DAT Reading Comprehension Study Guide#2

Global question type -correct answer test how well the reader understood the passage a a whole and asked for MAIN IDEA, CONCLUSION, OR THESIS of a passage or paraphraph - key phrases to look for: main purpose, title, overall point Detailed -correct answer Test about statements found explicitly in the passage. they are phrases that are exactly/nearly matches the correct answer choice -key phrases to look for: according to the passage Detail Except -correct answer Test about statements that were not found in the passage. Need to identify the answer choices that WERE NOT talked about in the passage - key phrases to look for: the author mentions all of the following EXCEPT Tone -correct answer Test if the reader understood how the author feels about the passage. Look for OPINION keywords that the author will state/imply their opinion about the subject -Key phrases to look for: identify the authors tone/bias/feelings on the main idea Function -correct answer Requires the reader to evaluate the way the author constructed their arguments -Subtype questions -Structure-- questions that ask about how the author organized the passage -Questions might be about specific sentences -Evaluation questions -Questions ask the reader to consider why the author did something in the passage -Why did the author include X phrase? What function does X serve in the passage? Inference -correct answer Test your ability to use the information in the passage to draw conclusions The correct answer will be a small step from what is said directly in the passage Strengthen/weaken -correct answer May ask you to find the statement among the answer choices that most strengthen/weaken an argument. for each piece of new information, the reader will generally be able to find a statement in the passage that almost exactly matches or apposes the argument If you cannot find a match, then the statement has no effect on the passage Wrong Answer Pathologies -correct answer Faulty use of detail: answer choice comes directly from the passage but does not answer the question being asked Opposite: choices tend to be entirely correct except for one word which completely changes their meaning Distortion: choices in which information is taken from the passage but then slightly changed to be incorrect Out of Scope: an answer choice that describes a true statement but that statement is not supported by information from the passage - Every correct answer must be directly supported by the passage Continuation passage key words -correct answer announce that more of the same is about to come Also, moreover, plus, futhermore, in addition, as well as, equally, at the same time; colon (:) Sequence passage key words -correct answer tell you there is an order to the authors ideas First, second, third, fourth, finally, next, recently Illustration passage key words -correct answer signal that an example is about to arrive in the words of, according to, for, as, to , claims Evidence passage key words -correct answer Tell you the author is about to provide support for a point. PAY EXTRA ATTENTION because, for, since, the reason is Contrast passage key words -correct answer signal an opposition or shift; PAY EXTRA ATTENTION but, nevertheless, though, otherwise, however, despite, while, although, yet, not, unless, still Emphasis passage key words -correct answer author announces that he/she finds something to be important. Pay attention as there will be a question pertaining to the information presented Above all, essentially, most of the time, especially, particularly, primarily, indeed Conclusion passage key words -correct answer signal the author is about to sum up or announce the thesis