1.

Questions on the Main Idea, Significance, or Importance

Approach:

→ Read Actively: Skim the passage to get a general feel for the content, then read carefully to identify the
thesis or central argument.
→ Identify the Thesis: Look for a sentence or a couple of sentences that encapsulate the main idea. This
is often found at the beginning or end of the passage.
→ Summarize: Condense the passage into one or two sentences that capture the essential message.
Example Question:
“What is the main idea of the passage?”
How to Answer:
 Write a concise statement that includes the central argument or theme.
 For example: “The passage argues that modern technology has fundamentally reshaped human
communication, both positively and negatively, by creating new challenges and opportunities.”

2. Questions Demanding Specific Details (Stated Explicitly)

Approach:
Scan for Key Phrases: Look for names, dates, statistics, or specific facts mentioned in the text.
Refer Directly to the Text: Use quotes or paraphrase the exact information provided.
Example Question:
“According to the passage, what percentage of respondents favored the new policy?”
How to Answer:
Quote or paraphrase directly from the text, e.g., “The passage states that 65% of respondents favored
the new policy.”
Keep your answer brief and focused on the detail asked.

3. Questions Asking for Intended Meaning or Inference

Approach:
Read Between the Lines: Look for implications or suggestions rather than explicit statements.
Contextual Clues: Consider the context surrounding the statement or data.
Avoid Overstatement: Base your inference on evidence available in the passage, avoiding
assumptions.
Example Question:
“What can be inferred about the author’s opinion on environmental policy?”
How to Answer:
Use clues from the language and examples provided.
 For instance: “Based on the critical tone and examples highlighting policy shortcomings, it can be
inferred that the author is skeptical about the current environmental policy’s effectiveness.”

4. Questions Assessing Tone, Attitude, or Emotional State

Approach:
Look for Descriptive Language: Identify adjectives, adverbs, and stylistic choices that convey mood.
Consider the Context: Determine if the tone is formal, critical, enthusiastic, or ironic based on the
overall narrative.
Match Tone to Content: How does the language reflect the writer’s attitude toward the subject?
Example Question:
“What is the tone of the passage when discussing the economic crisis?”
How to Answer:
Identify keywords that set the tone, e.g., “cautious,” “optimistic,” “sarcastic.”
Answer could be: “The tone is cautiously pessimistic, as the author uses somber language and
highlights potential risks without offering definitive solutions.”

5. Questions on Vocabulary in Context

Approach:
Context Clues: Look at the sentences around the word to understand its meaning.
Substitute Synonyms: Think of synonyms that fit both the word and its context.
Avoid Dictionary Definitions: Your answer should reflect the meaning as it applies within the passage.
Example Question:
“What does the word ‘transient’ mean as used in the passage?”
How to Answer:
Explain the word in context: “In this passage, ‘transient’ means temporary or short-lived, as it is used to
describe the fleeting nature of certain phenomena.”

6. Questions on the Author’s Technique, Writing Style, or Organization

Approach:
Identify Structural Elements: Notice how the passage is organized—introduction, evidence,
conclusion—and any literary devices used.
Assess the Writing Style: Consider if the writing is formal, persuasive, descriptive, or analytical.
Link Technique to Purpose: Reflect on why the author may have chosen this style or structure.
Example Question:
“How does the author structure the argument in the passage?”
How to Answer:
 Provide a brief analysis: “The author structures the argument by first presenting a general overview,
followed by detailed evidence, and concludes with a summarizing reflection that reinforces the initial
thesis.”

7. Understanding Keywords and Directive Words

Common Keywords:
 Explain: Provide details and reasoning behind an idea or concept.
Example: “Explain the causes of the event.” → Answer with reasons, examples, and underlying
factors.
 State: Give a clear and concise answer.
Example: “State the main result of the study.” → Provide a brief, direct answer.
 Mention: Simply refer to or list a detail without much elaboration.
Example: “Mention two factors that contributed to the decline.” → List the factors.
 Describe: Offer a detailed account or picture of something.
Example: “Describe the process of photosynthesis.” → Give a step-by-step explanation.
 Infer: Draw a conclusion based on the evidence provided.
Example: “Infer the author’s attitude towards modern education.” → Use context clues to suggest
an opinion.
 How, Why, What, When, Where, Who:
→ How: Focuses on the process or manner in which something happens.
→ Why: Seeks reasons or causes.
→ What: Asks for information or identification.
→ When: Relates to timing.
→ Where: Refers to location or setting.
→ Who: Involves identifying people or groups.
Tactic: When you see these words, quickly pinpoint what kind of answer is expected—factual (what, when,
where, who) or analytical (how, why, explain, infer, describe).

Final Tips
Practice Active Reading: Develop a habit of annotating the passage with key points, phrases, and
questions as you read.
Manage Your Time: In an exam, allocate time for reading, note-taking, and answering each type of
question.
Answer Structure: Begin with a brief introductory statement if required, then back it up with evidence
from the text.
Revise Keywords: Before the exam, make a list of directive words and their meanings to quickly recall
during the test.
Explanation:
In reading comprehension, it is one’s capacity to understand and reasoning ability that is being
assessed. The skills to hone are one’s ability to grasp the main ideas from a passage, linking the
various ideas in a given passage and being able to infer and draw conclusions. For this one requires
an extensive vocabulary and advanced reading skills. Since there is no syllabus to fall back on,
aspirants have to rely on their skills to be able to tackle passages they have never seen.
There needs to be a focus on grammar, at least in the initial stages of preparation as it is the first
step to understanding any language. A strong grammatical basis provides a foundation to build
advanced skills on. Once the candidates have a strong hold on their grammar, the focus should shift
to reading comprehension. For this the more one reads, the more their confidence will increase.
One thing aspirant must remember even before reading a passage is recognising the difference
between an author’s opinion and their own thoughts about a subject. Unless the passage asks
for it, it is the author’s opinion the aspirants must stick to. What is being assessed here is the ability
to comprehend and assimilate information presented in front of the reader. This might take some
practice as students are often hardwired to stick to their preconceived thoughts. Since too much
time cannot be spent on a single passage to differentiate between author’s opinion and student’s
thoughts, the passages should be approached in a blank manner, only taking in what the passage is
giving.
Steps to Approach a Passage:
1. Read the passage quickly with focus on header and footer.
2. Read the questions carefully: In the questions, the aspirant will get instructions regarding what to
look for in the passage. Underline the keywords in questions like explain, infer...
3. Now read again and make segments and then name them to form the action panels.
Read the passage with the questions in mind: reading the passage after having read the questions
streamlines the process. The passage should be approached according to the demand in the
question.
4. Now place the number of questions on relevant segment.
5. Now read the questions carefully to reflect and understand.
Terminology to Remember
→ Assume: to accept something as true without proof
→ Assumption a thing that is accepted as true without proof
→ Conclude: to arrive at an end
→ Conclusion: the final outcome or result
→ Crux: the most important point of an issue
→ Imply: indicating/ pointing towards something that is not explicitly stated7. Implication: to draw a
conclusion from something although it is not explicitly stated
→ Inference: to draw a conclusion based on evidence.
Types of Questions
1. Assumptions of the author
The questions are based on the author’s opinions and thoughts while writing the passage. The
answer in this case is not directly in the passage and requires critical thinking on the part of the
student. It is important to note that it is the author’s opinion that is being asked and aspirants need
to remove their thoughts and opinions and focus solely on the author. It is important to note the
writing style while trying to solve these questions; how the author is describing things, whether he
is making a statement or posing questions. The key words to look out for in these types of questions
are “assumed”, “assumptions made”, “According to the passage/author”.
2. Explicit Information
These are direct questions and perhaps the easiest to solve because of their direct nature. The
answers are fact based and are found within the passage itself. For these questions the details need
to be focused on. It is also important to read the question properly as many times they are negative.
The question may ask what the passage is NOT saying. Either way, for these questions the second
reading of the passage needs to be detail oriented. The questions are direct or may ask which of the
given options are true.
3. Implicit Information
This is the direct opposite of explicit information in that the answers to these types of questions are
not given directly within the passage. They need to be deduced from the passage after a close
reading. They test the aspirant’s reasoning ability along with their comprehension skills. The
implied idea will not be found by merely evaluating the options. The key words to look out for are
“implied” or “implications”. While reading the passage, the aspirant should think about the
consequences of the passage, what the passage is saying and also what the passage is not saying.
4. Inference/Conclusion based questions
These questions ask the aspirant to infer from the information given in the passage or draw a
conclusion. The conclusion could be directly given in the passage or it could be that the aspirant
needs to draw the inferences themselves. Inferences can usually be drawn from anywhere within
the passage while conclusions will focus on the last few lines. The words to look out for are
“concluding remarks”, “infer”, “inference”.