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MCAT Verbal Reasoning Questions

Instructions:
  • Answer 28 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. Describe how the author makes their argument; address logical structure along with content - Ask purpose of particular reference: 1. The author probably mentions (blank) in order to 2. The (blank) are cited as evidence that 3. The author describes (b






2. Evaluate whether or not the author expresses an opinion regarding the material of the passage - Look for annotated opinion indicators 1. The author's tone 2. author's attitude






3. Asked to evaluate answer choices in terms of how they undermine the passage - 1. Which of the following If True - would strength (or weaken) - Do Not reference passage - but take each choice as if it were true and find the one that does what it needs






4. New Information Attractors






5. Evaluate What effects new information will have on author's argument as a whole






6. 1. Main Idea/Primary Purpose 2. Tone/Attitude






7. Give new facts that are in same general area of passage and ask What is likely true according the passage - Answer question in paraphrase prior to looking at answer choices*






8. Identify logical structure while asking whether a particular claim is supported in the passage 1. Which of the following claims is supported 2. For which of the following claims is not supported 3. Support offered by conclusion 4. Is (blank) well sup






9. Take something in passage and apply it to a new situation. New information is provided in the answer choices






10. 1. Choices the irrelevant to cited part (out of scope) 2. Do Not eliminate solely based on strong wording (the more it strengthens/weakens - the better)






11. 1. Info of passage in extreme language/absolute 2.choices that aren't necessarily true 3. right answer wrong question






12. 1. Give legitimate dictionary of colloquial/common sense definitions 2. Choices that over generalize or are too narrow






13. 1. Choice that provides additional evidence for the claim 2. Choice that fills in logical gap 3. Choice that anticipates and blocks a potential argument against claim






14. Answers that mischaracterize the strength of argument (weakly for strongly supported) - Analyze What is precisely good or bad about logic used






15. Provide new facts in the question stem that are never mentioned in the passage - 2 types: 1. Inference 2. Strengthen/Weaken






16. 1. Choice that take author's opinion to extremes 2. Express opinion for neutral tone 3. Strange attitudes (Ex: obtuse ambiguity)






17. Test ability to locate info 1. According to the passage 2. The passages that 3. Which of the following is not mentioned:






18. 1. Retrieval 2. Inference 3. Vocab in context






19. Retrieval Attractors


20. Chose what must be true according to the passage 1. It can be inferred that 2. Based on the passage - it 3. The author implies that 4. Implicit in the passage is 5. The author suggests that 6. It can be reasonably concluded 7. Which of the following






21. 1. right example - wrong reference 2. Half right - half wrong choices - Correct answer will be consistent with the Main Point of the whole chunk






22. 1. Structure Questions 2. Evaluate Questions 3. Strengthen/Weaken 4. New Information 5. Analogy






23. Use Goldilock's approach: eliminate What is too big or too small






24. Define What the author means by a certain word or phrase 1. As its used in the passage 2. The term implicitly refers to






25. 1. choice that goes furthest toward making it impossible for claim to be true 2. Inconsistent with relevant part of passage






26. Summarize claims and implications made throughout the passage. Claim supported by specific evidence - Good active reading is key- focus on Verb in answer choice - 1. The main idea 2. the central thesis 3. The author's primary purpose






27. Correct answer choice is similar to claim in logic - but does nothing to strength or weaken the claim 1. Wrong tone 2. Do Not eliminate based on topic






28. 1. Understate or overstate author's point 2. choice that is too narrow 3. Choices that go beyond the scope of the passage