Reading Comprehension
What this section tests
Reading Comprehension measures how efficiently you can locate, interpret, and evaluate written information. Key concepts include skimming for gist, scanning for specifics, identifying the author's purpose and tone, distinguishing fact from opinion, understanding inference (what is implied but not stated), vocabulary in context, and text organisation (cause-effect, comparison, problem-solution, chronological). You must also handle cohesion: how pronouns, synonyms, and linking words connect sentences.
Traps to expect
- True-but-irrelevant options: accurate statements that do not answer the question asked.
- Extreme wording: options with always, never, all, only are usually wrong unless the passage says so.
- Scope creep: a claim broader than the passage supports.
- Chronology confusion: events listed in a different order than they occurred.
- False inference: conclusions that feel logical but lack textual support.
Worked example
Passage sentence: "Although the trial reduced costs, researchers cautioned that the sample was small." Question: What is the researchers' attitude? The answer is cautiously positive - costs fell (positive) but they warned about sample size (caution). An option saying "entirely supportive" is too extreme; "dismissive" ignores the cost reduction.
Rule of thumb
Answer from the text, not from the world. For every option, ask: Which exact line supports this? If you cannot point to it, eliminate it. Read the question first, then scan - but always read the first and last sentence of each paragraph for structure.
Time strategy
Budget roughly one minute per question. Do easier factual items first, flag inference items, and return with remaining time.