Reading Comprehension and Analytical Reasoning
What this domain tests
Reading Comprehension and Analytical Reasoning tests your ability to extract the rule and facts from a passage, apply them to a situation, and choose the conclusion the text supports. The passages may be statutes, rules, notices, or correspondence.
Method
- Read the question first, then locate the exact words that answer it.
- Separate facts from rules and conclusions. Note mandatory words: “shall,” “must,” “may,” and “unless.”
- Watch qualifiers and exceptions: “not later than,” “after service,” “if served by mail,” and “for good cause.”
- Infer only what the text requires. An assumption that is merely plausible is not a supported conclusion.
- For sequence questions, build a short timeline. For inconsistency questions, compare names, dates, amounts, and document numbers.
Worked example
A rule states: “A response is due within 14 days after service. If service is by mail, add 5 days.” A response is served by mail on March 1. Count from March 2: 14 days ends March 15. Add 5 days: the deadline is March 20. The correct answer is March 20, not March 15, because the mail extension applies. If the question adds that March 20 is a holiday, apply the holiday rule only if the passage provides one.
Traps
Counting the service day; ignoring the mail extension; treating “may” as mandatory; choosing an answer that is true in general but not stated in the passage; and overlooking a name or number mismatch. Return to the text for every conclusion.