Reading Comprehension and Interpretation
What the domain tests
Reading Comprehension and Interpretation uses unseen passages to test literal understanding, inference, main idea, sequence, reference, vocabulary in context, tone and purpose. Questions may ask you to identify a stated detail, explain what a pronoun refers to, or choose the best inference from a line.
Core moves
- Skim the passage first for topic and purpose, then scan for the keyword in each question.
- Separate stated information from inferred information. An inference must be supported by wording in the passage.
- Track reference words such as it, they, this, such back to the nearest suitable noun phrase.
- Use signal words: but, however, although signal contrast; therefore, as a result signal consequence; first, then, finally signal sequence.
- For vocabulary in context, substitute each option into the sentence and check whether the surrounding logic still works.
- For tone, ask what attitude the writer takes, not what the topic is.
Worked example
Passage: The old reading room in Thanjavur opened only in the evenings. Its caretaker, a retired teacher, kept the fans running and the silence strict. Students said they came for the quiet, not the shelves.
Question: The students most likely came mainly because of the (a) books (b) caretaker (c) quiet atmosphere (d) evening timing.
Reasoning: the phrase not the shelves rules out books as the main reason. Kept the silence strict and came for the quiet point directly to (c). The caretaker supports the quiet but is not the stated main attraction. Answer: (c).
Traps that cost marks
- Choosing a true statement that does not answer the question.
- Ignoring limiting words such as mainly, most likely, only.
- Treating a guess as an inference when no line supports it.
- Missing a negative, or confusing cause with consequence.
- Matching a word from the passage without checking its meaning in context.