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Question Type VII — Detail of the Passage

How to identify ‘Detail of the Passage’ questions: The question will use complex language to ask: “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 them: 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 you to find information that is contained within the passage. All you need to do is match what you read with an answer choice that has a similar meaning.

The avian wildlife of the Nehru Valley has attracted little scientific attention.

Ways to phrase this ‘in other words’ could possibly be:

No one has studied the birds of the Nehru Valley.

Interest in studying birds of the Nehru Valley is low.

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

Video Courtesy of Kaplan SAT prep.

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