Structure of different Questions

Let us look at the structure of the questions asked in the above mentioned types.

These questions are based on the straight facts provided in the passage and can be like

B.  Inference Questions:

Inference questions might look like –

The trick to solve inference questions is to stick closely to the wording of the passage and to keep your logic very clear. Inferences are the statements that must be true based on the facts. These are common questions seen in the examinations where Reading Comprehension is an important subject (like CSE)

These questions are slightly more complex than the previous types. They require you to figure out what the passage states about a particular topic, and then apply that information to answer choices that contain new information. These questions do not appear as frequently as the previous three. Some possible questions of this type include:

You need to take the same approach to this type of question as you take with inference questions. However it will require an ability of making a larger logical conclusion. These questions test your ability to recognize the structure of an argument or an idea, and then apply the same structure in a different context.

These questions revolve around the basic theme of the passage. You need to understand the idea or concept which the passage speaks about. In most cases, the main idea will be expressed in one or two sentences in the first paragraph. Occasionally it may be expressed in the final paragraph or, rarely, in an interior paragraph. Sometimes the main idea is never explicitly stated. If you cannot locate a clear theme, it is usually helpful to go through the passage and determine how it gets derived from first paragraph to the final paragraph.

Typical main ideas questions look like the following:

Main Idea questions are the most common questions asked. Hence it is advisable that you summarize the idea of the passage in your words, on a scrap paper, while you complete the reading of the passage. This will avoid your temptation to with the incorrect but tempting answers. Such answers normally contain the central idea but with an additional information.

These questions are based on specific concepts or examples provided in the passage and therefore need more detailed understanding of the passage. Typically the questions are as follows –

Answers to such questions are always the statements in the paragraph. Identify the “Key-words” from the question and read the passage around these keywords. For example, the question asks for Current Trends of Economy, so look for these words in the passage.

Usually you will be able to find the statement which says the same thing as that of the choices and the answer will come directly.

Here you will determine the role of a specific component in the context of entire passage. Typically the question will be as below –

These questions will ask you to draw a conclusion about author’s view or passage, based on the language used in the passage. For example –

Reading Comprehension questions are not at all like Quantitative questions, in which the correctness of the best response can be proved with the help of a mathematical formula. There are no specific rules that can be applicable to comprehension questions. For instance, consider a central-idea question. A typical second-best answer choice might incorporate the passage's central idea but go further to give a broader approach than the passage itself covers. Hence there is a fundamental difference between the best answer choice and the others.