Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension carries the most items in Verbal Ability because a single passage can generate several questions. The good news is that you do not need outside knowledge. Every answer is stated in the passage or follows from it. Master six question types and you can handle almost any passage the exam gives you.

Find the main idea

The main idea is the single most important point the whole passage makes. Details, examples, and reasons all serve it. Ask yourself, "What is this mostly about, and what does the writer want me to understand?"

• The main idea is broad enough to cover every sentence, but not so broad that it covers things the passage never mentions.
• A choice that is true but only a single detail is not the main idea.
• A choice that is too broad or brings in outside claims is wrong.
• A stated main idea often sits in the first or last sentence. An implied main idea you must sum up yourself.

Main idea versus supporting details

Supporting details answer who, what, when, where, and how many. They prove the main idea.

On "According to the passage" items, the answer is stated directly. Scan for the exact word or number. Do not rely on memory or on what sounds reasonable.

Draw inferences and conclusions

An inference is a logical guess the passage supports but does not state outright. A valid inference must be backed by clues in the text.

Test each inference choice: "Is there evidence for this in the passage?" If a choice needs information the passage never gives, reject it, even when it could be true in real life.

A conclusion follows necessarily from the stated facts. If all X are Y, and Z is an X, then Z must be Y.

Example: If a passage shows Aling Nena taking an umbrella and pulling on boots as she leaves, you can infer she expects rain. It is not stated, but the clues support it.

Meaning from context

Context clues let you define an unfamiliar word from the sentence around it. Look for:

• a nearby definition or restatement,
• a synonym placed close by,
• an example, or
• a contrast signaled by unlike, but, or however.

Replace the hard word with each choice and keep the one that preserves the sentence's meaning.

Example: "The road was impassable; fallen trees and deep mud blocked every vehicle." The clues blocked every vehicle show that impassable means it cannot be passed.

Author's purpose and tone

The author's purpose is why the piece was written. There are three broad purposes:

• To inform: explain facts or give directions (a notice, a how-to, a report).
• To persuade: argue for a view or an action (opinion pieces, words like should and must).
• To entertain: tell a story or amuse (characters, plot, humor).

Tone is the writer's attitude, shown through word choice. A tone may be formal, friendly, serious, humorous, hopeful, or critical. Warm, encouraging words point to a positive tone. Sharp, complaining words point to a critical tone.

Fact versus opinion

A fact can be proven true or false: dates, measurements, and events. An opinion states a personal judgment and often uses words like best, worst, should, beautiful, or too.

Watch the trap: a statement is still "fact type" if it CAN be checked, even when it is false. Fact versus opinion is about whether a claim can be verified, not about whether it happens to be correct.

Cause and effect

A cause is why something happens. An effect is the result. Signal words include because, since, so, as a result, therefore, due to, and led to.

On "What caused..." items, find the event the passage actually links to the result, not merely an earlier event that happened to appear first.

Exam-day strategy

• When the item has a question, read the question first, then read the passage knowing what to hunt for.
• For main idea, cover the whole passage. For a detail, find the exact line.
• Answer only from the passage. If a choice needs outside knowledge or adds facts the passage never states, eliminate it.
• Be suspicious of absolute words in choices, such as always, never, all, and none. They are often too strong to be supported by the text.