Reading Comprehension: Structure, Viewpoints, and Question Types
Read for structure, not trivia
Reading Comprehension rewards someone who can name the parts of a passage: the thesis, the supporting evidence, the opposing view, the concession, and the author's final verdict. As you read, tag whose voice is speaking. A sentence beginning "Critics contend" does not state the author's view, and many wrong answers are built on exactly that confusion.
Concepts you must own
Main point versus primary purpose: purpose is a verb phrase (to reconcile two theories, to criticize a method), while main point is the central claim. Function questions ask why a sentence is present, not what it says. Attitude questions require calibrated language - "qualified admiration" or "cautious skepticism" rather than "enthusiasm" or "contempt." Inference answers must be provable from the text alone. Comparative passages demand a point-by-point map of where the authors agree and diverge.
Recurring traps
Choices that are accurate but answer a different question; choices relying on outside knowledge; extreme wording unsupported by the passage; attributing a reported view to the author; and detail choices that restate a line while missing the overall point.
Rule of thumb
Predict the answer in your own words before reading the choices, then reject any choice containing a claim the passage never makes. For EXCEPT questions, confirm each of four choices against a specific line and let the leftover be your answer.
Worked example
A passage notes that critics call a policy a failure because costs rose, then replies that costs rose under the prior policy too and coverage doubled. Asked for the author's attitude toward the critics, the right answer is "skeptical of their conclusion" - not "dismissive of their concerns," which overstates the response. The author disputes an inference, not the sincerity of the worry.