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Typically, your verbal test will include 4 Reading Comprehension passages, with 3 to 4 questions per passage, for a total of 12 to 14 questions of the 30 verbal questions. Each passage engages with a specialized topic or opinion in either the Humanities, Social Sciences, Science, or Business, but no specific outside knowledge of the material is required; all questions refer to what is stated or implied in the text.

The directions for these questions look like this:

Directions: Each passage is followed by questions about its content. After reading a passage, select the best answer to each question among the five choices. Answer all questions following a passage on the basis of what the passage states or implies.

A passage and a corresponding question look like this:

The screen will split into two with the passage on the left and the questions on the right. Don't neglect to scroll down vertically to read the entire passage. You will only see one question at a time. The passage will remain on your computer screen until you have answered all of the questions related to it.

The GRE is a CAT (computer-adaptive test) so the questions will begin at an intermediate skill level and adapt to your performance by changing in difficulty. In general, average test takers will get about 50% right of the questions right. As result, higher scorers are effectively taking a completely different test from lower scorers and their strategies will be adjusted accordingly. Higher scorers will get longer and more challenging essays and questions. This chapter has sections specifically designed to help higher scorers with the harder passages.


	How the CAT impacts verbal difficulty If you are extremely good at sentence correction and weak at reading comp and critical reasoning.... guess what? Your skill in sentence correction will make the GRE deliver you very hard reading comp and critical reasoning questions. The moral of the story.... be balanced on verbal and skilled at all three question types.

Pacing

Keep in mind that Comprehension questions are less than a third of the verbal questions. Students can very easily get heavily bogged down on these passages and over-invest too much time in re-reading. The general guideline for reading comp pacing is:

Take 2 to 4 minutes to read the passage and plan 30 to 60 seconds per question.

Using the Test Pacer on the Reading Comprehension Section

It is normal to slide 2 or 3 questions behind the optimal pace of what question you should be on after reading the essay (but the reading comp questions themselves are quicker than normal questions). For more information on the pacer, go to this page.


	Summary You can't skip questions or go back, but you do have constant access to the passage Plan 2 to 4 minutes to read the passage and 30-60 seconds per question

Think of the reading comprehension section as if it were a reality TV show where you are dropped in the middle of a jungle with no clues about where you are or how to proceed. On the GRE, a reading passage will be dropped in front of you and you will have no background on it whatsoever.

Imagine encountering an essay where:

1. You don't know what the title is.
2. You don't know who the author is.
3. You don't know when or where it was published.
4. You can't see the paragraphs before or after the essay.
5. You don't have enough time to fully read it.
6. The content is dense, boring, academic, smeared with jargon, and covers a topic you have little knowledge about.

….And your mastery of those 150 to 300 words will determine your future business school and career.

You're going to need a compass.

Reading for a Purpose

The passages are often going to be purposefully jargon-intensive, distraction-filled, and dense, dense, dense. In college you were taught to read and memorize for detail, but on the GRE that would get you too bogged down and run out of time. So you have to re-learn how to read to beat the GRE.

Let's look at one example sentence:

Most traditional financial-market analysis studies ignore financial markets' deficiencies in allocation because of analysts' inherent preferences for the simple model of perfect competition.

Now that's just one sentence. You will have to process and parse through sentence after sentence like this while preparing for the questions that follow. If you know beforehand, however, what to look for, what to cue in on, what to ignore in a passage, you will be able to stay in control and not get bogged down. You are not reading the passages for the enjoyment of language nor for the acquisition of knowledge; you are reading for the sole, cold purpose of answering the questions as efficiently and accurately as possible. So let's take a look at what types of questions are asked and see if they can tell us what to look for in the passages (we will go over these questions in a more in-depth manner later).

Macro Questions - cover general issues (macro is greek for large or "big picture")
1. Main idea
2. Purpose of the passage
3. Tone
4. Organization of the passage
5. Category of Writing (Advanced)
6. Identity of the author (Advanced)

Micro Questions - refer to specific elements of the essay
7. Detail of the passage
8. Definition of a term or phrase
9. Support for a premise – Where’s the proof?
10. Function of part of the passage (Advanced)

Macro/Micro
11. Inference

Now that we know question types, let's now begin to break down passages. Here is the basic strategy you should take while reading a passage in order to prepare for the questions.

Perform these 5 steps while you read:

1. Classify the Passage Is this a persuasive essay or a descriptive one? Is it science or humanities?
2. Break down each paragraph Look for main idea, tone and transitions.
3. See the Organization Make mental road map of essay and/or draw out map structure on your dry erase scratch paper.
4. Find the Big Idea Look for unusual language that makes an important point. Pay more attention to first and last paragraphs.
5. Diagnose the author's purpose Look for intention in the essay.

Classifying the basic subject and purpose of a passage is important as your approach and expectations should shift with the nature of the passage.

There are essentially three subjects of passages:

A. Science

These passages deal with such topics as biology, chemistry, and medicine. Although these passages can often be unexciting and dare we say boring, they are also often straightforward and thus manageable. You are not likely to see any inference questions here. Instead, you will most likely see several factual questions that can be answered by direct, accurate reading of the passage. So long as you don't allow yourself to be blinded by the flashy jargon, science passages should be the easiest reading comprehension questions you encounter.

Example Passage: Commentary in a physics journal on a new plan for solar power.


	Science isn't objective We tend to think of scientists as clear and logical, like Spock on Star Trek, and scientific fact as static. The reality is that science is full of conflict and contains controversial ideas, such as the Big Bang, "is Pluto a planet?" and Global Warming. Science essays on the GRE will often foray into controversy and its your job as the reader to see the points of view, bias and the conflict.

B. Business

These essays may also be jargon intensive. If you are a business school candidate you may have a background knowledge in this area. This is usually beneficial, as it makes the passage easier to read; just remember that specific outside knowledge will never be called upon to answer an essay question. All the answers can be found in the essay itself.

Example Passage: Harvard Business Review assessment of a new theory of corporate leadership.


	Don't use your own information Maybe you were a business major and read the Wall St. Journal everyday. That's nice and may help you skim through backgrounders faster, but you should choose the answer best supported by the passage, not the one that appears most correct based on your general knowledge.

C. Cultural Studies

These passages deal with topics such as history, politics, and geography.

GRE essays are often pieces designed to persuade. Follow the argument as best you can and be able to summarize it before you go on to the questions. Read these essays knowing that the GRE will never offend anyone. You can rule out anything too controversial and you know from the start that your author's view and correct answer choices will never be anything too out of the mainstream in academia.

A large number of these essays will focus on historically-oppressed identity groups (their art, culture and history). The reason behind this is that in the 1970's an SAT question had the word "regatta" (a rowing competition) and this was the basis of a lawsuit alleging that the SAT is biased towards the wealthy because rowing is perceived as a sport of the elite.

From the standpoint of test-taking strategy, you can be 100% assured that any essay on a historically-oppressed identity group will take a positive tone towards that group and the author's purpose will be sympathetic. Many test prep companies don't point this out because they want to avoid controversy, but the reality is that knowing this information is helpful on test day, particularly to our many international students who may not be aware of American sensibilities on these topics.

Example Passage: Piece on the achievements of the Harlem Renaissance.

There are three categories of purpose: (describe, evaluate, and persuade)

Author's main purpose is to convey information, to present a situation or idea as objectively as possible. The author will make some opinions or judgments, but there is a pretense of objectivity. The author wants to communicate. If you understand the passage, you've met the author's objective.

Example Author: Newspaper Reporter

Author describes a phenomenon, situation, viewpoint, or theory and analyzes it. The author is giving you the pluses and minuses, strengths and weaknesses of the topic in a methodical, detached manner.

Example Author: Researcher / Academic

The author is advocating a particular position and often against another point of view. Think of this author as an idea salesman who wants you to become a True Believer and reject opposing opinions.

Example Author: Debater, Politician


	Don't argue with the essay Maybe you don't think Peruvian weaving is as nice as the author thinks it is. If your personal understanding or view of the issue happens to contradict that of the author in a Persuade essay, this could inhibit your ability to comprehend the author's point of view. Leave your opinions out and try to get in the same mental mindset as the author.

Each paragraph is the basic unit of the essay. By breaking down an unwieldy and cumbersome essay into bite-sized pieces, we can more easily comprehend ideas and intentions and follow the organizational structure.

When reading a paragraph and after finishing it, make a mental note or write down three things to help you answer the questions:

A. Main Idea of each paragraph
Often the first sentence in a paragraph will be a topic sentence or transition sentence. It should tell you the main idea of the paragraph or the paragraph's relation to the preceding one. Pay close attention to the first sentence in each paragraph.

B. Tone of each paragraph
Recognizing an author's tone is very important to understanding the shape and purpose of an essay. Having a strong grasp on the author's tone will go a long way in answering main idea and author purpose questions.

Some common Reading Comprehension tones are:

Here's the last paragraph from a passage about artistic concepts; see if you can cue into the author's tone to more easily discern his point:

For example, the "mimetic" theory holds that art reproduces reality, but although amateurs' photographs reproduce reality, most artists and art critics do not consider them art. Much of what is recognized as art conforms to the definition of art as the creation of forms, but an engineer and the illustrator of a geometry textbook also construct forms. The inadequacy of these definitions suggests a strong element of irrationality, for it suggests that the way in which artists and art critics talk and think about works of art does not correspond with the way in which they actually distinguish those things that they recognize as works of art from the things that they do not so recognize.

The words "inadequacy" and "irrationality" seems to establish an attitude of frustration and dismissiveness over the current method of defining and evaluating art. While not exactly "livid," we can sense that the author is sincerely exasperated by the current practice of critics.

C. Relation to preceding paragraph
Always look at the last sentence of the preceding paragraph and contrast it with the introductory sentence of the paragraph you are reading. A good writer will make a smooth transition to a new paragraph with a new idea. After each paragraph, mentally note the relation to the preceding paragraph. The paragraph is the main structural unit of any passage. To find a paragraph's purpose, ask yourself:

1. Why did the author include this paragraph?
2. What shift did the author have in mind when moving on to this paragraph?
3. What bearing does this paragraph have on the main idea of the passage so far?

Tone can shift suddenly in a new paragraph:

There are increasing indications that academic research has separated itself from practical concerns to such an extent that, in many academic arenas, the transition from theory to practice has vanished entirely. Indeed, public and private institutions alike are awakening to the need to infuse scholarship with an "ear" for the practically useful. Yet, the problem appears intractable, with a chasm between academics and practitioners that grows only wider. Only radical change will steer academia back toward a collaboration with practical concern. But who could devise such a radical, yet effective, strategy?

I can. I have the answer. All academic research must seek private funding. Scholarship without funding has no justification for existence. You, naturally, think my idea is preposterous. Surely I understand that commercial value is separate from scholarly significance? Yet it is you who are mistaken. You do not understand that the market is the most efficient measure of worth, be it commercial or scholarly. You again object, this time almost in a panic, that I speak nonsense. But you are merely afraid of what you know to be the one viable path for modern academia. Follow or be left behind in your blind fear of the most fundamental economic truths. This is the only way.

The first paragraph sets up the problem: academics have lost touch with real life. The second paragraph signals a tone shift from soberly explanatory to aggressively persuasive, reflecting a shift in purpose from explaining a problem to forcefully advocating a solution.

Here we will uncover the author's organization and develop a road map of the text. A roadmap essentially paraphrases the main point of each paragraph.

Why do you need to make a mental road map of an essay?

1. Often, in order uncover the author's main point, you will need to combine the author's statements with his organizational structure. Outlining the structure will make the essay's purpose and underlying reasoning more apparent.

2. Detail questions ask you to answer questions related to certain specific information in the essay. If you know the organization of the essay, you will have a good idea where the needed information is located and will more efficiently pull details from the essay.

3. Writing down content doubles its exposure to your brain inputs, increasing the retention rate of the content. This makes re-reading less necessary and ultimately saves you time.

Your strategies for reading and mapping will vary depending on the length of the essay. Over the next two pages we will cover both short and long essays.

These essays will naturally be easier to navigate than the long essays as there simply isn't as much content or transitions to trip you up. Read (don't skim) every sentence because there will be a lot of info contained in a short space, though. (Exceptions may be jargon, lengthy technical explanations, and details.)

Mapping:

Paraphrase
Understand what each paragraph is about (tone, main idea, relation to preceding paragraph) and jot down a short summary of the main idea.

Big Picture
Pay particular attention to the tone and main idea of the first paragraph. When you have finished the essay, you should have a good mental road map from doing this process. In fact, it is possible to intuitively grasp the structure of many short essays simply from reading the essay.

Here is a sample short passage with accompanying commentary:

Read the commentary as you are reading the essay to see the underlying logic of how essays work.

Paragraph One As in the case of so many words used by the biologist and physiologist, the word acclimatization is hard to define. With increase in knowledge and understanding, meanings of words change. Originally the term acclimatization was taken to mean only the ability of human beings or animals or plants to accustom themselves to new and strange climatic conditions, primarily altered temperature. A person or a wolf moves to a hot climate and is uncomfortable there, but after a time is better able to withstand the heat. But aside from temperature, there are other aspects of climate. A person or an animal may become adjusted to living at higher altitudes than those it was originally accustomed to. At really high altitudes, such as aviators may be exposed to, the low atmospheric pressure becomes a factor of primary importance. In changing to a new environment, a person may, therefore, meet new conditions of temperature or pressure, and in addition may have to contend with different chemical surroundings. On high mountains, the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere may be relatively small; in crowded cities, a person may become exposed to relatively high concentrations of carbon dioxide or even carbon monoxide, and in various areas may be exposed to conditions in which the water content of the atmosphere is extremely high or extremely low. Thus in the case of humans, animals, and even plants, the concept of acclimatization includes the phenomena of increased toleration of high or low temperature, of altered pressure, and of changes in the chemical environment.	What's going on? First sentences are often topic sentences. This first sentence sets up that the topic will be a discussion of the meaning of acclimatization.
	Setting up a contrast: old definition vs. new model.
	So acclimatization meant getting used to a hotter or colder climate. If you live in Vermont, think of moving to Florida.
	"But" signals contrast. That was then, this is now. Old definition vs. new, more encompassing one.
	We thought we had the meaning down, but there is more. Temperature isn't the whole ball of wax. There is higher altitude, new chemicals, all kinds of exciting stuff.


	"Thus" is a major, major word. It means "hey, I'm going to say something important now." For GRE passages, it sometimes means "now, let me state the Big Idea", which is an expanded set of phenomena for a deeper understanding of acclimatization.

Paragraph Two Let us define acclimatization, therefore, as the process in which an organism or a part of an organism becomes inured to an environment which is normally unsuitable to it or lethal for it. By and large, acclimatization is a relatively slow process. The term should not be taken to include relatively rapid adjustments such as our sense organs are constantly making. This type of adjustment is commonly referred to by physiologists as "adaptation." Thus our touch sense soon becomes accustomed to the pressure of our clothes and we do not feel them; we soon fail to hear the ticking of a clock; obnoxious orders after a time fail to make much impression on us, and our eyes in strong light rapidly become insensitive.	What's going on? A new definition... that's important. Make sure you know the contrast between the old definition (temperature) and the new, improved one (temperature, pressure, chemicals).
	OK the new definition encompasses a lot more than the old one. But still, there are limits. Now that they've told us what is included, they're going to tell us what's not.
	Another important contrast: fast vs. slow. Acclimatization is sloow. It is what happens when you've been hanging out in an environment for a long while.

Paragraph Three The fundamental fact about acclimatization is that all animals and plants have some capacity to adjust themselves to changes in their environment. This is one of the most remarkable characteristics of living organisms, a characteristic for which it is extremely difficult to find explanations.	What's going on? *First sentences of last paragraphs are usually important, especially when they contain a giveaway phrase like "fundamental fact". Keywords: "capacity for change"*

And here is a paragraph by paragraph breakdown:

P1: Acclimatization: more than just temperature

P2: Fast adjustment = adaptation vs. slow = acclimatization

P3: Characteristic of all living things = Capacity for change

Longer essays (sometimes >85 lines) present two additional challenges:

1. They waste your time simply by taking so long to read.
2. They become much harder to map intuitively.

Skim
The most efficient way to read long essays is to read closely for the main idea but skim through the details. The amount you skim will depend on you, but you will hurt yourself by treating each word as vitally important. (The same principle could apply to short essays, but because they are much shorter, it is just easier to avoid thinking about importance and instead read almost every word.)

Prioritize
Read the paragraphs strategically.

1. Read the first paragraph the most closely (usually every word), unless it is a backgrounder (an introductory paragraph that introduces background information, with little description of the author's point of view). If it is a backgrounder, then the second paragraph takes primary importance. Backgrounders are one way the GRE writers make the essays longer.
2. Read the last paragraph with second to highest priority.
3. Skim most of the content of secondary paragraphs (all others).

Mapping
Primary
Spend more time understanding the function of the first paragraph (or second if first is backgrounder) and last paragraph.

Secondary
In skimming secondary paragraphs, you should focus entirely on understanding tone, main idea, and relation to preceding paragraph. This system keeps you focused on getting the important secondary content without wasting time on details. Remember to look for slam-on-the-brakes language. In fact, look for any conspicuous language.

For example, a science essay might have the format:
P1: Background
P2: Main idea: stem cell therapy faces many problems
P3: Problems in stem cell research
P4: More problems in stem cell research
P5: Conclusion about future

Here is a sample long passage, broken down paragraph by paragraph:

Paragraph One

Nearly twenty years ago, biochemists found that a separable constituent of the cell deoxyribonucleic or DNA-appeared to guide the cell's protein-synthesizing machinery. The internal structure of DNA seemed to represent a set of coded instructions which dictated the pattern of protein-synthesis. Experiments indicated that in the presence of appropriate enzymes each DNA molecule could form a replica, a new DNA molecule, containing the specific guiding message present in the original. This idea, when added to what was already known about the cellular mechanisms of heredity (especially the knowledge that DNA is localized in chromosomes) appeared to establish a molecular basis for inherence.

What's going on?

The first paragraph here is actually mostly fluff. This is a scientific background that prepares the reader for the drama ahead. Don't get intimidated and skim over it without getting into a panic if you don't understand the jargon 100% the first time through.

Paragraph Two

Proponents of the theory that DNA was a "self-duplicating" molecule, containing a code that by itself determined biological inheritance, introduced the term "central dogma" into scientific literature in order to describe the principles that were supposed to explain DNA's governing role. The dogma originally involved an admittedly unproven assumption that whereas nucleic acids can guide the synthesis in other nucleic acids and of proteins, the reverse effect is impossible, that is, proteins cannot guide the synthesis of nucleic acids. But actual experimental observations deny the second and crucial part of this assumption. Other test-tube experiments show that agents besides DNA have a guiding influence. The kind of protein made may depend on the specific organism from which the necessary enzyme is obtained. It also depends on the test tube's temperature, the degree of acidity, and the amount of metallic salts present.

What's going on?

When you see "dogma" or some other somewhat derogatory term, bells should go off. Read S L O W L Y because you are getting to the good part. You have just found the raison d'etre of the essay: our author is challenging a "dogma"!

What is the author using???? "actual experimental observations". Like Galileo using the movements of the planets to rail against the established orthodoxy of his time, our author seeks to use his experimental observation to challenge the "dogma". That's part of the controversy of this essay: a conflict between dogma and actual experimental evidence. How much do you want to bet that a few of the questions turn on this paragraph and that simple theme?

Paragraph Three

The central dogma banishes from consideration the interactions among the numerous molecular processes that have been discovered in cells or in their extracted fluids. In the living cell, molecular processes - the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins or the oxidation of food substance - are not separate but interact in exceedingly complex ways. No matter how many ingredients the biochemists test tubes may contain the mixtures are nonliving; but these same ingredients, organized by the subtle structure of the cell, constitute a system, which is alive.

What's going on?

Brace yourself.... our molecular biologist is about to let loose: "the central dogma banishes from consideration". Wow! That is strong language. We just know that he is going to follow up that line with his main point: "the interactions among the numerous molecular processes that have been discovered in cells or in their extracted fluids" and Voila! There it is.

So we know this is the old "simple vs. complex" conflict. In the prior paragraph it was "dogma vs. experimental evidence". In this paragraph, it is "simple" dogma versus more "complex" understanding of interactions of molecular processes and all kinds of extremely complicated things that go on in a cell.

Paragraph Four

Consider an example from another field. At ordinary temperatures, electricity flows only so long as a driving force from a battery or generator is imposed on the circuit. At temperatures near absolute zero, metals exhibit superconductivity; a unique property that causes an electric current to flow for months after the voltage is cut off. Although independent electrons exist in a metal at ordinary temperatures, at very low temperatures they interact with the metal's atomic structure in such a way as to lose their individual identities and form a coordinated, collective system which gives rise to superconductivity.

What's going on?

What does electricity have to do with DNA? The last sentence says "individual identities and form a coordinated, collective system". What could be the "coordinated, collective system"? Aha! The author is drawing an analogy to complex and coordinated cell function. Basically, the purpose of this rambling extended analogy is just to make sure that you the reader, really, really, get it--we are dealing with COMPLEX systems with all sorts of coordinated things going on. Simple concept of cells = bad. Complex coordinated systems in cells = good.

Paragraph Five

Such discoveries of modern physics show that the unique properties of a complex system are not necessarily explicable solely by the properties that can be observed in its isolated parts. We can expect to find a similar situation in the complex chemical system of the living cells.

What's going on?

Just in case you didn't get the superconductivity analogy, the author hammers his point for the third paragraph in a row... just one last time for good measure. Clearly the writer has got this thing for "complex chemical systems" in cells. So that means expect that ALOT of questions will turn on this issue.

Now here is a simple road map of the passage:

P1: DNA is the molecular basis of inheritance

P2: DNA is not the only game in town. The reality is more complicated.

P3: Cells are unbelievably complicated and the parts all work together

P4: In case you don't get the idea of complication, here is another example: metals are complicated and the parts work together.

P5: Okay, one more time: cells are complicated, highly coordinated systems.

Wouldn't it be easier if the essay you were reading had a title? If it did, you would have a good idea from the start what the main point of the essay was. The writers of the GRE purposefully exclude the title so that it is up to you to decipher the essay and its big idea.

Most of the GRE questions, particularly higher skill level questions, aren't about details, they concern the main idea. The tone, scope, and implications of the main idea usually hold the key to answering more than half the questions on a given passage. The main idea is the Rosetta stone of a passage, helping us decipher the passage and discern its structure. Accordingly, we must focus our strategy on easily finding the author's point of view and main idea.

In nearly all GRE passages, the author will be making an argument of some form. Don't expect the main point of a passage to be "World War I was fought from 1914 to 1918.” Instead, it's more likely to be "World War I was extended by Britain's needless and poorly executed intervention".

An author can't just make such a statement without substantial support. This means that the argument must contain the elements of persuasion:

1. Evidence
2. Refutation of possible rebuttals
3. Subsidiary points

For most essays, the test writers will put up clear signposts and make the Big Idea pretty obvious--so long as you know what to look for.

A. The first and last sentences of the first paragraph, and the first and last sentences of the final paragraph are good places to pay special attention to, as they often introduce or summarize the main points.

Here is a first paragraph of an essay:

One of the most persistently troubling parts of national domestic policy is the development and use of water resources. Because the technology of water management involves similar construction skills, whether the task is the building of an ocean jetty for protection of shipping or the construction of a river dam for flood control and irrigation, the issues of water policy have mingled problems of navigation and agriculture. A further inherent complexity of water policy is the frequent conflicts between flood control and irrigation and between requirements for abundance and those for scarcity of water. Both problems exist in America, often in the same river basins; one is most typically the problem of the lower part of the basin and the other the problem of the upper part.

Now this is a topic sentence if ever there was one. "Troubling" may be less colorful than the kind of language you use when you stub your toe, but in the context of water management, it is pretty hot stuff. We know, from the start, that there is a serious problem with water management and that the author is going to explain what it is.

Here is the final paragraph of the essay:

Nevertheless, the most startling fact about the history of water projects in the United States is the degree to which their shortcomings have been associated with administrative failures. Again and again these shortcomings have proved to be the consequences of inadequate study of water flow, of soil, of factors other than construction technology, and of faulty organization. In 1959, the Senate Select Committee on National Water resources found that twenty different national commissions or committees charged with examining these problems and seeking solutions had emphasized with remarkable consistency the need for coordination among agencies dealing with water.

Now this closes in very specifically on the author's opinion -- the failure of government agencies to effectively deal with water management. The first paragraph introduces the general idea and this paragraph really focuses in on what is to blame -- the government's lack of administrative coordination.


	Look at the Questions for the Big Idea If, as we have said, many Macro questions revolve around the Big Idea, then isn't it possible to get clues about the main idea from sample Macro questions from the essay? If all fails, look at the first question and maybe it will give you a clue about what the GRE considers important about the essay. In addition, as you get to the second and third question on the essay, this will help tighten your understanding of the essay.

B. Slam on the Breaks Language is another signpost. These are tone signals that should compel you to slow down your reading pace and start reading very closely. There is a good chance the author is about to reveal a central point and true feelings. It is like a lie detector test when the pen starts jittering.


	Here are some common Slam on the Brakes words amazing successful impressive remarkable greatness inadequate invalid unfortunately inefficient leadership competition startling surprising

In that final paragraph, look at how the Slam on the Break words emphatically signal the author's point:

Nevertheless, the most startling fact about the history of water projects in the United States is the degree to which their shortcomings have been associated with administrative failures. Again and again these shortcomings have proved to be the consequences of inadequate study of water flow, of soil, of factors other than construction technology, and of faulty organization. In 1959, the Senate Select Committee on National Water resources found that twenty different national commissions or committees charged with examining these problems and seeking solutions had emphasized with remarkable consistency the need for coordination among agencies dealing with water.

By focusing in on these triggers, we can see how central the author considers the government's failings to the problem of water management. This gives us access to the Big Idea.

C. Polish Up the Big Idea
Ok, you've finished reading the essay, you think you know the Big Idea, and you have an idea about structure. Take a moment to review everything and double check that you have the Big Idea narrowed down. Write a sentence-long summary of the big idea on your white board.

Ask yourself: Why is the author telling me this? Why is he selecting the facts and drawing the conclusions that he is? And sometimes: What is the author's axe to grind? What is the author's agenda?

It may not be to overthrow of the world, but there's always some reason the author wrote the passage. Often essays will have a policy idea or suggestion to fix a problem described. Sometimes, the author might simply want to educate people about a subject or clear up a misconception. And sometimes, there will be a more political/ideological motive for the claims made.

Academic camouflage will often disguise the main idea. Writers try to sound objective, but don't let that fool you. There is always something the author wants to convince you of, or at least, get you to learn from the passage.

Be careful to distinguish fact from opinion. Though they look like facts, some statements in the essay may be false claims or unsupported opinions loaded with bias. Academics are “idea salesmen” and very tactful ones at that. They will write their persuasive and heavily biased essays in a manner to seem factual. Pay close attention to the language in order to distinguish fact from opinion. The author's purpose for writing the essay and his or her convictions are found in these subtle statements of opinion.

Take these excerpts from a passage on water management, for example. Some of the author's statements are fact, but many are opinion. Try this:

"One of the most persistently troubling parts of national domestic policy is the development and use of water resources."
OPINION: "The most troubling" indicates feeling, not fact. The author's opinion is that the development of water resources is one of the most troubling parts of national domestic policy. This is not necessarily the ultimate truth. Some people may not think that development of water resources is problematic.

"In the arid parts of the land, it has recently become clear that climate varies over time, with irregular periods of serious drought followed by wet periods marked by occasional floods."
FACT: This statement is a review of recent scientific findings about climate. No opinion here. However, the author is using data regarding drought periods to back up later claims about water being mismanaged.

"Again and again these shortcomings have proved to be the consequences of inadequate study of water flow: of soil, of factors other than construction technology and of faulty organization."
OPINION: This statement, though written in a professional manner, is loaded with bias. "Again and again" indicates frustration on the author's part. He or she is sure that administrative failure has caused inadequate study” of water flow.

"In 1959, the Senate Select Committee on National Water resources found that twenty different national commissions or committees charged with examining these problems and seeking solutions had emphasized with remarkable consistency the need for coordination among agencies dealing with water."
FACT: The author is citing specific research conducted by a Senate committee. He or she is using these findings to back up the claim that water is mismanaged due to administrative failure. However, this statement, alone, contains no opinion.

In summary, every author has a purpose for writing his or her passage. The author's purpose can be found in his or her subtle statements of opinion. Pay close attention to language that indicates conviction.

SPECIFIC QUESTION TYPES

Nearly all questions fall into 10 distinct types:

Macro Questions - cover general issues (macro is Greek for large or "big picture")
1. Main idea
2. Purpose of the passage
3. Tone
4. Organization of the passage
5. Category of Writing (Advanced)
6. Identity of the author (Advanced)

Micro Questions - refer to specific elements of the essay
7. Detail of the passage
8. Definition of a term or phrase
9. Support for a premise – Where’s the proof?
10. Function of part of the passage (Advanced)

Macro/Micro
11. Inference

HOW TO HANDLE MACRO QUESTIONS

To answer a macro question, you need to understand how the major parts of the passage fit together. This is why we use the 5 questions:

Question 1. What is the passage type?
Question 2. What is each paragraph about?
Question 3. What is the organization? Create a mental road map
Question 4. What is the big idea?
Question 5. What is the author’s purpose?

The Five Questions are an effective means for answering macro questions because they enable you to focus on the essay's "big issues."

As you read the passage, look for answers to the Five Questions. Once you've done this, you should be able to answer the macro questions without referring back to the passage. You will then have plenty of time for answering the micro questions.

How to identify Main Idea questions: Look for questions that refers to the general or main point.

Some popular phrasings are:

What is the main point of the passage?

What argument is the author making?

The author is primarily concerned with advancing which of the following points?

What is the main idea?

Which of the following best summarizes the author’s argument?

Keep an eye out for words like main, general, summarize, and argument.

How to tackle them: If you follow the Five Steps strategy, you should easily be able to locate the main idea. The only trick then is translating your conception of the main idea into something that matches one of the answer choices. Passages on the GRE are relatively short. Therefore, the answer to a main idea question cannot be too general or too specific. Main ideas tend to be of medium focus. If stuck, eliminate the options that are at the extremes of specificity: either very general or very detailed. This may leave you with one – probably, the right – answer; if it leaves you with more than one, you have still improved your chances of guessing correctly.

What is the main idea of the passage?

A) The Native Americans of Wichita have a long and rich cultural history.
B) Native Americans have traditions.
C) Chief Running Horse of the Wichita Native Americans enjoys the traditional New Year’s dance because he likes to watch his neighbor, Lone Tree, dance.
D) People have traditions.
E) The Native Americans of Wichita use dance in many of their traditions.

Now analyze the answer choices, looking for super-specific or super-general wording. Which choice is the most general? ...most specific?

(D) People have traditions is extremely general. A book might be able to cover such a broad topic, but a short passage can't address a wide enough variety of topics for this answer to make sense.

(B) Native Americans have traditions is still too broad. Sure, Native Americans have traditions: but what traditions? If the answer choice says something so general and so obvious that there's no need to write an essay about it, it's probably wrong.

(C) Chief Running Horse of the Wichita Native Americans enjoys the traditional New Year’s dance because he likes to watch his neighbor, Lone Tree, dance is far too specific. This idea can probably be found somewhere within the passage, but it's almost comically specific. The inclusion of this much detail, and the lack of any generalized wording makes this choice far too specific. It's an idea, but not the MAIN idea.

This leaves us with two answer choices: having eliminated the answer choices with overly specific and overly general wording, we can assume that the answer is probably (A) or (E). Let's take a closer look at them both:

(A) The Native Americans of Wichita have a long and rich cultural history.
(E) The Native Americans of Wichita use dance in many of their traditions.

Choice (A) sounds very main idea-ish: note the balance of detailed (Native Americans of Wichita) and general (rich cultural history) description. Choice (E) is a bit less general, but could very well be the main idea of a different sort of passage. They are both of adequate focus for a GRE essay, but by this process of elimination you have improved your chances of choosing the correct answer from 1 in 5 to 50/50.

process of elimination you have improved your chances of choosing the correct answer from 1 in 5 to 50/50.
Section 4: Question Types

How to identify Purpose of the passage questions: Look for synonyms for purpose: objective, goal, main strategy.

What is the purpose of the passage?

Why did the author write the passage?

For which of the following reasons did the author write the passage?

What was the author’s primary objective?

The overall objective of the passage is which of the following?

How to tackle them: Verbs, verbs, verbs. Often the answer choices will also start with verbs.

Look for the one that fits.
For example, if the passage is a description of a new species of bird, look for words that mean “describe”: explain, discuss, etc.

Which of the following is the author’s main purpose?

A) Present . . .
B) Argue . . .
C) Persuade . . .
D) Lament . . .
E) Praise. . .

The answer must be (A) because it is the closest synonym to “describe.” Notice how "present" (choice A) is similar to "a description of a new species". The other choices don't match up with the essay topic of a "description of a new species".

How to identify Tone questions: Tone is feeling, not thinking. Look for emotion and attitude.

What is the author’s attitude toward . . . ?

Which of the following best describes the author’s feelings toward . . . ?

How to tackle them: Look for adjectives in the passage that describe attitudes. Also, remember the tone must be consistent with the main idea. Look for buzzwords, such as “jubilant”, “depressed”, “extraordinary”, etc. The GRE is too dry a test to have very intense emotions appear in passages. Adjectives that are extreme in their emotion can be usually eliminated. Try this:

Which of the following best describes the author’s feelings towards gentrification?

A) Outrage
B) Suspicion
C) Indifference
D) Acceptance
E) Exhilaration

The author is probably not outraged or exhilarated about the subject. Both of these adjectives are extreme and would warrant much stronger language than that which commonly appears on GRE essays. Similar to the main idea questions, tone questions look for answers that fit somewhere in the middle.

How to identify Passage Organization questions: Look for questions asking about organization.

Which of the following correctly describes the organization of the passage?

In which of the following ways is the passage organized?

In the third paragraph, the author does which of the following?

How to tackle them: Knowing the function of each paragraph is key to being able to answer organization questions. Remember the Five Steps. Step #3: What is the organization? told you to look out for each paragraph’s main points and function in the essay as a whole. If you make a mental roadmap of the essay as you read, you will already know how the passage is organized when you reach the questions. Then, answering an organization question is simply a matter of referring back to your roadmap.

GRE passages represent some form of writing in the real world. Is it a letter to a newspaper? An excerpt from a book? The position paper of a lobbyist?

How to identify Category questions: Look for questions asking about the origin of the passage's writing.

In what type of publication would this passage most likely appear?

Which of the following best describes the passage?

From which of the following sources was the passage most likely excerpted?

How to tackle them: As always with macro questions, it comes back main idea and purpose. Who is the author and why did he or she write the passage? If you know that, you’ll know where the passage should appear.

For example, you decide that the purpose of the passage is to discredit a politician and its official language lets you know it was meant for the public to read. You can assume the writer is a reporter or journalist. You have everything you need to answer the question.

From which of the following sources is the passage excerpted?

A) A nationally distributed newspaper
B) A press release from a big company
C) The diary of a senator
D) A governmental budgetary report
E) An encyclopedia

You know the answer must be A.

This question type asks you to identify the type of person who wrote the passage. Don’t forget to use some elementary logic . A passage written to describe the mating habits of the whale will probably not have been written by a senator.

How to identify Identity of Author questions: Look for the question to ask about the author.

Who is the most likely author of the passage?

Who of the following might have written the passage?

How to tackle them: Use the main idea and purpose. You know what the passage is saying. You know the author’s purpose. So think, who would write such a passage?

Think back to the passage on water management. Government had screwed up water management by having agencies that didn’t coordinate. The author’s purpose was to tell us about these problems. His goal was for us to understand the problems as well as he did. So who could he be? Perhaps he is an academic who studies land management. Perhaps he is a lobbyist for an organization that supports irrigation. He could be a journalist who specializes in these issues. Use the main idea and purpose in conjunction with common sense. Who would be the likely author of a passage describing governmental problems in the management of water resources?

HOW TO HANDLE MICRO QUESTIONS

800score guidelines for answering micro questions:

1) Find the section of the passage that is relevant to the question (often this is highlighted for you).

2) Use information in the relevant section to select the correct answer choice.

How to find the relevant section of the passage:
Usually the GRE writers help you out and highlight the relevant text of the essay. When there is no highlighted text, micro questions will contain words that help you find the relevant section of the passage.

Watch for Synonyms
Usually in Micro Questions, the correct answer choice will contain a paraphrase—not the exact same word—as the supporting text in the passage. Rarely will you see:

. . . My parakeets, Herman, Herman II, and Herman III, were an important part of my childhood. Their deaths taught me that life was fragile--and precious. . .

Question: What did the author’s parakeets teach him about life?
Correct Answer: They taught him that life was fragile—and precious.

Rather, the answer will rephrase the supporting text.

Question: What did the author’s parakeets teach him about life?
Correct Answer: They showed the author that life was delicate and something to be valued highly.

The correct answer choice should rephrase the relevant part of the passage.


	800score Tip: If you see an answer choice that uses the exact same wording as the supporting text, check it carefully. It could be a decoy. An answer choice can repeat the passage verbatim and still be incorrect. Often the words will be rearranged or used in a different context. In fact, especially for medium and high scorers, an answer choice with the exact same wording as the passage should be cause for suspicion.

How to identify it: Basically, the question will use fancy language to say “What does the author say?”

Which of the following is mentioned in the passage?

Which of the following is stated by the author?

What does the author say about . . .?

How to tackle it: Learn the skill of paraphrasing. You’ll have to refer to the passage and find the answer that says the same thing in different words. These questions only ask for you to find information that is contained within the passage. All you need to do is match what you read with an answer choice of similar meaning.

Let’s try an example:

The avian wildlife of the Neru valley has attracted little scientific attention.

Possible “in other words” could be:

No one has studied the birds of the Neru valley.

Interest in studying birds of the Neru valley is low.

Cut through the wordiness of the passage and translate the details into simple language. This will help you match the passage’s wording to an answer choice.

You will be asked to define a word or phrase used in the passage. Rely on the context because the author’s use of a word or phrase may or may not coincide with the way it is normally used in everyday speech. However, it is just as likely that a question will ask you for a definition of a normal word or phrase used in an unusual way.

Context clues will help you decipher the meanings of words.

How to identify it: Look for questions asking about specific terms or phrases in the passage.

What does the author mean by negative pressure (highlighted text)?

What is the meaning of an “invisible icon” as used in the passage?

Which of the following is an example of “creative destruction” as the author describes it in paragraph 2?

How to tackle it: Most of the time an unusual phrase will be defined somewhere near its use. Read the sentences before and after the word of phrase in question to get context.

Say the author makes an assertion, such as “Small dogs make great pets”. Does the author back it with any evidence? A question may ask you to figure out how a premise is defended. Common forms of evidence include:

Examples—Maybe the author recounts the devoted poodle he had as a kid.

Statistics—Perhaps the author surveys dog owners and finds that owners of small dogs are more satisfied with their pets.

Logical Argument—the author presents logical reasons that small dogs would, necessarily, be great pets. They’re cute, they don’t eat a lot, their bark isn’t too loud, etc.

How to identify it: Look for questions that ask about evidence.

How does the author support his point that . . . ?

Which of the following does the author offer in support of his premise that . . . ?

The passage provides support for all the following statements EXCEPT:

How to tackle it: Look for real evidence, examples or logical arguments that reinforce the author’s point.

Just why does the author say the things he or she does? Every part of the passage has a purpose, which is typically connected to the main idea.

How to identify it: The question will ask why the author says something.

For what reason does the author mention the slave rebellion as highlighted?

Why does the author cite the studies on macro warming in paragraph 3?

What function does the analogy to a military coup in paragraph 2 serve?

How to tackle it: Generally the function of most passage parts in a question is to:

1. Support a point made elsewhere in the passage (maybe the main idea)
2. Show why two things are similar or different
3. Clarify a point

These questions ask you to go beyond the passage. The answer won’t be stated directly in the text, just implied. To answer this question type you must be able to get inside the author’s mind and understand how he or she would react to a given situation. Inference questions are especially difficult because they combine both macro and micro elements of the passage.

How to identify it: Hint, imply, suggest, . . . these are words that signal inference.

With which of the following would the author most likely agree?

Based on the details in the passage, which position would the author find most objectionable?

What does the author imply about military history?

How to tackle it: These are tricky! Because the GRE is a computer adaptive test, low scorers won’t get many of these questions. Think about which answer is best supported by the facts of the passage alone. Keep the use of outside knowledge to a minimum. Imagine you know nothing except what is included in the passage and use only this information to answer the questions. On inference questions, outside knowledge can confuse your understanding of the intention or implication of the passage.


	Vulcan Mind Meld and Reading Comprehension In the science-fiction series Star Trek, the Vulcan mind meld was when a Vulcan said "your mind to my mind" and pressed his hand to the subject and the subject's thoughts were transferred. Inference questions represent the most challenging reading comprehension questions because they ask you to make logical conclusions based on the author's way of thinking. In this way, be open the author's point of view and learn how to "meld" with it.

"Scope" refers to
1. The answers to most GRE questions will be of a middle scope. Don't choose overly broad answers that the passage can't support. Take a look at this example.

The author is primarily concerned with:

A. Penguin mating patterns
B. Antarctic Penguins
C. Birds of the world
D. Penguin behavior and life cycle
E. Animals of the southern hemisphere

B. is likely to be correct as it is closest to middle scope. It deals with an animal and its habitat, but is not too narrow and also not too broad. It fits nicely in between:

Broad:
Animals of the southern hemisphere
Birds of the world Narrow:
Penguin behavior and life cycle
Penguin mating patterns

Watch out for words like all, never, always, only. These qualifiers are strong, usually outside a passage's scope. Just think how hard it would be to write a short passage that argued:

All climate change is a result of human activities. (Really, all of it? Every last bit?)
Every new medical treatment improves the quality of medical care (No screw ups at all, huh?)
Only the federal government can improve public school education (What about states? Individuals?)

Look for answers that use "some, most, or many". These qualifiers indicate a limited scope.

Scope also refers to:
2. Avoid using personal knowledge to answer questions.

Outside knowledge is beyond the scope of the GRE and all answers will be found within the passage itself. The test writers try to trick you into using outside knowledge by making passage topics familiar, but using prior knowledge can cause you to fall into their trap and answer questions incorrectly. Be careful to stay within the scope of the passage and its information!

Note: Scope is even more important for critical reasoning questions, so this topic is addressed in detail in our critical reasoning section as well.

Does every reading comprehension question have one correct answer and four incorrect answers?

Yes, you say? Well . . . . not exactly. Rather, there is one best answer and four not-so-good answers. For example, main idea questions generally have one of two answers that are partly correct, but flawed in some way. A wrong answer to the question What is the main idea? might summarize the main idea of only part of the passage.

Your goal is to pick the best answer to the question, not hunt for the One True Answer.

Unless you are highly pressed for time, always read all answer choices before making a decision. An answer that seems basically right could be rendered incomplete by a better choice. Therefore, don't answer the question until you have read every answer choice and are sure you have found the best answer. Do not ask yourself if an answer is correct. Ask yourself if it is better than the other choices.

Presto, one word turns the question on its head. Say you're asked:

Which of the following assertions in the passage is supported by an example?

Now, turn it on its head:

Which of the following assertions in the passage is NOT supported by an example?

What can you do? Practice! You have to learn to reverse your thinking and practice assists in getting to that mindset. One pitfall is to overlook the critical reversal word and then wonder why all the choices seem correct. NOT, LEAST, AND EXCEPT will be used in caps to indicate you're looking for the reverse answer. Rephrasing the question before you answer it is helpful.

Not at first. You might accidentally skim over the Big Idea. As a beginner, you should concentrate on finding the Big Idea and using the 5 steps for working through a passage. Skimming is an advanced skill, as it demands you quickly distinguish between the significant and the extraneous. If you skim over the important stuff, you'll have to go back, or even worse, you'll get the questions wrong, due to misreading.

As you get the hang of spotting the Big Idea and mapping the passage, you'll approach a point where you can begin skimming. Eventually, the Big Idea will become so obvious, it will jump off the page, signaled by tone shifts, passage structure, "slam on the brakes language", and your understanding of the author's purpose and bias. At that point you will be able to spot important content quickly enough to skim over everything else. You will save precious time by skimming everything that isn't centrally related to the Big Idea or the structure.

Time is a precious commodity on the GRE. Do you want to waste it reading the extraneous detail of the passages? The GRE writers want you to trip up doing exactly that. Often, the unimportant information contains the most challenging language--complicated technical explanations or strange business jargon.

Remember: The longer you spend reading the passage, the less time you have to answer the questions, so getting to the questions in the most efficient way is very useful.


	800score.com Tip: The "Huh?" Test If, when you finish an essay, your first thought is “Huh?”, then you probably read it too fast, weren't reading for the writer's idea, probably got buried in details and the essay was just a giant blur of jargon. If you have to return to the passage extensively for Macro questions, then you probably read it too quickly. You will often have to refer back to the essay on Micro questions because it will be close to impossible to answer them without referring back to the essay. Indeed, on longer essays you map out the structure so that you can go back quickly to dig up Micro answers.

You have finished the strategy section of the Readig Comprehension Prep Guide
Note: We have an additional 100 sample questions for this chapter not included on this page.