4 important Strategies for Essence of the passage questions
1. Attack the Passage
Passive reading will not help you on the CAT RCs. You need to devour passages like a ravenous bear waking from hibernation. Tear apart the passage to find the essence, determine the main flow and structure of a passage, and understand the author’s tone and purpose. Stay out of the details and minutiae. Hungry bears want big meals—not tidbits of berries and moths. Take notes to activate your mind and track this information.
2. Rephrase Question
After attacking the passage, time to attack the question. Read the question and put it into your own words. This will force you to synthesize the prompt and understand what it is asking. Look for hints and clues too. Line numbers, paragraph references, concepts from specific parts of the passage, and any words like “except” or “not”—these clues must be noted to answer the question correctly.
3. Anticipate an Answer
After orienting yourself and understanding the prompt, make a prediction about the answer. If you do step one correctly and focus on identifying the essence, you shouldn’t have to spend anytime anticipating an answer. You should already have a strong sense of what should be included in the answer choice.
4. Eliminate Wrong Answers
Usually you will need to go through the answer choices more than once. On the first pass, always be on the look out for the common wrong answer types. This is an easy way to narrow down your possibilities. As you go through each answer, make a mental note of possible correct answers or answers that match what you anticipated. Then on your second pass, you should have two answer choices left. This is when you may have to return to the passage to do a little research to confirm that all the information in the answer choice is actually supported by the passage.
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4 important Strategies for Essence of the passage questions
4 Common Wrong Answers in Essence of the passage
Try these questions on essence of the passage
Essence of the passage question 1
Whatever their disadvantage with respect to distributing education tax dollars equally among school districts, in one respect at least, local property taxes are superior to state taxes as a means of funding public schools. Because local property taxes provide public schools with a direct source of revenue, these public
schools are relatively free from competition for tax dollars with other government services. School administrators do not have to compete for a share of the state tax dollars, which are already being spent on health, criminal justice, public safety, and transportation. They are not placed in the position of having to argue that school programs must have priority over other public services financed by state taxes.
Which of the following statements best expresses essence of the passage?
A. Education is more important than other government services, such as criminal justice or public safety.
B. The disadvantage of local property taxes is that they do not equally distribute tax dollars spent on education.
C. School administrators are not accustomed to arguing that their programs must have priority over other government services.
D. Financing education with local property taxes has the advantage of eliminating competition for funding between schools and other public services.
E. School administrators must be prepared to justify the funds they spend on education programs.
Essence of the passage question 2
Shakespeare wrote four types of plays: histories, comedies, tragedies, and tragicomedies. Some scholars contend that Shakespeare’s choice of three of these types of dramatic forms reflects his various psychological states. As a young man making a name for himself in London, he wrote comedies. Then, saddened by the death of this son, he turned to tragedies. Finally, seasoned by life’s joys and sorrows, he produced tragicomedies. But a look at the theater scene of his day reveals that Shakespeare was not so much writing out of his heart as into his pocketbook. When comedies were the vogue, he wrote comedies; when tragedies were the rage, he wrote tragedies; and when tragicomedies dominated the stage, he produced tragicomedies.
Which of the following statements best expresses essence of the passage?
A. Examine Shakespeare’s life in light of his dramatic works
B. Contest a theory that attempts to explain why Shakespeare wrote the kinds of plays he did
C. Explain the terms “comedy,” “tragedy,” and “tragicomedy” as they are used in discussions of Shakespeare’s plays
D. Compare Shakespeare’s plays with the works of other dramatists of his day
E. Discuss what is known about Shakespeare’s psychological states
Essence of the passage Answer 1
The best answer for this question is D. Several pieces of explicitly stated information
point to D as the best answer. The first sentence of the passage states that, in one respect,
local property taxes “are superior to” state taxes as a way of financing public schools.
The second sentence states what this superiority or advantage is in helping schools to
avoid competition for funding. The third and fourth sentences tell more about this
advantage.
Essence of the passage Answer 1
This question asks you to identify the essence in writing the whole passage. The author does not plainly state the essence; the essence must be determined on the basis of the information in the passage and how that information is organized. The first two sentences classify Shakespeare’s plays into four categories and offer an explanation, endorsed by “some scholars.” Note that up to this point in the passage, you know only that the author is concerned about the kinds of plays Shakespeare wrote and with explaining why he may have written them when he did. The word “But” in the sixth sentence of the passage informs you that the passage is about to change direction. The author states that there is evidence to suggest that the first explanation may be wrong. The ESSENCE of the passage, then, is not simply to describe the kinds of plays Shakespeare wrote, but rather to refute the explanation attributed to “some scholars” by providing evidence to suggest it may not be true. This purpose is described in choice B.
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4 important Strategies for Essence of the passage questions
4 Common Wrong Answers in Essence of the passage
4 important Strategies for Essence of the passage questions
Everything you read is focused on some core concept, often called the essence of the passage. The CAT passages are no exception. Each passage contains a essence, usually established early in the passage, like in the first paragraph. Sometimes the passage builds to the essence in which case it will be at the end of the passage, like in the last paragraph. Other times, the essence may not be explicitly stated and you will have to infer the essence from the main points addressed in the passage.
Either way, CAT will be asking you about the essence. It’s one of their favorite questions to ask. So let’s take a look at how to identify a main idea question, strategies for approaching these questions, and the common wrong answers often associated with these questions.
4 important Strategies for Essence of the passage questions
1. Attack the Passage
Passive reading will not help you on the CAT RCs. You need to devour passages like a ravenous bear waking from hibernation. Tear apart the passage to find the essence, determine the main flow and structure of a passage, and understand the author’s tone and purpose. Stay out of the details and minutiae. Hungry bears want big meals—not tidbits of berries and moths. Take notes to activate your mind and track this information.
2. Rephrase Question
After attacking the passage, time to attack the question. Read the question and put it into your own words. This will force you to synthesize the prompt and understand what it is asking. Look for hints and clues too. Line numbers, paragraph references, concepts from specific parts of the passage, and any words like “except” or “not”—these clues must be noted to answer the question correctly.
3. Anticipate an Answer
After orienting yourself and understanding the prompt, make a prediction about the answer. If you do step one correctly and focus on identifying the essence, you shouldn’t have to spend anytime anticipating an answer. You should already have a strong sense of what should be included in the answer choice.
4. Eliminate Wrong Answers
Usually you will need to go through the answer choices more than once. On the first pass, always be on the look out for the common wrong answer types. This is an easy way to narrow down your possibilities. As you go through each answer, make a mental note of possible correct answers or answers that match what you anticipated. Then on your second pass, you should have two answer choices left. This is when you may have to return to the passage to do a little research to confirm that all the information in the answer choice is actually supported by the passage.
Related Articles
4 important Strategies for Essence of the passage questions
4 Common Wrong Answers in Essence of the passage
Try these questions on essence of the passage
Essence of the passage question 1
Whatever their disadvantage with respect to distributing education tax dollars equally among school districts, in one respect at least, local property taxes are superior to state taxes as a means of funding public schools. Because local property taxes provide public schools with a direct source of revenue, these public
schools are relatively free from competition for tax dollars with other government services. School administrators do not have to compete for a share of the state tax dollars, which are already being spent on health, criminal justice, public safety, and transportation. They are not placed in the position of having to argue that school programs must have priority over other public services financed by state taxes.
Which of the following statements best expresses essence of the passage?
A. Education is more important than other government services, such as criminal justice or public safety.
B. The disadvantage of local property taxes is that they do not equally distribute tax dollars spent on education.
C. School administrators are not accustomed to arguing that their programs must have priority over other government services.
D. Financing education with local property taxes has the advantage of eliminating competition for funding between schools and other public services.
E. School administrators must be prepared to justify the funds they spend on education programs.
Essence of the passage question 2
Shakespeare wrote four types of plays: histories, comedies, tragedies, and tragicomedies. Some scholars contend that Shakespeare’s choice of three of these types of dramatic forms reflects his various psychological states. As a young man making a name for himself in London, he wrote comedies. Then, saddened by the death of this son, he turned to tragedies. Finally, seasoned by life’s joys and sorrows, he produced tragicomedies. But a look at the theater scene of his day reveals that Shakespeare was not so much writing out of his heart as into his pocketbook. When comedies were the vogue, he wrote comedies; when tragedies were the rage, he wrote tragedies; and when tragicomedies dominated the stage, he produced tragicomedies.
Which of the following statements best expresses essence of the passage?
A. Examine Shakespeare’s life in light of his dramatic works
B. Contest a theory that attempts to explain why Shakespeare wrote the kinds of plays he did
C. Explain the terms “comedy,” “tragedy,” and “tragicomedy” as they are used in discussions of Shakespeare’s plays
D. Compare Shakespeare’s plays with the works of other dramatists of his day
E. Discuss what is known about Shakespeare’s psychological states
Essence of the passage Answer 1
The best answer for this question is D. Several pieces of explicitly stated information
point to D as the best answer. The first sentence of the passage states that, in one respect,
local property taxes “are superior to” state taxes as a way of financing public schools.
The second sentence states what this superiority or advantage is in helping schools to
avoid competition for funding. The third and fourth sentences tell more about this
advantage.
Essence of the passage Answer 1
This question asks you to identify the essence in writing the whole passage. The author does not plainly state the essence; the essence must be determined on the basis of the information in the passage and how that information is organized. The first two sentences classify Shakespeare’s plays into four categories and offer an explanation, endorsed by “some scholars.” Note that up to this point in the passage, you know only that the author is concerned about the kinds of plays Shakespeare wrote and with explaining why he may have written them when he did. The word “But” in the sixth sentence of the passage informs you that the passage is about to change direction. The author states that there is evidence to suggest that the first explanation may be wrong. The ESSENCE of the passage, then, is not simply to describe the kinds of plays Shakespeare wrote, but rather to refute the explanation attributed to “some scholars” by providing evidence to suggest it may not be true. This purpose is described in choice B.
Related Articles
4 important Strategies for Essence of the passage questions
4 Common Wrong Answers in Essence of the passage
4 important Strategies for Essence of the passage questions
1. Attack the Passage
Passive reading will not help you on the CAT RCs. You need to devour passages like a ravenous bear waking from hibernation. Tear apart the passage to find the essence, determine the main flow and structure of a passage, and understand the author’s tone and purpose. Stay out of the details and minutiae. Hungry bears want big meals—not tidbits of berries and moths. Take notes to activate your mind and track this information.
2. Rephrase Question
After attacking the passage, time to attack the question. Read the question and put it into your own words. This will force you to synthesize the prompt and understand what it is asking. Look for hints and clues too. Line numbers, paragraph references, concepts from specific parts of the passage, and any words like “except” or “not”—these clues must be noted to answer the question correctly.
3. Anticipate an Answer
After orienting yourself and understanding the prompt, make a prediction about the answer. If you do step one correctly and focus on identifying the essence, you shouldn’t have to spend anytime anticipating an answer. You should already have a strong sense of what should be included in the answer choice.
4. Eliminate Wrong Answers
Usually you will need to go through the answer choices more than once. On the first pass, always be on the look out for the common wrong answer types. This is an easy way to narrow down your possibilities. As you go through each answer, make a mental note of possible correct answers or answers that match what you anticipated. Then on your second pass, you should have two answer choices left. This is when you may have to return to the passage to do a little research to confirm that all the information in the answer choice is actually supported by the passage.
Related Articles
4 important Strategies for Essence of the passage questions
4 Common Wrong Answers in Essence of the passage
Try these questions on essence of the passage
Essence of the passage question 1
Whatever their disadvantage with respect to distributing education tax dollars equally among school districts, in one respect at least, local property taxes are superior to state taxes as a means of funding public schools. Because local property taxes provide public schools with a direct source of revenue, these public
schools are relatively free from competition for tax dollars with other government services. School administrators do not have to compete for a share of the state tax dollars, which are already being spent on health, criminal justice, public safety, and transportation. They are not placed in the position of having to argue that school programs must have priority over other public services financed by state taxes.
Which of the following statements best expresses essence of the passage?
A. Education is more important than other government services, such as criminal justice or public safety.
B. The disadvantage of local property taxes is that they do not equally distribute tax dollars spent on education.
C. School administrators are not accustomed to arguing that their programs must have priority over other government services.
D. Financing education with local property taxes has the advantage of eliminating competition for funding between schools and other public services.
E. School administrators must be prepared to justify the funds they spend on education programs.
Essence of the passage question 2
Shakespeare wrote four types of plays: histories, comedies, tragedies, and tragicomedies. Some scholars contend that Shakespeare’s choice of three of these types of dramatic forms reflects his various psychological states. As a young man making a name for himself in London, he wrote comedies. Then, saddened by the death of this son, he turned to tragedies. Finally, seasoned by life’s joys and sorrows, he produced tragicomedies. But a look at the theater scene of his day reveals that Shakespeare was not so much writing out of his heart as into his pocketbook. When comedies were the vogue, he wrote comedies; when tragedies were the rage, he wrote tragedies; and when tragicomedies dominated the stage, he produced tragicomedies.
Which of the following statements best expresses essence of the passage?
A. Examine Shakespeare’s life in light of his dramatic works
B. Contest a theory that attempts to explain why Shakespeare wrote the kinds of plays he did
C. Explain the terms “comedy,” “tragedy,” and “tragicomedy” as they are used in discussions of Shakespeare’s plays
D. Compare Shakespeare’s plays with the works of other dramatists of his day
E. Discuss what is known about Shakespeare’s psychological states
Essence of the passage Answer 1
The best answer for this question is D. Several pieces of explicitly stated information
point to D as the best answer. The first sentence of the passage states that, in one respect,
local property taxes “are superior to” state taxes as a way of financing public schools.
The second sentence states what this superiority or advantage is in helping schools to
avoid competition for funding. The third and fourth sentences tell more about this
advantage.
Essence of the passage Answer 1
This question asks you to identify the essence in writing the whole passage. The author does not plainly state the essence; the essence must be determined on the basis of the information in the passage and how that information is organized. The first two sentences classify Shakespeare’s plays into four categories and offer an explanation, endorsed by “some scholars.” Note that up to this point in the passage, you know only that the author is concerned about the kinds of plays Shakespeare wrote and with explaining why he may have written them when he did. The word “But” in the sixth sentence of the passage informs you that the passage is about to change direction. The author states that there is evidence to suggest that the first explanation may be wrong. The ESSENCE of the passage, then, is not simply to describe the kinds of plays Shakespeare wrote, but rather to refute the explanation attributed to “some scholars” by providing evidence to suggest it may not be true. This purpose is described in choice B.
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4 important Strategies for Essence of the passage questions
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