Reading Comprehension
The Reading Comprehension domain tests whether you can reconstruct an author’s point from unfamiliar English prose. Expect questions on main idea, supporting detail, pronoun reference, inference, paragraph function, and vocabulary in context. Treat every answer as an evidence question: the correct option must be defensible from the passage, not from general knowledge.
Core rules
- Read the question stems first, then locate the sentence or paragraph that answers each one.
- For main idea, test whether an option covers the whole passage; a detail-only option is wrong even if true.
- For inference, allow one small logical step. If an option needs two or three invented steps, reject it.
- For reference questions, substitute the candidate noun into the sentence and check grammar and meaning.
- For vocabulary in context, use nearby contrast, cause, or example signals rather than your first dictionary meaning.
Worked example
Passage: “The museum opened a night gallery last spring. Attendance rose, but most new visitors came only once. The director now plans shorter exhibitions and hands-on tours.” Question: What can be inferred about the director’s plan? A. Raise ticket prices B. Encourage repeat visits C. Close the night gallery D. Cancel hands-on tours Answer: B. Attendance rose, but “came only once” identifies a retention problem. Shorter exhibitions and hands-on tours are attempts to give people a reason to return. A is not mentioned; C and D contradict the passage.
Traps that cost marks
- Choosing a true statement that does not answer the question.
- Ignoring contrast markers such as “but,” “although,” and “however.”
- Over-reading a single word into a large claim.
- Confusing an example with the writer’s main point.
- Matching words from the passage instead of matching meaning.