SAT Critical Reading Passage-Based Question Types

Passage-Based Question Types

• What Are Passage-Based Questions:
• Passage-based questions are questions related to long, short, or paired passages.
• They may ask you for information directly related in the passage, or ask you to draw conclusions or make predictions after “reading between the lines.”
• These questions usually appear toward the end of the critical reading section.
• Passage Types
• Nonfiction
• Humanities
• Social studies
• Natural sciences
• Literary fiction
• Paired passages
• Narrative, persuasive, expository, and literary elements
• Question Types
• Literal comprehensionquestions ask you to identify information that is directly presented in the passage.
• Vocabulary-in-contextquestions ask you to identify the meaning of words as they’re used in the passage
• Extended reasoningquestions ask you to draw conclusions from or evaluate the information in the passage.
• Literal Comprehension Questions
• To answer these questions, rely on your memory or look back at the passage.
• Remember that the wording in the question need not match the wording of the passage.
• Watch out for “reversal words” such as except, not,and only.
• Vocabulary-in-Context Questions
• Most words in these questions have multiple meanings.
• To answer these questions, go back and reread the sentences to which they refer. Study the context.
• If necessary, think of another word that would make just as much sense in the same sentence.
• Extended Reasoning Questions
• May ask you to determine the main idea or the author’s primary purpose in writing.
• May ask you to explain what a particular word, image, phrase, example, or quotation means in context.
• Draw conclusions based on the information provided.
• Predict how the author of one passage might react to or evaluate an idea expressed in a related passage.
• Identify the author’s tone or attitude.
• Understand a specific idea or relationship in a passage and identify a parallel or analogous one.
• Passage-Based Question Strategies
• Take notes
• As you read, make little notes in the margin to indicate what happens in particular sections, or what material is included there. Summarize key events and passages.
• This doesn’t help every student, but it might give you a handy reference when you have to look back at the passage later.
• Don’t spend too much time on note-taking–remember it’s supposed to help you work faster.
• Read what’s there … and what isn’t
• Pay attention to what the author is saying, even if you don’t agree.
• Read between the lines to identify the author’s tone and attitude, as well as whether he or she is being ironic or satirical.
• Remember that each passage has a purpose, but it may not be obvious.
• Ask questions:As you read, ask yourself:
• What factsare being presented?
• What opinions are being conveyed?
• What is the author’s purpose?
• What sort of writing probably came beforethis selection?
• What sort of writing might come afterit?
• Read the questions first (?)
• If you’re really struggling to understand the passage, read the questions before going back to it. You may have an easier time if you know what you’ll be asked to do.
• BUT this doesn’t work all the time. Knowing what the questions are asking might be a waste of time if you can’t figure out what the passage is about. Try both methods as you answer practice questions, and see which one works better for you.
• Key Words and Phrases

  When you see …	Remember …
  According to the author/passage	To answer with what the author says/thinks, not what youthink.
  best	To choose the very best answer, and avoid letting merely good ones distract you.
  chiefly	To look for central or important elements–the “big stuff”
  except	To look for the answer choice that doesn’t belong.
  The author implies…It can be inferred …The author suggests …	To read between the lines, and never substitute your ideas for the author’s.
  least	To choose the least likely, reasonable, etc. choice–the one that makes the least sense.
  mainly	It’s the same as chiefly–look for the big ideas.
  most	To choose the most likely, reasonable, etc. choice–like mainlyand chiefly, opposite to least.
  only	To watch for single examples of something (“I am an onlychild”), or restrictions (“I onlygo running on Sundays.”)
  primarily	Same as chiefly

• Passage-Based Strategies
• All the answers will be in, or implied by, the passage. Read carefully!
• Watch out for descriptive words and phrases, like “attractive,” “burned,” or “with a smirk”. Details matter, both for literal comprehension and extended reasoning!
• Read questions and answers carefully.
• Don’t let a good answer be the enemy of the best answer. It’s possible for an answer to be both true and wrong.
• Make sure the passage supports whichever answer you choose.
• Use process of elimination. Remember, if you can eliminate at least two choices, it’s worth it to guess.
• Double-check the other choices, just in case.
• If you have read carefully, your first answer is very often the best one–unless you find new information on the reread.
• Don’t jump from passage to passage. Answer as many questions as you can on each passage before moving on.
• If you must jump around, jump around within a set of questions.
• Remember that going back to questions later may mean rereading the passage.
• Go back to any questions you’ve skipped and see if you’ve learned any new information or drawn any new conclusions. Remember, your brain is always working, even when you think it’s not!
• Recommended supplementary material to view SAT questions featured in lesson answer guides: The Official SAT Study Guide by the College Board.