GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) Verbal Reasoning: Reading Comprehension Syllabus

What is a 'supported inference' in RC?

A conclusion that must be true based on the passage even though it is not stated outright. It follows logically and necessarily from the text, not a guess or an outside assumption.

What is the key test for a correct RC inference answer?

It must be something the author would have to agree with given the passage—provable from the text. If it requires extra assumptions or new information, it is wrong.

What is the most common wrong-answer type on inference questions?

The 'too extreme' or 'goes too far' choice—an inference that overstates what the text supports (e.g., adds 'always,' 'never,' 'only,' or a stronger claim than warranted).

What does a 'purpose of a sentence or paragraph' question ask?

Why the author included a specific sentence/paragraph—its function in the argument (e.g., to provide an example, raise an objection, qualify a claim, transition, offer evidence), not what it says literally.

How do you answer a 'purpose of this sentence' question?

Read the sentence in context—what comes immediately before and after—and ask what job it does for the surrounding argument (support, contrast, illustrate, concede, transition).

What is an 'application' (extrapolation) question in RC?

A question asking you to apply the passage's ideas, principles, or findings to a new situation or example not mentioned in the text.

How do you solve an application question?

Identify the underlying principle or relationship in the passage, then choose the new scenario that is most analogous—consistent with that principle—rather than one that merely shares surface vocabulary.

What is 'authorial tone and attitude' in RC?

The author's emotional/evaluative stance toward the subject (e.g., approving, critical, skeptical, neutral, admiring, cautious), revealed through word choice and qualifiers.

Why are extreme tone words usually wrong on GMAT tone questions?

GMAT passages are typically measured and academic, so the author's tone is rarely extreme. Choices like 'contemptuous,' 'outraged,' 'enthusiastic,' or 'indifferent' usually overstate; moderate words like 'cautious,' 'qualified approval,' or 'objective' are safer.

Which words in a passage best reveal the author's attitude?

Charged adjectives, adverbs, and evaluative qualifiers—e.g., 'unfortunately,' 'remarkably,' 'flawed,' 'promising,' 'so-called,' 'merely.' Neutral factual reporting signals an objective tone.

What is 'argumentative structure' within an RC passage?

How the author builds a case: identifying the conclusion (main claim), the premises/evidence supporting it, counterarguments raised, and how they are addressed.

How do you identify the conclusion of an argument embedded in a passage?

Find the claim that the other statements support; conclusion indicators include 'therefore,' 'thus,' 'hence,' 'consequently,' and 'it follows that.' Premises answer 'why should I believe the conclusion?'

What is the role of a counterargument in an RC passage's structure?

It presents an opposing view the author often raises in order to rebut, qualify, or concede to it—mapping it helps you separate the author's position from views being challenged.

How do 'strengthen' questions apply to RC passages?

You select new information (outside the passage) that makes the author's conclusion or a described argument more likely to be true—typically by reinforcing a premise or ruling out an alternative.

How do 'weaken' questions apply to RC passages?

You choose new information that undermines the conclusion or argument—often by attacking an assumption, introducing a counterexample, or offering an alternative explanation for the evidence.

What must you first identify before answering a strengthen/weaken RC question?

The specific conclusion and the assumption(s) linking the evidence to that conclusion. Strengthening shores up the assumption; weakening breaks it.

What is 'contrast language' in RC and why does it matter?

Words signaling opposition or a shift in direction—'but,' 'however,' 'yet,' 'nevertheless,' 'on the other hand,' 'in contrast,' 'whereas.' They often mark the passage's pivot and the author's true point.

What is 'qualification language' and what does it indicate?

Words that limit or hedge a claim—'some,' 'many,' 'often,' 'may,' 'tend to,' 'in part,' 'although.' They narrow scope and frequently distinguish a correct moderate answer from an overstated trap.

How do continuation/addition signal words affect passage flow?

Words like 'moreover,' 'furthermore,' 'in addition,' 'similarly' indicate the author is extending or reinforcing the same line of thought—no shift in direction is occurring.

How do causal signal words help in RC?

Words like 'because,' 'since,' 'as a result,' 'leads to,' 'due to' mark cause-effect relationships—often central to arguments and to strengthen/weaken and inference questions.

Why is the sentence after 'however' often the most important to note?

'However' usually signals the author pivoting away from a previously stated view toward their own position or the passage's main point, so what follows often carries the thesis.

What is the 'out of scope' wrong-answer type in RC?

A choice introducing information, comparisons, or topics the passage never addresses. Even if reasonable in the real world, it is wrong because it is not grounded in the text.

What is the 'distortion' wrong-answer type in RC?

A choice that uses the passage's words but twists the relationship—reversing cause and effect, swapping who holds a view, or changing the degree of a claim.

What is the 'half-right' (partial) trap answer?

A choice where the first part is accurate but a later word or clause makes it false. Every part of an answer must be supported; one wrong word disqualifies it.

How should the first paragraph of an RC passage be read?

Carefully, since it usually establishes the topic, the main idea, and the author's approach. It sets the framework for mapping the rest of the passage.

What is the strategic value of identifying the 'pivot' in a passage?

The pivot (often a contrast word) marks where the author shifts from setup or others' views to their own argument; recognizing it clarifies the main idea, purpose, and tone.

For a science passage describing a process, what should you note?

The sequence/steps and cause-effect links, plus any problem the process explains—not the technical details, which you can return to if a question requires them.

How do you handle a passage presenting two competing theories?

Map each theory's claim and evidence separately, then identify whether the author favors one, rejects both, or stays neutral—this drives main-idea, purpose, and tone answers.

Why should you answer RC questions in the order presented rather than randomly?

General questions (main idea, purpose, tone) draw on your whole-passage map, while detail/inference questions send you back to specific lines; working in order lets the map stay fresh and questions build context efficiently.

What is the best general strategy when two RC answer choices both seem correct?

Find the precise textual support for each; the correct one is fully provable from the passage, while the other will overstate, distort, fall out of scope, or be too narrow/broad for the question's scope.