GRE—VERBAL SECTION—Reading Comprehension Reading comprehension questions measure your ability to understand, analyze, and apply information and concepts in written form. READING COMPREHENSION TESTING POINTS

Ability to understand words and statements in the reading passages, as well as overall comprehension.

Ability to understand logical relationships between particular points and concepts in the passages.

Ability to draw inferences from facts and statements in reading passages.

Ability to understand and follow the development of quantitative concepts that are presented in verbal material.

READING COMPREHENSION DIRECTIONS Each reading selection in this group is followed by questions based on its content. Answer the questions following a selection on the basis of what is stated or implied in that selection, choosing the best answer to each question.

FACTS ABOUT READING COMPREHENSION PASSAGES

1. Passages can treat any subject (no prior knowledge necessary). 2. Material is taken out of context. 3. Passages are edited (deliberately, professionally to serve test’s purposes). 4. Passages test comprehension, not “speed reading” (they’re deliberately dense, rendering

“speed-reading” ineffective). 5. Careful reading is required (“mental magnifying glass”)

3 LEVELS OF READING

EASY QUESTIONS TEST FIRST LEVEL OF COMPREHENSION—“ON THE LINES” • Main Idea questions require only a superficial reading of the passage. • Appreciation of general theme. • When answering questions at this level, skim the passage by reading the first and last sentences of each paragraph.

INTERMEDIATE QUESTIONS TESTS SECOND LEVEL OF COMPREHENSION—“BETWEEN THE LINES” • Specific Detail and Logical Structure questions require an intermediate level of reading. • Understanding of specific points. • You should read the entire passage, but don’t waste time on specific points unless answering specific questions. For these types of items, it’s best to refer back to the passage.

DIFFICULT QUESTIONS TEST THIRD LEVEL OF COMPREHENSION—“BEYOND THE LINES” • Implied Idea, Further Application, and Attitude/Tone questions require the deepest level of reading and comprehension. • Evaluation of, or judgment on, the text. • When answering questions at this level, read the passage very carefully—scour.

READING COMPREHENSION QUESTION CATEGORIES

1. Main idea questions 2. Specific detail questions 3. Logical structure questions 4. Implied idea questions 5. Further application questions 6. Attitude/Tone questions

MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS—CENTRAL THEME THAT UNIFIES PASSAGE Look for words/phrases such as “main point,” “primary,” or “central.” • 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 best describes the content of the passage? MAIN IDEA ANSWERS SUMMARIZE—Whatever the form of a Main Idea question, the answer will summarize the main theme of the selection without going beyond the scope of the passage.

Hint: Incorrect Main Idea answer choices are either too broad or too limited.

SPECIFIC DETAIL QUESTION—POINT MENTIONED BY THE AUTHOR AS PART OF OVERALL DEVELOPMENT OF PASSAGE’S MAIN THEME Look for phrases such as “stated in the passage” or “mentioned in the passage.” • The author mentions which of the following? • According to the author (or passage) . . . • The author provides information that would answer which of the following questions? SPECIFIC DETAIL ANSWERS ARE EXPLICIT—The correct choice for a Specific Detail question must both be explicitly mentioned in the passage and answer the question asked.

Hint: Often, Specific Detail questions refer to specific line numbers, paragraphs, specific names, dates or times, capitalized phrases, and unusual words or terminology. When a question stem mentions these “locator words,” waste no time! Go directly to the passage and find the locator words. That is typically where you will find the answer for which you are looking.

LOGICAL STRUCTURE QUESTIONS—OVERALL PASSAGE DEVELOPMENT/ROLE PLAYED BY SPECIFIC DETAIL Look for phrases such as “in order to” or “proceeds by.” • The author develops the passage primarily by . . . • The author proceeds primarily by . . . • The author mentions . . . in order to . . . • Which of the following best describes why the author introduces . . . ? LOGICAL STRUCTURE QUESTIONS ARE BASED ON WHOLE PICTURE—A Logical Structure question that asks about the overall development of the passage should be treated like a Main Idea question.

Hint: The key to answering a Logical Structure question is to locate the needed reference and ask why: Why did the author do this? The answer will best describe the structure of the selection.

IMPLIED IDEA QUESTIONS—WHAT CAN BE LOGICALLY INFERRED FROM PASSAGE Look for phrases such as “inferred from” or “implies that.” • The passage implies that . . . • The author uses the phrase ‘_____’ to mean . . . • It can be inferred from the passage that . . . • Which of the following can be inferred from the passage? IMPLIED IDEA ANSWERS ARE INFERRED, NOT STATED—To answer an Implied Idea question, look for a choice that is logically supported by the passage; it will not be specifically mentioned in the passage—the reader must infer the answer.

Hint: Implied—suggested, hinted at, indirectly/obscurely stated Inferred—concluded, deduced, assumed, surmised, supposed

FURTHER APPLICATION QUESTIONS—TAKE TO NEXT STEP, APPLY TO NEW SITUATION Look for phrases such as “most likely,” “least likely,” or “best supported.” • With which of the following statements would the author most likely agree? • The author would probably consider which of the following a good example of her theory? • The passage is most probably taken from which of the following sources? FURTHER APPLICATION ANSWERS GO BEYOND THE PASSAGE—To answer a Further Application question, find the answer choice that is best supported by the information provided in the passage; the answer will apply the supplied information to a new situation.

TONE QUESTIONS—AUTHORIAL ATTITUDE • The tone of the passage can best be described as . . . • The author regards . . . as . . . • Which of the following best describes the author’s attitude toward . . . ? ATTITUDE/TONE ANSWERS CAN BE ORDERED—Finding answers to Attitude/Tone questions is easiest after the answer choices have been arranged in some kind of order (positive to negative or vice versa).