7

GREEOl:JE GUIDE
The Ultimate
READING
COMPREHENSION
Hand Book
 7
GREEOl:JE GUIDE
GRE VERBAL:
EXAMPLES OF
READING
COMPREHENSION
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 What is GREedge?

2 Online Academy = Higher GRE scores

What students have to say about

3 GREedge

4 Checklist for a High Verbal Score

5 Sample Questions in Reading

Comprehension

6 Analytical Readingf
 WHAT IS ?
GREedge is an Online Academy which is completely focused on
improving your GRE score.

The average GRE score of students from GREedge is a good 8 points

above national average as published by ETS, the provider of GRE.

GREedge has helped over 30,000 students score better in the GRE.
GREedge uses different software across its online platform to propel
you toward a high GRE score.

GREedge vs. Rest of India: 8 points lead

160
India(Avg) GREedge (Avg)

155

150
158.2

153.1
145
147.2

143.8

140
Verbal Quant
3.4 points* in Verbal, 5.1 points* in Quant* (Based on ETS published data,
GREedge internal data)

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ONLINE ACADEMY = HIGHER GRE
SCORE
Academy means a society of learned persons organized to advance a field of
knowledge or area of expertise. Online means available over the internet or done
over the internet. Yes, even the mobile internet. Online Academy has the best GRE
experts available online. GREedge offers complete help in your GRE preparation to
help you boost your GRE score.

Student Facilitators and Analysts (SFAs)

SFAs are personal trainers who will be with you throughout your GRE preparation to
help you with concepts, provide feedback, and solve all your doubts. They teach,
motivate, guide, and prepare you for a high GRE score.

Learning Tracker
The Learning Tracker (LT) is a smart online platform designed by experts. It provides
complete materials for GRE and constantly monitors your preparation with the help of
“milli-second monitoring" technology.

Personalized Feedback
SFAs provide personalized feedback after reviewing your practice sessions and full
length tests. This helps you identify your weak areas and strengthen them for a better
GRE score.

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 WHAT STUDENTS HAVE TO SAY
ABOUT

Shyam Sundar Arpita Sahu

“Preparing for GRE despite a hectic work “The evaluation of the tests and the
schedule is difficult but GREedge made it explanation provided for each and every
possible. My SFAs designed a perfect study plan question was simply amazing. The
for me and without them, it wouldn’t have been explanations were so simple and easy to
possible.” understand”

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“The SFAs constantly helped me in my
preparation. All of the doubts were
answered within a day or two. The
reminders pushed me to work harder.
It was a great learning experience.”

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CHECKLIST FOR A HIGH VERBAL SCORE

ENSURE YOU TICK EACH BOX BEFORE YOUR EXAM

TAKE A FREE DIAGNOSTIC VERBAL TEST

1
BEFORE YOU BEGIN PREPARING, ASK YOURSELF:

● Where do I stand now?

● How is my Verbal Quotient?
● Do I know the different questions that will appear in GRE Verbal?

DESIGN A STUDY PLAN FOR VERBAL

2
PLAN CLEARLY WHEN YOU NEED TO DO WHAT.

● Decide the timeline of preparation

● Allocate Study lessons for each day
● Spend more time in solving tough RC passages

PRACTICE WITH GRE STYLE VERBAL TESTS

3
TAKE AS MANY GRE STYLE TESTS AS POSSIBLE.

● It will make you prepared for the exam better

● Helps immensely in Time management

TAKE FULL LENGTH ADAPTIVE TESTS

4
POST PREPARATIONS, TAKE A FULL LENGTH ADAPTIVE TEST.

● Range of score you could get.

● Revise the sections you're weak in
PLAN YOUR FIRST WEEK WITH OUR LEARNING
TRACKER (LT)
FIRST DAY:

1. Take a Diagnostic Test from Learning Tracker (LT)

2. Device a Study Plan
3. Finish 100 words in WordBot

SECOND DAY:

1. Text Completion lessons from LT

2. Take GRE Style Practice Test
3. Finish 100 words in WordBot

THIRD DAY:

1. Verbal Lessons on Reading Comprehension from LT

2. Take GRE Style Practice Test
3. Finish 100 words in WordBot

FOURTH DAY:

1. Verbal Lessons on Sentence Equivalence from LT

2. Take GRE Style Practice Test
3. Finish 100 words in WordBot

FIFTH DAY:

1. Practice AWA and get feedbacks from SFAs.

2. Take GRE Styles tests on TC
3. Finish 100 words in WordBot

SIXTH DAY:

1. 1 Full Length Diagnostic Test

2. Revise Word List
3. Take lot of Rest 

FACT: GREedge STUDENTS HAVE COMPLETED OVER 971,912 LESSONS!

2016
READING COMPREHENSION: WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
STEP ONE:

You should immediately give a quick read to understand what the passage is all about. Don’t
take more than 25 seconds to do this.

STEP TWO:

Try to break the passage into small sentence units. A passage is nothing but the flow of ideas.
So whenever you encounter long passages, take a few seconds and break the passage into
small sentence units.

STEP THREE:

Relating the ideas is the most important step. Breaking the passage into small sentences
allows you understand the ideas and also helps in relating different ideas together. Doing this
efficiently can help you become an RC expert.

QUICK EXAMPLE
In the nineteenth century, when women began to enter factories, Jules Simon, a French
politician, warned that by doing so, women would give up their femininity. Friedrich Engels,
however, predicted that women would be liberated from the “social, legal, and economic
subordination” of the family by technological developments that made possible the
recruitment of “the whole female sex…..into public industry”. Observers thus differed on the
social effects of mechanization, but they agreed that it would transform women’s lives.

LETS NOW BREAK THE PASSAGE INTO THREE PARTS

In the nineteenth century, when women began to enter factories, Jules Simon, a French politician,
warned that by doing so, women would give up their femininity.

Friedrich Engels, however, predicted that women would be liberated from the “social, legal, and
economic subordination” of the family by technological developments that made possible the
recruitment of “the whole female sex…..into public industry”.

Observers thus differed on the social effects of mechanization, but they agreed that it would transform
women’s lives.

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2016
RC QUESTION 1

The United States is commonly referred to as a melting pot, a society in which people from
different societies blend together into a single mass. Some sociologists prefer the term,
“multicultural,” pointing out that even if a group has lived in this country for many generations,
they probably still retain some of their original heritage. The term, “multiculturalism,”
recognizes the original heritages of millions of Americans, noting that Americans who are
originally from other societies do not necessarily have to lose their individual markers by
melting into the mainstream.

Q.1. Which of the following is true with regard to the concept of “melting pot” as
mentioned in the passage?

a. A melting pot is essential for stability in society as groups loyal to their native heritage
could cause fractions

b. The term “melting pot” refers to the culmination of different cultures into one single
blended culture wherein each of these cultures do not retain any of their original heritages

c. The concept of the melting pot recognizes the fact that Americans originally from other
societies do not lose touch with their heritage

d. Though conceptually interesting, a melting pot is not practical as it is difficult to groups

to forget that original cultural affiliations

e. The concept of melting pot is all about diffusion rather than simple unification of
cultures

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2016
RC QUESTION 1 - CLUES AND ANSWERS

The United States is commonly referred to as a melting pot, a society in which people from
different societies blend together into a single mass. Some sociologists prefer the term,
“multicultural,” pointing out that even if a group has lived in this country for many generations,
they probably still retain some of their original heritage:

The first line states that the term melting pot refers to a society that includes people from
different societies blended together into a single mass. To differentiate from this idea,
sociologists coined the term, multicultural, which means that these people do not necessarily
blend into a single mass, but still retain some of their original heritage (even if they live in the
place for a long time).

So option B, The term “melting pot” refers to the culmination of different cultures into one single
blended culture wherein each of these cultures do not retain any of their original heritages, is true
with regard to the concept of melting pot as described in the passage.

WHY NOT?

Option A: The passage does not state anything about melting pots bringing in stability in a
society.

Option C: Sociologists come up with an alternate term, multicultural, to differentiate from the
term, melting pot. Multiculturalism describes that the people from other societies still carry a
part of their original heritage.

Option D: The passage does not define the practicality of the ideas of melting pot and
multiculturalism.

Option E: The concept of melting point is described as a blend of all cultures into a single
mass. It is not about diffusion.

ATTEND EXCLUSIVE SEMINARS TO

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MASTER RC

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2016
RC QUESTION 2

Some scientists claim that mankind's brain power has reached its peak. Simon Laughlin,
professor of neurobiology, has said that the brain must consume energy to function and that
these requirements are sufficiently demanding to limit our performance. Far-reaching powers
of deduction demand a lot of energy because for the brain to search out new relationships, it
must constantly correlate information from different sources. Such energy demands mean
there is a limit to the information we can process. The cleverest people have the best wiring,
with messages carried very quickly between different parts of the brain.

Q.1. According to the passage, which of the following are true?

A. Environmental impulses travel slower in smarter people and faster in those who are less
intelligent
B. Formation of efficient networks within the brain seems to be associated with high IQ
C. Becoming smarter means improving connections between different brain areas, but
meeting energy needs could still pose a limit

RC QUESTION 2 - CLUES AND ANSWERS

"the brain must consume energy to function and that these requirements are sufficiently
demanding to limit our performance. Far-reaching powers of deduction demand a lot of energy
because for the brain to search out new relationships, it must constantly correlate information
from different sources. Such energy demands mean there is a limit to the information we can
process. The cleverest people have the best wiring, with messages carried very quickly between
different parts of the brain"

From these lines, you understand that the brain requires energy to process information. To
stretch its ability in deducing a correlation or in identifying a relationship, a tremendous
amount of energy is required to do so. This requirement, most of the times, can become an
unmatched demand. Only the smartest in the set with excellent neuron network can possess
good deducing abilities while the rest are left with a limit on the amount of information one
can process. This leads to option B, Formation of efficient networks within the brain seems to be
associated with high IQ, and option C, Becoming smarter means improving connections between
different brain areas, but meeting energy needs could still pose a limit.

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2016
ANALYTICAL READING

Analytical reading is a proven technique to build your comprehending skills. It is divided

into five steps for skill-building.

There are some critical questions you should ask, as you read an article. They are:

1. What is the subject and what are the main points?

2. Are difficult ideas explained clearly? Are they subject to various interpretations?

3. Are illustrations, evidences, and examples effective?

4. Is there an argument in the article?

5. Is the argument convincing? Logical? Authoritative?

6. How does this article fit relative to other authors on the subject?

7. Is this article describing a new event or thing, or is it another example of something

familiar?

STEP 1 - COMPREHENDING RC PASSAGES

• The complexity and organization strain the limits of short-term memory.

• You may often have to read a sentence several times to understand it.

• You need breaks in the flow of ideas, so that you can assimilate what you have read,
and then move on.

• You can break a long sentence into short manageable units, from which you can
understand ideas easily.

TAKE A QUIZ IN READING

Click Here
COMPREHENSION

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2016
STEP 2 – READING ANALYTICALLY

• Analytical readers break down a text into short parts and examine each part separately.

• One way to read analytically is to skim the text first and then return to a deeper reading.

• You might highlight relevant passages, take notes or jot down thoughts on a particular
character or theme as you read.

• You may also understand the goals of a character or read it from a historical
perspective.

STEP 3 – DEVELOPING VERBAL REASONING

• You will be provided with approximately ten non-fiction text passages.

• Having an extensive vocabulary is definitely an asset, but working from lists of words
may not be the best study approach.

• Focus on reading advanced texts as often as possible during the time that you’re
preparing for the GRE.

• If reading and language are challenging areas for you, check out GRE prep courses and
tutoring services that can be found online.

STEP 4 – IMPROVING ACCURACY

• The key is not to read faster, but to read smarter. Intelligent reading means knowing
when to pay attention and when to relax.

• You shouldn’t skim or skip any parts of the passage as you read, but you should slow
down and pay more attention to important parts, and speed up and pay less attention
to the unimportant parts.

• The best way to improve is to work with passages, identify where you went wrong, and
ensure you got it right for the right reason.

FACT: 30% OF GREedge STUDENTS GET A SCORE BOOST OF AT LEAST 10 POINTS!

2016
STEP 5 – DEVELOPING CRITICAL REASONING

• Critical thinking is the ability to question, analyze, and understand the context of
information before you accept or reject it.

• Train yourself to question and process different types of information by setting daily
habits.

• The goal is not to come to a conclusion, but to be able to understand what you can and
cannot know from the evidence.

• Putting words on paper will help you visualize and evaluate them more critically.

RC QUESTION 3

Developed countries have planned to derive energy from plants in the form of ethanol. This
alternate energy, best known as bio-fuel, is championed as an affordable alternative to fossil
fuels by its major benefactors, United States of America (USA) and European Union (EU). They
believe that replacing petrol and diesel with bio-fuels will play a significant part in reducing
carbon emissions and the effects of climate change. They are convinced that bio-fuel energy
has the potential to reduce and stabilize the escalating oil prices, open up new markets, which
may be beneficial to poor countries. According to their prediction, a multi-billion dollar bio-fuel
industry will be able to provide 25 per cent of the world's energy within 10-15 years. While the
optimism surrounding bio-fuel and its potential to become an effective renewable source of
energy continues to prevail, we are beginning to hear the voices of vehement skepticism from
many developing countries. One of the reasons could be the heavy handed approach adopted
by the USA and some European countries. The voracious energy requirements of these
developed economies are thrust on the under-developed countries. It is feared that cultivation
of corn and other cereals in abundance, to meet their enormous need of 550 million tones can
rob the farmlands in poor countries of fertility; the people of their food; and the nations of their
economic sovereignty.

FACT: 30% OF GREedge STUDENTS GET A SCORE BOOST OF AT LEAST 10 POINTS!

2016
 RC QUESTION 3
Which of the following best reflects the author's attitude toward bio-fuel production?

1. Ironic

2. Indignant

3. Cautious optimism

4. Unconditional enthusiasm

5. Unbiased objectivity

CLUES

• The author's tone is negative.

• Eliminate positive and neutral tones from the options.

• Shortlist words with negative tones.

• Analyze and choose the best option.

FACT: 30% OF GREedge STUDENTS GET A SCORE BOOST OF AT LEAST 10 POINTS!

2016
Welcome to the GREedge
Reading Comprehension
Practice eBook
Try solving these questions, one by one. Answers are
mentioned in the slide following the question.
 1
Question 1
 2
Answer:
a) Neither complete attention, nor attention deficit solves everything.
 3
Question 2
 4
Answer:
e) Typicals were much more inconspicuous than melanic moths on the lichen covered
Dorset trees
 5
Question 3
 6
Answer:
e) Birds act as selective agents
 7
Question 4
 8
Answer:
b) To bring to light the paradox in the vulnerability of women even when they belonged
to powerful families in Rome.
 9
Question 5
 10

Answer:
All 3 answers are correct
 1
1
Question 6
12
 13

Answer:
e) Giving examples to show how futile the attempts to establish Darwin’s theory of
natural selection and survival of the fittest were.
 14
Question 7
15
 16
Answer:
d) Skeptical
 17
Question 8
18
 19
Answer:
c) Divine Creation
 20
How many did you get right?
7-8: Excellent

6-7: Good

5-6: Satisfactory

4-5: Fair

1-4: Need more practice and concept clearing sessions!

Cracking The Central Theme

Reading
Comprehension
Practice Questions - Part 2
a) Candidates whose names appear first in the ballot list get more votes,
defeated only by those whose names are widely recognized by the voters

b) Voters voted most for candidates whose names appeared at the top of
the ballot list

c) Voters do not vote for candidates whose names they are not familiar
with

d) Voters gave more preference to candidates listed first in the ballot list
than those whose names they were not familiar with

e) The order in which the ballot list is prepared has got no relation to the
pattern of voting, despite the popular belief that it is advantageous to be
listed at the top
 Answer
a) Candidates whose names appear first in the ballot list get more votes,
defeated only by those whose names are widely recognized by the voters
2) As recently as the 1950s, possessing only middling intelligence was not likely to
severely limit your life's trajectory. IQ wasn't a big factor in whom you married, where
you lived, or what others thought of you. The qualifications for a good job, whether on
an assembly line or behind a desk, mostly revolved around integrity, work ethic, and a
knack for getting along―bosses didn't routinely expect college degrees, much less ask
to see SAT scores. As one account of the era put it, hiring decisions were "based on a
candidate having a critical skill or two and on soft factors such as eagerness,
appearance, family background, and physical characteristics."

The 2010s, in contrast, are a terrible time to not be brainy. Those who consider
themselves bright openly mock others for being less so. Even in this age of rampant
concern over microaggressions and victimization, we maintain open season on the
nonsmart. People who'd swerve off a cliff rather than use a pejorative for race, religion,
physical appearance, or disability are all too happy to chastise others: Indeed,
degrading others for being "stupid" has become nearly automatic in all forms of
disagreement.

~sSource: David H. Freedman, "The War on Stupid People," The Atlantic, Jul―Aug
2016~s

What is the main idea of the passage?

a) There has been a huge shift in the human values in the last six decades

b) Less importance to intelligence led to mediocre achievements in the past

c) Mockery of the less intelligent is rampant in current times

d) Increasing importance to intelligence has led to increased victimization

e) Our society increasingly mistakes intelligence for human worth

 Answer
e) Our society increasingly mistakes intelligence for human worth
3) Predictive analytics learns from data to generate many predictions. Consumer demand
for predictive analytics is expected to surge with the 2016 presidential candidates using
it to appeal to voters to win more votes. Predictive analytics is the Information Age's
latest evolutionary step. This singular, universally applicable force can improve every
large-scale thing we do―how we build things, sell things, and prevent bad things from
happening―because every function benefits from prediction. These predictions boost
the odds across millions of organizational decisions simply because the predictions
themselves are considerably better than guessing.

(~sAdapted from:
http://bigthink.com/big-think-edge/4-predictions-about-2016-provided-by-digital-data-
collection~s)

The main idea of this passage is:

a) Using of statistics in winning elections

b) Making businesses realize the importance of predictive analysis

c) Using data for making predictions scientifically

d) Highlighting the magnitude of data that needs prediction

e) Conveying discreetly the futility of predictive analysis

 Answer
c) Using data for making predictions scientifically
4) Inequality is on the rise across the world, but it is not increasing everywhere at the
same pace. In many ways Europe stands out as a positive exception. Despite all the
criticism thrown at the EU, it is a global leader in preserving a degree of fairness in the
social fabric.

It is often said that globalization and digitization explain the surge in global inequality,
but that is not a very convincing narrative. Since the 1980s, Europe and the US have
had similar exposure to global markets and new technologies. But they have differed in
policies and institutional direction. To date, Europe has shown that it is much better at
keeping inequality in check.

Social healthcare systems in most European countries still guarantee universal

protection for all ― hardly the case in the US. Many of those countries offer free access
to university. A young European's hopes of receiving higher education depends much
less on his or her parents' income than their American counterpart's. Labor markets are
also more favorable to workers in Europe than in the US, where the minimum wage has
fallen by a third in real terms since the 1970s (in France it has risen fourfold). In
Sweden and Germany, trade unions are represented in corporate governance bodies,
taking part in strategic decision-making.

The important point the author wishes to make in the passage is that:

a) Europe welcomes migrant workers much better than the US

b) Europe is a better place to live in than the US

c) Europe has done well in addressing the inequality gap better than the US

d) European policies are much better than that of the US's

e) Europe has not encouraged racism and inequality as much as the US

 Answer
c) Europe has done well in addressing the inequality gap better than the US
5) The developed countries have planned to derive energy from plants in the form of
ethanol. This alternate energy, best known as biofuel, is championed as an affordable
alternative to fossil fuels by its major benefactors, United States of America (USA) and
European Union (EU). They believe that replacing petrol and diesel with biofuels will
play a significant part in reducing carbon emissions and the effects of climate change.
They are convinced that biofuel energy has the potential to reduce and stabilize the
escalating oil prices, open up new markets, which may be very beneficial to poor
countries. According to their prediction, a multi-billion dollar biofuel industry will be
able to provide 25 % of the world's energy within 10-15 years. While the optimism
surrounding biofuel and its potential to become an effective renewable source of energy
continues to prevail, we are beginning to hear the voices of vehement skepticism from
many developing countries. One of the reasons could be the heavy handed approach
adopted by the USA and some European countries. The voracious energy requirements
of these developed economies are thrust on the under-developed countries. It is feared
that cultivation of corn and other cereals in abundance, to meet their enormous need of
550 million tonnes can rob the farmlands in poor countries of fertility; the people of
their food; and the nations of their economic sovereignty. Large scale cultivation of
food crops such as corn, barley, sorghum, rye, millet and oats exclusively for biofuel
also has severe economic, ecological and ethical consequences. A recent study says
that the world consumes 604 million tonnes of these crops, while the production stands
at about 679 million tonnes. The available surplus is only about 77 million tonnes,
which is far too less when compared to the existing demand from the biofuel industries.
This means an impetus to increase the supply would result in an increase in the
cultivable area devoted to energy crops. Last year, Brazil and China grew these crops
on nearly 50 million acres in the same year. Global production of energy crops doubles
every few years. Increasing pressure on countries like Indonesia has led to a severe
environmental crisis. Forests are felled giving way to plantations and farms, growing
raw materials for ethanol production. Following similar alarming trends, the UN warns,
"the use of large scale cropping (for energy purposes) could lead to significant
biodiversity loss, soil erosion and nutrient leaching." A more imposing threat is the
mushrooming competition between food and fuel. Many economists opine that the
existing policies and politics of bioenergy will impact global food prices adversely.
Growing food crops to feed the ethanol production plants, fueling the affluent
economies of the world provides a road map to an impending global food shortage.
Promotion of biofuel energy in poor countries will present us with a scenario where the
rich burn food in their automobiles, while people starve. The World Bank observes that
the cereals and grains providing the biomass required to fill the tank of a sport utility
vehicle with ethanol could feed one person for a year. The competition between food
and fuel is very much real. If the aspirations of developed countries are allowed to
dictate the future of agriculture in most parts of Africa and Asia, we are running the risk
of worsening the food vs fuel conflict. Attempts by the western world to project biofuel
as an environment friendly alternate to fossil fuels has been unsuccessful. Their belief
that biofuel will contribute significantly to control carbon emissions and reduce their
dependence on fossil fuels is widely debated. The promises of bioenergy as the provider
of extraordinary opportunities to address climate change, energy security and rural
development has also not manifested in reality. It is time we focus on the real issues.
We must choose to feed people rather than the engines of luxury vehicles. For this, we
need to resist being lured into an economic and environmental catastrophe.
What is the author's stand when it comes to developing countries and under-developed
countries with regards to biofuel production?

a) It has the potential to stabilize oil prices and open up new markets.

b) Will cause widespread destruction in the rain forests and wildlife

especially in Indonesia, while sustaining the natural resources of the western
world intact.

c) Will turn out to be an important economic spin-off for them.

d) Lead to inequitable strain on the available natural resources, jeopardize

food security and catapult food prices.

e) Progress of the developing countries will gain momentum as the energy is

the major requirement for any growing economy.
 Answer
d) Lead to inequitable strain on the available natural resources, jeopardize food
security and catapult food prices.
6) People visit museums to learn, but more than that, to be transported to the past. They
might ooh and ahh over artifacts masterfully crafted with simple tools or paintings that
depict a lifestyle long disappeared. We often assume these objects are immortal, that
they will always be there to remind us of who we are as a culture. Yet few of us think
about how much had to be done to those objects simply to stop them from falling
apart. Urns that gleam on museum shelves were once pulled from the ground as
corroded hunks of metal. An earthenware pot might have been a million fragments
before someone painstakingly pieced it back together. A dedicated scholar and
craftsman has returned a faded painting to its former glory.

Art conservators fight a constant, never-ending battle against time, an unwinnable war
against entropy to bring works of art back to nearly immaculate condition and keep
them there. Of course, things don't always go according to plan. Good intentions aside,
old, delicate objects can be damaged by overzealous cleaning or by storing them under
the wrong conditions. There have been shards of Mayan ceramics that were whittled
down to fit together when the reassembly is incorrect. Prehistoric flints in storage in
Verona, Italy, turned a pearly blue because of previously unknown molecules present in
the plastic drawer liners.

Conservators rely on science to aid their efforts. They scrutinize the tiniest details of
priceless artifacts. They conduct chemical analyses of an object to determine its
molecular makeup and decide how best to clean or repair it. They place a sculpture or
painting in storage or on display under environmental conditions that will delay its slide
into destruction. And yet, art conservation is not quite a science. Saving the past
means navigating a sea of unanswered or unanswerable questions about what the artist
intended an object to look like or how efforts to fix a piece of art could damage it. And
though the field has become much more scientific in the past few decades,
conservators still have some big questions about how to preserve the past without
destroying it. They have to take the long view of the history of the objects.

(~sSource: Alexandra Ossola, The Uncertain Future of Saving the Past, Popular
Mechanics, 28 June 2016,
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a20855/the-future-of-saving-the-past/~s)

In light of information presented in the passage, the author would agree with all of the
following, EXCEPT:
a) The moment conservation efforts are begun on something that is 2000
years old, it is being deprived it of its originality

b) If conservationists are not sure how to fix something, they should abstain
from doing anything to it

c) A good analysis of the art and the technique used prior to conservation
efforts would help sustain the originality of the piece

d) Not just the restoration process, but even the process of storing or
displaying ancient objects can be quite challenging

e) The techniques that conservators use should match the techniques used
in the original work
 Answer
b) If conservationists are not sure how to fix something, they should abstain
from doing anything to it
7) More often than not, instead of standing by our decisions and the fortitude of our
contingencies, we relieve ourselves at others' expense. There's an appealing concept
following this, which implies that a number of the world's misery comes from
individuals passing on their own grief, compensating for their disparagement, just like
blaming the last runner in the relay for the incompetence of the team.

The important point the author wishes to make in the passage is that:

a) Miseries could be alleviated if individuals demonstrate courage to accept

the consequences resulting from their own inadequacies, rather than
blaming external factors

b) Life is a relay race, and winning it entirely depends on how good the last
runner is

c) We are wired by nature to relive at others' expense, and would require

gradual evolution for this to change
 Answer
a) Miseries could be alleviated if individuals demonstrate courage to accept the
consequences resulting from their own inadequacies, rather than blaming
external factors
 All the best!

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 The Definitive Guide to

CRACK TOUGH
RC PASSAGES
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 What is GREedge?

2 Online Academy = Higher GRE scores

What students have to say about

3 GREedge

4 Reading Comprehension

5 Analytical Reading

6 Sentence Styles f

7 Extracting ideas and taking notes

 WHAT IS ?
GREedge is an Online Academy which is completely focused on
improving your GRE score.

The average GRE score of students from GREedge is a good 8 points

above national average as published by ETS, the provider of GRE.

GREedge has helped over 30,000 students score better in the GRE.
GREedge uses different software across its online platform to propel
you toward a high GRE score.

GREedge vs. Rest of India: 8 points lead

160
India(Avg) GREedge (Avg)

155

150
158.2

153.1
145
147.2

143.8

140
Verbal Quant
3.4 points* in Verbal, 5.1 points* in Quant* (Based on ETS published data,
GREedge internal data)

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ONLINE ACADEMY = HIGHER GRE
SCORE
Academy means a society of learned persons organized to advance a field of
knowledge or area of expertise. Online means available over the internet or done
over the internet. Yes, even the mobile internet. Online Academy has the best GRE
experts available online. GREedge offers complete help in your GRE preparation to
help you boost your GRE score.

Student Facilitators and Analysts (SFAs)

SFAs are personal trainers who will be with you throughout your GRE preparation to
help you with concepts, provide feedback, and solve all your doubts. They teach,
motivate, guide, and prepare you for a high GRE score.

Learning Tracker
The Learning Tracker (LT) is a smart online platform designed by experts. It provides
complete materials for GRE and constantly monitors your preparation with the help of
“milli-second monitoring" technology.

Personalized Feedback
SFAs provide personalized feedback after reviewing your practice sessions and full
length tests. This helps you identify your weak areas and strengthen them for a better
GRE score.

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 WHAT STUDENTS HAVE TO SAY
ABOUT

Shyam Sundar Arpita Sahu

“Preparing for GRE despite a hectic work “The evaluation of the tests and the
schedule is difficult but GREedge made it explanation provided for each and every
possible. My SFAs designed a perfect study plan question was simply amazing. The
for me and without them, it wouldn’t have been explanations were so simple and easy to
possible.” understand”

Gautam Gupta
“The SFAs constantly helped me in my
preparation. All of the doubts were
answered within a day or two. The
reminders pushed me to work harder.
It was a great learning experience.”

READ MORE SUCCESS STORIES CLICK HERE

Chapter One

READING
COMPREHENSION
 STEP 1
Give the passage a quick read to understand what it is all about.
This allows you to make a note of the core idea of the passage. Don’t take
more than 25-30 seconds to do this.

STEP 2
Try to break the passage into small sentence units. A passage is nothing but a
flow of ideas. So whenever you encounter long passages, take a few seconds
and break the passage into small sentence units.

STEP 3
Relating the ideas is the most important step. Breaking the passage into small
sentences allows you understand the ideas and also helps in relating different
ideas together. Doing this efficiently can help you become an RC expert.
 Quick Example
In the nineteenth century, when
women began to enter factories,
Jules Simon, a French politician,
warned that by doing so, women
would give up their femininity.
Friedrich Engels, however,
predicted that women would be
liberated from the “social, legal,
and economic subordination” of
the family by technological
developments that made possible
the recruitment of “the whole
female sex…into public industry”.
Observers thus differed on the
social effects of mechanization,
but they agreed that it would
transform women’s lives.

“Verbal sessions involved a lot of practice really. The

“Great
Progress minds
Report think
let me alike
know because
where I standaamong
greater
others Mind
and that’s is thinking
a great through them”
feature”

Criss Jami
Soubhagya Sutar, GREedge Alumnus

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LET’S NOW BREAK THE PASSAGE
INTO THREE PARTS
In the nineteenth century, when women began to enter
factories, Jules Simon, a French politician, warned that by
doing so, women would give up their femininity.

Friedrich Engels, however, predicted that women would be

liberated from the “social, legal, and economic
subordination” of the family by technological
developments that made possible the recruitment of “the
whole female sex…into public industry”.

Observers thus differed on the social effects of

mechanization, but they agreed that it would transform
women’s lives.

“WordBot was God sent. It helped me boost my Verbal

score. My SFAs reverted back to every problem I had,
within 24 hours”

Kritika Dmonty, GREedge Alumnus

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 Tone of the passage
What is tone ?
Tone is the attitude of the author
towards the subject.

The tone of any given passage is the

author’s emotion or feeling.

Tone is expressed through the words and

details the author selects. To determine
the author’s tone, you must notice how
these words and details are used within
the writing.

How to identify tone question?

Look for words that refers to attitude or tone.

The author's attitude towards …can best be described as …

The tone of the passage can best be

described as …
5 steps to find the tone
of a passage
 How to distinguish between
objective and subjective statements in a
passage

Objective

An objective statement is completely

unbiased. It is not touched by the speaker’s
previous experiences or tastes.

The objective tone is matter-of-fact. The

details are mostly facts.

The objective tone is impartial. It does not

show any feelings for or against a topic;
therefore, it is unbiased.
 How to distinguish
Objective and Subjective statements in a
passage
Subjective
A subjective statement uses words that
describe feelings, judgments, or
opinions.

The details are likely to include experiences,

senses, feelings, and thoughts.

The subjective tone is personal, biased,

emotional, and often informal.
 What is your opinion about
this car?

A subjective statement would be :

"This car is ugly.“

An objective statement would be :

"This car has some rust, dents, and

damages."
 Objective statements express facts
Subjective statements express opinion
An objective statement
describes publicly observable
things such as:

Events
Facts

A subjective statement
describes private/personal
opinion such as:

Sensations
Beliefs
Feelings
Emotions
Opinions
 Passage
There are millions of people who
starve in hunger. They would dig
holes, pick crops, plant seeds, pull
weeds, and even climb sewers, if it
meant being fed. They have no
work to do, and as a result, there is
no money to buy food, and there is
no food to buy... If we are going to
solve the problem of world hunger,
we must first attack the problem
through economics. The most
effective way to reduce hunger is
to produce a thriving economy,
which is based upon the
production of goods and services.

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 Objective and Subjective Lines
There are millions of people who
starve in hunger. They would dig
holes, pick crops, plant seeds, pull
weeds, and even climb sewers, if it
meant being fed. They have no
work to do, and as a result, there is
no money to buy food, and there is
no food to buy... If we are going to
solve the problem of world hunger,
we must first attack the problem
through economics. The most
effective way to reduce hunger is
to produce a thriving economy,
which is based upon the
production of goods and services.

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 Question
The author's tone is:
a. malicious
b. nostalgic
c. earnest
d. caustic

Answer
a. Malicious - having or showing hatred
and a desire to harm somebody or hurt their
feelings

b. nostalgic - a feeling of sadness mixed with

pleasure and affection when you think of
happy times in the past

c. earnest - very serious and sincere

d. caustic - critical in a bitter or sarcastic

way
 Three Types of Tones
Positive :
When the author feels good about the
present situation.

Negative :
When the author feels bad
about the present situation.

Neutral :
When the author feels unbiased
about the present situation.

How to identify?
Adjectives, Nouns, Verbs, & Adverbs in the
statements helps us in identifying the tone
of the author.

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 Passage
Developed countries have planned to derive energy from plants in the
form of ethanol. This alternate energy, best known as bio-fuel, is
championed as an affordable alternative to fossil fuels by its major
benefactors, United States of America (USA) and European Union (EU).
They believe that replacing petrol and diesel with bio-fuels will play a
significant part in reducing carbon emissions and the effects of climate
change. They are convinced that bio-fuel energy has the potential to
reduce and stabilize the escalating oil prices, open up new markets,
which may be beneficial to poor countries. According to their prediction,
a multi-billion dollar bio-fuel industry will be able to provide 25 per cent
of the world's energy within 10-15 years. While the optimism
surrounding bio-fuel and its potential to become an effective renewable
source of energy continues to prevail, we are beginning to hear the
voices of vehement skepticism from many developing countries. One of
the reasons could be the heavy handed approach adopted by the USA
and some European countries. The voracious energy requirements of
these developed economies are thrust on the under-developed
countries. It is feared that cultivation of corn and other cereals in
abundance, to meet their enormous need of 550 million tones can rob
the farmlands in poor countries of fertility; the people of their food; and
the nations of their economic sovereignty.
 Passage – How to go forward?
Developed countries have planned to derive energy from plants in the
form of ethanol. This alternate energy, best known as bio-fuel, is
championed as an affordable alternative to fossil fuels by its major
benefactors, United States of America (USA) and European Union (EU).
They believe that replacing petrol and diesel with bio-fuels will play a
significant part in reducing carbon emissions and the effects of climate
change. They are convinced that bio-fuel energy has the potential to
reduce and stabilize the escalating oil prices, open up new markets,
which may be beneficial to poor countries. According to their prediction,
a multi-billion dollar bio-fuel industry will be able to provide 25 per cent
of the world's energy within 10-15 years. While the optimism
surrounding bio-fuel and its potential to become an effective renewable
source of energy continues to prevail, we are beginning to hear the
voices of vehement skepticism from many developing countries. One of
the reasons could be the heavy handed approach adopted by the USA
and some European countries. The voracious energy requirements of
these developed economies are thrust on the under-developed
countries. It is feared that cultivation of corn and other cereals in
abundance, to meet their enormous need of 550 million tones can rob
the farmlands in poor countries of fertility; the people of their food; and
the nations of their economic sovereignty.
 Question
Which of the following best reflectsthe author's
attitude toward bio-fuelproduction?
1. Ironic
2. Indignant
3. Cautious optimism
4. Unconditional enthusiasm
5. Unbiased objectivity

Clues
• The author's tone is negative.
• Eliminate positive and neutral tones from
the options.
• Shortlist words with negative tones.
• Analyze and choose the best option.

Answer - Indignant
Chapter Two

ANALYTICAL
READING
 Analytical Reading
Analytical reading is a proven technique to build your
comprehending skills. It is divided into five steps for skill-
building.

There are some critical questions you should ask, as you read an
article. They are:

1. What is the subject and what are the main points?

2. Are difficult ideas explained clearly? Are they subject to
various interpretations?
3. Are illustrations, evidences, and examples effective?
4. Is there an argument in the article?
5. Is the argument convincing? Logical? Authoritative?
6. How does this article fit relative to other authors on the
subject?
7. Is this article describing a new event or thing, or is it another
example of something familiar?

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ARTICLES
 Five steps to master
Analytical Reading

• The complexity and organization

strain the limits of short-term
memory.

• You may often have to read a

sentence several times to
understand it.

• You need breaks in the flow of

ideas, so that you can assimilate
what you have read, and then
move on.

• You can break a long sentence

into short manageable units, from
which you can understand ideas
easily.
 Five steps to master
Analytical Reading

•Analytical readers break down a

text into short parts and examine
each part separately.

•One way to read analytically is to

skim the text first and then return
to a deeper reading.

•You might highlight relevant

passages, take notes or jot down
thoughts on a particular character
or theme as you read.

• You may also understand the

goals of a character or read it
from a historical perspective.
 Five steps to master
Analytical Reading

•You will be provided with

approximately ten non-fiction text
passages.

•Having an extensive vocabulary is

definitely an asset, but working
from lists of words may not be the
best study approach.

•Focus on reading advanced texts

as often as possible during the
time that you’re preparing for the
GRE.

•If reading and language are

challenging areas for you, check
out GRE prep courses and tutoring
services that can be found online.
 Five steps to master
Analytical Reading

•The key is not to read faster, but

to read smarter. Intelligent
reading means knowing when to
pay attention and when to relax.

•You shouldn’t skim or skip any

parts of the passage as you read,
but you should slow down and
pay more attention to important
parts, and speed up and pay less
attention to the unimportant
parts.

•The best way to improve is to

work with passages, identify
where you went wrong, and
ensure you got it right for the
right reason.
 Five steps to master
Analytical Reading

•Critical thinking is the ability to

question, analyze, and understand
the context of information before
you accept or reject it.

•Train yourself to question and

process different types of
information by setting daily
habits.

•The goal is not to come to a

conclusion, but to be able to
understand what you can and
cannot know from the evidence.

•Putting words on paper will help

you visualize and evaluate them
more critically.
Chapter Three

SENTENCE
STYLES
 Style 1
Example 1: It is not unusual to find men occupying seats reserved for
women in public transportation during peak hours. Had it been a case of
physical disability or age, such a behavior would have perhaps been
tolerable.

Example 2: The demand for a better health care policy has systematically
been ignored by governments in a row. Had it been shortage of funds,
such neglect would have perhaps been justified.

Basic sentence structure:

<A not so ideal situation is described>. Had it not been for <some
reason>, the <non-ideal situation> would have been justified.

It most likely means, that <reason> is not true and there is no real
justification for the non-ideal situation.

A small variation:
<A not so ideal situation is described>. If it were for <some reason>, the
<non-ideal situation> would have been justified.
 Style 2
Basic sentence structure:
Granted that <a situation or an object> does not <completely address all
concerns>, <the situation or the object> does something good or serves
some limited purpose.

Example 1: Granted that installation of surveillance cameras in public

places and adequate lighting will not completely eliminate crime in the
late hours, their presence could serve as a deterrent to unlawful activities
and increase public confidence.

Example 2: Granted that the mere possession of degrees from highly

reputed universities does not necessarily guarantee professional success,
there is nevertheless a preference for those who possess such degrees.
Employers feel there is a higher probability of success as the individual
has been through the grind and has been successful.
 Style 3
The members of the religious brotherhood were so much indoctrinated
with narrow religious philosophy that even the utterance of a mild praise
to a person from another faith would, in the opinion of the group,
be an act of disloyalty.

It is same as:
The members of the religious brotherhood were so much indoctrinated
with narrow religious philosophy that even an utterance of a mild praise
to a person from another faith would be an act of disloyalty in the
opinion of the group.

Style 4
Bill does not necessarily depend on public transport for his daily
commute to his office because he cannot afford a personal vehicle. He
does so because of his strong belief in the green cause.

It is same as:

It is not that Bill uses public transport because he cannot afford a

personal vehicle. (Thus, implying that he can afford a personal vehicle.)
The reason for using public transport is because of his strong belief in
the green cause (since using public transport is environment friendly).
 Style 5
When events contribute to an outcome A, we could write in this manner:
The outcome was because of event1, event2, and event3.

Now let’s say, event1 and event2 were the prime contributors and event3
was secondary. Here is a sentence style used communicating this:

Outcome A was as much due to event1 as due to event2, while event 3

was a strong facilitator.

Example:

In the last two decades, India has taken significant lead in software
exports as compared to other sectors. It is as much to the spectacular
efforts of the early pioneers as the availability of a large talent pool,
supported as much by the timely incentives of the government to this
sector.

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Chapter Four

EXTRACTING
IDEAS
 What is the Main Idea of a RC
passage
Simply put, the main idea of a passage is the “essence” of the
passage.

Even a big story can be briefed in a line. That brief is the main idea.
Usually, the story will be developed on the main idea with adequate
supporting details.

Many passages are centered on a single key thought, an idea, a

proposition or a hypothesis that the author wants to convey in the
passage. It could also be a judgment about somebody or something.
The author is unlikely to merely state that idea in a line or two, in
which case there will not be any passage!
• A passage contains reasons, restatements, and examples, which
guide us to a full understanding of the main idea.

• They clarify, illuminate, explain, describe, expand, and illustrate the

main idea. These are called supporting details.
 Sample Passage
To provide a favorable
climate for growing
grapes, the winter
temperature should not
go below 15°F, and the
summers should be long.
During the growing
season, rainfall should be
light. A gentle movement
of air is required to dry
the vines after rains,
dispel fog, and protect the
vines from fungus disease.

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 Sample Passage
To provide a favorable
climate for growing grapes
(Mail idea) the winter
temperature should not go
below 15°F, and the
summers should be long.
During the growing season,
rainfall should be light. A
gentle movement of air is
required to dry the vines
after rains, dispel fog, and
protect the vines from
fungus disease (Supporting
Details)

“My SFAs designed a perfect study plan for me and without

them, it wouldn’t have been possible.”

Shyam Sundar, GREedge Alumnus

 Types of Supporting Details
COMPARISONS
EXAMPLE : Skilled college students are like the unskilled students in
their desirefor a diploma.

CONTRASTS
EXAMPLE : Skilled students are different from unskilled students in
that they usea method to read a textbook.

STATISTICS
EXAMPLE : 75 percent of the students who do not attend class
regularly receive grades of C or worse.

QUOTATIONS
EXAMPLE : Professor Smity admits, “I tell students they don’t need to
attendmy class if they don’t want to. I know, however, that if they
don’t come, they won’t pass.”

VIVID DESCRIPTIONS
EXAMPLE : The students took the report from the professor's hand to
quickly look at their grades; they gave a sigh of relief and smiled.
 Two Types of Main Ideas
•Stated Main Idea
•Implied Main Idea
• Sometimes, a reader will get lucky and the main idea will
be stated, which is the easiest to find in a passage. It's
written directly in the text.

• Authors sometimes come right out and write the main

idea in the passage for a variety of reasons –they don't
want you to miss the point, they like clear, informational
writing.

Very simple:
Just focus on the first two lines and last two
lines of every paragraph because these are
crucial ones.

Location of the main idea in the passage:

Introduction - First line or last line
Second paragraph - First line
Conclusion - Last paragraph
The main idea can also be implied. When the main idea is
implied, you must put it together by drawing on information
throughout the paragraph. (The major supporting details such as
examples, restatements, reasons etc.)
Practical tips on how to eliminate the wrong answers

Eliminate the answer choice which is either too specific or just

too broad (or is a sweeping statement).

Eliminate the answer choice which is based only on one of the

supporting details. For example: If the main idea of the
passage is about the general neglect of sports in a country and
the author cites examples of poor performance of the country
in specific games (say hockey, gymnastics etc), then do not go
for the option that talks only about a specific game. It is
unlikely to be the main idea.

Most of the wrong answers will combine one or two details

from the passage in such way that it will appear that these are
the main ideas that the author wants to convey. But the
author’s actual intention is obviously not that.
Chapter Five

TAKING
NOTES
 Note-Taking Strategy
1. Record the title, source, date, and author of the article in the
appropriate spaces in the Frame sheet.

2. Read the selection carefully, and keep the articles aside.

3. Write down as many “fast facts” as you can remember.

4. Re-read the article to review information.

5. Make corrections/additions in the appropriate space in the chart.

6. Make connections with information in each column and group

into themes/concepts.

Basic Guidelines
• Read the entire paragraph or section (depending on the subject
matter of the material) before highlighting. Decide what the main idea
is and what the supporting details are.

• Highlight the right amount. Make sure your highlighting covers all the
necessary material for recall on tests; but make sure you don't highlight
too much. Remember to focus on the main arguments of the text
Taking Notes
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Cracking The Central Theme

Reading
Comprehension
Practice Questions - Part 2
a) Candidates whose names appear first in the ballot list get more votes,
defeated only by those whose names are widely recognized by the voters

b) Voters voted most for candidates whose names appeared at the top of
the ballot list

c) Voters do not vote for candidates whose names they are not familiar
with

d) Voters gave more preference to candidates listed first in the ballot list
than those whose names they were not familiar with

e) The order in which the ballot list is prepared has got no relation to the
pattern of voting, despite the popular belief that it is advantageous to be
listed at the top
 Answer
a) Candidates whose names appear first in the ballot list get more votes,
defeated only by those whose names are widely recognized by the voters
2) As recently as the 1950s, possessing only middling intelligence was not likely to
severely limit your life's trajectory. IQ wasn't a big factor in whom you married, where
you lived, or what others thought of you. The qualifications for a good job, whether on
an assembly line or behind a desk, mostly revolved around integrity, work ethic, and a
knack for getting along―bosses didn't routinely expect college degrees, much less ask
to see SAT scores. As one account of the era put it, hiring decisions were "based on a
candidate having a critical skill or two and on soft factors such as eagerness,
appearance, family background, and physical characteristics."

The 2010s, in contrast, are a terrible time to not be brainy. Those who consider
themselves bright openly mock others for being less so. Even in this age of rampant
concern over microaggressions and victimization, we maintain open season on the
nonsmart. People who'd swerve off a cliff rather than use a pejorative for race, religion,
physical appearance, or disability are all too happy to chastise others: Indeed,
degrading others for being "stupid" has become nearly automatic in all forms of
disagreement.

~sSource: David H. Freedman, "The War on Stupid People," The Atlantic, Jul―Aug
2016~s

What is the main idea of the passage?

a) There has been a huge shift in the human values in the last six decades

b) Less importance to intelligence led to mediocre achievements in the past

c) Mockery of the less intelligent is rampant in current times

d) Increasing importance to intelligence has led to increased victimization

e) Our society increasingly mistakes intelligence for human worth

 Answer
e) Our society increasingly mistakes intelligence for human worth
3) Predictive analytics learns from data to generate many predictions. Consumer demand
for predictive analytics is expected to surge with the 2016 presidential candidates using
it to appeal to voters to win more votes. Predictive analytics is the Information Age's
latest evolutionary step. This singular, universally applicable force can improve every
large-scale thing we do―how we build things, sell things, and prevent bad things from
happening―because every function benefits from prediction. These predictions boost
the odds across millions of organizational decisions simply because the predictions
themselves are considerably better than guessing.

(~sAdapted from:
http://bigthink.com/big-think-edge/4-predictions-about-2016-provided-by-digital-data-
collection~s)

The main idea of this passage is:

a) Using of statistics in winning elections

b) Making businesses realize the importance of predictive analysis

c) Using data for making predictions scientifically

d) Highlighting the magnitude of data that needs prediction

e) Conveying discreetly the futility of predictive analysis

 Answer
c) Using data for making predictions scientifically
4) Inequality is on the rise across the world, but it is not increasing everywhere at the
same pace. In many ways Europe stands out as a positive exception. Despite all the
criticism thrown at the EU, it is a global leader in preserving a degree of fairness in the
social fabric.

It is often said that globalization and digitization explain the surge in global inequality,
but that is not a very convincing narrative. Since the 1980s, Europe and the US have
had similar exposure to global markets and new technologies. But they have differed in
policies and institutional direction. To date, Europe has shown that it is much better at
keeping inequality in check.

Social healthcare systems in most European countries still guarantee universal

protection for all ― hardly the case in the US. Many of those countries offer free access
to university. A young European's hopes of receiving higher education depends much
less on his or her parents' income than their American counterpart's. Labor markets are
also more favorable to workers in Europe than in the US, where the minimum wage has
fallen by a third in real terms since the 1970s (in France it has risen fourfold). In
Sweden and Germany, trade unions are represented in corporate governance bodies,
taking part in strategic decision-making.

The important point the author wishes to make in the passage is that:

a) Europe welcomes migrant workers much better than the US

b) Europe is a better place to live in than the US

c) Europe has done well in addressing the inequality gap better than the US

d) European policies are much better than that of the US's

e) Europe has not encouraged racism and inequality as much as the US

 Answer
c) Europe has done well in addressing the inequality gap better than the US
5) The developed countries have planned to derive energy from plants in the form of
ethanol. This alternate energy, best known as biofuel, is championed as an affordable
alternative to fossil fuels by its major benefactors, United States of America (USA) and
European Union (EU). They believe that replacing petrol and diesel with biofuels will
play a significant part in reducing carbon emissions and the effects of climate change.
They are convinced that biofuel energy has the potential to reduce and stabilize the
escalating oil prices, open up new markets, which may be very beneficial to poor
countries. According to their prediction, a multi-billion dollar biofuel industry will be
able to provide 25 % of the world's energy within 10-15 years. While the optimism
surrounding biofuel and its potential to become an effective renewable source of energy
continues to prevail, we are beginning to hear the voices of vehement skepticism from
many developing countries. One of the reasons could be the heavy handed approach
adopted by the USA and some European countries. The voracious energy requirements
of these developed economies are thrust on the under-developed countries. It is feared
that cultivation of corn and other cereals in abundance, to meet their enormous need of
550 million tonnes can rob the farmlands in poor countries of fertility; the people of
their food; and the nations of their economic sovereignty. Large scale cultivation of
food crops such as corn, barley, sorghum, rye, millet and oats exclusively for biofuel
also has severe economic, ecological and ethical consequences. A recent study says
that the world consumes 604 million tonnes of these crops, while the production stands
at about 679 million tonnes. The available surplus is only about 77 million tonnes,
which is far too less when compared to the existing demand from the biofuel industries.
This means an impetus to increase the supply would result in an increase in the
cultivable area devoted to energy crops. Last year, Brazil and China grew these crops
on nearly 50 million acres in the same year. Global production of energy crops doubles
every few years. Increasing pressure on countries like Indonesia has led to a severe
environmental crisis. Forests are felled giving way to plantations and farms, growing
raw materials for ethanol production. Following similar alarming trends, the UN warns,
"the use of large scale cropping (for energy purposes) could lead to significant
biodiversity loss, soil erosion and nutrient leaching." A more imposing threat is the
mushrooming competition between food and fuel. Many economists opine that the
existing policies and politics of bioenergy will impact global food prices adversely.
Growing food crops to feed the ethanol production plants, fueling the affluent
economies of the world provides a road map to an impending global food shortage.
Promotion of biofuel energy in poor countries will present us with a scenario where the
rich burn food in their automobiles, while people starve. The World Bank observes that
the cereals and grains providing the biomass required to fill the tank of a sport utility
vehicle with ethanol could feed one person for a year. The competition between food
and fuel is very much real. If the aspirations of developed countries are allowed to
dictate the future of agriculture in most parts of Africa and Asia, we are running the risk
of worsening the food vs fuel conflict. Attempts by the western world to project biofuel
as an environment friendly alternate to fossil fuels has been unsuccessful. Their belief
that biofuel will contribute significantly to control carbon emissions and reduce their
dependence on fossil fuels is widely debated. The promises of bioenergy as the provider
of extraordinary opportunities to address climate change, energy security and rural
development has also not manifested in reality. It is time we focus on the real issues.
We must choose to feed people rather than the engines of luxury vehicles. For this, we
need to resist being lured into an economic and environmental catastrophe.
What is the author's stand when it comes to developing countries and under-developed
countries with regards to biofuel production?

a) It has the potential to stabilize oil prices and open up new markets.

b) Will cause widespread destruction in the rain forests and wildlife

especially in Indonesia, while sustaining the natural resources of the western
world intact.

c) Will turn out to be an important economic spin-off for them.

d) Lead to inequitable strain on the available natural resources, jeopardize

food security and catapult food prices.

e) Progress of the developing countries will gain momentum as the energy is

the major requirement for any growing economy.
 Answer
d) Lead to inequitable strain on the available natural resources, jeopardize food
security and catapult food prices.
6) People visit museums to learn, but more than that, to be transported to the past. They
might ooh and ahh over artifacts masterfully crafted with simple tools or paintings that
depict a lifestyle long disappeared. We often assume these objects are immortal, that
they will always be there to remind us of who we are as a culture. Yet few of us think
about how much had to be done to those objects simply to stop them from falling
apart. Urns that gleam on museum shelves were once pulled from the ground as
corroded hunks of metal. An earthenware pot might have been a million fragments
before someone painstakingly pieced it back together. A dedicated scholar and
craftsman has returned a faded painting to its former glory.

Art conservators fight a constant, never-ending battle against time, an unwinnable war
against entropy to bring works of art back to nearly immaculate condition and keep
them there. Of course, things don't always go according to plan. Good intentions aside,
old, delicate objects can be damaged by overzealous cleaning or by storing them under
the wrong conditions. There have been shards of Mayan ceramics that were whittled
down to fit together when the reassembly is incorrect. Prehistoric flints in storage in
Verona, Italy, turned a pearly blue because of previously unknown molecules present in
the plastic drawer liners.

Conservators rely on science to aid their efforts. They scrutinize the tiniest details of
priceless artifacts. They conduct chemical analyses of an object to determine its
molecular makeup and decide how best to clean or repair it. They place a sculpture or
painting in storage or on display under environmental conditions that will delay its slide
into destruction. And yet, art conservation is not quite a science. Saving the past
means navigating a sea of unanswered or unanswerable questions about what the artist
intended an object to look like or how efforts to fix a piece of art could damage it. And
though the field has become much more scientific in the past few decades,
conservators still have some big questions about how to preserve the past without
destroying it. They have to take the long view of the history of the objects.

(~sSource: Alexandra Ossola, The Uncertain Future of Saving the Past, Popular
Mechanics, 28 June 2016,
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a20855/the-future-of-saving-the-past/~s)

In light of information presented in the passage, the author would agree with all of the
following, EXCEPT:
a) The moment conservation efforts are begun on something that is 2000
years old, it is being deprived it of its originality

b) If conservationists are not sure how to fix something, they should abstain
from doing anything to it

c) A good analysis of the art and the technique used prior to conservation
efforts would help sustain the originality of the piece

d) Not just the restoration process, but even the process of storing or
displaying ancient objects can be quite challenging

e) The techniques that conservators use should match the techniques used
in the original work
 Answer
b) If conservationists are not sure how to fix something, they should abstain
from doing anything to it
7) More often than not, instead of standing by our decisions and the fortitude of our
contingencies, we relieve ourselves at others' expense. There's an appealing concept
following this, which implies that a number of the world's misery comes from
individuals passing on their own grief, compensating for their disparagement, just like
blaming the last runner in the relay for the incompetence of the team.

The important point the author wishes to make in the passage is that:

a) Miseries could be alleviated if individuals demonstrate courage to accept

the consequences resulting from their own inadequacies, rather than
blaming external factors

b) Life is a relay race, and winning it entirely depends on how good the last
runner is

c) We are wired by nature to relive at others' expense, and would require

gradual evolution for this to change
 Answer
a) Miseries could be alleviated if individuals demonstrate courage to accept the
consequences resulting from their own inadequacies, rather than blaming
external factors
 All the best!

CONTACT US

[email protected] +91 98844 53276 www.GREedge.com

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 What is GREedge?

2 Online Academy = Higher GRE scores

What students have to say about

3 GREedge

4 Checklist for a High Verbal Score

5 Sample Questions in Reading

Comprehension

6 Analytical Readingf
 WHAT IS ?
GREedge is an Online Academy which is completely focused on
improving your GRE score.

The average GRE score of students from GREedge is a good 8 points

above national average as published by ETS, the provider of GRE.

GREedge has helped over 30,000 students score better in the GRE.
GREedge uses different software across its online platform to propel
you toward a high GRE score.

GREedge vs. Rest of India: 8 points lead

160
India(Avg) GREedge (Avg)

155

150
158.2

153.1
145
147.2

143.8

140
Verbal Quant
3.4 points* in Verbal, 5.1 points* in Quant* (Based on ETS published data,
GREedge internal data)

Wall of Fame CLICK HERE

ONLINE ACADEMY = HIGHER GRE
SCORE
Academy means a society of learned persons organized to advance a field of
knowledge or area of expertise. Online means available over the internet or done
over the internet. Yes, even the mobile internet. Online Academy has the best GRE
experts available online. GREedge offers complete help in your GRE preparation to
help you boost your GRE score.

Student Facilitators and Analysts (SFAs)

SFAs are personal trainers who will be with you throughout your GRE preparation to
help you with concepts, provide feedback, and solve all your doubts. They teach,
motivate, guide, and prepare you for a high GRE score.

Learning Tracker
The Learning Tracker (LT) is a smart online platform designed by experts. It provides
complete materials for GRE and constantly monitors your preparation with the help of
“milli-second monitoring" technology.

Personalized Feedback
SFAs provide personalized feedback after reviewing your practice sessions and full
length tests. This helps you identify your weak areas and strengthen them for a better
GRE score.

START YOUR GRE PREPARATION START LEARNING NOW

WITH
 WHAT STUDENTS HAVE TO SAY
ABOUT

Shyam Sundar Arpita Sahu

“Preparing for GRE despite a hectic work “The evaluation of the tests and the
schedule is difficult but GREedge made it explanation provided for each and every
possible. My SFAs designed a perfect study plan question was simply amazing. The
for me and without them, it wouldn’t have been explanations were so simple and easy to
possible.” understand”

Gautam Gupta
“The SFAs constantly helped me in my
preparation. All of the doubts were
answered within a day or two. The
reminders pushed me to work harder.
It was a great learning experience.”

READ MORE SUCCESS STORIES CLICK HERE

CHECKLIST FOR A HIGH VERBAL SCORE

ENSURE YOU TICK EACH BOX BEFORE YOUR EXAM

TAKE A FREE DIAGNOSTIC VERBAL TEST

1
BEFORE YOU BEGIN PREPARING, ASK YOURSELF:

● Where do I stand now?

● How is my Verbal Quotient?
● Do I know the different questions that will appear in GRE Verbal?

DESIGN A STUDY PLAN FOR VERBAL

2
PLAN CLEARLY WHEN YOU NEED TO DO WHAT.

● Decide the timeline of preparation

● Allocate Study lessons for each day
● Spend more time in solving tough RC passages

PRACTICE WITH GRE STYLE VERBAL TESTS

3
TAKE AS MANY GRE STYLE TESTS AS POSSIBLE.

● It will make you prepared for the exam better

● Helps immensely in Time management

TAKE FULL LENGTH ADAPTIVE TESTS

4
POST PREPARATIONS, TAKE A FULL LENGTH ADAPTIVE TEST.

● Range of score you could get.

● Revise the sections you're weak in
PLAN YOUR FIRST WEEK WITH OUR LEARNING
TRACKER (LT)
FIRST DAY:

1. Take a Diagnostic Test from Learning Tracker (LT)

2. Device a Study Plan
3. Finish 100 words in WordBot

SECOND DAY:

1. Text Completion lessons from LT

2. Take GRE Style Practice Test
3. Finish 100 words in WordBot

THIRD DAY:

1. Verbal Lessons on Reading Comprehension from LT

2. Take GRE Style Practice Test
3. Finish 100 words in WordBot

FOURTH DAY:

1. Verbal Lessons on Sentence Equivalence from LT

2. Take GRE Style Practice Test
3. Finish 100 words in WordBot

FIFTH DAY:

1. Practice AWA and get feedbacks from SFAs.

2. Take GRE Styles tests on TC
3. Finish 100 words in WordBot

SIXTH DAY:

1. 1 Full Length Diagnostic Test

2. Revise Word List
3. Take lot of Rest 

FACT: GREedge STUDENTS HAVE COMPLETED OVER 971,912 LESSONS!

2016
READING COMPREHENSION: WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
STEP ONE:

You should immediately give a quick read to understand what the passage is all about. Don’t
take more than 25 seconds to do this.

STEP TWO:

Try to break the passage into small sentence units. A passage is nothing but the flow of ideas.
So whenever you encounter long passages, take a few seconds and break the passage into
small sentence units.

STEP THREE:

Relating the ideas is the most important step. Breaking the passage into small sentences
allows you understand the ideas and also helps in relating different ideas together. Doing this
efficiently can help you become an RC expert.

QUICK EXAMPLE
In the nineteenth century, when women began to enter factories, Jules Simon, a French
politician, warned that by doing so, women would give up their femininity. Friedrich Engels,
however, predicted that women would be liberated from the “social, legal, and economic
subordination” of the family by technological developments that made possible the
recruitment of “the whole female sex…..into public industry”. Observers thus differed on the
social effects of mechanization, but they agreed that it would transform women’s lives.

LETS NOW BREAK THE PASSAGE INTO THREE PARTS

In the nineteenth century, when women began to enter factories, Jules Simon, a French politician,
warned that by doing so, women would give up their femininity.

Friedrich Engels, however, predicted that women would be liberated from the “social, legal, and
economic subordination” of the family by technological developments that made possible the
recruitment of “the whole female sex…..into public industry”.

Observers thus differed on the social effects of mechanization, but they agreed that it would transform
women’s lives.

FACT: 30% OF GREedge STUDENTS GET A SCORE BOOST OF AT LEAST 10 POINTS!

2016
RC QUESTION 1

The United States is commonly referred to as a melting pot, a society in which people from
different societies blend together into a single mass. Some sociologists prefer the term,
“multicultural,” pointing out that even if a group has lived in this country for many generations,
they probably still retain some of their original heritage. The term, “multiculturalism,”
recognizes the original heritages of millions of Americans, noting that Americans who are
originally from other societies do not necessarily have to lose their individual markers by
melting into the mainstream.

Q.1. Which of the following is true with regard to the concept of “melting pot” as
mentioned in the passage?

a. A melting pot is essential for stability in society as groups loyal to their native heritage
could cause fractions

b. The term “melting pot” refers to the culmination of different cultures into one single
blended culture wherein each of these cultures do not retain any of their original heritages

c. The concept of the melting pot recognizes the fact that Americans originally from other
societies do not lose touch with their heritage

d. Though conceptually interesting, a melting pot is not practical as it is difficult to groups

to forget that original cultural affiliations

e. The concept of melting pot is all about diffusion rather than simple unification of
cultures

FACT: 30% OF GREedge STUDENTS GET A SCORE BOOST OF AT LEAST 10 POINTS!

2016
RC QUESTION 1 - CLUES AND ANSWERS

The United States is commonly referred to as a melting pot, a society in which people from
different societies blend together into a single mass. Some sociologists prefer the term,
“multicultural,” pointing out that even if a group has lived in this country for many generations,
they probably still retain some of their original heritage:

The first line states that the term melting pot refers to a society that includes people from
different societies blended together into a single mass. To differentiate from this idea,
sociologists coined the term, multicultural, which means that these people do not necessarily
blend into a single mass, but still retain some of their original heritage (even if they live in the
place for a long time).

So option B, The term “melting pot” refers to the culmination of different cultures into one single
blended culture wherein each of these cultures do not retain any of their original heritages, is true
with regard to the concept of melting pot as described in the passage.

WHY NOT?

Option A: The passage does not state anything about melting pots bringing in stability in a
society.

Option C: Sociologists come up with an alternate term, multicultural, to differentiate from the
term, melting pot. Multiculturalism describes that the people from other societies still carry a
part of their original heritage.

Option D: The passage does not define the practicality of the ideas of melting pot and
multiculturalism.

Option E: The concept of melting point is described as a blend of all cultures into a single
mass. It is not about diffusion.

ATTEND EXCLUSIVE SEMINARS TO

Click Here
MASTER RC

FACT: 30% OF GREedge STUDENTS GET A SCORE BOOST OF AT LEAST 10 POINTS!

2016
RC QUESTION 2

Some scientists claim that mankind's brain power has reached its peak. Simon Laughlin,
professor of neurobiology, has said that the brain must consume energy to function and that
these requirements are sufficiently demanding to limit our performance. Far-reaching powers
of deduction demand a lot of energy because for the brain to search out new relationships, it
must constantly correlate information from different sources. Such energy demands mean
there is a limit to the information we can process. The cleverest people have the best wiring,
with messages carried very quickly between different parts of the brain.

Q.1. According to the passage, which of the following are true?

A. Environmental impulses travel slower in smarter people and faster in those who are less
intelligent
B. Formation of efficient networks within the brain seems to be associated with high IQ
C. Becoming smarter means improving connections between different brain areas, but
meeting energy needs could still pose a limit

RC QUESTION 2 - CLUES AND ANSWERS

"the brain must consume energy to function and that these requirements are sufficiently
demanding to limit our performance. Far-reaching powers of deduction demand a lot of energy
because for the brain to search out new relationships, it must constantly correlate information
from different sources. Such energy demands mean there is a limit to the information we can
process. The cleverest people have the best wiring, with messages carried very quickly between
different parts of the brain"

From these lines, you understand that the brain requires energy to process information. To
stretch its ability in deducing a correlation or in identifying a relationship, a tremendous
amount of energy is required to do so. This requirement, most of the times, can become an
unmatched demand. Only the smartest in the set with excellent neuron network can possess
good deducing abilities while the rest are left with a limit on the amount of information one
can process. This leads to option B, Formation of efficient networks within the brain seems to be
associated with high IQ, and option C, Becoming smarter means improving connections between
different brain areas, but meeting energy needs could still pose a limit.

FACT: 30% OF GREedge STUDENTS GET A SCORE BOOST OF AT LEAST 10 POINTS!

2016
ANALYTICAL READING

Analytical reading is a proven technique to build your comprehending skills. It is divided

into five steps for skill-building.

There are some critical questions you should ask, as you read an article. They are:

1. What is the subject and what are the main points?

2. Are difficult ideas explained clearly? Are they subject to various interpretations?

3. Are illustrations, evidences, and examples effective?

4. Is there an argument in the article?

5. Is the argument convincing? Logical? Authoritative?

6. How does this article fit relative to other authors on the subject?

7. Is this article describing a new event or thing, or is it another example of something

familiar?

STEP 1 - COMPREHENDING RC PASSAGES

• The complexity and organization strain the limits of short-term memory.

• You may often have to read a sentence several times to understand it.

• You need breaks in the flow of ideas, so that you can assimilate what you have read,
and then move on.

• You can break a long sentence into short manageable units, from which you can
understand ideas easily.

TAKE A QUIZ IN READING

Click Here
COMPREHENSION

FACT: 30% OF GREedge STUDENTS GET A SCORE BOOST OF AT LEAST 10 POINTS!

2016
STEP 2 – READING ANALYTICALLY

• Analytical readers break down a text into short parts and examine each part separately.

• One way to read analytically is to skim the text first and then return to a deeper reading.

• You might highlight relevant passages, take notes or jot down thoughts on a particular
character or theme as you read.

• You may also understand the goals of a character or read it from a historical
perspective.

STEP 3 – DEVELOPING VERBAL REASONING

• You will be provided with approximately ten non-fiction text passages.

• Having an extensive vocabulary is definitely an asset, but working from lists of words
may not be the best study approach.

• Focus on reading advanced texts as often as possible during the time that you’re
preparing for the GRE.

• If reading and language are challenging areas for you, check out GRE prep courses and
tutoring services that can be found online.

STEP 4 – IMPROVING ACCURACY

• The key is not to read faster, but to read smarter. Intelligent reading means knowing
when to pay attention and when to relax.

• You shouldn’t skim or skip any parts of the passage as you read, but you should slow
down and pay more attention to important parts, and speed up and pay less attention
to the unimportant parts.

• The best way to improve is to work with passages, identify where you went wrong, and
ensure you got it right for the right reason.

FACT: 30% OF GREedge STUDENTS GET A SCORE BOOST OF AT LEAST 10 POINTS!

2016
STEP 5 – DEVELOPING CRITICAL REASONING

• Critical thinking is the ability to question, analyze, and understand the context of
information before you accept or reject it.

• Train yourself to question and process different types of information by setting daily
habits.

• The goal is not to come to a conclusion, but to be able to understand what you can and
cannot know from the evidence.

• Putting words on paper will help you visualize and evaluate them more critically.

RC QUESTION 3

Developed countries have planned to derive energy from plants in the form of ethanol. This
alternate energy, best known as bio-fuel, is championed as an affordable alternative to fossil
fuels by its major benefactors, United States of America (USA) and European Union (EU). They
believe that replacing petrol and diesel with bio-fuels will play a significant part in reducing
carbon emissions and the effects of climate change. They are convinced that bio-fuel energy
has the potential to reduce and stabilize the escalating oil prices, open up new markets, which
may be beneficial to poor countries. According to their prediction, a multi-billion dollar bio-fuel
industry will be able to provide 25 per cent of the world's energy within 10-15 years. While the
optimism surrounding bio-fuel and its potential to become an effective renewable source of
energy continues to prevail, we are beginning to hear the voices of vehement skepticism from
many developing countries. One of the reasons could be the heavy handed approach adopted
by the USA and some European countries. The voracious energy requirements of these
developed economies are thrust on the under-developed countries. It is feared that cultivation
of corn and other cereals in abundance, to meet their enormous need of 550 million tones can
rob the farmlands in poor countries of fertility; the people of their food; and the nations of their
economic sovereignty.

FACT: 30% OF GREedge STUDENTS GET A SCORE BOOST OF AT LEAST 10 POINTS!

2016
 RC QUESTION 3
Which of the following best reflects the author's attitude toward bio-fuel production?

1. Ironic

2. Indignant

3. Cautious optimism

4. Unconditional enthusiasm

5. Unbiased objectivity

CLUES

• The author's tone is negative.

• Eliminate positive and neutral tones from the options.

• Shortlist words with negative tones.

• Analyze and choose the best option.

FACT: 30% OF GREedge STUDENTS GET A SCORE BOOST OF AT LEAST 10 POINTS!

2016
 START YOUR GRE
PREPARATION
WITH

Contact us
Email Address Phone Website
[email protected] +91-98844-59590 www.GREedge.com

You can also visit

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 What is GREedge?

2 Online Academy = Higher GRE scores

What students have to say about

3 GREedge

4 Checklist for a High Verbal Score

5 Sample Questions in Reading

Comprehension

6 Analytical Readingf
 WHAT IS ?
GREedge is an Online Academy which is completely focused on
improving your GRE score.

The average GRE score of students from GREedge is a good 8 points

above national average as published by ETS, the provider of GRE.

GREedge has helped over 30,000 students score better in the GRE.
GREedge uses different software across its online platform to propel
you toward a high GRE score.

GREedge vs. Rest of India: 8 points lead

160
India(Avg) GREedge (Avg)

155

150
158.2

153.1
145
147.2

143.8

140
Verbal Quant
3.4 points* in Verbal, 5.1 points* in Quant* (Based on ETS published data,
GREedge internal data)

Wall of Fame CLICK HERE

ONLINE ACADEMY = HIGHER GRE
SCORE
Academy means a society of learned persons organized to advance a field of
knowledge or area of expertise. Online means available over the internet or done
over the internet. Yes, even the mobile internet. Online Academy has the best GRE
experts available online. GREedge offers complete help in your GRE preparation to
help you boost your GRE score.

Student Facilitators and Analysts (SFAs)

SFAs are personal trainers who will be with you throughout your GRE preparation to
help you with concepts, provide feedback, and solve all your doubts. They teach,
motivate, guide, and prepare you for a high GRE score.

Learning Tracker
The Learning Tracker (LT) is a smart online platform designed by experts. It provides
complete materials for GRE and constantly monitors your preparation with the help of
“milli-second monitoring" technology.

Personalized Feedback
SFAs provide personalized feedback after reviewing your practice sessions and full
length tests. This helps you identify your weak areas and strengthen them for a better
GRE score.

START YOUR GRE PREPARATION START LEARNING NOW

WITH
 WHAT STUDENTS HAVE TO SAY
ABOUT

Shyam Sundar Arpita Sahu

“Preparing for GRE despite a hectic work “The evaluation of the tests and the
schedule is difficult but GREedge made it explanation provided for each and every
possible. My SFAs designed a perfect study plan question was simply amazing. The
for me and without them, it wouldn’t have been explanations were so simple and easy to
possible.” understand”

Gautam Gupta
“The SFAs constantly helped me in my
preparation. All of the doubts were
answered within a day or two. The
reminders pushed me to work harder.
It was a great learning experience.”

READ MORE SUCCESS STORIES CLICK HERE

CHECKLIST FOR A HIGH VERBAL SCORE

ENSURE YOU TICK EACH BOX BEFORE YOUR EXAM

TAKE A FREE DIAGNOSTIC VERBAL TEST

1
BEFORE YOU BEGIN PREPARING, ASK YOURSELF:

● Where do I stand now?

● How is my Verbal Quotient?
● Do I know the different questions that will appear in GRE Verbal?

DESIGN A STUDY PLAN FOR VERBAL

2
PLAN CLEARLY WHEN YOU NEED TO DO WHAT.

● Decide the timeline of preparation

● Allocate Study lessons for each day
● Spend more time in solving tough RC passages

PRACTICE WITH GRE STYLE VERBAL TESTS

3
TAKE AS MANY GRE STYLE TESTS AS POSSIBLE.

● It will make you prepared for the exam better

● Helps immensely in Time management

TAKE FULL LENGTH ADAPTIVE TESTS

4
POST PREPARATIONS, TAKE A FULL LENGTH ADAPTIVE TEST.

● Range of score you could get.

● Revise the sections you're weak in
PLAN YOUR FIRST WEEK WITH OUR LEARNING
TRACKER (LT)
FIRST DAY:

1. Take a Diagnostic Test from Learning Tracker (LT)

2. Device a Study Plan
3. Finish 100 words in WordBot

SECOND DAY:

1. Text Completion lessons from LT

2. Take GRE Style Practice Test
3. Finish 100 words in WordBot

THIRD DAY:

1. Verbal Lessons on Reading Comprehension from LT

2. Take GRE Style Practice Test
3. Finish 100 words in WordBot

FOURTH DAY:

1. Verbal Lessons on Sentence Equivalence from LT

2. Take GRE Style Practice Test
3. Finish 100 words in WordBot

FIFTH DAY:

1. Practice AWA and get feedbacks from SFAs.

2. Take GRE Styles tests on TC
3. Finish 100 words in WordBot

SIXTH DAY:

1. 1 Full Length Diagnostic Test

2. Revise Word List
3. Take lot of Rest 

FACT: GREedge STUDENTS HAVE COMPLETED OVER 971,912 LESSONS!

2016
READING COMPREHENSION: WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
STEP ONE:

You should immediately give a quick read to understand what the passage is all about. Don’t
take more than 25 seconds to do this.

STEP TWO:

Try to break the passage into small sentence units. A passage is nothing but the flow of ideas.
So whenever you encounter long passages, take a few seconds and break the passage into
small sentence units.

STEP THREE:

Relating the ideas is the most important step. Breaking the passage into small sentences
allows you understand the ideas and also helps in relating different ideas together. Doing this
efficiently can help you become an RC expert.

QUICK EXAMPLE
In the nineteenth century, when women began to enter factories, Jules Simon, a French
politician, warned that by doing so, women would give up their femininity. Friedrich Engels,
however, predicted that women would be liberated from the “social, legal, and economic
subordination” of the family by technological developments that made possible the
recruitment of “the whole female sex…..into public industry”. Observers thus differed on the
social effects of mechanization, but they agreed that it would transform women’s lives.

LETS NOW BREAK THE PASSAGE INTO THREE PARTS

In the nineteenth century, when women began to enter factories, Jules Simon, a French politician,
warned that by doing so, women would give up their femininity.

Friedrich Engels, however, predicted that women would be liberated from the “social, legal, and
economic subordination” of the family by technological developments that made possible the
recruitment of “the whole female sex…..into public industry”.

Observers thus differed on the social effects of mechanization, but they agreed that it would transform
women’s lives.

FACT: 30% OF GREedge STUDENTS GET A SCORE BOOST OF AT LEAST 10 POINTS!

2016
RC QUESTION 1

The United States is commonly referred to as a melting pot, a society in which people from
different societies blend together into a single mass. Some sociologists prefer the term,
“multicultural,” pointing out that even if a group has lived in this country for many generations,
they probably still retain some of their original heritage. The term, “multiculturalism,”
recognizes the original heritages of millions of Americans, noting that Americans who are
originally from other societies do not necessarily have to lose their individual markers by
melting into the mainstream.

Q.1. Which of the following is true with regard to the concept of “melting pot” as
mentioned in the passage?

a. A melting pot is essential for stability in society as groups loyal to their native heritage
could cause fractions

b. The term “melting pot” refers to the culmination of different cultures into one single
blended culture wherein each of these cultures do not retain any of their original heritages

c. The concept of the melting pot recognizes the fact that Americans originally from other
societies do not lose touch with their heritage

d. Though conceptually interesting, a melting pot is not practical as it is difficult to groups

to forget that original cultural affiliations

e. The concept of melting pot is all about diffusion rather than simple unification of
cultures

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RC QUESTION 1 - CLUES AND ANSWERS

The United States is commonly referred to as a melting pot, a society in which people from
different societies blend together into a single mass. Some sociologists prefer the term,
“multicultural,” pointing out that even if a group has lived in this country for many generations,
they probably still retain some of their original heritage:

The first line states that the term melting pot refers to a society that includes people from
different societies blended together into a single mass. To differentiate from this idea,
sociologists coined the term, multicultural, which means that these people do not necessarily
blend into a single mass, but still retain some of their original heritage (even if they live in the
place for a long time).

So option B, The term “melting pot” refers to the culmination of different cultures into one single
blended culture wherein each of these cultures do not retain any of their original heritages, is true
with regard to the concept of melting pot as described in the passage.

WHY NOT?

Option A: The passage does not state anything about melting pots bringing in stability in a
society.

Option C: Sociologists come up with an alternate term, multicultural, to differentiate from the
term, melting pot. Multiculturalism describes that the people from other societies still carry a
part of their original heritage.

Option D: The passage does not define the practicality of the ideas of melting pot and
multiculturalism.

Option E: The concept of melting point is described as a blend of all cultures into a single
mass. It is not about diffusion.

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2016
RC QUESTION 2

Some scientists claim that mankind's brain power has reached its peak. Simon Laughlin,
professor of neurobiology, has said that the brain must consume energy to function and that
these requirements are sufficiently demanding to limit our performance. Far-reaching powers
of deduction demand a lot of energy because for the brain to search out new relationships, it
must constantly correlate information from different sources. Such energy demands mean
there is a limit to the information we can process. The cleverest people have the best wiring,
with messages carried very quickly between different parts of the brain.

Q.1. According to the passage, which of the following are true?

A. Environmental impulses travel slower in smarter people and faster in those who are less
intelligent
B. Formation of efficient networks within the brain seems to be associated with high IQ
C. Becoming smarter means improving connections between different brain areas, but
meeting energy needs could still pose a limit

RC QUESTION 2 - CLUES AND ANSWERS

"the brain must consume energy to function and that these requirements are sufficiently
demanding to limit our performance. Far-reaching powers of deduction demand a lot of energy
because for the brain to search out new relationships, it must constantly correlate information
from different sources. Such energy demands mean there is a limit to the information we can
process. The cleverest people have the best wiring, with messages carried very quickly between
different parts of the brain"

From these lines, you understand that the brain requires energy to process information. To
stretch its ability in deducing a correlation or in identifying a relationship, a tremendous
amount of energy is required to do so. This requirement, most of the times, can become an
unmatched demand. Only the smartest in the set with excellent neuron network can possess
good deducing abilities while the rest are left with a limit on the amount of information one
can process. This leads to option B, Formation of efficient networks within the brain seems to be
associated with high IQ, and option C, Becoming smarter means improving connections between
different brain areas, but meeting energy needs could still pose a limit.

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ANALYTICAL READING

Analytical reading is a proven technique to build your comprehending skills. It is divided

into five steps for skill-building.

There are some critical questions you should ask, as you read an article. They are:

1. What is the subject and what are the main points?

2. Are difficult ideas explained clearly? Are they subject to various interpretations?

3. Are illustrations, evidences, and examples effective?

4. Is there an argument in the article?

5. Is the argument convincing? Logical? Authoritative?

6. How does this article fit relative to other authors on the subject?

7. Is this article describing a new event or thing, or is it another example of something

familiar?

STEP 1 - COMPREHENDING RC PASSAGES

• The complexity and organization strain the limits of short-term memory.

• You may often have to read a sentence several times to understand it.

• You need breaks in the flow of ideas, so that you can assimilate what you have read,
and then move on.

• You can break a long sentence into short manageable units, from which you can
understand ideas easily.

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COMPREHENSION

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STEP 2 – READING ANALYTICALLY

• Analytical readers break down a text into short parts and examine each part separately.

• One way to read analytically is to skim the text first and then return to a deeper reading.

• You might highlight relevant passages, take notes or jot down thoughts on a particular
character or theme as you read.

• You may also understand the goals of a character or read it from a historical
perspective.

STEP 3 – DEVELOPING VERBAL REASONING

• You will be provided with approximately ten non-fiction text passages.

• Having an extensive vocabulary is definitely an asset, but working from lists of words
may not be the best study approach.

• Focus on reading advanced texts as often as possible during the time that you’re
preparing for the GRE.

• If reading and language are challenging areas for you, check out GRE prep courses and
tutoring services that can be found online.

STEP 4 – IMPROVING ACCURACY

• The key is not to read faster, but to read smarter. Intelligent reading means knowing
when to pay attention and when to relax.

• You shouldn’t skim or skip any parts of the passage as you read, but you should slow
down and pay more attention to important parts, and speed up and pay less attention
to the unimportant parts.

• The best way to improve is to work with passages, identify where you went wrong, and
ensure you got it right for the right reason.

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STEP 5 – DEVELOPING CRITICAL REASONING

• Critical thinking is the ability to question, analyze, and understand the context of
information before you accept or reject it.

• Train yourself to question and process different types of information by setting daily
habits.

• The goal is not to come to a conclusion, but to be able to understand what you can and
cannot know from the evidence.

• Putting words on paper will help you visualize and evaluate them more critically.

RC QUESTION 3

Developed countries have planned to derive energy from plants in the form of ethanol. This
alternate energy, best known as bio-fuel, is championed as an affordable alternative to fossil
fuels by its major benefactors, United States of America (USA) and European Union (EU). They
believe that replacing petrol and diesel with bio-fuels will play a significant part in reducing
carbon emissions and the effects of climate change. They are convinced that bio-fuel energy
has the potential to reduce and stabilize the escalating oil prices, open up new markets, which
may be beneficial to poor countries. According to their prediction, a multi-billion dollar bio-fuel
industry will be able to provide 25 per cent of the world's energy within 10-15 years. While the
optimism surrounding bio-fuel and its potential to become an effective renewable source of
energy continues to prevail, we are beginning to hear the voices of vehement skepticism from
many developing countries. One of the reasons could be the heavy handed approach adopted
by the USA and some European countries. The voracious energy requirements of these
developed economies are thrust on the under-developed countries. It is feared that cultivation
of corn and other cereals in abundance, to meet their enormous need of 550 million tones can
rob the farmlands in poor countries of fertility; the people of their food; and the nations of their
economic sovereignty.

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2016
 RC QUESTION 3
Which of the following best reflects the author's attitude toward bio-fuel production?

1. Ironic

2. Indignant

3. Cautious optimism

4. Unconditional enthusiasm

5. Unbiased objectivity

CLUES

• The author's tone is negative.

• Eliminate positive and neutral tones from the options.

• Shortlist words with negative tones.

• Analyze and choose the best option.

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