5 things to note in TITLE of a passage RC questions

Title of the passage RC questions A common question seen in CAT and other MBA entrances in the RC section is the choice of an appropriate title. Questions that ask you to provide a title for the passage require you to assume the role of the author & to experience what he or she may have felt or wanted to convey when writing the passage.In order to do that, you’ll need to read the passage carefully and pick up on key words and specific writing styles,only then will you be able to ascertain whether the author is frustrated, annoyed, perplexed, supportive, etc., and from that information you’ll be able to quickly predict what the author might say next and what an appropriate title may be. For questions that ask you to provide a title of a reading passage, be sure to look at the passage as a whole. Most importantly, don’t choose an answer choice just because it reiterates a single fact explicitly stated in the passage. A title is meant to encompass the entire meaning of a reading passage, and not just a single point. 5 things to note before choosing TITLE of a passage: 1.Remember that you have been asked to choose the “most appropriate” title among the given options, not what you may consider to be the “best” or “perfect” title for the passage. What this also indicates is that if you can eliminate some options as inappropriate for one reason or another, you could possibly arrive at the correct answer. 2.Title must not only cover the core idea (the content) of the passage, but should also express the author’s tone.For example, consider a title that says “The dismal state of Indian hockey”. From this, you immediately not only realize that the passage will talk about the sport of hockey, but also know what the author’s feelings or tone would be towards the current state of affairs. This is due to the usage of the adjective “dismal”. 3.The title you mark as the correct option should be neither too broad nor too narrow in scope. Too ‘narrow’ titles may focus on only a couple of paragraphs of the passage and not the passage as a whole. 4.Remember that a title is like a common theme that runs through the passage i.e. it integrates the various ideas or issues discussed. 5.A Title is not a conclusion. This is a mistake that students commonly make. The title is not meant to reflect the conclusion(inference) rather, a title summarizes the author’s ideas or points succinctly & must come from what is directly stated in the passage. RC is a lot like the data interpretation section – you have strategies but there are no fixed and limited concepts as such. To fine-tune your strategy, it is important that you do rigorous practice. Do not overdo the RCs if you are not scoring well. Instead, rework your strategies, see if you are analysing the passage correctly and look where you are going wrong. Pay attention to the details,and make a habit of trying to identify the author’s main idea; also, try to think of the author’s motive for writing the passage. As newspaper reporters do, ask the questions, “Who? What? When? Where? How? and Why?” Is the author’s purpose to inform you of facts, persuade you of something, or simply to entertain you? Cat Winners generally have very good Reading Skills.The more active a reader you are, the more likely that you will understand and fully enjoy what you read. THE MORE YOU PRACTICE THE BETTER YOU GET AT IT.. PRACTICE PASSAGES: PASSAGE1: The Woodstock Music and Art Fair—better known to its participants and to history simply as “Woodstock”—should have been a colossal failure. Just a month prior to its August 15, 1969 opening, the fair’s organizers were informed by the council of Wallkill, New York, that permission to hold the festival was withdrawn.Amazingly,not only was a new site found, but word spread to the public of the fair’s new location. At the new site, fences that were supposed to facilitate ticket collection never materialized, and all attempts at gathering tickets were abandoned.Crowd estimates of 30,000 kept rising; by the end of the three days, some estimated the crowd at 500,000. Then, on opening night, it began to rain. Off and on, throughout all three days,huge summer storms rolled over the gathering.In spite of these problems, most people think of Woodstock not only as a fond memory but as the defining moment for an entire generation. Which of the following would be the most appropriate title for this passage? a. Backstage at Woodstock b. Woodstock: From The Band to The Who c. Remembering Woodstock d. Woodstock: The Untold Story CORRECT ANSWER:c.The titles in choices a, b, and d all imply that the passage will provide information, which it does not. Choice c is the most accurate choice because the passage deals mainly with remembering the fair. PASSAGE2: Use of electronic mail (e-mail) has been widespread for more than a decade. E-mail simplifies the flow of ideas, connects people from distant offices, eliminates the need for meetings, and often boosts productivity. However, e-mail should be carefully managed to avoid unclear and inappropriate communication. E-mail messages should be concise and limited to one topic. When complex issues need to be addressed, phone calls are still best. Which of the following would be the most appropriate title for the passage? a. Appropriate Use of E-Mail b. E-Mail’s Popularity c. E-Mail: The Ideal Form of Communication d. Why Phone Calls Are Better Than E-Mail CORRECT ANSWER:a.The title should express the main idea of the passage. The passage, as a whole, focuses on appropriate and inappropriate uses of e-mail. The other choices address more specific ideas expressed in the passage but are not its main idea. PASSAGE3: Mental and physical health professionals may consider referring clients and patients to a music therapist for a number of reasons. It seems a particularly good choice for the social worker who is coordinating a client’s case. Music therapists use music to establish a relationship with the patient and to improve the patient’s health, using highly structured musical interactions. Patients and therapists may sing, play instruments, dance, compose, or simply listen to music. The course of training for music therapists is comprehensive. In addition to formal musical and therapy training, music therapists are taught to discern what kinds of interventions will be most beneficial for each individual patient.Because each patient is different and has different goals, the music therapist must be able to understand the patient’s situation and choose the music and activities that will do the most toward helping the patient achieve his or her goals. The referring social worker can help this process by clearly communicating each client’s history.Although patients may develop their musical skills, that is not the main goal of music therapy. Any client who needs particular work on communication or on academic, emotional, andsocial skills, and who is not responding to traditional therapy, is an excellent candidate for music therapy. Which of the following would be the most appropriate title for this passage? a. How to Use Music to Combat Depression b. What Social Workers Need to Know about Music Therapy c. Training for a Career in Music Therapy d. The Social Worker as Music Therapist CORRECT ANSWER:b. This passage provides information to social workers about music therapy, as the title in choice b indicates. Choice d is incorrect because b. This passage provides information to social workers about music therapy, as the title in choice b indicates. Choice d is incorrect because the first sentence speaks of mental- and physicalhealth professionals referring their clients and patients to music therapists; the second sentence indicates that it(meaning a referral) seems a particularly good choice for the social worker. Choice c is possible, but does not summarize the passage as well as choice b. Choice a refers to a topic not covered in the passage. TITLE of a passage RC question