Main Idea question – what do I do?
“What is the main point?”
“The passage suggests…”
Summarize the entire passage in ONE sentence
Focus on the overall message, not details
Type: Understanding
Author’s Purpose – what am I looking for?
“Why did the author write this?”
Why the author wrote it: explain, argue, criticize, compare
Look at tone + main idea together
Type: Understanding
Tone / Attitude – how do I answer?
“The author’s tone is…”
Identify how the author feels (neutral, critical, supportive, skeptical)
Look for emotional or judgment words
Type: Understanding
Inference – how do I solve?
“It can be inferred that…”
“Most likely…”
Pick what MUST be true from the text
No guessing, no outside info
Type: Logic
Most likely questions – what do they mean?
“most likely”
“it can be inferred”
“probably”
“suggests that”
Choose the safest, best-supported conclusion
Avoid extreme answers
Type: Logic
Best supported – strategy?
“Which is best supported by the passage?”
Find answer with DIRECT evidence in the passage
If you can’t point to it → it’s wrong
Type: Evidence
“NOT supported” / EXCEPT – what do I do?
“All are true EXCEPT…”
Find the ONE answer that does NOT match the passage
Everything else must be true
Type: Evidence
Meaning of a statement – how to approach?
“Statement X implies…”
Translate the sentence into simpler words
Focus on idea, not wording
Type: Understanding
Analogy / Similar idea – strategy?
“Which statement is most similar?”
Match the structure of the idea, not the topic
Same relationship, different context
Type: Logic
Strengthen question – what helps?
“Which supports/undermines the argument?”
Add evidence that makes the conclusion more likely
Support the cause or reasoning
Type: Logic
Assumption – what am I finding?
“The argument assumes…”
The hidden belief required for the argument to work
If false → argument collapses
Type: Logic
Weaken question – what helps?
“Which supports/undermines the argument?”
Find something that breaks the argument
Alternative explanation = strong weaken
Type: Logic
Cause vs Correlation – what’s the trap?
“What explains this result?”
Just because two things happen together ≠ one causes the other
Look for missing link
Type: Logic
Explanation questions – what do they want?
“what explains…”
“what accounts for…”
“what is the reason…”
Find the cause that best explains the result
Must fit ALL the data
Type: Logic
Contradiction / Inconsistency – strategy?
“Which conflicts with the passage?”
Find the answer that directly disagrees with the passage
Breaks the pattern or claim
Type: Evidence
