Week 2: Big Picture Questions (RC)

Question 1

Question Type Families:

Big Picture

• Main Point / Primary Purpose / Primary Passage / Organization / Title / Source

Local Purpose

• Paragraph Purpose / Detail Purpose / Meaning in Context

Opinion

• Attitude / most likely to agree

Locate a Detail

• Five Questions / according to the passage / states / indicates / refers

Derive from details

• most supported / inferred / suggests / implies

Beyond Passage

• Analogy / Application / Strengthen / Weaken / Add to Passage

Question 2

3 things to focus on when approaching big picture reading questions?

Answer 2

1. What are of the passage is this question stem dealing with? (Hunt)
2. Can I put the supporting text into my own words? (Digest)
3. Anticipate what a correct answer could sound like. (Anticipate)

Question 3

What would this look like for a Main Point question?

Answer 3

1. What are the most valuable sentences (1-3) in the passage?
2. Distinguish big ideas from supporting ideas.
3. Main Point = Topic + Purpose

Question 4

Remember the Main Point really should look like the (central) ____________ + ______________ (of the passage).

Answer 4

topic; purpose

Question 5

Main Point Q’s Correct Answer

Answer 5

• Topic + Framework
• Most Valuable Sentences
• Insist on Central Topic
• Best Available (may feel incomplete, try not to be too picky)

Question 6

Main Point Trap Answers

Answer 6

• Too Strong
• Wrong emphasis (places emphasis on wrong details)
• Unsupported…
  • Causal relationship
  • comparison
  • noun/new concept
• Contradicts something in the passage

Question 7

Main Purpose Q’s Correct Answer

Answer 7

• Topic < Framework
• Most Valuable Sentences
• match Abstract to Specific

Question 8

Main Purpose Trap Answers

Answer 8

• Something in the answer choice doesn’t match what was said in the passage
• Too narrow