The passage discusses reading comprehension questions on standardized tests. It notes that questions test the ability to analyze passages from various disciplines and may be based on implied rather than explicit information. Questions generally fall into categories regarding the main idea, supporting ideas, inferences, specific details, or applying information to other contexts. The passage provides examples and explanations of each question type to help readers understand what skills will be tested.

2. The Reading Comprehension questions test
your ability to analyze written information and
include passages from the humanities, the
social sciences, and the physical and biological
sciences. Many of the questions maybe based
on what is IMPLIED in the passages, rather than
on what is explicitly stated. Your ability to draw
inferences from the material is critical to
successfully completing this section. You are to
select the best answer from five alternatives.

3. Reading comprehension questions usually fall into
several categories. In most questions, you will be
asked about one of the following:

4. In this type of question you may be asked about the
main idea or theme of the passage, about a possible
title, or about the author’s primary objective. Usually
the main idea refers to the passage as whole, not to
some segment or part of the passage. The main idea
typically (but not always) found in the first paragraph. It
will be a statement that gives the overall theme of the
passage. In many cases, it will be in the form of an
argument, including the premise and conclusion.
A frequent question on Reading Comprehension tests
asks you to select the title or theme that best
summarizes the passage.

17. Government policy in Frieland has traditionally
favored foreign investment. Leaders of all political
parties have been virtually unanimous in their belief
that foreign investment in Frieland would contribute to
speeding that country’s economic development, a
major priority of both the ruling coalition and
opposition parties. Of special interest to the
government were those industries that exported a
significant share of their total output. Since Frieland
had a relatively small population, there was a limit to
the amount of goods that could be produced for the
local market. Also the government did not want to
encourage foreign investors to compete with local
industry, even though new industries might alleviate
the already high unemployment rate.

18. 1.The best possible title of the
passage is
(A) Government Policy in Frieland.
(B) How to Provide Employment.
(C) Attracting Foreign Investment.
(D) The Economics of Developing
Countries.
(E) Foreign Investment and Economic
Development.

19. All of the above alternatives can be
found in the passage, with the
exception of (D) – we don’t know
Frieland is a developing country.
However, note that the word’s
“foreign investment” are mentioned
three times in the passage, and in line
5-6 it is linked with economic
development. Clearly then, the main
idea or subject is foreign investment,

20. 2. It can be concluded that the main idea of the
author is
(A) Increase foreign investment
(B) Protect local industry from foreign
competition
(C) Increase unemployment benefits for workers
(D) Develop a theory of foreign investment
(E) Increase the indigenous population of
Frieland

21. The most appropriate answer
to the above question id (A).
The author gives some of the
reasons and under what
conditions foreign investment
would be beneficial to Frieland

22.  3 types of questions
◦Social Science
◦Science
◦Business
 Three most common questions
◦What is the primary purpose of
this passage?
◦What is the author’s tone?
◦Which choice given best
describes the structure of the
passage?

23.  Read for main ideas
 Watch for trigger words (however, but) which
signal a change in direction of passage
 Use line numbers & lead words as guides
 Take notes
 Use Process of Elimination
◦ Read quickly to understand main idea
◦ Watch out for “always, must, all, never, complete”
◦ Quickly eliminate obviously incorrect answers

24. Supporting Ideas
In this type of question, you may be asked
about the idea expressed in one part of the
passage, rather than the passage as a
whole. Questions of this type test your
ability to distinguish between the main
idea and those themes that support it,
some of which may be implicit or implied
rather than explicitly stated.

25. The main idea in this passage is that the
United States may be utilized as land bridge
for the shipment of containerized cargo
between Europe and the Far East. This is
evidenced by the first sentence in the passage.
Supporting ideas would include any facts or
arguments that buttress the main idea. A
number of these may be found in the passage:
1. The opening of a new market (paragraph 2)
2. Obtaining new business (paragraph 3)
3. Creating labor requirements (paragraph 4)

26. 1. According to the passage, if a land-bridge
system were feasible, it would
(A) create employment in the bridge-building
industry
(B) Decrease the amount of air freight
(C) Make American railroads more efficient
(D) Increase foreign trade

27. The answer to question 1 is alternative (C),
which refers to supporting idea (1) listed
above and summarized in paragraph 2 of the
passage. A land bridge would create a new
market for U.S. steamship lines and railroads.
and sailors, but not for dock workers.

28. 2. The author implies that which of the
following would be provided employment by
the development of a land-bridge?
I. Dock workers
II. U.S. railway workers
III. U.S. sailors
(A) I only (C)II and III only
(B) III only (D) I, II and III
(C) I and II only

29. Question 2 is developed from
an idea implied in the
passage. Answer choice (D) is
correct, because, in paragraph
4, it is argued that the new
jobs will be created for U.S.
railway workers and sailors,
but not for dock workers.

30. Drawing Inferences
Questions of this sort ask about
ideas that are not explicitly stated in
a passage. These questions refer to
meanings implied by the author
based on information given in this
passage. Typical questions are:
1. The author feel (believes) that …
2. In reference to (event) it may be

49. Specific Details
In this type of question you may
be asked about specific facts or
details the author has stated
explicitly in the passage. This
sort of question may take the
following forms:

50. Refer to the land bridge passage
1. According to the passage, the major
alternative to a U.S. land bridge is the
(A) Panama Canal
(B) Suez Canal
(C) Air-freight system
(D) All-land route
(E) Military transport system

51. Refer to the land bridge passage
3. A land bridge would not
(A) Aid U.S. steamship lines
(B) handle goods shipped between Europe and the
Far East
(C) create new jobs for dock workers
(D) supply new business for U.S. railroads
(E) create business for unscheduled shipping lines

52. The answer to specific
detail questions may
always be found in the
passage. These questions
do not deal with
implications or inferences.

53. Applying Information from the Passage to Other
Information
These questions ask you to make an analogy
between a situation described in the passage and a
similar situation or event listed in the question.
Unlike other types of questions, these describe
situations not given in the passage, but rather
those that are analogous to those in the passage. In
order to answer a question of this kind, you must
be able to draw a parallel between the situation in
the question and its counterpart in the passage.

54. The Danes are widely renowned for their
business orientation, which is reflected in their
export promotion policies. Without any raw
materials of their own, except for agricultural
produce, the Danes obtained a third of their
GNP from their export trade. This magnitude
has been achieved only through a thorough
exploitation of export potential and the
implementation of a wide range of promotional
activities. The latter emphasize the practical
rather than the theoretical, and actual business
encounters rather than such indirect, and
previously popular, means as cultural events
and Danish weeks.

55. 1. Which of the following countries should
succeed in exporting?
(A) Countries without domestic raw materials
(B) Countries with a growing GNP
(C) Countries with a practical approach to
business
(D) Countries with a thoroughly produced and
diverse promotional campaign
(E) Countries with some export potential based
on a wide range of products

56. This question asks us to project the Danish
experience to similar events in other countries.
The analogy, of course is “what helped the Danes
to export will help other countries as well.” and
what helped the Danes in this case was the
“implementation of a wide range of promotional
activities.” the correct answer is (D). Note that you
were not asked to comment in the validity of the
analogy, but only to identify the parallel case.

57. Tone or Attitude of the passage
These questions concentrate on the
author’s style, attitude, or mood. In
order to determine this attitude, look
for key words, such as adjectives that
reveal of the author is “pessimistic”,
“critical,” “supportive,” or “objective”
about an event, idea, or situation in
the passage.

59. TONE
refers to the feelings or
emotions expressed by the
author towards an issue. It
could also encompass his
style of writing.

61. Three Basic
Types of
Tones.

62. Passages dealing with
events in history: giving
details of some battle,
dates, information about
the rule of some
civilization, king etc

63. Passages dealing with
some technology:
providing details about
some gadget, describing
the features of some
instrument etc

64. Information about some
building, landmark, historical
place etc. For example, the
passage may describe the
Intramuros, giving information
about when it was built, who
built it, the material used for its
construction etc.

66. An expert giving his verdict on
some issue-could be an automobile
expert speaking about a car and
providing his opinion on what is
good or bad about the new vehicle,
or a connoisseur of food providing
his opinion about a dish, for
example

67. A follower or fan
speaking about an issue
close to his heart. For
example, someone
writing about a
particular player

69. An author stating that
he feels something could
happen in the future and
providing reasons to
justify why he feels in
that manner

70. An analysis of some event in
the past-reasons given to
explain a certain event,
action etc. For example, the
author could analyze why
India won the last cricket
match etc.

71. The author comparing
two or more things
and justifying why he
feels something is
better

72. Passages in which the pros
and cons of a certain action
are weighed. For example,
should Company A acquire
Company B? The decision
needs to be analyzed and
reasons given both for and
against the issue

78.  Amiable Consoling Friendly Playful
 Amused Content Happy Pleasant
 Appreciative Dreamy Hopeful Proud
 Authoritative Ecstatic Impassioned Relaxed
 Benevolent Elated Jovial Reverent
 Brave Elevated Joyful Romantic
 Calm Encouraging Jubilant Soothing
 Cheerful Energetic Lighthearted Surprised
 Cheery Enthusiastic Loving Sweet
 Compassionate Excited Optimistic Sympathetic
 Complimentary Exuberant Passionate Vibrant
 Confident Fanciful Peaceful Whimsical

79.  Accusing Choleric Furious Quarrelsome
 Aggravated Coarse Harsh Shameful
 Agitated Cold Haughty Smooth
 Angry Condemnatory Hateful Snooty
 Apathetic Condescending Hurtful Superficial
 Arrogant Contradictory Indignant Surly
 Artificial Critical Inflammatory Testy
 Audacious Desperate Insulting Threatening
 Belligerent Disappointed Irritated Tired
 Bitter Disgruntled Manipulative Uninterested
 Boring Disgusted Obnoxious Wrathful
 Brash Disinterested Outraged
 Childish Facetious Passive

80.  Amused Droll Mock-heroic Sardonic
 Bantering Facetious Mocking Satiric
 Bitter Flippant Mock-serious Scornful
 Caustic Giddy Patronizing Sharp
 Comical Humorous Pompous Silly
 Condescending Insolent Quizzical Taunting
 Contemptuous Ironic Ribald Teasing
 Critical Irreverent Ridiculing Whimsical
 Cynical Joking Sad Wry
 Disdainful Malicious Sarcastic

81.  Aggravated Embarrassed Morose Resigned
 Agitated Fearful Mournful Sad
 Anxious Foreboding Nervous Serious
 Apologetic Gloomy Numb Sober
 Apprehensive Grave Ominous Solemn
 Concerned Hollow Paranoid Somber
 Confused Hopeless Pessimistic Staid
 Dejected Horrific Pitiful Upset
 Depressed Horror Poignant
 Despairing Melancholy Regretful
 Disturbed Miserable Remorseful

82.  Admonitory Dramatic Intimae Questioning
 Allusive Earnest Judgmental Reflective
 Apathetic Expectant Learned Reminiscent
 Authoritative Factual Loud Resigned
 Baffled Fervent Lyrical Restrained
 Callous Formal Matter-of-fact Seductive
 Candid Forthright Meditative Sentimental
 Ceremonial Frivolous Nostalgic Serious
 Clinical Haughty Objective Shocking
 Consoling Histrionic Obsequious Sincere
 Contemplative Humble Patriotic Unemotional
 Conventional Incredulous Persuasive Urgent
 Detached Informative Pleading Vexed
 Didactic Inquisitive Pretentious Wistful
 Disbelieving Instructive Provocative Zealous

83.  Often a change or shift in tone will be
signaled by the following:
 Key words such as but, yet, nevertheless,
however, although
 Punctuation such as dashes, periods, colons,
semicolons
 Stanza and paragraph divisions
 Changes in line and stanza or sentence
length

84. Tone or Attitude of the passage
Typical questions are:
1. For what audience is the passage
intended?
2. The passage indicates that the
author expresses a feeling of
(A)Hope
(B)Confidence
(C) Enthusiasm
(D) Instability
(E) Pleasure

85. Tone or Attitude of the passage
Typical questions are:
3. It can be concluded that the author of the
passage is
(A) Sympathetic to John Doe’s ideas
(B) Uncritical of John Doe’s interpretation of
history
(C) Politically conservative
(D) A believer in mysticism
(E) A political diletante

86. Technique Used by the Author in the Passage
A reader can detect certain techniques used by
the authors, depending on the subject matter of
the material.
If the subject matter of the passage is from the social
studies, authors tend to
 make comparisons (“The ABC company uses a
production process that can be likened to …”)
 describe cause and effect relationships (“The
development of the harbor can be attributed to …”)
 opinionate or reason (“The author belongs to which of
the following schools of thought.”)

87. Technique Used by the Author in the Passage
If the subject matter is from sciences, writers
deal with
 problem solving (“Serious unemployment leads labor
groups to demand …”)
 cause and effect (“Government investments in industry
should result in …”)
 classification of things and events (“According to the
passage, the waves occurs most frequently in the area
of …”)
 experimentation (“Given present wave tracking
systems, scientists can forecast all of the following
except.”)

88. Technique Used by the Author in the Passage
If the subject matter is literature, authors tend to
 create moods (“Which of the following best
describes the author’s tone in the passage?”)
 narrate events (“The author’s treatment of the
topic can be best described as …”)
 describe settings and characters (“The main
character is a person attempting to …”)

89. The Logical Structure of the Passage
These types of questions test your
understanding of the overall meaning, logic, or
organization of a passage. You may be asked
how several ideas in a passage are interrelated
or how a passage is constructed, classifies,
compares, describes events, or situations. You
may be asked about the strengths or
weaknesses of the argument the author is
making, to identify assumptions, or to evaluate
counterarguments.

90. Typical questions are:
1. John Doe’s judgment that he failed was
based on assumption. Which of the following
could have served as that assumption?
2. Which of the following, if true, weaken the
above argument?
3. If the statement in the passage is true, which
if the following must also be true?
4. Which of the following conclusions can be
drawn from the passage?

91. Determining the Meaning of Words
from the Context
When a question asks for the
meaning of the word, it can usually
be deduced from the context of the
passage. Remember, you are not
required to know the meaning of the
technical or foreign words.

92. During the 1980 campaign to clean the streets of
undesirable and criminal elements, a force of 10,000
special police was used to maintain order. Nevertheless,
many of the hunted crime figures fought back with live
weapons and the streets looked like a battlefield.
Almost as many policemen were injured as criminals.
This year’s aktion will have to be better planned.
1. The planned aktion ca be described as a
(A) Police offensive
(B) Political campaign
(C) Battle
(D) Law and order
(E) None of the above

93. The passage tells us that this year’s aktion
will have to be planned better. From this, we
know that it is being compared to something
that happened before, which in the passage
was during 1980. that was the campaign to
clean the streets. Therefore, the best answer
choice is (A) and we know that the meaning
of aktion is the police offensive-described in
the passage.

94. 1. Read the question first, then the passage. Reading the
question first enables you to identify the question type. However,
do not read the answer alternatives at this time. If you are familiar
with the question type, such as identifying a main idea or drawing
inferences, you know what to look for in the passage. After you
the question type, carefully read the passage.
Read as quickly as you can, but not in haste. Each Reading
Comprehension passage contains 500 words, so even if you read
at a medium rate of 300 words a minute, you will read the
passages in approximately 2 minutes, leaving 23 minutes for
answering the questions, or approximately 1.5 minutes per
question.

95. If the question asks you to identify the main idea,
remember that often it will be found in the opening
sentences or in the summary part of the passage. In
order to identify the main idea, first determine the
object, person, or thing that is the subject of the
passage. Ask yourself: “What is the main point the
author is making?”
2. Read all the answer alternatives. Read all the
answer choices. Never assume you have found the
correct answer until you have considered all the
alternatives. Choose the best possible answer on the
basis of what is written in the passage and not on
your own knowledge from other sources.

96. 3. Learn to identify the major question types.
Before taking a Reading Comprehension test, make
sure that you are thoroughly familiar with the major
question types. This will save you time on the test
and increase your effectiveness in choosing the
correct answer. Time will be saved because you will
know in advance what to look for and how to read
the passage. You will be more effective because you
will immediately know what reading tactic to apply.
To become familiar with the various question types
be sure to read the “Major Types for Reading
Comprehension Questions” earlier.

97.  You should base your answers to the questions solely
on what is stated or implied in the passages.
 Read the italicized introductory text.
 Skip questions you don't know. Return to them after
answering other easier questions.
 First and last sentences of each paragraph are critical.
 Find the right spot in a passage by using any line
reference numbers that appear in the questions.
 Answer questions on familiar topics before unfamiliar
topics.
 Read the passages before reading the questions.
 Don't waste time memorizing details.

100. a) life of sea creatures at the bottom of the sea
b) how changes in the seasons are perceived by
the deep-sea creatures
c) how wonderful our lives were and will be
d) the differences among creatures of the earth
and those of the sea
e) the superiority of human beings over some
creatures in terms of senses

102. a) have the same senses that we do
b) have no sense of hearing as well
as sight
c) hear the sounds of the ocean
d) live in darkness because no light
reaches to the bottom
e) do not hear the sound of sea as
they are accustomed to it

104. a) someone who lives where there are no
seasons
b) an animal without the sense of touch
c) a sea creature with no seeing or hearing
ability
d) a deaf child unaffected by the environment
e) a perfect sleeper, for there is no sound
around to hear

107. 1) Which of the following is a conclusion
supported by the passage?
A. If doctors want to run their own facilities, they
should be required to take in at least some of the
indigents.
B. The government should provide health
insurance for those unable to buy their own.
C. Voters should tell the finance committee
members that they will not be reelected if they do
not pass some new legislation.
D. Emergency rooms that turn patients away due
to overcrowding are derelict in their duty .
E. The fundamental problem facing hospitals now
is that health care costs have risen dramatically in
recent years.

109. A. neutral
B. positive
C. persuasive
D. angry
E. reverential

112. • 3) E. All 3 of these reasons
are cited in the passage.
Answer E is correct even
though the 3 arguments are
not cited in this order, with
reason III (federal law) being
cited near the beginning of
the passage rather than at
the end.

113. A. the legislature will never resolve this issue.
the finance committee does not care about
the uninsured citizens.
B. B. there will always be uninsured hospital
patients.
C. the legislature recently attempted to resolve
this issue.
D. the doctors successfully lobbied the finance
committee.

119. QUESTION 17

120.  Statement 1 –restates the author’s opinion
 Choices A, C and E includes Statement
 Statement II contradicts the author’s
statements in the 1st & 3rd paragraphs, that
only the gov’t can come up with the amount
of capital necessary for large industries
 Statement III also contradicts the author’s
statements, in the 1st paragraph, that
transportion and communication facilities “do
not lend themselves to small-scale
improvements”

121. Specifies
accurate
statements II
and III