Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)
What the section tests
The unseen passage checks whether you can retrieve stated information, infer unstated meaning, and explain vocabulary from context - with no prior knowledge of the topic. Questions come in three layers: direct retrieval, inference ('Why does the writer say…?'), and word work (synonym, antonym, or meaning 'as used in the passage').
Core rules
- Skim the questions first, then read the passage once at normal speed and once with the questions in hand.
- Answer in complete sentences unless a single word or phrase is asked for; respect any word limit.
- Compress rather than copy. Lifting a whole sentence usually scores less than restating it, and never lift a sentence that only half answers.
- For 'meaning as used', test the word inside its own sentence; the dictionary's first sense is often wrong.
- Every inference must be provable from the text - name the clue in your answer.
Worked example
Passage: 'The old bus climbed the ghat slowly, coughing at every bend. Ramdin gripped the rail and counted the milestones as if they were debts.' Question: What does the comparison with debts suggest about Ramdin? Reasoning: debts are something you must get through and cannot escape; 'gripped the rail' adds tension. Together they point to anxiety and a sense of burden. Model answer: 'It suggests he is anxious, and that the journey feels like an obligation he must endure rather than enjoy.' Notice that the answer names the feeling and anchors it in the image.
Traps
- Answering from general knowledge instead of the passage.
- Giving your opinion where the question asks for the writer's view.
- One-word answers to a 'why' question.
- Confusing synonym with antonym in word-work items.
- Missing the tense of the passage and writing the answer in the wrong tense.