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GMAT Reading Comprehension

Subjects : gmat, reading-and-comprehension

Instructions:

Answer 43 questions in 15 minutes.
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Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. In Critical Reasoning Inference questions - an inference may follow from a single...
A common flaw where... (Most of what authority a has to say on subject matter S is correct. a says p about S. Therefore - p is correct.)
Sentence or fact
'with'
None

2. 'With total employment at less than 68000 people...' what should change?
OTHER
At FEWER than 68000 people
Identify most offensive flaw in author's reasoning; explain why it is questionable
A common flaw where... (is the relationship causal? are there other possible causes?)

3. Appeal to authority
Show that you understand the argument by PARAPHRASING it and saying IT FAILS TO CONVINCE (don't have to say why yet)
'as'
Describe evidence that would STRENGTHEN the argument and CONCLUDE that without such evidence you're not persuaded (DON'T have 1 sad and lonely sentence here).
A common flaw where... (Most of what authority a has to say on subject matter S is correct. a says p about S. Therefore - p is correct.)

4. Preposition after verb 'to credit'
A common flaw where... (is the relationship causal? are there other possible causes?)
Identify another flaw in author's reasoning; explain why it is questionable
A comparison trap i.e. make sure that the word after like is compared to something of a similar kind (apples and apples) e.g. 'Unlike Latvia - Lithuania - the economy of Estonia...' is incorrect (take out the economy of)
'with'

5. To be regarded 'as' or not 'as'
At FEWER than 68000 people
Sentence or fact
Only infinitive e.g. 'to turn' (never 'to turning')
'as'

6. Argument Essay Paragraph 2
Identify most offensive flaw in author's reasoning; explain why it is questionable
After
A comparison trap i.e. make sure that the word after like is compared to something of a similar kind (apples and apples) e.g. 'Unlike Latvia - Lithuania - the economy of Estonia...' is incorrect (take out the economy of)
'as'

7. Reading Comprehension Inference questions
Native to
Grammatically...logically
Make sure there is DIRECT DETAILED support for inference in the question stimulus but usually NOT CATEGORICAL
Identify another flaw in author's reasoning; explain why it is questionable

8. 'Distinguish red ... green' 'distinguish .... red ... green
A common flaw where... (Most of what authority a has to say on subject matter S is correct. a says p about S. Therefore - p is correct.)
From -between... and
Make sure there is DIRECT DETAILED support for inference in the question stimulus but usually NOT CATEGORICAL
To shrink back physically or emotionally

9. Preposition after 'to be modelled'
After
Parallel structure
After the verb
Native to

10. Strategy for Critical Reasoning questions
A common flaw where... (Most of what authority a has to say on subject matter S is correct. a says p about S. Therefore - p is correct.)
1. Identify the question type 2. Untangle the stimulus 3. Predict the answer 4. Evaluate choices
None
Native to

11. A person is 'a native of' / 'native to' the UK?
A common flaw where... 'always -' 'none -' 'some -' and 'only' etc. set boundaries for the logic of an argument. Be careful with scope.
None
A native of
'as'

12. Preposition after 'to be considered'
Identify another flaw in author's reasoning; explain why it is questionable
None
Finds a connection between the 2 parts of the stimulus in boldface
A common flaw where... 'always -' 'none -' 'some -' and 'only' etc. set boundaries for the logic of an argument. Be careful with scope.

13. 'Better than at any time' or 'better than at any OTHER time'?
OTHER
1) Read strategically: Passage Map - Topic/Scope/Purpose or Main Idea 2) Analyse question stem 3) Research relevant text in passage 4) Make Prediction 5) Evaluate answer choices
After the verb
It - they - its - their - them - which and that

14. Answer choices with word 'being'...
At FEWER than 68000 people
Are usually wrong
To shrink back physically or emotionally
A common flaw where... (Most of what authority a has to say on subject matter S is correct. a says p about S. Therefore - p is correct.)

15. 'There is' 'There are'. where is the subject
Parallel structure
Native to
After the verb
Sentence or fact

16. Causation/correlation
A common flaw where... (is the relationship causal? are there other possible causes?)
Describe evidence that would STRENGTHEN the argument and CONCLUDE that without such evidence you're not persuaded (DON'T have 1 sad and lonely sentence here).
Sentence or fact
Finds a connection between the 2 parts of the stimulus in boldface

17. Strategy for Sentence Correction
Only infinitive e.g. 'to turn' (never 'to turning')
After
'with'
1) Read the original sentence carefully - LOOKING FOR ERRORS; if you don't spot errors - go to step 2: 2) Scan and group the answer choices 3) Eliminate choices until only one remains

18. 'Like' or 'unlike' triggers
A common flaw where... lack focus of evidence and focus of conclusion
A common flaw where... argues from a generalization true for the most part to a particular case (in contrast to induction - which argues from particular cases to generalisations).
A comparison trap i.e. make sure that the word after like is compared to something of a similar kind (apples and apples) e.g. 'Unlike Latvia - Lithuania - the economy of Estonia...' is incorrect (take out the economy of)
A common flaw where... (Most of what authority a has to say on subject matter S is correct. a says p about S. Therefore - p is correct.)

19. Various subjects enumerated with an 'OR' indicates singular or plural for verb conjugation?
Grammatically...logically
1) Read the original sentence carefully - LOOKING FOR ERRORS; if you don't spot errors - go to step 2: 2) Scan and group the answer choices 3) Eliminate choices until only one remains
It - they - its - their - them - which and that
Singular

20. What is the conclusion in Critical Reasoning questions? How do you find it.
Point of the author's argument. Conclusion words - the One Sentence Test - Fact vs Opinion
Answers are outside scope - 180s - and irrelevant comparisons.
A comparison trap i.e. make sure that the word after like is compared to something of a similar kind (apples and apples) e.g. 'Unlike Latvia - Lithuania - the economy of Estonia...' is incorrect (take out the economy of)
Mistaking correlation for causation - confusing actual value with percent

21. 'Fewer' and 'number' refer to ...and answer the question...
Grammatically...logically
A common flaw where... 'always -' 'none -' 'some -' and 'only' etc. set boundaries for the logic of an argument. Be careful with scope.
Countable things 'How many'
A common flaw where... for example - which is larger - one-third of x or one-half of y? Without any information to compare x and y - we cannot answer this question.

22. A llama is 'a native of' / 'native to' Peru
Sentence or fact
A common flaw where... argues from a generalization true for the most part to a particular case (in contrast to induction - which argues from particular cases to generalisations).
Native to
After

23. Bolded statement questions commonly ask to choose the answer that...
Singular
Identify another flaw in author's reasoning; explain why it is questionable
Finds a connection between the 2 parts of the stimulus in boldface
'but also'

24. A statistical syllogism (proportional syllogism or direct inference)
Mistaking correlation for causation - confusing actual value with percent
A common flaw where... 'always -' 'none -' 'some -' and 'only' etc. set boundaries for the logic of an argument. Be careful with scope.
A common flaw where... argues from a generalization true for the most part to a particular case (in contrast to induction - which argues from particular cases to generalisations).
Sentence or fact

25. Argument Essay Para 4
A common flaw where... lack focus of evidence and focus of conclusion
Describe evidence that would STRENGTHEN the argument and CONCLUDE that without such evidence you're not persuaded (DON'T have 1 sad and lonely sentence here).
A common flaw where... (Most of what authority a has to say on subject matter S is correct. a says p about S. Therefore - p is correct.)
Sentence or fact

26. Confusion of absolute numbers and percentages
Identify most offensive flaw in author's reasoning; explain why it is questionable
Make sure there is DIRECT DETAILED support for inference in the question stimulus but usually NOT CATEGORICAL
A common flaw where... for example - which is larger - one-third of x or one-half of y? Without any information to compare x and y - we cannot answer this question.
Parallel structure

27. Argument Essay Para 3
Grammatically...logically
1) Read strategically: Passage Map - Topic/Scope/Purpose or Main Idea 2) Analyse question stem 3) Research relevant text in passage 4) Make Prediction 5) Evaluate answer choices
Identify another flaw in author's reasoning; explain why it is questionable
A native of

28. Recoil
Non countable things 'How much'
Only infinitive e.g. 'to turn' (never 'to turning')
A common flaw where... argues from a generalization true for the most part to a particular case (in contrast to induction - which argues from particular cases to generalisations).
To shrink back physically or emotionally

29. Typical pronouns that cause trouble
A comparison trap i.e. make sure that the word after like is compared to something of a similar kind (apples and apples) e.g. 'Unlike Latvia - Lithuania - the economy of Estonia...' is incorrect (take out the economy of)
It - they - its - their - them - which and that
Identify most offensive flaw in author's reasoning; explain why it is questionable
Show that you understand the argument by PARAPHRASING it and saying IT FAILS TO CONVINCE (don't have to say why yet)

30. Typical wrong answers in Critical Reasoning
Singular
Answers are outside scope - 180s - and irrelevant comparisons.
A comparison trap i.e. make sure that the word after like is compared to something of a similar kind (apples and apples) e.g. 'Unlike Latvia - Lithuania - the economy of Estonia...' is incorrect (take out the economy of)
Sentence or fact

31. Items being compared must be both ... and ... comparable
Make sure there is DIRECT DETAILED support for inference in the question stimulus but usually NOT CATEGORICAL
Describe evidence that would STRENGTHEN the argument and CONCLUDE that without such evidence you're not persuaded (DON'T have 1 sad and lonely sentence here).
At FEWER than 68000 people
Grammatically...logically

32. 'Not only' is always followed by
Supports the conclusion. usually what isn't the conclusion. Sometimes this is just a conjecture.
'but also'
Are usually wrong
Finds a connection between the 2 parts of the stimulus in boldface

33. When there is a modifying phrase at the beginning of the sentence -
Parallel structure
Make sure that the subject of that phrase is what follows the comma (e.g. p175 qq34-36 of coursebook)
Grammatically...logically
Make sure there is DIRECT DETAILED support for inference in the question stimulus but usually NOT CATEGORICAL

34. To+verb: verb can be in which tense?
Native to
'but also'
To shrink back physically or emotionally
Only infinitive e.g. 'to turn' (never 'to turning')

35. Argument Essay Paragraph 1
Singular
Mistaking correlation for causation - confusing actual value with percent
Show that you understand the argument by PARAPHRASING it and saying IT FAILS TO CONVINCE (don't have to say why yet)
A common flaw where... lack focus of evidence and focus of conclusion

36. Analogies - metaphors and other comparisons all require...
Identify another flaw in author's reasoning; explain why it is questionable
Are usually wrong
Parallel structure
Non countable things 'How much'

37. Classic flaws in Critical Reasoning 'Flaw Questions' stem
None
Sentence or fact
Point of the author's argument. Conclusion words - the One Sentence Test - Fact vs Opinion
Mistaking correlation for causation - confusing actual value with percent

38. Answer choices with 'There is/are/has/have'...
Countable things 'How many'
Identify another flaw in author's reasoning; explain why it is questionable
From -between... and
Are usually wrong

39. Disconnect
Native to
A common flaw where... lack focus of evidence and focus of conclusion
1) Read strategically: Passage Map - Topic/Scope/Purpose or Main Idea 2) Analyse question stem 3) Research relevant text in passage 4) Make Prediction 5) Evaluate answer choices
Countable things 'How many'

40. Strategy for Reading Comprehension
Non countable things 'How much'
1) Read strategically: Passage Map - Topic/Scope/Purpose or Main Idea 2) Analyse question stem 3) Research relevant text in passage 4) Make Prediction 5) Evaluate answer choices
A common flaw where... 'always -' 'none -' 'some -' and 'only' etc. set boundaries for the logic of an argument. Be careful with scope.
Answers are outside scope - 180s - and irrelevant comparisons.

41. What is the evidence in Critical Reasoning questions?
Supports the conclusion. usually what isn't the conclusion. Sometimes this is just a conjecture.
Answers are outside scope - 180s - and irrelevant comparisons.
Identify most offensive flaw in author's reasoning; explain why it is questionable
Are usually wrong

42. 'Less' and 'amount' refer to ...and answer the question...
Make sure there is DIRECT DETAILED support for inference in the question stimulus but usually NOT CATEGORICAL
Sentence or fact
Non countable things 'How much'
Countable things 'How many'

43. Limiting Words
A native of
Make sure there is DIRECT DETAILED support for inference in the question stimulus but usually NOT CATEGORICAL
A common flaw where... 'always -' 'none -' 'some -' and 'only' etc. set boundaries for the logic of an argument. Be careful with scope.
Make sure that the subject of that phrase is what follows the comma (e.g. p175 qq34-36 of coursebook)

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GMAT Reading Comprehension

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