Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary
What you must understand
Reading comprehension in a selection test rewards precision, not speed alone. You need to identify the main idea versus supporting detail, track author's purpose and tone, distinguish fact from opinion, and recognise how a passage is structured (cause-effect, comparison, problem-solution). Vocabulary questions test both context clues - using surrounding words to infer meaning - and knowledge of word parts (prefixes, roots, suffixes) plus common synonyms, antonyms and shades of meaning.
Traps to watch
- Extreme wording: options containing always, never, all, only are usually wrong unless the passage states them outright.
- True but irrelevant: an option may be factually correct yet not answer the question asked.
- Half-right answers: the first clause matches but the second distorts the passage.
- Familiar-word trap in vocabulary: the common meaning may not fit the context; choose the meaning that fits the sentence.
- Tone drift: mistaking a cautious, qualified author for an enthusiastic or hostile one.
Rule of thumb and worked example
Answer the question in your own words before reading the options, then find the closest match. For vocabulary, substitute each option back into the sentence and test the fit.
Example: "The committee's report was cursory, offering only a superficial glance at the evidence." Options: (A) thorough (B) hasty and superficial (C) hostile (D) lengthy. The clue superficial glance signals B; A and D are opposites or unrelated, and C confuses tone with meaning.
Practise by summarising each paragraph in a few words and marking where the answer is supported.