There are 6 main types of RC questions which student needs to master. These type of questions cover almost 80% of the questions you will be expecting in the exams. Master these 6 types of RC questions.
1. MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS
All authors have a point they want to make in their writing. Main idea questions test your ability to identify and understand an author’s intent. The main idea is usually stated in the last occasionally the first—sentence of the first paragraph. If it’s not there, it will probably be the last sentence of the entire passage. Main idea questions are usually the first questions asked.
Some common main idea questions are:
- Which one of the following best expresses the main idea of the passage?
- The primary purpose of the passage is to . . .
- In the passage, the author’s primary concern is to discuss . . .
Main idea questions are rarely difficult; after all the author wants to clearly communicate her ideas to you. If, however, after the first reading, you don’t have a feel for the main idea, review the first and last sentence of each paragraph; these will give you a quick overview of the passage.
2. DESCRIPTION QUESTIONS
Description questions, as with main idea questions, refer to a point made by the author. However, description questions refer to a minor point or to incidental information, not to the author’s main point.
Again, these questions take various forms:
- According to the passage . . .
- In line 37, the author mentions . . . for the purpose of . . .
- The passage suggests that which one of the following would . . .
The answer to a description question must refer directly to a statement in the passage, not to something implied by it. However, the correct answer will paraphrase a statement in the passage, not give an exact quote. In fact, exact quotes (“Same language” traps) are often used to
bait wrong answers.
3. WRITING TECHNIQUE QUESTIONS
All coherent writing has a superstructure or blueprint. When writing, we don’t just randomly jot down our thoughts; we organize our ideas and present them in a logical manner. For instance, we may present evidence that builds up to a conclusion but intentionally leave the conclusion unstated, or we may present a position and then contrast it with an opposing position, or we may draw an extended analogy.
There is an endless number of writing techniques that authors use to present their ideas, so we cannot classify every method. However, some techniques are very common to the type of explanatory or opinionated writing found in RC passages.
A. Compare and contrast two positions. This technique has a number of variations, but the most common and direct is to develop two ideas or systems (comparing) and then point out why one is better than the other (contrasting).
B. Show cause and effect. In this technique, the author typically shows how a particular cause leads to a certain result or set
of results. It is not uncommon for this method to introduce a sequence of causes and effects. A
causes B, which causes C, which causes D, and so on.
4. EXTENSION QUESTIONS
Extension questions are the most common. They require you to go beyond what is stated in the passage, asking you to draw an inference from the passage, to make a conclusion based on the passage, or to identify one of the author’s tacit assumptions.
You may be asked to draw a conclusion based on the ideas or facts presented:
- It can be inferred from the passage that . . .
- The passage suggests that . . .
Since extension questions require you to go beyond the passage, the correct answer must say more than what is said in the passage. Beware of same language traps with these questions: the correct answer will often both paraphrase and extend a statement in the passage, but it will not directly quote it.
5. APPLICATION QUESTIONS
Application questions differ from extension questions only in degree. Extension questions ask you to apply what you have learned from the passage to derive new information about the same subject, whereas application questions go one step further, asking you to apply what you have learned from the passage to a different or hypothetical situation.
The following are common application questions:
- Which one of the following is the most likely source of the passage?
- Which one of the following actions would be most likely to have the same effect as the author’s actions?
6. TONE QUESTIONS
Tone questions ask you to identify the writer’s attitude or perspective. Is the writer’s feeling toward the subject positive, negative, or neutral? Does the writer give his own opinion, or does he objectively present the opinions of others? Before you read the answer-choices, decide whether the writer’s tone is positive, negative, or neutral. It is best to do this without referring to the passage.
However, if you did not get a feel for the writer’s attitude on the first reading, check the adjectives that he chooses. Adjectives and, to a lesser extent, adverbs express our feelings toward subjects. For instance, if we agree with a person who holds strong feelings about a subject, we may describe his opinions as impassioned. On the other hand, if we disagree with him, we may describe his opinions as excitable, which has the same meaning as “impassioned” but carries a negative connotation.
