____________________________________________________________________

Top Careers & You

READING COMPREHENSION

TYPES OF QUESTIONS MAIN IDEA, SPECIFIC DETAIL AND VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT Questions will be based mainly on: 1. 3. 5. 7. The main idea of the text. Specific detail. The logical structure of the passage. Meanings in context 2. 4. 6. The implied idea. Tone. Application questions.

Most of the questions, however, are about implied idea and application, although they revolve around the main point of discussion.

The Big Picture: Main Idea

The questions in this category test your ability to formulate a big picture from the small elements/ideas given in the passage. The format of these questions would be: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) Which of the following is the main point of the passage? The primary purpose of the passage is to The author is primarily concerned with... Which of the following titles is most appropriate for the passage? Which of the following titles best describes the passage? Which of the following summarizes the authors main point?

The primary purpose or central idea is usually (NOT ALWAYS!) established in the first two sentences of the passage or the first sentence of each paragraph. To attempt these questions, focus on the opening and closing sentences of each paragraph and try to infer what the author is trying to convey to you an the whole. At times the central idea would be evident in the second or the third paragraph. The key is that you should be able to form a big picture.

____________________________________________________________________ Page : 1 www.TCYonline.com

____________________________________________________________________ The title of the passage also depends on the contents of the passage. The title will obviously be a representation in a nutshell of the central idea and contents of the passage. Once the central idea is clear, one has to look for associated information. Details regarding the idea its elucidation, concepts that seem to be inherent in the idea, the manner of elucidation, the examples used, etc.

Top Careers & You

IMPORTANT TIP Caution

Dont Be Dramatic
The test makers realize that people have different points of view. They dont want to be dogmatic, saying, This is the only way. Do not argue! They do want t leave some space for personal interpretation. So if you have two answers, choose the more moderate one. For example: Two answer choices: (A) (B) The author hates discrimination. The author is saddened by discrimination and tries to go to its root levels. Choice (B) is kinder and gentler and would therefore, be the more probable answer TRIPS AND TRAPS FOR MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS Always remember that there need not be patently wrong answer options. The examiner may set a trap for you by presenting other than the best options as the right answers. Be on the look out for such traps. Some of these could be: Disputable statements: Authors of passages will never use strongly negative statements for other people or ideas. Direct repetitions (same language): Language directly picked up from the passage is more likely to be a trap. The right answer will possibly lie hidden in a heap of indirect references. Supporting Idea(s): The passage may have several supporting ideas, apart from one main idea. Dont fall for the supplementary idea(s). Half truths: Dont fall for an answer that may appear to be true, but may have a word/phrase that may render it false. True statement: Again dont jump at an answer simply because it appears to be true as per the passage. Always proceed through the process of progressive elimination (POE). You need to be careful about many of the above traps in case of other question types also. ____________________________________________________________________ Page : 2 www.TCYonline.com

____________________________________________________________________ Key Point: The primary purpose of the passage, title, central idea etc is one, which is mentioned repeatedly in the passage. At times there is a strong temptation to choose an answer which has been mentioned only in one of the paragraphs, has been stated in one or two sentences or has been touched obliquely in the passage. Avoid these traps and reject these choices in favour of the one, which is referred to repeatedly in a major part of the passage. Again, although the main idea/theme/title of the passage and the authors purpose could, in most cases, be the same. Yet, in some cases, there could be a fine line of distinction between the two. The authors purpose may not be expressly stated in the passage, though it can always be inferred.

Top Careers & You

Toolkit

SPECIFIC DETAIL QUESTIONS

These test your ability to understand what the author explicitly says. These questions ask you to spot information mentioned in the passage. The questions could ask for any detail such as numbers, dates, names, places, methods mentioned, qualities of people mentioned, and experiments conducted etc. These questions refer to a point mentioned by the author in the passage as a part of the development of the theme of the passage. These questions may be worded as follows: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) The author mentions which of the following According to the passage According to the author The passage says that All of the following are supported by the passage/author EXCEPT Which of the following is not true The author refers to . In order to The author provides information that would answer which of the following questions? It is easier to answer specific detail questions than inference questions. The latter requires a greater understanding of the words (and language) in the passage, while specific detail questions call for a greater scrutiny of the information presented in the passage. Such questions require a detailed and careful reading of the information or data given. But often these questions provide very direct clues about where an answer may be found, or a text link. Recognize the key phrase in the question. Now locate the sentence in which this key word or phrase or its synonym occurs. Read one or two sentences above and below this line and you will find the answer. Remember you should not assume anything nor should you mark an answer based on your general knowledge. ____________________________________________________________________ Page : 3 www.TCYonline.com

____________________________________________________________________

Top Careers & You

Word Meaning / Vocabulary in Context

These questions include unfamiliar words where you have to guess their meanings from their contexts, and the way in which they are used. This type includes proverbs, idioms, technical words, unfamiliar words, quotations and foreign expressions also. Sometimes familiar words are also used in an unfamiliar context, i.e. in their secondary meaning, which may be technical or special e.g. The common clay assumed an artistic beauty and shape as the potter threw the vase in less than an hour with expert skill (here, threw means to shape on a potters wheel). The best strategy is to find out the contextual meaning of the given word. Try to answer by reading the context. Special technical words can be guessed by their context. Watch out for help from the author. Sometimes difficult words are explained by the authors in parenthesis to make the meaning clear. The words in the immediate vicinity of the word or phrase in question are also useful clues to a difficult or unknown word.

____________________________________________________________________ Page : 4 www.TCYonline.com