READING COMPREHENSION

Expect to see 4 RC passages, accompanied by 3-4 questions, total of 12-14 6 mins total for short, 8 mins total for long at most Two kinds of passages Short (200-250 words, 2-3 paragraphs, 3 questions), Long (300 words, 4-5 paragraphs, 4 questions). Mostly 3 short, one long, or 2 short 2 long. Number of paragraphs is decreasing. Short passages more common. Doesnt list line numbers, uses yellow highlighting when needed Challenge: Topic and content: complex issues in science, biology, business, social science, history. Complex writing, generally from journals. Academic style- complex and dense. Topics are deliberately made to look esoteric, unfamiliar terminology Read on screen no marking possible st Cannot read all questions (questions and choices, except for the 1 one cant be used for better understanding) Speed required: 2.5-3 minutes for short; 3.5 to 4 minutes for long passages Approach: Read the passage first in its entirety and then go to the questions st Dont skim the passage/ read 1 last lines etc. If you give your brain simple instruction to read the passage, reading will be passive and inefficient. Instead, read proactively, breaking it down, having a running translation at the back of your head. CHANNEL any nervous energy into INTENSITY Make it fun treat it like a LEARNING exercise Read proactively, aggressively. Think of the consequences of what you are reading. POSITIVE ATTITUDE. Really. Read to solve a puzzle, or to learn- dont be anxious of boredom and failure to understand! If the passage contains multiple viewpoints, get involved in the argument. Be interested and enthusiastic. Active Reading and ANTICIPATION actively try and mentally look ahead simultaneously as to what direction you think the passage would take next, at every point.

VIEWSTAMP: While Reading look for: Viewpoint: Position or approach taken by author/ various groups talked of by the author. A passage can have up to 5-6 viewpoints. Identify each new group or individual introduced, and his/its viewpoint. Many RC passages begin with content that is viewpoint neutral to set context of the passage. Tracking viewpoints helps to disentangle the mess that a passage presents Questions are mostly based on conflicts between viewpoints etc. testing your ability to compare and contrast different views. An opinion presented without reference to any particular group is typically the authors opinio n/viewpoint More than one viewpoint can be presented in a single sentence back to back to confuse you.

Structure Broad outline of the structure of the passage you have to go back to passage when you answer the questions. This is a basic guide to have a mental idea of what is where. Look out for direction changing words- however, in addition, furthermore etc. Tone Tone, or attitude is the state of mind or feeling that each group takes to the subject matter at hand. Authors choice of words shows his attitude critical, convinced, skeptical, hopeful.

Most authors tend not to be extreme in their opinion. Most passages are from academic or professional publications in which authors attempt to offer reasoned arguments in support of their position. They present counter arguments and acknowledge the position of the other side. They can have strong opinions, but they dont use fiery or passionate language. Tone is representative of the whole passage, not just of a single section. An author might exhibit strong support for an issue throughout the passage and in the end acknowledge that critics exist. His tone is not negative ,or concerned it is reasoned optimism, or positive but realistic Every viewpoint group has its own tone, but since it comes fil tered to us through authors words, mostly it can be reduced to a simple agree/disagree position

Argument: premise, conclusion- counter-premise, additional premise, indicators, complex argumentation, quantity and probability indicators Main Point Big picture idea of the passage central idea, or ultimate conclusion that the author is attempting to prove. Can be stated anywhere in the passage all paragraphs of the passage must support main point

Why are passages hard: challenging topic or terminology challenging writing style multiple viewpoints difficult question answers

Passage Elements that generate questions: Viewpoint Specific Text Based: Chronology, examples, definitions, initial and closing information, difficult words or phrases, lists and enumerations Two kinds of reasoning: Causal: Cause and Effect Conditional: one sufficient and one necessary condition at least. Sufficient means necessary occurs, necessary means sufficient may or may not occur.

TRAPS: 1. Comparison and contrast details: can confuse 2. Separation: inserting a separate long discussion in between a discussion 3. Proximity: two ideas close to each other are not essentially related 4. Inserted Alternate viewpoint: multiple viewpoints stacked to confuse 5. Chronology: what is presented 1 doesnt essentially happen 1 , or doesnt have to be cause of 2 6. Seemingly difficult topic
st st nd

QUESTIONS Question stem: Can be one of following 3 types: 1. SR Specific Reference: points out to a specific location in the text directing you to focus there. Use of words and phrases from passage 2. CR Concept Reference: refers to ideas themes within a passage which are not identified by any specific line, but are clearly enunciated within one or 2 paras of passage 3. GR Global Reference: ask about the passage as a whole main point, primary purpose, author will most agree to. Question types: Must be true: An answer choice that is proven by information in passage. Paraphrase/ logical consequence should pass the FACT TEST completely justifiable only by referring to facts in a passage SR/CR: Go to that point which the question is talking about GR: about whole passage, but go back to confirm/eliminate answer choices Main point: summary of authors point of view. May be stated only at one point, but everything author is writing is going in to support the main point. Purpose question: why author referred to some point or phrase or example Perspective: combining authors viewpoint and tone what author believes/ most likely agrees with Subject Perspective: not author, but someone elses viewpoint and tone Organization Questions: relationship between 1 para and 2 para/ how material is organized Expansion: extrapolate ideas from passage to guess title, what sentence idea precede/ follow the passage (sentences will have to be linked to the closing or opening sentences as the case may be) Answer traps: true but not main point/ exaggerated answers/ new information answer/ shell game/ opposite answer/ reverse answer/ wrong view / hidden references Strengthen: identify, personalize, look for weakness correct answer can strengthen a little or a lot! Weaken: Answer choices are allowed to bring in new information Parallel Reasoning: which is most analogous to relationship explained in passage? Cannot be true: Least consistent with author, polar opposite LOOK OUT For: Most/ Best Except/ Least
st nd

Principle Questions: A broad rule that can be said to be behind authors statement You should actively and aggressive prephrase answer before reading answer choices. Common Passage Structures: Narrative: a story or an account of events

o o o

o o o

Narrative without authorial position: Focus only on facts, author doesnt take any sides Narrative with authorial position: takes a defined position, mostly towards the end, Narrative with positional analysis: explains the history of views or outlines 2 or more alternative views. Normally ends with author taking side of one position: contains multiple explanations, solutions, theories and the author then assesses these ideas normally choosing one or combining two Narrative with Timeline: specific history/ chronology of an event Narrative with causality: passages devoted to explain the cause behind a particular event/ occurrence Narrative featuring principle and example: discuss an initial theory by means of a lot of examples

Efficient Reading: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Engage with the passage: ENGAGE EMOTIONALLY with passage: agree with good guys- feel bad for victims Look for the simple story: gist or core meaning of the passage Link to what you already know concretize and get familiar make mental pictures, but beware of bringing in extraneous info Unpack the beginning: Beginning is crucial read repeatedly, break down the sentence into easy parts but understand the beginning Link to what you have just read: when you are reading ask yourself about the meaning and purpose of what you are reading in relation to everything else you have read. Is this content (causes, processes, categories) or judgment (theories and hypotheses, evaluations and opinions, Comparisons and outcomes, advantages and disadvantages) Pay attention to signals: like paragraph breaks, signal words because, however, after all, fortunately - words which provide contrast, conceding contrast, dismissive, generalize, example, indicate logical result etc. Pick up the pace: After initial paragraph, your focus should be big picture than specific details. Only pay close attention to beginning of paragraphs, big surprises or changes in direction, big results

6. 7.

Strategy: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. General answers: choose the answer which relates to most number of paragraphs, and more points for 1 Specific Answers: Identify key words, go back to passage to the keywords Specific answers: Select only when you find one or two PROOF SENTENCES to defend the correct answer choices. JUSTIFY every Word in answer: EVERY WORD MUST BE COMPLETELY TRUE AND WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE PASSAGE AVOID EXTREME WORDS if possible INFER as little as possible- infer should mean state a little differently st PREVIEW the 1 question
st

Wrong Answer Choices: Out of Scope: introduces an unwarranted assertion mostly real world plausible 40-50% of wrong answers Direct Contradiction: States exact opposite consequence as cause etc. Mix up: Botched scrambling together of diverse content same language One Word Wrong: Critical normally extreme words/ real world replacement king for kingdom etc. True but Irrelevant: Too narrow, true as per passage but not broad enough to answer the question

The questions use of the phrase according to the passage means that the answer is a claim made, explicitly or implicitly, in the passage. By using the verb implies, this question indicates that the answer is not explicitly stated in the passage. (Will mostly be a consequence of combining two or more statements from the passage). When a question asks what a passage suggests or implies, it is often necessary to look at more than one sentence or at sentences in different parts of the passage. When the passage asks for an information cited in the passage, the answer will be clearly cited explicitly in the passage. Describing a controversy doesnt mean author is evaluating the topic, unless he is adding his own opinion! Purpose to critique a methodology doesnt mean the author criticizes the methodology but discusses both its strength and weakness. Critique is not critical!

Longer passages
These are 70 -75 lines, longer than the window you will have to scroll. st 1 passage will be introductory, followed by 2 body paragraphs with details Reading FOR something is easier than just reading. You are looking for: Main Point, Purpose of the passage, logic of the passage, and sense of the tone of the passage. (Most passages are objective/ toneless) You are not looking for: Details. Always ask yourself: What is the point? Point is never just to inform or to list facts! You have to correlate with common sense as to why those facts have been given Also the point of each smaller unit (usually each paragraph) If the passage presents facts or details, why are they there? What is accomplished/ justified/ explained by those facts or details? So while reading you dont have to remember, or even pay too much attention to the details of the passage. Pay close attentio n only st to things which explain either of the above two questions. Intro is fully important, normally 1 sentence of body paragraph hints the topic or point of that paragraph. Sometimes the passage shifts focus at the very end. That should not affect too much your reading of the main point that might remain the same even if last 4-5 out of 25 lines talk of contrary position -

Shorter Passages
They dont have a regular structure: you cant rely on certain places. But focus should still be one the above 2 questions: Whats the point? Why are the facts/ details there? Look for logical transitions: Traditionally.. indicates some sort of contrast is going to come up a counter argument or a new way.

MAIN IDEA QUESTION Even if you dont understand anything about the passage, TRANSITION WORDS and GENERAL STATEMENTS OF CONTEXTS are enough to understand the main idea of the passage. Try blanking out the details and find main idea, it will work. Always predict an answer and then read the answer choices. INFERENCE/SUGGESTS On GMAT inference is a statement that can be 100% proved by the passage, not in a real world way where you can draw inferences. GMAT inferences will not be called inferences in real world conversation Most real world inferences will not be recognized on GMAT Inferences are totally dependent on Main point More a restatement than an inference Statements that can be rigorously proved from information in the passage; or statements that must be true in all reasonable situations

Inference will be very, very close to something which is already stated in the passage.

Passages are not random collection of unrelated statements. You are expected to figure out the relationships between the statements in the passage. So if only one reason is mentioned, we might say that it must be the primary reason, or why will author only mention it?