Critical Reading
Reading comprehension questions
These questions test your ability to understand a piece of writing. The passages are divided into two types- short(about 100-150 words) and long ( about 400-850 words). At least one item will contain a set of paired passages on related topics. Most Reading Comprehension questions test how well you understand the passage, some ask you to draw conclusions, and some test your vocabulary. After a short passage, you can expect about two to four questions; after a short paired passage you can expect about four to five questions; after a long passage you can expect about 12 questions; and after a long paired passage you can expect about 13 questions. The topics are based on the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and fiction. In order to do well on any of these topics, you must read actively and analyze the given information. You do not, however, need to have any previous knowledge about a topic to answer the questions. Everything you need to know will be right there.
1.Question types
a. Main idea
Which of the following titles best summarizes the content of the passage?
This passage is primarily concerned with ways in which...
b. Author’s attitude or tone
The author’s attitude toward the “portrait” is best characterized as one of ...
Compared to the tone of passage 1, the tone of passage 2 is more...
On the whole, the author’s attitude toward captive breeding is one of ...
Main idea and author’s attitude questions test how well you understand the passage as a whole. It is recommended that test takers do all the line referenced questions first. Then you can see the big picture more easily.
c. Inference
It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes that wild animals...
In context, the term “progressive college”(line 38) suggests that the college is...
The passage suggests that Mulacahy’s main shortcoming is that...
To infer is to draw a conclusion based on reasoning. Often, writers use suggestion rather than stating ideas directly. But they will also leave you a lot of clues so you can figure out just what they are trying to say. Inference clues include word choice, tone and specific details. The key to inference questions is to adhere to the evidence in the passage.
d. Vocabulary in context
In line 54, “charges’ most nearly means...
In line 4, “rival” is closest in meaning to...
The word “instrument’ is used in line 46 to signify...
This type of question asks about the usage of a single word. It does not test your ability to define hard words. Instead, they test your ability to infer the meaning of a word from context.
Words tested in the SAT are usually common words with more than one definition.
Reading Comprehension questions are not arranged by difficulty. Whenever you find yourself spending too much time on a Reading Comprehension question, you should skip it and return to it later. 2 or 3 of the answer choices might be the definitions of the tested word, but only one will work in context.
e. Detail
The “theory”(line 55) and the “opinion”(line 61) differ primarily about whether...
In line 29. “clear medium” refers to situations in which...
The phrase “ironies of his biography”(line 76) refers to Mulcahy’s belief that...
Detail questions ask about localized bits of information-usually specific facts from the passage. These questions often give you a line reference. Beware of answer choices that seem to answer the question in the stem but that don’t make sense in the context of the passage or that are true but refer to a different section of the passage.
Sometimes the answer to these questions will be directly in that referenced sentence. Other times, you might need to read 1 or 2 sentences before or after the referenced line to find the correct answer.
f. Rhetorical purpose
The author quotes Bredius’ opinion (line 36-43) in order to show that...
The author cites Moraga’s book primarily in order to...
2.Short passages
How to read a passage
You do not need to read the passage word-for-word. Instead, you can read lightly but with a focus. This will enable you to quickly find the main ideas and identify the tone of the passage. The questions themselves will help you fill in the details by directing you back to important information and specific details in the passage.
Step 1. Read the question
This is the place to really read carefully. Make sure you understand exactly what type of question it is.
Step 2. Answer the detail and vocabulary questions
If you are given a line reference, read the material surrounding the line mentioned. Remember to read above and below the specified line to understand the context. It will clarify exactly what the question is asking and provide you with the context you need to answer correctly.
If you’re not given a line reference, scan the text to find the place where the question applies, and quickly reread those several sentences. Use chronology to figure out where the answer might be found in the passage.
Step 3. Answer the general questions
At first, predict the answer. Don’t spend time making up a precise answer. You need only a general sense of what is correct so you can recognize the right answer quickly when you read the choices.
Step 4. Select the best answer choice
Scan the choices, looking for one that fits what you think the right answer might be. Quickly eliminate wrong choices by checking the passage. Rule out choices that are too extreme or go against common senses. Get rid or answers that are out of the scope of the context of the passage.
3.Long passage
Long passages are simply longer versions of the short reading passages. All long passages begin with a brief introduction that tells you what the passage is about. This is an important part of the question set and should not be skipped. The introduction helps you focus your reading by preparing for the information and ideas.
Questions are not arranged by degree of difficulty, but are instead arranged in a rough chronological order. In general, the earlier questions refer to the beginning of the passage, and the answers to the later questions will be found toward the end of the passage. The last couple of questions are likely to be big picture questions that ask you about the main idea and overall tone of the passage.
Types of passages
1.The social science passage
This passage will be about a topic involving history, politics, economics, or sociology. African-American history is frequently featured.
2.The humanities passage
This might range from an excerpt about an artist to an essay about literature, music, or philosophy.
3.The science passage
The science passage usually involves a discussion of a famous scientific discovery, such as Pasteur’s or Darwin’s. New scientific theory is also commonly featured.
4.The narrative passage
Often an excerpt form a novel or short story, this type of passage frequently has actual dialogue and is often the most fun or the most confusing to answer.
5.Paired passage
One of the passages will be two shorter passages which give two perspectives on one topic, followed up by up to 13 questions. Questions following paired passages are generally ordered the same way. The first few questions relate to the first passage, the next few to the second passage, and the final questions ask about the passages.
Reading comprehension questions
These questions test your ability to understand a piece of writing. The passages are divided into two types- short(about 100-150 words) and long ( about 400-850 words). At least one item will contain a set of paired passages on related topics. Most Reading Comprehension questions test how well you understand the passage, some ask you to draw conclusions, and some test your vocabulary. After a short passage, you can expect about two to four questions; after a short paired passage you can expect about four to five questions; after a long passage you can expect about 12 questions; and after a long paired passage you can expect about 13 questions. The topics are based on the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and fiction. In order to do well on any of these topics, you must read actively and analyze the given information. You do not, however, need to have any previous knowledge about a topic to answer the questions. Everything you need to know will be right there.
1.Question types
a. Main idea
Which of the following titles best summarizes the content of the passage?
This passage is primarily concerned with ways in which...
b. Author’s attitude or tone
The author’s attitude toward the “portrait” is best characterized as one of ...
Compared to the tone of passage 1, the tone of passage 2 is more...
On the whole, the author’s attitude toward captive breeding is one of ...
Main idea and author’s attitude questions test how well you understand the passage as a whole. It is recommended that test takers do all the line referenced questions first. Then you can see the big picture more easily.
c. Inference
It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes that wild animals...
In context, the term “progressive college”(line 38) suggests that the college is...
The passage suggests that Mulacahy’s main shortcoming is that...
To infer is to draw a conclusion based on reasoning. Often, writers use suggestion rather than stating ideas directly. But they will also leave you a lot of clues so you can figure out just what they are trying to say. Inference clues include word choice, tone and specific details. The key to inference questions is to adhere to the evidence in the passage.
d. Vocabulary in context
In line 54, “charges’ most nearly means...
In line 4, “rival” is closest in meaning to...
The word “instrument’ is used in line 46 to signify...
This type of question asks about the usage of a single word. It does not test your ability to define hard words. Instead, they test your ability to infer the meaning of a word from context.
Words tested in the SAT are usually common words with more than one definition.
Reading Comprehension questions are not arranged by difficulty. Whenever you find yourself spending too much time on a Reading Comprehension question, you should skip it and return to it later. 2 or 3 of the answer choices might be the definitions of the tested word, but only one will work in context.
e. Detail
The “theory”(line 55) and the “opinion”(line 61) differ primarily about whether...
In line 29. “clear medium” refers to situations in which...
The phrase “ironies of his biography”(line 76) refers to Mulcahy’s belief that...
Detail questions ask about localized bits of information-usually specific facts from the passage. These questions often give you a line reference. Beware of answer choices that seem to answer the question in the stem but that don’t make sense in the context of the passage or that are true but refer to a different section of the passage.
Sometimes the answer to these questions will be directly in that referenced sentence. Other times, you might need to read 1 or 2 sentences before or after the referenced line to find the correct answer.
f. Rhetorical purpose
The author quotes Bredius’ opinion (line 36-43) in order to show that...
The author cites Moraga’s book primarily in order to...
2.Short passages
How to read a passage
You do not need to read the passage word-for-word. Instead, you can read lightly but with a focus. This will enable you to quickly find the main ideas and identify the tone of the passage. The questions themselves will help you fill in the details by directing you back to important information and specific details in the passage.
Step 1. Read the question
This is the place to really read carefully. Make sure you understand exactly what type of question it is.
Step 2. Answer the detail and vocabulary questions
If you are given a line reference, read the material surrounding the line mentioned. Remember to read above and below the specified line to understand the context. It will clarify exactly what the question is asking and provide you with the context you need to answer correctly.
If you’re not given a line reference, scan the text to find the place where the question applies, and quickly reread those several sentences. Use chronology to figure out where the answer might be found in the passage.
Step 3. Answer the general questions
At first, predict the answer. Don’t spend time making up a precise answer. You need only a general sense of what is correct so you can recognize the right answer quickly when you read the choices.
Step 4. Select the best answer choice
Scan the choices, looking for one that fits what you think the right answer might be. Quickly eliminate wrong choices by checking the passage. Rule out choices that are too extreme or go against common senses. Get rid or answers that are out of the scope of the context of the passage.
3.Long passage
Long passages are simply longer versions of the short reading passages. All long passages begin with a brief introduction that tells you what the passage is about. This is an important part of the question set and should not be skipped. The introduction helps you focus your reading by preparing for the information and ideas.
Questions are not arranged by degree of difficulty, but are instead arranged in a rough chronological order. In general, the earlier questions refer to the beginning of the passage, and the answers to the later questions will be found toward the end of the passage. The last couple of questions are likely to be big picture questions that ask you about the main idea and overall tone of the passage.
Types of passages
1.The social science passage
This passage will be about a topic involving history, politics, economics, or sociology. African-American history is frequently featured.
2.The humanities passage
This might range from an excerpt about an artist to an essay about literature, music, or philosophy.
3.The science passage
The science passage usually involves a discussion of a famous scientific discovery, such as Pasteur’s or Darwin’s. New scientific theory is also commonly featured.
4.The narrative passage
Often an excerpt form a novel or short story, this type of passage frequently has actual dialogue and is often the most fun or the most confusing to answer.
5.Paired passage
One of the passages will be two shorter passages which give two perspectives on one topic, followed up by up to 13 questions. Questions following paired passages are generally ordered the same way. The first few questions relate to the first passage, the next few to the second passage, and the final questions ask about the passages.