Reading comprehension
long passages
go paragraph by paragraph and note the subject (the old way, the new way, the nature of the problem, and so on) Jot down on scrapt paper the purpose of each paragraph
The passage suggests which of the following about "greenhouse gases"?
O They are a natural source of heat energy within the atmosphere. O They contribute to creating a habitable environment on Earth.
Answer 6
Paragraph 1: What's a telomere? (Inform) Paragraph 2: Shorter telomere = dead cell (Inform) Paragraph 3: Effects of shorter telomeres (Inform) Paragraph 4: Caution against conclusion (Inform) Paragraph 5: Possible effects of finding link (Predict). Beating aging unlikely (Evaluate)
READING COMPREHENSION: APPROACH
1. Attack the Passage. Read the main idea,the struture and the tone of the passage The struture Is the internal pattern of the passage Text struture help to support the purpose in writing Such as the order of evens, comparasions, contrast, cuase ans effects, and discriptive passage 2. Size Up the Questions. Make sure you know what the question's asking you to do. 3. Find and Paraphrase the Answer. Always return to the passage to find your answer; never answer questions from memory! 4. Use Process of Elimination. You can use a number of helpful POE guidelines on Reading Comprehension questions
USE PROCESS OF ELIMINATION
1. Avoid Extreme Statements. wishy-washy When in doubt, pick the answer that has a weaker tone. 2. Half Right = All Wrong. ETS which also means that they're all-wrong. The first part of the answer choice will usually look good, but the second part will be incorrect. Make sure to read the entire choice carefully. 3. Recycled Language. Some wrong answer choices just take parts of the passage and garble them. These answers usually contain informa- tion that's taken directly from the passage rather Eliminate them! 4. Beyond the Information Given. These answers go too far beyond what is written in the passage. If you can't point to a part of the pas- sage that matches information in the answer choice, that choice is probably wrong.
Fetch questions and reasoning questions
1. Fetch questions - the meaning of the word -fact from reading -author's tone - the main idea 2. Reasoning questions - why an author used particular word or sentence - what inference can you draw from a passage - who the intended audience may be - conclusion, premises, and assumptions
Fetch question Con.y
1. Read the 2. Make the Question Question. What kind of question are you dealing with? Back into a Question. Often the questions aren't questions at all; they're really incomplete you must first have a question. By putting words, you interact qualitatively and actively with the question text. the question into your own sentences. To find an answer, question question, simply of ten times What or Why will work, since most questions ask either question word. Nine out 3. Find Proof. This is the golden rule of reading comprehension. You will always be able prove the with something passage.
Beyond the Information Given
ETS takes its reading passages from textbooks, collections of essays, works of scholar- ship, and other sources of serious reading matter. be careful the answers are in the passage; don't use outside knowledge.
Poe guidelines for reasoning questions
1.Go Beyond the Information Given. Often, wrong answers on these questions will go beyond the scope of the passage. the wrong answer simply makes a claim that is stronger than the claim in the passage. be on the look out for extreme language! Choose the answer that is closest to the information in the passage. 2.Have the Wrong Tone. Some reasoning questions, such as strengthen and weaken questions, can use extreme language inference questions, generally should not. Make sure the tone of the answer choice is appropriate to the question ask. 3.Are Only Half Right. Again, answers that are only half right are all and wrong you should eliminate them...
Fetch con. Simply requires you to return back to the passage and retrieve information
1.Read the Question. What kind of question are you dealing with? 2. Make the Question Back into a Question. Often the questions are incomplete sentences. first have a question. simply What or Why will work, 3. Find Proof. You will always be able to prove the correct answer with something in the passage. a. Five Up/Five Down. highlight of start reading five lines above and read until five lines below the highlighted passage. b. Lead Word. A lead word is any word in the question that will be easy to skim for in the passage. Names, numbers, dates, large technical terms all make good lead words. once you find your lead word, read five lines up and five lines down (for a vocab-in-context question, you need to read only three lines up and three lines down). 4. Link the Info in the Passage to the Question Task. Once you find the relevant information in the passage take a moment to make sure that it addresses the question task. Is this all the author said? Are there other details that you need to consider? 5. Use Process of Elimination. a. Avoid Extreme Statements. Extreme language (is, all, every, always) is too easy to prove wrong. b. Recycled Language. ETS creates a lot of wrong answers by simply recycling memorable words and phrases back into the answer choices.
Answer
In this case, the first answer starts out great-the passage does indeed state that the gases have a minimal effect on solar energy. But look at the rest of the passage. Does the passage ever talk about artificial by the passage. The second swer is half right, but all wrong. The second greenhouse gases? Nope, so the first an- choice, however, is entirely supported sentence states that collectively they act, while the final sentence says the greenhouse effect is essential to a livable climate on Earth.
Answer
1.it is about a problem. 2.Scientists think that there is a link be- tween telomeres and aging, but they don't know. 3.The cause of the problem is that there is a link between the length of a telomere and the health of cells. 4. The effect of this problem is lots of studies showing links between telomeres and different health problems. 5. The lution, of course, is more research. The exact relationship is still unknown.
3 of 10 Select the sentence in the first paragraph that suggests the author's claim that "this practice may result in the loss of a superb example of life's variety" is unlikely to happen.
3 of 10
10 of 10 The author's tone could best be described as
O exasperated O didactic O ambivalent O morose O laudatory
Questions 5 through 6 are based on the following reading passage.
A novel that is a bestseller is often, because of its popularity, not taken seriously as literature. [ Critics seem to presuppose that great literature must be somehow burdensome to the reader; it must be difficult for the uninitiated to understand. ] It is precisely this inverted snobbery that has hindered Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits from gaining the critical attention it deserves. Published in 1982, the novel draws deeply on the author's own family history. Allende is the first cousin once removed of former Chilean president Salvador Allende, who was murdered during a right- wing military coup in 1973. Yet rather than the to-be-expected socialist harangue, Allende subtly works her political message within the fabric of the compelling narrative she weaves. While Allende borrows a bit too freely from Gabriel García Márquez's work, she nevertheless has a powerful and original voice within the construct of magical realism.
The passage states that Zenger did all of the following EXCEPT
A. started his own newspaper B. opposed the governor's administration C. left his homeland to come to the United States D. sought out Andrew Hamilton to defend him E. based his criticisms on factual issues
FIND THE PARAPHRASE OF THE TEXT
Because the right answer to every Reading Comprehension question is literally right in front of you You just need to find the information in the passage that addresses the task of the question. you can compare each answer choice to your proof from the passage.
Summary
Before answering the questions, attack the passage. Read the passages looking for the main idea, struc- ture, and tone. Remember that looking for problems or changes is the key to finding the main idea. For short passages, read the entire passage. For medium passages, focus on the beginning and end. For longer passages, read the first few lines of each paragraph and the final lines of the entire passage. Take a moment to understand the question task. Fetch questions ask you to retrieve information trom the passage. Reasoning questions ask you to do something more than simply figure out what the author is saying. Return to the passage to find the answer to the question. Don't answer from memory! Go back to the text and find the answer. Try to come up with an answer in your own words before looking at the answer choices ETS pro- vides. Remember to look for paraphrases of the text, not direct quotes. Eliminate answers that contain extreme language, go beyond the information provided, garble the meaning of the text, or otherwise have information that you can't support from the text.
1 Based on the information given in the passage, the intended audience would most likely be
O visitors to a natural science museum O professors of evolutionary science O a third-grade science class O students of comparative religions O attendees at a world culture symposium
Questions 7 through 8 are based on the following reading passage.
Bronson Alcott is perhaps best known not for ho he was, but for whom he knew. Indeed, Alcott's connections were impressive by any standards: He ras a close confidante of such luminaries as Margaret Fuller, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau. Yet, to remember the man solely by his associations is to miss his importance to nineteenth- century American philosophy as a whole and to the Transcendental Movement in particular. Admittedly, Alcott's gift was not as a writer. His philosophical treatises have rightly been criticized by many as being ponderous, esoteric, and lacking focus. However, Alcott was an erudite orator, and it is in the text of his orations that one begins to appreciate him as a visionary. Most notably, Alcott advocated what were at the time polemical ideas on education. He believed that good teaching should be Socratic in nature and that a student's intellectual growth was concomitant with his or her spiritual growth.
Questions 9 through 10 are based on the following reading passage.
Echinosorer gymnura, known colloquially as the moonrat or gymnure, is one of the many fascinating creatures that inhabit the jungles of Southeast Asia. A close relative of the hedgehog, the moonrat likewise belongs to the order Insectivora and the family Erinaceidae. However, the family then splits into the sub-family Hylomyinae, which contains three separate genera and eight distinct species. The appearance and habitat of the moonrat are actually far more similar to those of various members of the order Rodentia, though its eating habits are more in line with its fellow insectivores. Ultimately, the taxonomic classification of this animal is useful only when considered along with other information regarding the animal's ecological niche.
Questions 1 through 4 are based on the following reading passage.
Called by some the "island that time forgot," Madagascar is home to a vast array of unique, exotic ereatures. One such animal is the aye-aye. First described by western science in 1782, it was initially categorized as a member of the order Rodentia. Eurther research then revealed that it was more closely related to the lemur, a member of the primate order. Since the aye-aye is so different from its fellow primates, however, it was given its own family: Daubentoniidae. The aye-aye has been listed as an endangered species and, as a result, the government of Madagascar has designated an island off the northeastern coast of Madagascar as a protected reserve for aye-ayes and other wildlife. Long before Western science became enthralled with this nocturnal denizen of Madagascar's jungles, the aye-aye had its own reputation with the local people. The aye-aye is perhaps best known for its large, round eyes and long, extremely thin middle finger. These adaptations are quite sensible, allowing the aye-aye to see well at night and retrieve grubs, which are one of its primary food sources, from deep within hollow branches. However, the aye-aye's striking appearance may end up causing its extinction. The people of Madagascar believe that the aye-aye Is a type of spirit animal, and that its appearance is an omen of death. Whenever one is sighted, it is imediatly killed. When combined with the loss of large swaths of jungle habitat, this practice may result the lost of a [ superb exale of life's variety. ]
Answer
Clearly, here the second choice is beyond the information given in the passage. It may be true and it makes common sense, but the passage never addresses it. Thus, it cannot be the correct answer on a GRE Reading Comprehension question.
Avoid Extreme Statements
Extreme statements are answer choices that make absolute claims. There are very few absolutes in the world, Certain words make choices extreme and, therefore, easy to dispute. Here are a few of these words. must • the first Each Every All The best Only Totally Always No You shouldn't automatically eliminate a choice that contains one of these words, If you can find even one exception, you can eliminate that choice. Other words make choices moderate, may many • can sometimes some often For example, consider the following two answer choices: O There is assuredly life on other planets or moons in the solar system. O Scientists believe that there may be life on other planets or moons in the solar system. Without looking at the passage, you should pick the second choice
Answer
First, read the question and summarize it in your own words. Which sentense offers an opinion ? looking Note that there are actually only seven sentences in this passage. Write 1-7. One of them must contain an opinion. Use POE. 1 dates and facts 2 dates and facts 3 more facts 4 more facts 5 more facts 6 the author decribe Hamiltan's defence as "brilliant." This is an opinion 7more facts
Select-in-Passage Questions
Follow the same steps as you would on a fetch question. Put the question into your own words. Anticipate the answer; then select it from the five or six sentences in the paragraph or passage.
Paragraph2 While the protective role of telomeres is fairly well understood, scientists are interested in another facet of telomeres. Telomeres contain between one to two thousand copies of Each time a cell a particular DNA sequence. divides, a minuscule bit of this DNA sequence is lopped off. When telomeres become to0 short, the cell becomes impaired, unable to divide, and prone to malfunction. Cells with critically short telomeres eventually die, leading researchers to compare telomeres to many biological clocks or fuses, counting down to the death of a cell.
Pagraph3 Although the role of telomeres in cellular aging and malfunction is well documented, new research is focused on searching for a link between cellular aging and aging and disease in humans. One study has found that subjects with shorter telomeres are more likely to develop cancers of the lungs and kidneys than those with longer telomeres. Furthermore, the study noted that the participants with the shortest telomeres were at a higher risk of developing heart disease and also appeared more prone to infectious diseases. Another study posited a link between telomere length and life span. In that study, patients with shorter telomeres died about 4 or 5 years earlier than those with telomeres of greater length.
Qustions 1.Problem or change? 2.What was the problem? 3.What caused it? 4.What were the effects? 5.Is there any solution? 6. a )Note the subject. b)What is the authors purpose for every patagraph?
Paragraph 1 Scientists researching the aging process are increasingly investigating the role of telomeres, portions of DNA on the ends of cell. The exact chromosomes found in every relationship between telomeres and aging is unknown. Unlike the rest of the chromosome, the strands telomeres do not contain genes, of DNA that code for particular enzymes protective role in cells, playing two key roles in mairaiming healthy cells. First, telometres prevent inmportsn genetic material form being lost during cell replication, funtioning as "cap" of shorts on the end of a chromosome defetive and takes steps against it.
The author of the passage would probably consider which one of the following situations most analogous to the response of the critics in the highlighted sentence?
O A college professor lowers a student's grade from an A to a B because the student is chronically late to class. O An accountant refuses to help his clients cheat on their income tax returns. O A politician attacks the character of his opponent even though it is his opponent's positions that the politician disagrees with. O A district attorney indicts a person on a misdemeanor charge because he lacks the evidence to convict the person on a felony charge. O A reporter files a story despite not having been able to verify all her sources.
7 of 10 It can be inferred from the passage that the author would agree with all of the following statements EXCEPT
O Alcott should be remembered for his. contributions to Transcendentalism O Alcott's ideas were ahead of those of many of his contemporaries O Alcott believed that learning should not neglect a student's spiritual education O Alcott's ideas about education were not always accepted by his compatriots O Alcott should not be regarded as a particularly gifted orator
6 of 10 It can be inferred from the passage that
O Allende's novel is a retelling of her family's political struggles O Allende's novel would have received more favorable reviews if critics had believed it to be great literature O Allende learned about magical Gabriel García Márquez realism from O Allende's novel could if she had included a stronger have been more compelling O readers political message more political might have expected than it actually was Allende's work to be ponderous,
The passage states which of the following about the effect of greenhouse gases on the environment?
O Although their effect on incoming solar energy is minimal, the presence of artificial greenhouse gases is a danger to the planet. O The composite effect of the gases is necessary for maintaining a climate favorable to life on Earth.
5 of 10 The author of the passage would probably consider which of the following situations to be most analogous to the critics' viewpoint as it is described in the highlighted sentence?
O Avant-garde movies with complicated storylines are deemed cinematically superior works to Hollywood blockbusters with straightforward narratives. O Scientific journals are thought of as providing coverage of natural events that is inferior to that provided by nature documentaries. O Poetry is considered superior literature to prose because it is shorter, and therefore the message it conveys is more easily understood. O Political diatribes are viewed as falling outside the accepted literary canon because they are too controversial. O A movie version of a popular novel is considered artistically superior to the original.
Consider each of the choices separately and select all that apply. The author of the passage would probably agree with which of the following statements?
O Most critics of Oscar Wilde's novel objected primarily to the lifestyle of its author. O If The Picture of Dorian Gray were written in the twenty-first century, the critical reaction would be less severe. OSome critics of Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray believed that an author of a book had a moral responsibility to the book's audience.
4 of 10 Consider each of the choices separately and select all that apply. Which of the following statements can be logically inferred from the passage?
O Taxonomic classifications are not always absolute. O The traditional religion of Madagascar involves augury. O There are no longer enough resources on the main island to support the aye-aye population.
8 of 10 It can be inferred that the author would agree with which of the following statements?
O Transcendentalism was an esoteric field of inquiry promulgated by a select group of visionaries. O Alcott's prose style is not always easily understood. O A Socratic pedagogical style is difficult to align with spiritual teaching. O Alcott should be chiefly appreciated for the strengths of his association. The text of Alcott's orations were widely accepted by his peers.
9 of 10 Consider each of the choices separately and select all that apply. Which of the following scenarios demonstrates the idea put forth by the author of this passage regarding animal classification?
O While studying a population of bears, scientists rely solely on the traditional taxonomic designations to identify likely hunting grounds. O A team of medical researchers closely monitors the actions of the animals involved in a study and compares its findings with prevailing beliefs about those animals. O A zookeeper designs a habitat for a new acquisition, disregards taxonomic classifications and instead focuses on observational data.
The author of the passage would probably agree with which of the following statements?
O Without the presence of greenhouse gases, it is unlikely that the earth would be able to support life. O Air pollution may contribute to an increase in greenhouse gases, which will in turn lead to eventual warming of the earth.
The author's attitude toward the aye-aye, as represented in the highlighted text, could best be described as
O admiring O mystified O reverent O appalled O lachrymose
Which of the following would most effectively replace the phrase PREDICATED on as it is used in the passage?
O derived from O extirpated on O conjectured on covenanted on O relegated to
Paragraph 4 Of course, many researchers are hesitant to conclude that shorter telomeres are a causative factor from this data, particularly because telomeres are susceptible to corruption from a number of factors besides cell division. For example, scientists have noted that telomeres are especially vulnerable to the byproducts of the body's oxidation process, The is converted to energy. by which oxygen called free radicals, byproducts of this process, can not only harm cells and DNA, but also artificially shorten telomeres.
Paragraph5 Further research is necessary to better establish what link, if any, exists between telomeres and aging. One promising avenue to consider is whether lengthening damaged telomeres has the opposite effect on subjects, making them healthier and conferring greater longevity. And while some scientists optimistically believe that a full understanding of telomeres will eventually bestow dominion over the very aging process itself, such a scenario is both unlikely and not technologically feasible at this juncture.
practice Select-in-Passage question:
Prior to 1735, there was no legal precedent for freedom of the press. The constitutional concept of freedom of the press traces its origins to 1735 and the libel trial of John Peter Zenger. Zenger, born in Germany, emigrated to America in 1710 and established The New York Weekly Journal in 1733. The Journal starkly opposed the policies of New York governor William Cosby and while Zenger did not write the majority of the critical pieces, he was arrested on libel charges in 1734. In the ensuing trial, widely followed by the populace, Zenger was defended by Andrew Hamilton, a Pennsylvania lawyer who was brought in after Cosby disbarred all the New York lawyers who offered to defend Zenger. Hamilton's brilliant defense of Zenger was predicated on the argument that since Zenger's criticisms involved verifiable facts, they could not possibly be considered libel. The judge agreed and acquitted the publisher, establishing the basic concept of freedom of the press that was to be enshrined in the United States Conctitution some 57 years later. Select the sentence in which the author offers an opinion
Pratice passage
Prior to 1735, there was no legal precedent for freedom of the press. The constitutional concept of freedom of the press traces its origins to 1735 and the libel triel John Peter Zenger. Zenger, born in Germany emigrated to America in 1710 and established The New York Weekly Journal in 1733. The Journal starkly opposed the policies of New York governor William Cosby and while Zenger did not write the majority of the critical pieces, he was arrested on libel charges in 1734. In the ensuing trial, widely followed by the populace, Zenger was defended by Andrew Hamilton, a Pennsylvania lawyer who was brought in after Cosby disbarred all the New York lawyers who offered to defend Zenger. Hamilton's brilliant defense of Zenger was PREDICATED on the argument that since Zenger's criticisms involved verifiable facts, they could not possibly be considered libel. The judge agreed and acquitted the publisher, establishing the basic concept of freedom of the press that was to be enshrined in the United States Constitution some 57 years later
Practice:Prior to 1735, there was no legal precedent for freedom of the press. The constitutional concept of freedom of the press tracess its origins to 1735 and the libel trial of John Peter Zenger. Zenger, born in Germany, imigrated to America in 1710 and established The New York Weekly Journal in 1733. The Journal starkly opposed the policies of New York governor William Cosby and while Zenger did not write the majority of the critical pieces, he was arrested on libel charges in 1734. In the ensuing trial, widely followed by the populace, Zenger was defended by Andrew Hamilton, a Pennsylvania lawyer who was brought in after Cosby disbarred all the New York lawyers who offered to defend Zenger. Hamilton's brilliant defense of Zenger was predicated on the argument that since Zenger's criticisms involved verifiable facts, they could not possibly be considered libel. The judge agreed and acquitted the publisher, establishing the basic concept of freedom of press that was to be enshrined in the United States Constitution some 57 years later.
Problem or change? What was the old way? What is the new way? What caused the change? aWhat are the effects of the change?
What was it about Oscar Wilde's only caused it to create such an uproar when it was novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, that published in 1891? While critics attacked the quality of Wilde's work, lambasting its plot as "incurably silly" and chiding the writer for using prose that was "clumsy" and "boring," these overt denunciations of the formal elements of Wilde's work merely masked the true concerns of many nineteenth-century critics. What these critics were actually railing against was the thematic content of Wilde's work, specifically his illustration of a lifestyle devoted to useless beauty. For many a nineteenth-century moralist, The Picture of Dorian Gray was nothing more than a primer for spiritual depravity. Wilde's ultimate sin was not his clunky plot or his sometimes cloying prose; it wasn't even his disregard for the time-honored tradition of English propriety. It was instead his leniency toward his protagonist. Wilde propagated the disdain of critics not simply because Dorian Gray was an unabashed hedonist, but because Wilde failed to punish his subject appropriately for his hedonism. To the critics, allowing an evil character to escape his just deserts was an unforgivable sin, and it was this transgression that resulted in such opprobrium for Wilde's work. In their mind, Wilde's work was corrupting the genteel reading public by failing to show the proper consequences of immoral behavior.
Problem or change? Pioblen
What was it about Oscar Wilde's only caused it to create such an uproar when it was novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, that published in 1891? While critics attacked the quality of Wilde's work, lambasting its plot as "incurably silly" and chiding the writer for using prose that was "clumsy" and "boring," these overt denunciations of the formal elements of Wilde's work merely masked the true concerns of many nineteenth-century critics. What these critics were actually railing against was the thematic content of Wilde's work, specifically his illustration of a lifestyle devoted to useless beauty. For many a nineteenth-century moralist, The icture of Dorian Gray was nothing more than a primer for spiritual depravity. Wilde's ultimate sin was not his clunky plot or his sometimes cloying prose; it wasn't even his disregard for the time-honored tradition of English propriety. It was instead his leniency toward his protagonist. Wilde propagated the disdain of critics not simply because Dorian Gray was an unabashed hedonist, but because Wilde failed to punish his subject appropriately for his hedonism. To the critics, allowing an evil character to escape his just deserts was an unforgivable sin, and it was this transgression that resulted in such opprobrium for Wilde's work. In their mind, Wilde's work was corrupting the genteel reading public by failing to show the proper consequences of immoral behavior.
Problem or change? What is the problem?What caused it? What are the effects? Are there any solutions?
all GRE passages are Fortunately, about one of two things: a problem or a change.
Problem passages cover these questions: 1. What is the problem? 2. What caused the problem? 3. What are the effects of the problem? 4. Are there any solutions? Change passages cover these questions: 1. What was the old way? 2. What is the new way? 3. What caused the change? 4. What are the effects of the change?
Approch
Step 1: Read the Question. This is a fect question Step 2: Make the Question Back into a Question. What did Zenger do? Step 3: Find Proof. "Zenger" will make a nice lead word. Find the first Zenger in the passage and read from five lines above to five lines below. Step 4: Link the Info in the Passage to the Question Task. Zenger "emigrated to America," "established The New York Weekly Journal," "opposed the policies of New York governor William Cosby." Step 5: Use Process of Elimination. Use your scratch paper. Cross off (A), (B), and (C). Go back to the passage find more ifo. with lead word "was defended by Andrew Hamilton" "criticisms involved verifiable facts." Choice (D) says that Zenger "sought out Andrew Hamilton to defend him." Can not find proof of it just give (D) check (E) says that he "based his criticisms on factual issues." Crosss out
Answer
Question what the response of the critics is and then find a situation that is similar to it. First, return to the passage and read the [[[[[ ]]]]]] people attacked this thing for one reason, but there was really another reason they didn't like it." Now you're ready to return to the answer choices and look for the best match. first answer choice is not the same as what we've written; Eliminate it. Choice (B) doesn't match-the accountant is refusing to do something illegal. choice (C) seems like a good match; the politician attacks his opponent for one reason (his character), but there was another reason (his policies) for his dislike of the candidate. (D), the district attorney indicts on a lesser charge because of a lack of is evidence for a more serious charge. part of the answer choice that mentions the lack of evidence makes this choice worse than (C). It goes beyond the information presented in the passage because the original situation in the passage doesn't mention a lack of evidence on behalf of the critics. (E) is not a match ar all. This situation involves a reporter who puts forth something that has not been verified, which isn't the same as criticizing something for one reason when there another, deeper reason. Thus, (C) is our answer.
Approch
Read three line up and down from highlighted word in this case is capitalized word Come up with your own word to compare against the answer choise In this case the word is based on A is close How about extripated ? If you dont knoe the word you cant cross it off C conjunture means conjunture emans to guess or infer D covenated means agreement E relagated means to assign Go with the word you know close. Choise A is corect
Answer
The first answer choice uses a lot of words from the passage. the passage states that greenhouse gases alter heat energy. They are not a source of it. The second choice, which is the correct choice, is a nice paraphrase of the last sentence. It may not sound as "cor- rect" as the other choice, but close examination shows it to be the better answer.
Pratice
What was it about Oscar Wilde's only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, that caused it to create such an uproar when it was published in 1891? [[[[[ While critics attacked the quality of Wilde's work, lambasting its plot as "incurably silly" and chiding the writer for using prose that was "clumsy and "boring," these overt denunciations of the formal elements of Wilde's work merely masked the true concerns of many nineteenth-century critics. ]]]]]What these critics were actually railing against was the thematic content of Wilde's work, specifically his illustration of a lifestyle devoted to useless beauty. For many a nineteenth-century moralist, The Picture of Dorian Gray was nothing more than a primer for spiritual depravity. Wilde's ultimate sin was not his clunky plot or his sometimes cloying prose; it wasn't even his disregard for the time-honored tradition of English propriety. It was instead his leniency toward his protagonist. Wilde propagated the disdain of critics not simply because Dorian Gray was an unabashed hedonist, but because Wilde failed to punish his subject appropriately for his hedonism. To the critics, allowing an evil his just desserts was an character to escape unforgivable sin, and it was this transgression that resulted in such opprobrium for Wilde's work. In their mind, Wilde's work was corrupting the genteel reading public by failing to show the proper consequences of immoral behavior.
Example
Within the atmosphere are small amounts of a number of important gases, popularly called "greenhouse gases," because they alter the flow of life- and heat-energy through the atmosphere, much as does the glass shell of a greenhouse. Their effect on incoming solar energy is minimal, but collectively they act as an insulating blanket around the planet. By absorbing and returning to the earth's surface much of its outgoing heat, these gases trap it within the lower atmosphere. A greenhouse effect is natural and essential to a livable climate on Earth.
Half Right = All Wrong
applying POE; look for reasons to eliminate them. One word can make an answer choice wrong if that word isn't supported by the passage.
Reasoning Questions
ask us to do a little more work to find the proof in the passage. The best answer is still based on the passage, 1. Figure Out What the Question Wants. you'll need to figure out what type of information the question requires before you go back to the passage. For example, some reasoning questions may ask why an author brings up an example. Well, to support a point that they either just made or are about to make. So, you need to find the point that the author uses the example to support. 2. Return to the Passage. You'll still need to return to the passage to find the answer. often you'll need to know the context for a particular piece of information. 3. Answer in Your Own Words If Possible.
UNDERSTANDING STRUCTURE IN READING AND WRITING
a good grasp of the structural elements in writing will aid your understanding. First, pay attention to the structure of each paragraph. The most important infor- mation is probably going to be found at the beginning and end of the paragraph. So, focus on the beginning and end of each paragraph. Second, look for transition words. When you see same-direction transitions such as for example, in addition, and, or furthermore, you know the author is going to be supporting an earlier statement. However, change-direction transitions like although, but, yet, and however, signify an important shift. Finally, the conclusion of the piece offers the author one last chance to get his or her things up nicely or is there some doubt? point across. Always read the last paragraph. Does the piece wrap Does the author suggest further avenues of passage ends can help you to understand the author's main point or primary purpose inquiry? The way the writing the passage.
Fetch questions con
c. Half Right = All Wrong. d. Bad Comparisons. Be suspicious of answers that contain comparison words such as more...than, less...than, greater, faster, compared to, etc. In most cases, the items in the answer choice are mentioned in the passage but they aren't compared in the passage. If yiu cant find a comparasion in the passage, cross the answer off
Recycled Language
tricks is to write answer choices that contain information from different parts of the passage than the one to which the question refers. Never answer a question from memory. ETS also likes to conflate different parts of a passage to create an answer that uses a lot of words from the passage, For example, use the passage from the previous section to answer the following question.
Answer
we have to figure out which answer choice the author might agree with. How are we supposed to know what the author might say? all we know about what the author thinks is what's found in the passage " author-agree" questions are very similar to inference ques- tions. there will be sufficient evidence the passage to support the cor- rect answer. The key here is to take each answer choice one by one and return to the passage to look for proof for it. The first choice states that most critics objected to Wilde's lifestyle. No. Nowhere does the passage mention his lifestyle. It says that the critics disagreed with the thematic content A) is no good. the second choice. Is there any evidence about how the author would feel if the book were released today? Nope. Of choice. So, goodbye to (B). Let's go to the third and final The last two lines make it clear that some critics saw Wilde's book as corrupting the public and for this they attacked it. This would support (C), so (C) is the answer.
Purpose
why the author write the passage, Purpose can be summed up with the acronym PRICE. The purpose of a paragraph, passage, or even an individual sentence is to Predict, Recommend, Inform, Correct, Evaluate. Most passages or paragraphs simply inform. Whenever an author begins to offer an opinion, however, he or she may be evaluating an argument, correcting a misperception, predicting an outcome, or even recommending a behavior.
