choices separately and select all that apply.

 All That Apply questions will give you three possible answer choices and ask you to select all of the answers which apply. Other than that, approach these questions exactly like you would a normal, five-answer Reading Comprehension question. Read the question carefully, write down A B C on your scratch paper, and POE. Focus on one answer at a time. If you’re not sure whether that answer is correct or not, move on to the next answer choice and come back to it later.  Except/Least/Not

All of the following are stated by the author as the advantages of hydroponics EXCEPT According to the passage, neutrinos are NOT

Select-in-Passage

Select the sentence that offers evidence to support the author’s claim about superposition.

Vocab in Context

In the context in which it appears, “startling” (line 7) most nearly means

Argument

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?