Reading Comprehension
What this section tests
The reading portion presents passages, often on technical, procedural, or workplace topics, and asks about main idea, explicitly stated detail, inference, vocabulary in context, and the author's purpose. The passages are self-contained: everything you need is on the page. The skill being measured is locating and matching evidence, not bringing in outside knowledge about electrical work or construction.
Approach that works
- Read the passage once for the shape of the argument: what is being described, what changed, what the author concludes.
- Then read each question and return to the passage to find the sentence that supports your answer. Every correct answer is anchored to specific text.
- For main-idea questions, pick the choice that covers the whole passage; a choice that is true but narrow is a detail, not the main idea.
- For inference questions, choose what must be true given the text, not what is plausible in real life.
- For vocabulary, substitute each option back into the original sentence and keep the one that preserves the meaning.
Worked example
Passage: "The memo stated that the new inventory system would be phased in over three weeks, beginning with consumables. It said nothing about when tools would be tracked, and several crews assumed tools were included from day one." Question: What caused the crews' misunderstanding? The first sentence covers consumables only; the second says the memo was silent on tools. So the correct answer is that the memo did not specify when tool tracking would start. Note that "the crews disliked the system" may be true in the real world but is not supported, and "the system failed" contradicts nothing but is never stated.
Traps that cost marks
- Choosing an answer that is true in general but not stated in the passage.
- Extreme wording such as always, never, or all, which usually overshoots the text.
- Confusing the main idea with the first sentence or with one supporting detail.
- Answering from your own trade experience instead of the paragraph in front of you.