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GMAT Reading Comprehension

Subjects : gmat, reading-and-comprehension

Instructions:

Answer 43 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
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. Appeal to authority
Identify another flaw in author's reasoning; explain why it is questionable
A common flaw where... lack focus of evidence and focus of conclusion
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.)
Are usually wrong

2. Limiting Words

3. 'Fewer' and 'number' refer to ...and answer the question...

4. A person is 'a native of' / 'native to' the UK?
Supports the conclusion. usually what isn't the conclusion. Sometimes this is just a conjecture.
A native of
A common flaw where... lack focus of evidence and focus of conclusion
Point of the author's argument. Conclusion words - the One Sentence Test - Fact vs Opinion

5. Answer choices with word 'being'...
Answers are outside scope - 180s - and irrelevant comparisons.
Identify another flaw in author's reasoning; explain why it is questionable
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).
Are usually wrong

6. In Critical Reasoning Inference questions - an inference may follow from a single...
Sentence or fact
Parallel structure
Identify another flaw in author's reasoning; explain why it is questionable
Countable things 'How many'

7. Strategy for Critical Reasoning questions
Countable things 'How many'
OTHER
At FEWER than 68000 people
1. Identify the question type 2. Untangle the stimulus 3. Predict the answer 4. Evaluate choices

8. Classic flaws in Critical Reasoning 'Flaw Questions' stem
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
Finds a connection between the 2 parts of the stimulus in boldface
After the verb
Mistaking correlation for causation - confusing actual value with percent

9. Confusion of absolute numbers and percentages
Answers are outside scope - 180s - and irrelevant comparisons.
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
Finds a connection between the 2 parts of the stimulus in boldface

10. 'Distinguish red ... green' 'distinguish .... red ... green
A common flaw where... lack focus of evidence and focus of conclusion
Non countable things 'How much'
Make sure that the subject of that phrase is what follows the comma (e.g. p175 qq34-36 of coursebook)
From -between... and

11. Typical wrong answers in Critical Reasoning
From -between... and
Singular
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).
Answers are outside scope - 180s - and irrelevant comparisons.

12. Argument Essay Paragraph 2

13. Recoil
A common flaw where... (is the relationship causal? are there other possible causes?)
To shrink back physically or emotionally
'but also'
A common flaw where... 'always -' 'none -' 'some -' and 'only' etc. set boundaries for the logic of an argument. Be careful with scope.

14. Disconnect
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... lack focus of evidence and focus of conclusion
Native to
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)

15. Preposition after 'to be modelled'
Identify most offensive flaw in author's reasoning; explain why it is questionable
After
A common flaw where... (is the relationship causal? are there other possible causes?)
1. Identify the question type 2. Untangle the stimulus 3. Predict the answer 4. Evaluate choices

16. A statistical syllogism (proportional syllogism or direct inference)
Singular
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).
Point of the author's argument. Conclusion words - the One Sentence Test - Fact vs Opinion
Native to

17. Analogies - metaphors and other comparisons all require...
Identify most offensive flaw in author's reasoning; explain why it is questionable
Supports the conclusion. usually what isn't the conclusion. Sometimes this is just a conjecture.
At FEWER than 68000 people
Parallel structure

18. 'There is' 'There are'. where is the subject
A common flaw where... lack focus of evidence and focus of conclusion
At FEWER than 68000 people
After the verb
Sentence or fact

19. Bolded statement questions commonly ask to choose the answer that...
Finds a connection between the 2 parts of the stimulus in boldface
1. Identify the question type 2. Untangle the stimulus 3. Predict the answer 4. Evaluate choices
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
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).

20. Argument Essay Para 4

21. Argument Essay Para 3

22. Items being compared must be both ... and ... comparable
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... argues from a generalization true for the most part to a particular case (in contrast to induction - which argues from particular cases to generalisations).
Show that you understand the argument by PARAPHRASING it and saying IT FAILS TO CONVINCE (don't have to say why yet)
Grammatically...logically

23. When there is a modifying phrase at the beginning of the sentence -
Show that you understand the argument by PARAPHRASING it and saying IT FAILS TO CONVINCE (don't have to say why yet)
Make sure that the subject of that phrase is what follows the comma (e.g. p175 qq34-36 of coursebook)
Are usually wrong
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.

24. Strategy for Sentence Correction

25. Preposition after 'to be considered'
It - they - its - their - them - which and that
After the verb
None
Countable things 'How many'

26. 'Better than at any time' or 'better than at any OTHER time'?
OTHER
Answers are outside scope - 180s - and irrelevant comparisons.
Sentence or fact
'but also'

27. Various subjects enumerated with an 'OR' indicates singular or plural for verb conjugation?
From -between... and
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
Singular
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)

28. A llama is 'a native of' / 'native to' Peru
Native to
'but also'
Non countable things 'How much'
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.)

29. Strategy for Reading Comprehension
Native to
Non countable things 'How much'
1. Identify the question type 2. Untangle the stimulus 3. Predict the answer 4. Evaluate choices
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

30. Argument Essay Paragraph 1

31. Reading Comprehension Inference questions
From -between... and
Make sure there is DIRECT DETAILED support for inference in the question stimulus but usually NOT CATEGORICAL
Countable things 'How many'
None

32. What is the conclusion in Critical Reasoning questions? How do you find it.

33. What is the evidence in Critical Reasoning questions?

34. To be regarded 'as' or not 'as'

35. To+verb: verb can be in which tense?

36. 'Not only' is always followed by

37. 'Like' or 'unlike' triggers

38. Preposition after verb 'to credit'

39. Typical pronouns that cause trouble
Parallel structure
A native of
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

40. 'With total employment at less than 68000 people...' what should change?
Sentence or fact
At FEWER than 68000 people
Finds a connection between the 2 parts of the stimulus in boldface
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

41. Causation/correlation
A common flaw where... (is the relationship causal? are there other possible causes?)
Parallel structure
Show that you understand the argument by PARAPHRASING it and saying IT FAILS TO CONVINCE (don't have to say why yet)
'but also'

42. 'Less' and 'amount' refer to ...and answer the question...

43. Answer choices with 'There is/are/has/have'...
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
Finds a connection between the 2 parts of the stimulus in boldface
Are usually wrong
From -between... and