Reading: Comprehension and Critical Analysis
What is tested
Reading items ask you to identify the main idea or best summary, locate and interpret supporting details, follow organizational patterns (chronological, comparison-contrast, cause-effect, problem-solution), draw logical inferences, determine the author's purpose and tone, judge fact versus opinion, evaluate the strength of an argument and its evidence, and define words from context.
Traps that appear in questions
Many wrong answers are true in the real world but not supported by the passage, so outside knowledge can betray you. Others use absolute language (always, never, all, only) that the passage never earns. A frequent error is choosing an interesting detail when the question asks for the main idea, or choosing a broad topic when the question asks for the point the author makes about that topic. Inference questions still require textual support; they are not invitations to speculate. In EXCEPT and NOT questions, three choices will be supported and one will not. Tone questions hinge on individual word choices, so read for connotation.
Rule of thumb
Cover the answer choices, answer the question in your own words, then select the choice closest to your version. Reject any option containing a claim you cannot point to in the passage. For vocabulary-in-context items, substitute each choice into the original sentence and see which preserves the meaning.
Worked example
Sentence: "Although the committee praised the proposal, it postponed funding indefinitely." Asked about the tone, eliminate "enthusiastic endorsement" and "outright rejection" as too extreme; the contrast signaled by although supports "qualified approval."