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Every passage has a Simple Story - the gist or code meaning of the passage. Look for content: the scientific or historical subject of the passage. Look for judgment: whatauthor and any other people believe about the content. Link to the ideas that you already know that are not mentioned in the passage.
Every passage has a Simple Story - the gist or code meaning of the passage. Look for content: the scientific or historical subject of the passage. Look for judgment: whatauthor and any other people believe about the content. Link to the ideas that you already know that are not mentioned in the passage.
Every passage has a Simple Story - the gist or code meaning of the passage. Look for content: the scientific or historical subject of the passage. Look for judgment: whatauthor and any other people believe about the content. Link to the ideas that you already know that are not mentioned in the passage.
Reading Comprehension: Chapter 1 Introduction To Principles
Principle 1: Engage In Passage o Quick and effective method is to pretend that you really like this stuff. o Another way is to help yourself get into the passage psychologically is to identify the good guys and bad guys. o Recruiting for you Memory work Inc. 1. To let in all the talented, important people 2. To keep out all the people who will not contribute. Principle2: Look for the Simple Story o Every GMAT passage has a simple story the gist or code meaning of the passage. You must find the simple story in the first read- through. o How to identify simple story 1. Text It To me 2. Make a table of content 3. Look for Content and Judgment a. Content: the scientific or historical subject of the passage. i. Causes ( effects, evidences, logical results) ii. Process ( steps, means, ends) iii. Categories (examples, generalities) b. Judgment: whatauthor and any other people believe about the content i. Theories and Hypothesis ii. Evaluations and Opinions iii. Comparisons and Contrasts iv. Advantages and Disadvantages o Reminder: Dont forget the Twist. On GMAT , there will often be some important qualification and contrasts - a key twist or two in the road. Principle 3: Link to What you already know o Concretizing actively imagine that the words are referring to. Re-explain the original text to yourself. o Link to the ideas that you already know that are not mentioned in the passage. Principle 4: Unpack the Beginning o You must understand the first few sentences of every passage, because they supply critical context to the entire passage. 1. Grab the concrete noun first 2 Reading Comprehension: Chapter 1 Introduction To Principles 2. Turn action back into verbs 3. Put only ONE simple thought in a sentence 4. Link each subsequent sentence to the previous one, using this or these 5. Simplify or quote off details. Principle 5: Link to What you have just Read o As you read further, you must continue to ask about the meaning and purpose of what you are reading. What does this sentence mean in relation to everything else I have read? o Relationship a sentence can have with previous text 1. Is the new sentence expected or surprising? 2. Does this support or oppose the earlier material? 3. Does it answer or ask a question? o Content/Judgment framework can guide you. But DO NOT use this as checklist, rather simple be aware of the various possible relationships. Principle 6: Pay Attention to Signals o Paragraph beaks are important. Indicate something new. o Signal words indicate relationship to previous texts. Relationship Signal Focus Attentions -- As for;Regarding; In reference to Add to previous text -- Furthermore; Moreover; In addition to; As well as; Also; Likewise; Too Provide Contrasts -- On one hand/ on another hand; While; Rather; Instead; In contrast;Alternatively Provide Conceding Contrasts -- Granted; It is true that;Certainly; Admittedly (Author unwillingly agrees) Provide emphatic contrast -- But; However; Even; so; All the same; Still; That said; nevertheless; Nonetheless; Yet;Otherwise (Author asserts own position) Despite [concession]; [assertions] Dismiss previous point -- In any event; In any case Point out similarity -- Likewise; In the same way Structure the discussion -- First, Second, ect; to begin with; Next; Finally; Again Give Example -- For example; In particular; For instance Generalize -- In general; To a great extent; Broadly speaking Sum up, perhaps with exception-- In conclusion; Brief; Overll; Except for; Besides 3 Reading Comprehension: Chapter 1 Introduction To Principles Indicate logical result -- Therefore; Thus; As a result; So; Accordingly: Hence Indicate logical cause -- Because; Since; As; Resulting from Restate for clarity -- In other words; That if; Namely; So to speak Hedge or soften position -- Apparently; At least; Can, Could, May, Might, Should; Positively; Likely Strengthen position -- After all; Must, have to; Always, Never, ect Introduce surprise -- Actually; In fact; Indeed Reveal authors attitude -- Fortunately; Unfortunately; other adverbs; So-called.
Principle 7: Pick Up the Pace o Go faster after the first paragraph o DO NOT get lost in details later in the passage. o Only pay close attention to the following elements of the passage 1. Beginning of the Paragraph 1 st or 2 nd sentence functions as topic sentence, indicating the content and/or purpose of the paragraph 2. Big Surprises or change in the direction 3. Big result, answer or payoff
4 Reading Comprehension: Chapter 2 Components of Passage Point - Most important message of the passage o Crux of the simple story o Purpose of the passage o The most important message that the author is trying to convey o Analogous to the Conclusion of an argument (Critical Reasoning) o Common varieties of point 1. Resolution: Resolve an issue or a problem 2. Answer: answers a question ( similar to Resolution) 3. New Idea: describe a surprising new idea, theory or research result 4. Reason: explains an observation Background, Support and Implications o The other common components all relate to the Point in some way 1. The background information you need to understand the Point. 2. The support in evidence, assertions, and opinions For the Point. 3. Implications are the results from the Point. Foreshadowing o Foreshadowing sets up the Point. o Not always present Foreshadowing Point Problem leads to . Resolution Question.. leads to . Answer Old Idea .. leads to . New Idea Observation.. leads to . Reason or New Idea 5 Reading Comprehension: Chapter 3 Short Passage Create Headline List of the passage during first read. Spend Aprox 6 mins ( Headline and answering questions) Headline List 1. Should summarize or indicate the main idea of each paragraph - Most para have one topic senesce first or second or both sentence - Use Text It To Me or TOC style 2. Read the rest of the paragraph with an eye for big hidden surprise or results 3. Follow the same process for subsequent paragraphs 4. Once finish passage, identify the passages Point. Common Notations o Abbreviate long terms, particularly proper nouns o User arrows ( ) to indicate cause-effect relationship or changes over time. o Point of view, arguments use this notation --- Historians: econ. interests war o Mark Ex for Examaples o Number each paragraph Using Headline List o DO NOT use to answer question. o Use to answer General Question o Use as search tool to refer back to passage while answering Specific Question Common structure of Short Passage Point First Point Last Point in Middle POINT Background Background E.g. X is true E.g. Phenomenon Q happens E.g. Phenomenon Q happens
Support: Heres Why Support: There is theory X and Y POINT Pros and Cons Theory X explains Q (Optional Implications) Heres what could result POINT Support: Heres why Theory X is better (Optional Implications) 6 Reading Comprehension: Chapter 4 Long Passage
Create SKELETAL SKETCH for long passage. Spend aprox 8 mins creating skeletal sketch, identifying point and answering questions SKELETAL SKETCH 1. Skull Top of the skeletal is the most defined structure. First para is most important that other paras Take notes for every sentence 2. Limbs short headlines or one-sentence summaries of each remaining paras Subsequent paras are generally not as important as first para. Read each body para to determine its main point or purpose. Focus on 1 st /2 nd sentence. Read remainder sentence quickly, intentionally skimming over details. Be on look out for big surprise.( GMAT buries it within body, you add them in skelatal sketch). Construct simple story 3. Once you have finished the passage, identify the Point Glance back on your notes and mark the Point. Common structure of Long Passage Point First Point Last Point in Middle POINT Background Background E.g. X is true E.g. Phenomenon Q happens E.g. Phenomenon Q happens
Support: Heres Why Support: There is theory X and Y POINT Pros and Cons Theory X explains Q (Optional Implications) Heres what could result POINT Support: Heres why Theory X is better (Optional Implications)
7 Reading Comprehension: Chapter 5 Seven Strategies General Questions o What is the main idea of this passage? o Dive right into the answer choices and start eliminating. o An incorrect answer choicemay pertain only to a detail in a body paragraph. o Strategy If stuck between two answer choices, use a SCORING SYSTEM to assign a value to each one. (2 point if relates to first para and 1 point for each additional related paragraph) o Common questions The primary purpose of this passage is .? The main idea of this passage is ? Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage? The passage as a whole can be best characterized as which of the following? Specific Questions o Deal with details, inferences, assumptions, and arguments. o DO NOT look at the answer choices, four out of 4 times are meant to mislead you. o Strategy Identify the KEY WORDS in the question. Then go back to the passage and find those key words. o You may have to do a little thought work or take few notes know the Mantra to answer the question. o Strategy Find one or two PROOF SENTENCES to defend the correct answer choice. Strategies for All reading Comprehension questions o Strategy Justify every word in answer choice. Every word must be correct and true. o Strategy AVOID extreme words if possible. ( all and never). GMAT prefers moderate language and idea. o Strategy Infer as little as possible. If the answer choice answers the question AND can be confirmed by language in the passage, it will be correct one. Eliminate any answer choices that require any logical stretch or leap. When you read the passage suggest or The passage implies, you should rephrase that language: The passage STATES JUST A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.You must be able to prove the answer, Just as if the question asked you to look it up in the passage. Think the same way on Critical Reasoning problems. ( Draw Conclusion) Stick with the words on the screen. Strategy Preview the first question 8 Reading Comprehension: Chapter 6 Question Analysis Strategies Type of wrong answer choices 1. Out of scope (40-50% ) Introduces an unwarranted assertions supported nowhere in the passage. Might be Real World Plausible if not supported by passage, it is out of scope 2. Direct Contradiction (20-25%) States the exact opposite of something asserted in the passage. Paradoxically attractive, because it relates to the passage closely. Found in all question types, but less often in General questions. 3. Mixed-Up (10-15%) Scramble together disparate content from the passage. Tries to trap student who simply matches the language not meaning. Found more often in Specific questions. 4. One Word Wrong(10-15%) Just one word ( or may two) is incorrect. Includes extreme words More prevalent in General questions. 5. True But Irrelevant (~ 10%) True according to passage, but does not answer the given question. May be too narrow or simply unrelated. More prevalent in General questions.
What are Keywords Transition Words Very simply put keywords are like road signs. Road signs tell the traveller what lies ahead , sometimes where they are , and sometimes what they can and cant do on the road. Likewise Keywords and Transition words tell the Reader what kind of information lies ahead, the also establish a relationship between the reader has just read and what is about to come. Good readers are good at picking up keywords and hence following the exact ow of information precisely the way the author meant it , information generated by the keyword also helps a good reader predict what information is coming his way and thus helps him comprehend the information more effectively even when the information is complex. A course in Reading. Keywords/Transition words Pretty much like a good driver who seeing this sign will be ready for a curvey ride unlike a poor driver who will miss this sign and either end up in farmland by the road or take last minute hurried action. On the road following road signs and information can save your live and make for a smoother journey similarly in reading being aware of keywords , noticing them and reading accordingly can make reading a pleasant journey. Since our main idea is to convey to you the importance of keywords and how they can almost magically inuence your reading. i will be repeating the idea quite often. in different words using different details and supporting material. If by the end of the chapter your brain can become sensitized to keywords such that you notice them all around you the purpose will be served. An introduction to keywords and their Function just the way road signs can be categorized by what function they serve , turns , road descriptions , speed limits , special hazards etc . Keywords can also be divided by what function they are serving. Following is a list divided on the basis of function , you will nd a lot of keywords repeated in separate sections but remember _+_+_+++ Function: Addition , For continuing a common line of reasoning,
A course in Reading. Keywords/Transition words Furthermore Sentence A Sentence B Shows Idea in Sentence B is an Addition to the idea in Sentence A Keywords serving this function :also, again, as well as, besides, coupled with, furthermore, For Starters we are using the visual to emphasize the point that just looking at the keyword and without looking at what is inside sentence A and B we can still determine the relationship between the sentences. Now for an actual text sample sentences are numbered for better analysis. (1)The human ability to assign arbitrary meaning to any object, behavior or condition makes people enormously creative and readily distinguishes culture from animal behavior. (2)People can teach animals to respond to cultural symbols, but animal cannot create their own symbols. (3)Furthermore, animals have the capability of limited tool manufacture and use, but human tool use is extensive enough to rank as qualitatively different and human tools often carry heavy symbolic meanings. (4)They symbolic element of human language, especially speech, is again a vast qualitative expansion over animal communication systems.
Text Analysis: Topic Statement and the main idea of the paragraph is underlined. Sentence 2 is an elaboration of the Topic Statement , so is sentence 3 Furthermore establishes the relationship between sentence 2 and 3 . Similarly Again tells the reader that idea in sentence 4 has been already mentioned. (1)Culture lock -in results from the gradual stiffening of the invisible architecture of the corporation, and the ossication of its decision-making abilities, control systems, and mental models.(2) It dampens a companys ability to innovate or to shed operations with a less-exciting future. (3)Moreover it signals the corporations inexorable decline into inferior performance. Text Analysis: Sentence 1 idea what results in culture Lock in . Sentence 2 states the effects of cultural lock-in , Moreover in sentence 3 indicates that idea in sentence 3 will be another detail about Cultural lock in . (1)This dogmatism is to some extent necessary. (2)It is demanded by a situation which can only be dealt with by forcing our conjectures upon the world.(3) Moreover, this dogmatism allows us to approach a good theory in stages, by way of approximations: if we accept defeat too easily, we may prevent ourselves from finding that we were very nearly right Text Analysis: Topic statemement/main idea is underlined. Dogmatism is Necessary in statement 1 is explained in sentence 2 as well as 3 and 3rd is in addition to 2nd. A course in Reading. Keywords/Transition words Function: Consequence, Conclusions Keyword/phrases serving this function :accordingly, as a result, consequently, for this reason, for this purpose, hence, so , therefore, thus, thereupon, wherefore, in conclusion, in nal consideration, indeed
A course in Reading. Keywords/Transition words consequence 'kansikwans; kwcns noun 1 a result or effect of an action or condition : many have been laid off from work as a consequence of the administration's policies. conclusion kan'kIoo zh an noun 1 the end or nish of an event or process : the conclusion of World War Two. the summing-up of an argument or text. the settling or arrangement of a treaty or agreement : the conclusion of a free-trade accord. 2 a judgment or decision reached by reasoning : each research group came to a similar conclusion. Logic a proposition that is reached from given premises. Therefore Sentence B Indicates that the following sentence is a conclusion Sentence A Sample text and analysis For some multi-layered materials this effect is particularly powerful and is, accordingly, called "giant" magneto-resistance he vast majority of people are consuming suboptimal amounts of most micronutrients, and most of the micronutrients concerned are very safe. Accordingly, a comprehensive and universal program of micronutrient support is probably the most cost-effective and safest way of improving the general health of the nation. Each intervention on its own will hardly make enough difference to be measured. The best therapeutic response must therefore combine micronutrients to normalise our internal physiology
We are a young world, your eminence. In our short history we have had but few members of the higher nobility visiting our poor planet. Hence, our enthusiasm. we often adapt our environments and attempt to change the very constraints that force our own adaptation. Indeed, in our industrial, nancial, and civil systems, often the antithesis of biological laws are prescribed. As a result, there is considerable evidence that we are pushing the limits of our existence.thus This technique is so sensitive that it means the spots can be made smaller and packed closer together than was previously possible, thus increasing the capacity and reducing the size and cost of a disk drive Some anthropologist would dene culture entirely as mental rules guiding behavior, although often widely divergence exists between the acknowledged rules for correct behavior and what people actually do. Consequently, some researches pay most attention to human behavior and its material products. A course in Reading. Keywords/Transition words Function: Exemplication, Illustration, Moving to Specic Details Keywords Phrases serving this function chiey, especially, for instance, in particular, namely, particularly, including, specically, such as for example, for instance, namely, to illustrate, in particular, specically, such as, as an illustration, illustrated with, as an example, in this case , in particular, to explain, to list, to enumerate, in detail, namely, including. Samples A course in Reading. Keywords/Transition words For Instance Sentence A Sentence B Shows that Sentence B is a specic Example of Idea in sentence A Function : Emphasis , Focus , Special attention, Most important, special attention Keywords/phrases serving this function more importantly , above all, chiey, especially, particularly, singularly , truly, in fact, to emphasize SAMPLE The symbolic element of human language, especially speech, is again a vast qualitative expansion over animal communication systems. And when mental models are out of sync with reality, they cause management to make forecasting errors and poor decisions. The assumption of continuity, in fact, is precisely the kind of disconnect with reality that leads corporations into awed forecasting and poor decisions. Nearly 30 million children in the sixteen age group do not go to school-reason enough to make primary education not only compulsory but a fundamental right. But is that the solution? More importantly, will it work? Or will it remain a mere token, like the laws providing for compulsory primary education? A course in Reading. Keywords/Transition words Idea 1 Idea 2 Idea 3 Function: Similarity , comparison , analogy comparatively, coupled with, correspondingly, identically, likewise, similar, , Similarly, likewise, in like fashion, in like manner, analogous to A lump of clay is no entity, but merely part of an amorphous mass. A landscape, likewise, is merely the sum total of its part
We must remember that the theme is as much material for the artist as is the clay, wood or stone. The theme must likewise be brought to life; Now a healthy interest is taken in the works of Bessie Head, Alex La Guma, Wole Soynika, Nadine Gordimer, J.M Coetzee as literature that speaks independently of an African experience. Similarly it is no longer possible to ignore the work of Anta Diop, Paulin Hountondjii, V. Y Mudimbe, Ali Mazrui in even the most cursory survey of African history, politics, and philosophy. There is also the resemblance of the plan of the city to the blade of such a knife, the curve of the dele corresponding to the curve of the blade, the River Acis to the central rib, Acies Castle to the point, and the Capulus to the line at which the steel vanishes into the haft.)
A course in Reading. Keywords/Transition words = Idea 1 Idea 2
Function: Contrast ,
Keywords / Phrases serving this function : contrast, onversely, instead, on the other hand, on the contrary, rather, yet, but, however, still, nevertheless, in contrast
Exception: aside from, barring, besides, except, excepting, excluding, exclusive of, other than, outside of, save Restatement: To restate a point within a paragraph in another way or in a more exacting way: in other words point in fact specifically in essence, in other words, namely, that is, that is to say, in short, in brief, to put it differently
Contrast On the contrary, contrarily, notwithstanding, but, however, nevertheless, in spite of, in contrast, yet, on one hand, on the other hand, rather, or, nor, conversely, at the same time, while this may be true. Sequence: at rst, rst of all, to begin with, in the rst place, at the same time, for now, for the time being, the next step, in time, in turn, later on, meanwhile, next, then, soon, the meantime, later, while, earlier, simultaneously, afterward, in conclusion, with this in mind,After, afterward, before, then, once, next, last, at last, at length, rst, second, etc., at rst, formerly, rarely, usually, another, nally, soon, meanwhile, at the same time, for a minute, hour, day, etc., during the morning, day, week, etc., most important, later, ordinarily, to begin with, afterwards, generally, in order to, subsequently, previously, in the meantime, immediately, eventually, concurrently, simultaneously. A course in Reading. Keywords/Transition words Summarizing: after all, all in all, all things considered, briey, by and large, in any case, in any event, in brief, in conclusion, on the whole, in short, in summary, in the nal analysis, in the long run, on balance, to sum up, to summarize, nally
Diversion: by the way, incidentally To change the line of reasoning (contrast): however on the other hand but yet nevertheless on the contrary
ransitional chains, to use in separating sections of a paragraph which is arranged chronologically: first... second... third... generally... furthermore... finally in the first place... also... lastly in the first place... pursuing this further... finally to be sure... additionally... lastly in the first place... just in the same way... finally basically... similarly... as well Concession Although, at any rate, at least, still, thought, even though, granted that, while it may be true, in spite of, of course. A course in Reading. Keywords/Transition words CAUSE AND EFFECT... THEN, he moved on to the next work station. AS A RESULT, the team lost the game. FOR THIS REASON, she always went home for the weekend. THE RESULT WAS always predictable. WHAT FOLLOWED was as painful as it was inevitable. IN RESPONSE, he quickly upped the ante. THEREFORE, the aircraft overshot the runway. THUS, it was just a matter of time. BECAUSE OF THIS, the results were always the same. CONSEQUENTLY, he was no longer friends with Frank. THE REACTION to this event was swift and decisive.
Introduction Feared by students more than Mondays, Reading comprehension is a test of your ability to read and understand unfamiliar materials and to answer questions about them. In reading comprehension, you will be given a passage (or let us say a set of passages) to read, which will be like an excerpt from a serious discussion of a topic from the natural sciences, the social sciences, or a businessrelated field. Youll then have to answer a group of questions about the passage, testing how well youve understood its content. So far so good! Reading Comprehension (RC) makes one of the major testareas in almost all entrance tests. In the CAT the weightage RC is roughly 50% of the Verbal Ability section. Even in the English Usage Section, more than half the questions (for example, theme based questions) can be solved fast and correctly only if one is good at RC. The weightage and the toughness level of RC vary from test to test. RC in the CAT is the stiffest ordeal. Earlier there generally were 5 6 passages with the average length of a passage being 600 800 words. Now the number of passages has come down to four, but the passages are abstract and most of the questions are inference based. Also the passages are from very diverse fields of interest. It is generally seen that students who are voracious readers (fiction/non fiction/general/specific etc.) always have an edge over others who are not given to extensive reading.
Why this Ordeal of Reading Comprehension in CAT? Reading comprehension, as they say, is designed to measure your ability to handle the varied kinds of sophisticated, complex, and subtle reading that graduate business students are called upon to do. You wont right now believe the amount of material you would have to go through as a manager. Reading Comprehension prepares you for just that. But work is work! To top it all, in order to answer the questions its not enough to understand the basic facts presented in the passage; you also need to notice the more elusive inferences in the passage (that is, ideas that are suggested rather than directly stated) as well as the form, structure, and style of the passage (that is, how the author has chosen to present his/her ideas).
Reading Practice You are not expected to use any information other than the ideas explicit or implicit of the passage. You should confine yourself only to the passage. In the long run, the best approach would be to read books widely and extensively and articles of all kinds. Reading the editorials in standard newspapers will be of good support. Speed, stamina and the power to comprehend the printed word will consequently improve. READ, READ & READ!!!! You will have to develop the skill to read the passage fast and with concentration so as to intuitively spot the main theme or thrust of the passage, supporting facts and arguments. This can come only with a good knowledge of English, and a critical approach with sustained practice. While examining the answer choices, you will have to pay attention to the language as well as their import.
The Purpose of Reading: The purpose of reading is to connect the ideas in the passage to what you already know. If you don't know anything about a subject, then pouring words of text into your mind is like pouring water into your hand. You don't retain much. For example, try reading these numbers: 7516324 This is hard to read and remember. 7516324 This is easier because of chunking. 1234567 This is easy to read because of prior knowledge and structure. Similarly, if you like sport, then reading the sports page is easy. You have a framework in your mind for reading, understanding and storing information.
NittyGritties of Reading Comprehension There are three elements of Reading Comprehension to be considered: (A) Comprehension or Understanding (B) Speed (C) Application/Correlation Key Point: Good reading means building frameworks for connecting words to thoughts.
Improving Comprehension Try talking to a person who is relatively good at RC. More often than not it will turn out that s/he has been fond of reading and has possibly read hundreds of good books other than the normally prescribed text books for routine studies. Avid readers invariably turn out to be inherently good at cracking RC this applies even to those that might have been reading basically fiction. What could explain this? The most likely reasons are that such persons are not put off by lengthy and even abstract reading, have better and longer concentration and have also learnt to read speedily with good retention. Besides the general awareness level of such persons is also higher as they have gained a lot of awareness through reading. You can also increase our comprehension, retention and speed the same way. Diversified reading, i.e. reading of diversified topics will help you in at least three ways It will improve your RC as stated and also increase your comfort level with different RC topics. It will improve your vocabulary, as different subjects use different vocabulary It will enrich your oral and written expression through the storehouse of ideas gained through such reading. Quite an arduous task but that is the way it goes!!! And it is never too late to get started.
Sticking to the Purpose of Reading Another point to be kept in mind is that the reading of an RC passage is for a specific purpose that is to answer the questions correctly. When you go through an RC passage, you have to keep two things in mind, viz. the main point of discussion (what the author is driving at) and any ancillary information that will help answer specific questions. So within the limited time available, you ought to be looking for the grain rather than the chaff. Half the passage or more may be irrelevant for your purpose. If you cannot skip it totally, try to speed through it with minimum fuss.
Key Point: Please do not try to enjoy a passage or gain knowledge out of it in an exam. You have the rest of your lives to do that and there are better ways of committing suicide. Toolkit
1. What is the subject of the passages that we get for RC?
The passages in any Reading Comprehension would deal with the following subjects: 1. Biological Sciences (Biochemistry, Botany, Medicine, Microbiology, Pharmacy, Zoology, etc.) 2. Humanities (Art, Cinema, Literature, Music etc.) 3. Physical Sciences (Astronomy, Astrophysics, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Geology, Mathematics, Physics etc.) 4. Social Sciences (Anthropology, Philosophy and this one is a favorite - Business, Economics, Education, History, Politics, Psychology, Public Administration, Sociology, etc.) Each of these subjects has its own language.
2. How much time do we spend on reading the passage? The goal is to spend no more than 34 minutes "reading" the entire passage. Just remember that you don't get any points for reading the passages.
The Reading in Reading Comprehension Reading a passage in a Reading Comprehension test is like a drive through a strange city. The main idea of the passage is like the overall plan of the city; the main idea of each paragraph is like the plan of the locality through which you are driving. Reading the passage is like driving quickly through the city. You do not waste time memorizing every detail of every locality; you just develop a general sense of the layout of the city.
It is general assumed that all the information in the passage is important to answer the questions correctly, but this isn't true. The questions against an RC passage cover only a small fraction of the passage. You have to identify the important parts and ignore most of the rest. The less time you spend reading the passage, the more time you'll have for gaining the score. Broadly speaking here are two types of questions in Reading Comprehension and neither requires you to memorize specific information:
1. General questions: To answer these, you need to have an understanding of the main idea and, perhaps, the structure of the passage. 2. Specific questions: Since you'll be asked about only a few specific pieces of information, it makes sense only to have a vague idea of where the specific information is located in the passage. That way you'll know where to look for it if you need it.
3. Which passages are to be attempted out of the RC and which of these are to be attempted first? This is a question that often intrigues an MBA aspirant, particularly if there are a number of passages to be attempted? Let us try analyzing what to attempt and based on which criteria: Length of the passage Accept it or not, this is generally the first thing all of us consider. One always tends to prefer a smaller passage to a longer one. (Who wouldnt prefer a 1 page RC to a 3 page RC?)
Number of questions The more the number of questions to be attempted, the higher is the probability of you actually attempting more questions.
Type of questions An analysis during practice of which questions are you comfortable attempting & most often get correct would tell you which kinds of questions should you attempt. More the number of those kinds of questions in a passage, better it is for you to attempt that particular passage.
Subject of the Passage It is always advisable for you to attempt a passage based on the subject you are acquainted with as the jargon there wont baffle you. But please dont delve into the details of a subject of your knowledge. This will increase the time you take. Remember, there are better ways to commit suicide.
Key Point: You get points for answering questions NOT for reading the passage. Caution
Use a combination of all these points to choose the passage(s) for yourself.
4. Should we attempt all the passages/all the questions? Related with the above question is a set of others. Should we attempt? All Questions of All the Passages (AQAP) All Questions of Some Passages (AQSP) Some Questions of All Passages (SQAP) Some Questions of Some Passages (SQSP) Before we answer this set of questions, we ought to know that CAT is a Test of accuracy and speed. RCs are essentially time taking. Even after devoting a lot of time, students are not sure whether they got the right answers. In any case, time is a precious resource in the CAT examination. So the students should attempt all the questions of all the passages (AQAP) only where they find Easy Passages Easy Questions (EPEQ) attempt some questions of all/some passages, where they find Easy Passages Difficult Questions (EPDQ) attempt all questions of some (easy) passages (AQSP) if they face an odd very difficult passage
5. Should we read the passage first or the other way round? Ways to Tackle the Questions. I. Reading pattern passage followed by questions: Reading the passage first and then attacking the questions. Passage Questions Tips & Traps: Sometimes in the process, you might spend a lot of time comprehending those parts of passage which arent important i.e. on which no questions are asked so beware.
II. Questions followed by passage: Reading the questions followed by reading the passage. Questions Passage
Tips & Traps: The pitfall here might be that you read Q1 and look for the answer in the passage. Then you read Q2 and search for its answer and so on. Very human to do so! So, for 6 questions you might end up reading the passage at least 4 times if not more. This means wastage of time. III. Passage and Questions simultaneously Reading two paragraphs and attempting the questions pertaining to them and so on. Passage Questions Tips & Traps: This may not lead you anywhere. IV So, a little safer strategy is. Question stems
Passage Reading
Question solving The above strategy works! P.S.: Attempting a passage is a very relative process. Therefore, try working on all these strategies and see what suits you the best.
6. Should we underline while we read? Although we advise students to avoid use of a pen or pencil that runs alongside words, for it hinders speed, a pen/pencil is handy for marking the important points in the passage. While the students are skimming the passage, they should make it a point to underline if and when they come across any phrase/point that they consider very important. This is true particularly where the students have gone through the questions and have a fair idea of what is required of them. Later on, while answering the questions, the students will not need to go through the detail, and can the required information from the underlined part(s) only.
A word of caution! Care should be taken to avoid underlining each and everything in the passage. Everything important means nothing is important. As a thumb rule, the number of words underlined should never exceed 5% of the total number of words in the passage. Also what are to be underlined are the ideas in the form of short phrases, not the detailed statements.
7. When do we know that we have the right answer? The Best Strategy is to arrive at the correct answer through a Process of Elimination (POE) of the wrong answers based on the traps that the examiner has set for you.
8. Can we answer the questions based on our prior knowledge of the topic? Strictly, NO. Prior knowledge may help you to get a grip of the topic. But this should not come in way of the requirement to answer the questions based entirely on the information furnished in the passage. Be sure to work within the context of the passage. Your own views or opinions may sometimes conflict with the views expressed in the passage.
However, you will often be able to eliminate some of the answer choices simply on the basis of commonsense, which you will be called upon to use in ample measure.
TIP A number of different reading strategies are tested by multiplechoice questions. Some are straightforward comprehension questions where you are expected to identify stated information. Others require you to read between the lines and infer the writers meaning, which may be expressed indirectly. Yet others ask you to identify and interpret opinions and the writers attitude. The final questions in the series are often designed to test understanding of overall meaning.
The multiplechoice question may therefore be more complex than it appears and in all cases requires a close reading of the text. The incorrect options or distracters in the multiplechoice question can be of several types.
untrue or contrary to what is stated in the text not mentioned in the text (although they may be true) only partially true true but irrelevant to the question
The correct option will be the only one which is entirely true for a given text and relevant to the question.
ossible tone Meaning of the word Acerbic Harsh/ severe; bitter Aggressive Forceful; tending towards unprovoked offensiveness Angry/indignant Apathetic Emotionless; not interested/ concerned; indifferent; unresponsive Apologetic Expressing remorse, regret, sorrow for having failed, injured, insulted or wronged another Belligerent Aggressively hostile; bellicose Biased Favouring one thing/person/group over another for personal reasons. Caustic Biting; acerbic Commiserating Feeling/ expressing sorrow for; empathizing with; pity Condescending Patronizing; showing/implying patronising descent from dignity/ superiority Contemptuous Expressing contempt/ disdain Cynical displaying a belief that people are always self- seeking and never altruistic in their actions Derisive Unkind and displaying contempt Disparaging Speak slightingly; depreciating; belittling Dogmatic Asserting opinions in an arrogant manner; imperious; dictatorial Emotional Easily affected by feelings actuated by experiencing love, hate, fear and the like Ethical Dealing with principles of morality; honest; righteous Euphemistic Substitution of mild, indirect or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh or blunt Grandiose More complicated/ elaborated than necessary; pompous Humanistic Evincing keen interest in human affairs, nature, welfare, values Humourous Funny and amusing Introspective Consider one's own internal state of feelings Incendiary Causing strong feelings Laudatory Praising; extolling; applauding Motivating Impelling; inciting Obsequious Fawning; showing servile complaisance; flattering; deferent Pedestrian Lacking vitality, imagination, distinction Populist Egalitarian; pertaining to the characteristics of common people/ working class Provocative Inciting; stimulating; irritating; vexing Romantic Fanciful; impractical; unrealistic; extravagant; exaggerated Sarcastic Harsh, bitter derision; taunting; sneering; cutting remarks Satirical Ironical; taunting; human folly held up to scorn/ derision/ ridicule Speculative Theoretical rather than practical; thoughtful; reflective; hypothetical Technical Using terminology or treating subject matter in a manner peculiar to a particular field, as a writer or a book Vitriolic Full of anger and hatred Vituperative Cruel and angry criticism
Speed Building Many adults never get out of the habit of reading words; something they are in habit of, since childhood. Reading words leads to slower reading whereas if you learn to recognize thought patterns, your reading speed will increase.
(A) Looking for Sign Posts! Coming back to our strange city example, when you drive through a strange city you are always on a lookout for the signposts and landmarks. By looking at them you are able to tell yourself that something is expected. Similarly certain words instantly tell you a lot about the structure of a passage. For example, if a sentence begins, on the one hand, you would expect to find an on the other hand later in the sentence. These structural signposts show an alert reader whats going to happen later in a passage. Here are some structural signposts to look out for on the CAT. Yet again special attention should be given to the words/phrases given within inverted commas ( ), because invariably these words/phrases have particular relevance in context of the passage.
Change is Upfront: Trigger Words Take a look at the following example
First paragraph: Most people believe that the UFOs have extraterrestrial origin Second paragraph: HOWEVER (trigger word), scientists have unearthed enough evidence Their genesis lies in the obscure labs sponsored by CIA. In this example the trigger word signals that the second paragraph will modify or qualify what was gone before. A trigger word at the beginning of any paragraph is a sure sign that this paragraph will disagree with what was stated in the preceding one.
Trigger words are important even if they do not appear at the beginning of a paragraph; they always signal a change of meaning, even if it is only within a sentence. Here are the trigger words that often appear in the Comprehension passages.
Although (even though) But Despite (in spite of) Except However Nevertheless Nonetheless Notwithstanding On the other hand Unless While Yet
Continuing Words Some structural signposts let you know that there will be no contradiction, no change in path. If you see a first of all it stands to reason that there will be a second and perhaps a third. Other signs of continuation: By the same token In addition Likewise Similarly This (implies a reference to preceding sentence) Thus (implies a conclusion)
YinYang Words One of frequently occurring types of passage contrasts two opposing view points and certain words immediately give this away. See if you can supply the second half of the following sentences:
1. The traditional view of the causes of global warming focuses on the burning of fossil fuel. (Second half: However, the new view is that there is some other cause.)
2. Until recently, it was thought that the Mayan civilization was destroyed as a result of drought (Second half: However, now we believe that space invaders destroyed them.)
3. The classical model of laissezfaire capitalism does not even admit the possibility of government intervention (Second half: But the rock and roll version of laissezfaire capitalism says, Let me just get my checkbook.)
4. Before 1960, it was commonly assumed that the atom was the smallest particle in the universe. (Second half: However, after 1960 scientists began to suspect that there was something even smaller.)
Whenever you spot a yin word, you should realize that there is a yang on the way. Some other yinyang words:
Yin Yang Generally (however, this time . . . ) most scientists think (but Doctor Spleegle thinks . . .) on the one hand (on the other hand . . . ) the old view (however, the new view . . .) the widespread belief (but the believes . . .)
Getting Through the Passage Faster Structural elements like these can help you understand a passage faster, with less reading. When you spot one of these signposts, make a mental note. If it actually starts a paragraph, you might begin your threeword synopsis of the paragraph with a big but. A structural signpost is usually more important to your understanding of a passage than any individual fact within that passage.
(B) Improving Speed Simple points to remember Many of us have the habit of reading out loud. Try to avoid this. Read in your mind. This will, in some measure, help you increase your reading speed. Likewise avoiding use of a pen or pencil that runs alongside words also needs to be avoided, for it hinders speed. The pen/pencil could, however, be handy for marking the important points in the passage.
(C) Pre-reading, Skimming, Scanning and Prediction CAT RC reading requires you to redefine the word reading. Here reading can be categorized under three heads: If the subject matter of the passage is entirely new to the student, it might help if s/he does the reading twice: the first reading to be a birds eye- view or a pre-reading exercise only. The birds eye-view may constitute reading the opening couple of statements, the first statement of each body paragraph, and the concluding couple of statements. A birds eye view will afford the students a good grasp of the main idea of the passage. Such pre-reading will also enable the student to decide what to look for and read in the second assay.
Skimming means: Read some; Leave some. The students should develop the habit of reading for idea that requires them to skip unnecessary/ supporting detail. There may be a small phrase in a sentence that is worth noting. The rest needs to be skipped. Skimming is useful for noting the important points of the passage. Scanning is like looking for a needle in a pile of grass. Your eyes may be looking at the grass, but not actually seeing it as the focus is only on the needle. This is literally like Arjunas focus on the birds eye. Scanning is useful for locating specific detail, where you know in which paragraph the detail may lie.
Prediction means trying to anticipate what may lie ahead. Trying to predict not only helps build focus, but also increases reading speed.
(D) Eye Span; Column Reading Increase your eye span Reduce fixation. If we read word for word, our eye-sight will be moving left to right across the entire width of the text. This is not only tiring, but also time consuming. Since the students know by now that reading of the entire passage is not needed to answer the RC questions, they should develop the habit of moving across the length of the passage skipping the text on the margins of their eye span. This will speed up reading without seriously jeopardizing the comprehension of the passage. Linked with the eye span is the technique of column reading. Let us try out an experiment. Take any article on the editorial page of a newspaper, preferably on an abstract subject, of which you have no prior knowledge. The article may run into 3-4 columns. Try going through any one column of the article, skipping the rest. Then put the paper down and write down the main idea of the article on a sheet of paper. You will find that invariably you are able to get the main point of the article by reading one column/ part of the text only. Likewise you may treat the text width of a reading passage as consisting of columns and glance through only the part within your eye span.
(E) Phrase Reading The RC passage is not a collection of words. It is rather an expression of ideas. The ideas are in phrase form. The grammatical structure of the sentences is irrelevant for the purpose of reading comprehension. Only the structurally important phrase needs to be read carefully. We need a lot of practice so as to develop the habit of reading for the relevant phrases, not for the words/sentences.
(F) Varying reading speed: All the content of the reading passage is not equally important. So why should you spend uniform time? The reading has to be at varying speed: speed through the content till you come across something very important slow down here, even mull what is being discussed here then speed up again when the content is repetitive or elaborative detail that you can always infer or predict We do not prescribe a set reading style. Select the one that you are comfortable with. Also vary the style as per the type of reading topic involved and the type of questions that you have to answer. After all, you cannot have the same speed for a work of fiction and for an abstract topic on philosophy. The varying reading speeds will help you make the most efficient use of the limited time available and at the same time improve your comprehension.
A word of Caution: Speed with Accuracy Capacity to read fast is definitely an advantage, though you should bear in mind that reading for speed alone could be counter-productive. Speed reading is not the ultimate aim. The aim is to answer the questions correctly and to make the fullest use of your capacity.
The need for assimilation: Reading is assimilation learning and all learning is a digestive process. On the face of things, it seems that there is a tradeoff between speed and assimilation if the reader goes twice as fast he assimilates half as much but it need not be so.
Assimilation is somewhat faster if you are able to relate your knowledge of the subject to the material you are reading. This is not to say that if you are not familiar with the subject matter you will not be able to assimilate well. You may just take a little longer and this will not reduce your speed drastically.
RC tests your ability to answer the questions correctly rather than your ability to read fast. Hence, regardless of how fast you can read a given text, it is the accuracy of the answers to the questions that matters in the test. Even if your reading speed is just average, you can maximize the accuracy by using appropriate techniques. Cracking the RC is a right combination of speed and technique.
Toolkit Key Point: Assimilation is measured by the quality of retention of information and the ability to recall relevant information. If you try to look at words rather than look for their meaning, you are being passive instead of being proactive. This approach may increase your speed but do nothing for assimilation. It is therefore a question of striking the right balance between speed and comprehension and reading flexibly.
Improving Comprehension Reading comprehension requires motivation, mental frameworks for holding ideas, concentration and good study techniques. Your arrows:
Develop a broad background. Broaden your background knowledge by reading newspapers, magazines and books. Become interested in world events.
Know the structure of paragraphs. Good writers construct paragraphs that have a beginning, middle and end. Often, the first sentence will give an overview that helps provide a framework for adding details. Also, look for transitional words, phrases or paragraphs that change the topic.
Identify the type of reasoning. Does the author use cause and effect reasoning, hypothesis, model building, induction or deduction, systems thinking? Anticipate and predict. Really smart readers try to anticipate the author and predict future ideas and questions. If you're right, this reinforces your understanding. If you're wrong, you make adjustments quicker.
Highlight, summarize and review. Just reading a passage is not enough. To develop a deeper understanding, you have to highlight, summarize and review important ideas.
Build a good vocabulary. For most educated people, this is a lifetime project. The best way to improve your vocabulary is to use a dictionary regularly. You might carry around a pocket dictionary and use it to look up new words. Or, you can keep a list of words to look up at the end of the day. Concentrate on roots, prefixes and endings.
Use a systematic reading technique like SQR3. Develop a systematic reading style, like the SQR3 method and make adjustments to it, depending on priorities and purpose. The SQR3 steps include Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Review. See later for more details on SQR3.
USI NG SQR 3
How can you make sure you're focusing on the key facts? How can you boost your comprehension and get the most from what you read? Try SQR 3 , an easy multistep reading technique that really works. Here's what the letters mean:
S Survey Q Question R Read R Recite R Review
Steps to Follow S Survey: When you survey a passage, you examine the material quickly before you start reading it in depth. A survey is similar to a reading preview. As you survey the reading, make predictions about the content. Based on your survey, decide what information you are going to find in the passage. As you survey, look at these places in the reading:
QQuestion: While you survey the passage, ask yourself questions about the material and what you find. Asking questions makes you an active reader, which greatly increases your comprehension. Start by turning the title, heads, and subheads into questions. As you survey, think about possible answers to these questions.
RRead: Now read the passage. Slow down when you come to key passages and important ideas and of course the keywords we discussed about. As you read, refer back to the predictions you made in the previous two steps. Change your predictions as needed.
RRecite: After you finish reading, look over the passage again. Focus on the key places, such as the title, heads, and key paragraphs. Summarize the material in your head, reducing what you learned to a few paragraphs. Remember to recite your summary silently to yourself.
At first, you will probably stop, summarize, and recite after every paragraph or so. But as you practice using SQR 3 , you will probably find that you can bite off bigger and bigger chunks of text, building to a page or so at a time. What happens if your mind goes blank? If you find you are having trouble remembering what you have read, take a moment to skim the passage again. It is vital that you make sure that you understood the concept of what you read before you go any further.
RReview: As you review, think back to the predictions you made during the Question step. Were your ideas on target? If so, isolate the details you used to make your predictions. If your predictions were off base, think about when and where you guessed incorrectly. Assessing your predictions and revising your methods of making them will enable you to make more accurate predictions next time.
Read for the Main Idea Every discussion, every article, every write-up has a main idea. Likewise every RC passage has a main idea. The main idea is the nucleus of the passage. Most of the questions based on the passage reading not only concatenate, they also revolve around the main focus of the passage. So it is very important to catch the main idea of the passage to be able to get most of the answers right.
How to get the main idea of the passage? The main idea is the idea that occurs repeatedly in the passage. So look for a repetitive word or phrase in the passage. The first sentence of a paragraph should always be read carefully since it is so often the key to understand the entire paragraph. If it seems difficult to catch the main idea of the entire passage, it might be useful to catch the main point of every paragraph. As you read quickly through the passage, write a oneor twoword summary of each paragraph on your scratch paper. This is partly to make you articulate what the main idea of each paragraph is but it is also in order to remember them. Have you ever had the experience of reading an entire passage, getting to the end, and then saying, I have no idea what I just read? Most CAT passages inspire exactly that thought. To avoid this kind of hangover jot down a couple of key words on your scratch paper to encapsulate the main idea.
However, once youve got the main idea, it isnt necessary to pay a lot of attention to the other sentences in the paragraph. For example, you would probably notice that while the second sentence included some specific FACTS, it adds nothing to your understanding of the main point of the paragraph. Later, if you are asked a specific question about this FACT, you can go back and find the answer; it will still be there.
Until you know what the main idea of a paragraph is, you should read very carefully. However, as soon as you've got a handle on whats going on, you can speed up. Let your eyes glaze over when you get to the small details. Until a question is asked about them, who cares?
Let us have a little practice of getting the main idea of some short passages.
TYPES OF QUESTI ONS MAI N I DEA, SPECI FI C DETAI L AND VOCABULARY I N CONTEXT
Questions will be based mainly on: 1. The main idea of the text. 2. The implied idea. 3. Specific detail. 4. Tone. 5. The logical structure of the passage. 6. Application questions. 7. Meanings in context
Most of the questions, however, are about implied idea and application, although they revolve around the main point of discussion.
The Big Picture: Main Idea The questions in this category test your ability to formulate a big picture from the small elements/ideas given in the passage. The format of these questions would be:
(a) Which of the following is the main point of the passage? (b) The primary purpose of the passage is to (c) The author is primarily concerned with... (d) Which of the following titles is most appropriate for the passage? (e) Which of the following titles best describes the passage? (f) Which of the following summarizes the authors main point?
The primary purpose or central idea is usually (NOT ALWAYS!) established in the first two sentences of the passage or the first sentence of each paragraph. To attempt these questions, focus on the opening and closing sentences of each paragraph and try to infer what the author is trying to convey to you an the whole. At times the central idea would be evident in the second or the third paragraph. The key is that you should be able to form a big picture.
The title of the passage also depends on the contents of the passage. The title will obviously be a representation in a nutshell of the central idea and contents of the passage. Once the central idea is clear, one has to look for associated information. Details regarding the idea its elucidation, concepts that seem to be inherent in the idea, the manner of elucidation, the examples used, etc.
I MPORTANT TI P Dont Be Dramatic The test makers realize that people have different points of view. They dont want to be dogmatic, saying, This is the only way. Do not argue! They do want t leave some space for personal interpretation. So if you have two answers, choose the more moderate one.
For example: Two answer choices: (A) The author hates discrimination. (B) The author is saddened by discrimination and tries to go to its root levels.
Choice (B) is kinder and gentler and would therefore, be the more probable answer
TRIPS AND TRAPS FOR MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS Always remember that there need not be patently wrong answer options. The examiner may set a trap for you by presenting other than the best options as the right answers. Be on the look out for such traps. Some of these could be: Disputable statements: Authors of passages will never use strongly negative statements for other people or ideas. Direct repetitions (same language): Language directly picked up from the passage is more likely to be a trap. The right answer will possibly lie hidden in a heap of indirect references. Supporting Idea(s): The passage may have several supporting ideas, apart from one main idea. Dont fall for the supplementary idea(s). Half truths: Dont fall for an answer that may appear to be true, but may have a word/phrase that may render it false. True statement: Again dont jump at an answer simply because it appears to be true as per the passage. Always proceed through the process of progressive elimination (POE).
You need to be careful about many of the above traps in case of other question types also. Caution
SPECI FI C DETAI L QUESTI ONS These test your ability to understand what the author explicitly says. These questions ask you to spot information mentioned in the passage. The questions could ask for any detail such as numbers, dates, names, places, methods mentioned, qualities of people mentioned, and experiments conducted etc. These questions refer to a point mentioned by the author in the passage as a part of the development of the theme of the passage. These questions may be worded as follows: (a) The author mentions which of the following (b) According to the passage (c) According to the author (d) The passage says that (e) All of the following are supported by the passage/author EXCEPT (f) Which of the following is not true (g) The author refers to . In order to (h) The author provides information that would answer which of the following questions?
It is easier to answer specific detail questions than inference questions. The latter requires a greater understanding of the words (and language) in the passage, while specific detail questions call for a greater scrutiny of the information presented in the passage.
Such questions require a detailed and careful reading of the information or data given. But often these questions provide very direct clues about where an answer may be found, or a text link. Recognize the key phrase in the question. Now locate the sentence in which this key word or phrase or its synonym occurs. Read one or two sentences above and below this line and you will find the answer. Remember you should not assume anything nor should you mark an answer based on your general knowledge. Key Point: The primary purpose of the passage, title, central idea etc is one, which is mentioned repeatedly in the passage. At times there is a strong temptation to choose an answer which has been mentioned only in one of the paragraphs, has been stated in one or two sentences or has been touched obliquely in the passage. Avoid these traps and reject these choices in favour of the one, which is referred to repeatedly in a major part of the passage. Again, although the main idea/theme/title of the passage and the authors purpose could, in most cases, be the same. Yet, in some cases, there could be a fine line of distinction between the two. The authors purpose may not be expressly stated in the passage, though it can always be inferred. Toolkit
Word Meaning / Vocabulary in Context These questions include unfamiliar words where you have to guess their meanings from their contexts, and the way in which they are used. This type includes proverbs, idioms, technical words, unfamiliar words, quotations and foreign expressions also. Sometimes familiar words are also used in an unfamiliar context, i.e. in their secondary meaning, which may be technical or special e.g. The common clay assumed an artistic beauty and shape as the potter threw the vase in less than an hour with expert skill (here, threw means to shape on a potters wheel).
The best strategy is to find out the contextual meaning of the given word. Try to answer by reading the context. Special technical words can be guessed by their context. Watch out for help from the author. Sometimes difficult words are explained by the authors in parenthesis to make the meaning clear. The words in the immediate vicinity of the word or phrase in question are also useful clues to a difficult or unknown word.
TYPES OF QUESTI ONS LOGI CAL STRUCTURE/ ATTI TUDE OF THE AUTHOR/ SOURCE/ FI GURE OF SPEECH
(A) ATTI TUDE/TONE QUESTI ONS These questions ask you to gauge the authors attitude towards a person or a thing or a quality discussed in the passage. The questions in this category could be worded as follows: (a) The authors attitude towards can be best described as (b) The author regards the with (c) In terms of its tone and form, the passage can be best described as (d) The tone of the passage is
Most students falter at questions regarding TONE and therefore tend to get scared away from them. Here, as nowhere else, a sense of language plays a major role. Judgment or evaluation based on the evidence in the text is required in such questions.
Attitude refers to the mode of thinking or the opinion of the author as conveyed directly or indirectly in the passage. Tone is manifest in the writers use of words and syntax. In order to answer attitude/tone type questions, watch out for words that convey emotion, values, positive and negative connotations. Connotation is what is implied in addition to the literal meaning of a word. For instance, some words acquire a good or bad shade of meaning e.g. a champion carries a good connotation and a chauvinist carries a bad connotation. Look for descriptive adjectives and phrases that convey the mood.
Let us see some different types of attitudes and tones. You are advised to look out for the rest of them as you come across the RCs in due course of your preparation.
A string of words /sentences spewing sarcasm would obviously mean that the writers tone is sarcastic.
Trenchant criticism, without any positive suggestions shows a cynical tone. The cynics work, after all, like that of the opposition, is to oppose everything, propose nothing. For example, a passage where the writer raves and rants about the commercialization of art, evincing scant respect for all the means and reasons of commercialization without suggesting any remedy would belong to the cynicaltone category.
Description without criticism or analysis would make the passage a descriptive one, while description with some analysis would render it a combination of the two
A detailed examination of a topic taking into consideration both its merits and demerits is the sign of an analytical passage. The writer does not usually take any definite stand visvis the topic or the argument but simply lists the facts of the case in an unbiased manner.
A tongue in cheek humor, using humorous anecdotes, puns, jocular jibes at someone or something, provides a humorous tone.
If the writer shows absolute lack of respect for the object criticism or discussion, and does not mince his / her words in proving so, the tone is derisive.
Some passages might have a strident, angry, indignant tone. These would concentrate mainly on the writer protesting vehemently against something or somebody.
Very often the writer says something in an ironical manner. He/she uses words and phrases (often humorous or sarcastic), which have an underlying meaning or implication. It must be remembered though, that sarcasm and irony have a subtle difference. While irony could veer more towards humour, bite is inherent to sarcasm, which is also a distinguishing feature of certain passages.
Passages, in which the writer takes a close look at himself, his mental and emotional self, carry an introspective tone.
There could also be different shades as deep skepticism, strong indignation etc. or combination of two of the tones/attitudes mentioned above. It is not possible to describe the various types of tone since it requires careful study and perseverance on the student. The more one works at solving comprehension passages, the betterequipped will one be to solve these questions. Familiarity in this case breeds expertise.
The best strategy for this type of questions would be to create a continuum of the answer choices and locate the authors attitude or tone in that continuum. For instance The tone of the passage is best described as:
Arrange these attitudes in a line from the most negative to the most positive ()outragealarmobjectivityapprovalenthusiasm (+)
(B) FI GURE OF SPEECH Related with the attitude/tone of the author, there could occasionally be a question on the figure of speech used by the author in a particular expression/statement. The figures of speech could be Simile - a figure of speech in which one thing is likened to another, dissimilar thing by the use of like, as, etc. (e.g. shining like a star) Metaphor a figure of speech containing an implied comparison, in which a word or phrase ordinarily and primarily used of one thing is applied to another (e.g. a heart of gold). Personification a figure of speech in which a thing, quality, or idea is represented as a person. Hyperbole exaggeration for effect and not meant to be taken literally. Litotes understatement for effect, esp. such understatement in which something is expressed by a negation of the contrary.
(C) LOGI CAL STRUCTURE These questions ask you to state the technique adopted by author in presenting the facts of the topic, his views, his ideas etc. These questions test your ability to sport special effects used by the author like analogies, examples, comparisons, parallelism, allegories, puns etc. and also his method of organization of the paragraphs. The questions in this category would be worded as follows: The author develops the passage primarily by The author mentions in order to The author uses all of the following to make his point EXCEPT Which of the following best explains why the author introduces
Which of the following is the most accurate description of the organization of the passage?
Which of the following statements best describes the organization of the lines
Answering such question requires you to read the opening sentences carefully, and see how a paragraph relates to the passage as a whole and to other paragraphs, how the author builds up his argument etc.
(D) SOURCE/ I DENTI TY QUESTI ONS These questions ask you to identify the source from which the passage has been extracted, or the profession etc. of the author. Sometimes the question asks you to identify the audience. The clue here is that a passage sourced from an ordinary newspaper/journal caters to the requirements of the general public and is invariably related to current affairs, whereas that extracted from a specialized journal will cater to the specialists in the field and will also employ technical/ profession-specific jargon. Similarly, a passage extracted from, say a college text book, will be didactic in nature. Likewise a journalists way of writing and that of a politician or a bureaucrat will be entirely different. The bureaucrats writing is explanatory, that of a politician is either adulatory or highly critical, depending on which side of the fence he sits; that of a journalist is pragmatic and analytical.
TYPES OF QUESTI ONS I NFERENCE/APPLI CATI ON/ AUTHORS PURPOSE
(A) INFERENCE QUESTIONS Inference questions ask you to identify an information or idea which is implied or suggested in the passage, or which can be inferred from the passage. These questions ask about what is not mentioned explicitly in the passage, but can be logically inferred from the information in the passage. So the answer is not stated directly in the passage but has to be inferred through a slight logical extension of the information that appears specifically in the passage. Some question types could be: (a) The passage implies that... (b) The author implies that (c) The passage suggests (d) The author uses the phrase ... to mean... (e) The author would support which of the following (f) It can be inferred from the passage that (e) Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
To tackle these questions it is essential to read between the lines so as to understand the implications (for implied idea) of certain phrases, words, sentences, etc. You should learn to recognize the key words/phrases in the question. Choose an answer which would be a logical development of ideas provided by the author. Base your answer on what the passage implies, not what it states directly. Then match this with the options given and you will hit the right answer. Remember you must go beyond the obvious. Of late, there has been an increased emphasis on inference based questions in the CAT examination. Students find such questions quite a bit more difficult to handle. These questions require a greater understanding of the passage, though minute details may not be necessary. Having a clear understanding of the main idea, and to an extent the subsidiary ideas of the passage, is quite helpful. Since there may be a few close answer options, it is advisable to proceed on the basis of POE only.
(B) APPLICATION QUESTIONS These questions are similar to implied idea questions, but unlike the latter, they require you to apply information or ideas used in the passage. These questions test the ability to recognize how the authors idea might apply to other situations outside the parameters of the passage. You should be able to apply and collate ideas extending them to situations or statements outside the scope of the text. Primarily these questions are intended to test the critical reasoning skills of the test takers. This category can be further divided into several types some of which are:
Audience/Source Questions 1. With which of the following statements is the author most likely to agree? 2. The passage is most probably taken from 3. The author of this passage is most likely a/n
Agreement Questions 1. Which of the following aphorisms/proverbs would the author be in strongest agreement with? 2. The author would most strongly agree/disagree with which of the following statements?
Extrapolation Questions 1. Which of the following situations is most closely analogous to the situation described by the author? 2. Most nearly parallel, in its fundamental approach, to the research program described in the passage would be a program designed to 3. Which of the following describes a situation most analogous to the situation described in lines
Reasoning Questions 1. The authors argument would be most weakened by the discovery of In dealing with such answers, try to perceive feelings of the author. This, like inferential questions, requires that you go beyond what the author explicitly states. Therefore, being inferential in nature, they can be answered quite easily on the basis of the substance of the passage.
Least agree Questions These questions would have one wrong answer option, all the others being the right answer options. Students have to identify the wrong answer option. Even if these questions are not inference based, and can be answered directly based on the information furnished in the passage, they are still time taking. This is because, unless we are able to identify all the right answers based on the passage, we shall not know what the wrong answer option is. These questions could be answered after we have answered the other questions and have a better idea of the right answers.
All of these/None of these (type) answer options If a student is positive that more than one answer options are correct, the right answer option is more likely to be all of these. The reverse is true in case of none of these.
(C) AUTHORS PURPOSE Like the questions based on implication/inference, questions regarding the authors purpose also require you to read between the lines to get the focus of the entire passage as well as some supplementary ideas of the passage. If the questions pertain to the main purpose of the passage, they would not be much different from the main idea questions. But more often they ask you to explain the purpose of a particular example, quote, phrase etc. used by the author to make a point. Some questions of this type could be (i) The author cites the example of in order to (ii) The is intended to (iii) The order provides the information related to primarily to (iv) The author is primarily trying to (v) What is the author trying to show through
The strategy to handle these questions should be similar to the strategy for inference based questions. Literary Tones and Styles Compiled By: Aparna Singh 1 Abstract theoretical without reference to specifics 2 Absurd contrary to logic, but sometimes artistically viable 3 Accusatory charging of wrong doing 4 Acerbic harsh/ severe; bitter 5 Affected assuming a false manner or attitude to impress others 6 Aggressive forceful; tending towards unprovoked offensiveness, angry/indignant 7 Ambiguous open to more than one interpretation/ doubtful or uncertain 8 Amused/Amusing agreeable, pleasing, entertaining, cause pleasure 9 Analytical inclined to examine things by studying their contents or parts 10 Anecdotal involving short narratives of interesting events 11 Apathetic emotionless; not interested/ concerned; indifferent; unresponsive 12 Apologetic expressing remorse, regret, sorrow for having failed, injured, insulted or wronged another 13 Apprehensive anxious, fearful, uneasy about the future 14 Archaic in the style of an earlier period 15 Argumentative type of discourse in which one debates a topic in a logical way 16 Arrogant having of displaying a sense of overbearing self-worth or importance 17 Atmosphere the pervasive mood or tone of a literary work. 18 Attitude the author's viewpoint regarding his subject matter. attitude can usually be detected in author's tone. 19 Audacious fearless, often recklessly daring, bold 20 Awe solemn wonder 21 Bantering good-humored, playful 22 Baroque a grand and exuberantly ornamental style 23 Belligerent aggressively hostile; bellicose 24 Biased favoring one thing/person/group over another for personal reasons. 25 Bizarre unusually strange or odd 26 Bland non-disturbing, unemotional, uninteresting 27 Bombastic pretentious and pompous 28 Breezy quick-paced, but sometimes superficial 29 Callous unfeeling; insensitive to feelings of others 30 Candid unprejudiced, impartial, open & sincere 31 Caustic intense use of sarcasm; stinging; biting; acerbic 32 Childish immature (when applied to adults or writing) 33 Choleric hot-tempered, easily angered 34 Cinematic having the qualities of a motion picture 35 Classical formal, enduring, and standard, adhering to certain traditional methods 36 Classification organization wherein the writer explains the relationships between terms or concepts 37 Colloquial characteristic or ordinary and informal conversation 38 Comic humorous, light, funny (there are many levels) 39 Commiserating feeling/ expressing sorrow for; empathizing with; pity 40 Condescending patronizing; showing/implying patronizing descent from dignity/ superiority 41 Confessional characterized by personal admissions of faults 42 Confused unable to think with clarity or act with intelligence 43 Connotation the range of further associations that a word or phrase suggests in addition to its straightforward dictionary meaning. 44 Contemplative studying, thinking, reflecting on an issue 45 Contemptuous expressing contempt/ disdain ; showing or feeling that something is worthless or lacks respect 46 Contented satisfied with things the way they are. 47 Convention a device of style of subject matter so often used that it becomes a recognized means of expression. 48 Conventional lacking spontaneity, originality and individuality 49 Convoluted very complicated or involved (as in the case of sentences with many qualifiers, phrases, and clauses) 50 Critical finding fault 51 Cynical displaying a belief that people are always self-seeking and never altruistic in their actions 52 Decadent marked by a decay in morals, values, and artistic standards 53 Denotation the precise literal meaning of a word, without emotional associations or overtones. 54 Depressing sad, gloomy (without any of the redeeming qualities of true tragedy) 55 Derisive unkind and displaying contempt ; ridiculing, mocking 56 Detached separated, disconnected, aloof or impartial 57 Detached disinterested, unbiased, emotionally disconnected 58 Dialect the version of a language spoken by people of a particular region or social group. 59 Dialogue the conversation of two or more people as represented in writing. 60 Diatribe violently bitter verbal attack 61 Diction the choice of words used in a literary work 62 Didactic author attempts to educate or instruct the reader 63 Diffident reserved in manner; timid 64 Digression a portion of a written work that interrupts or pauses the development of the theme or plot. 65 Discursive moving pointlessly from one subject to another; rambling 66 Disdainful scornful 67 Disparaging speak slightingly; depreciating; belittling 68 Dogmatic asserting opinions in an arrogant manner; imperious; dictatorial 69 Dramatic Irony a situation in which the audience knows more about the character's situation than the character does. 70 Dreamlike having the characteristics of a dream 71 Earnest intense, a sincere state of mind 72 Earthy realistic, rustic coarse, unrefined, instinctive, animalize 73 Effeminate soft, delicate, unmanly 74 Elegiac expressing sorrow for that which is irrecoverably past 75 Elegiac expressing sorrow or lamentation 76 Emotional much given to strong feelings 77 Emotional easily affected by feelings actuated by experiencing love, hate, fear and the like 78 Epigraph the use of a quotation at the beginning or a work that hints at its theme. 79 Epistolary a novel written as a series of documents. the usual form is letters, although diary entries, newspaper clippings and other documents are sometimes used 80 Erudite learned, polished, scholarly 81 Ethical dealing with principles of morality; honest; righteous 82 Eulogistic involving formal praise in speech or writing, usually in honor of someone dead 83 Euphemistic substitution of mild, indirect or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh or blunt 84 Evocative having the ability to call forth memories or other responses 85 Expository type of discourse in which one explains or describes 86 Expressionistic stressing the subjective and symbolic is art and literature 87 Facetious amusing, but light, unserious, frivolous 88 Factual real, provides facts 89 Fanciful using the imagination 90 Farcical humorous but in a light way, comedy with high exaggeration 91 Fatalistic believing that everything that happens is destined and therefore out of the hands of the individual 92 Flamboyant conspicuously bold or colorful 93 Flashback a way of presenting scenes or incidents that took place before the opening scene. 94 Flippant disrespectful levity or casualness, pert. 95 Forthright directly frank without hesitation 96 Gloomy darkness, sadness, rejection 97 Grandiose more complicated/ elaborated than necessary; pompous 98 Haughty proud and vain to the point of arrogance 99 Horrific terrifying 100 Humanistic evincing keen interest in human affairs, nature, welfare, values 101 Humorous funny and amusing 102 Hyperbole a bold overstatement or extravagant exaggeration used either for serious or comic effect. 103 Idiomatic peculiar to or characteristic of a given language 104 Illustration organization wherein the topic sentence is stated and then followed by the details 105 Imagery language that evokes sensation as opposed to an abstract idea. 106 Impartial unprejudiced, not biased 107 Incendiary causing strong feelings 108 Indignant marked by anger; aroused by justice 109 Inference a conclusion the reader can draw based upon details presented by the author. 110 Insolent presumptuous and insulting in manner or speech, arrogant, disrespectful, rude, impertinent 111 Intimate very familiar 112 Introspective consider one's own internal state of feelings 113 Invective direct denunciation or name-calling. 114 Irate extremely angry, enraged 115 Irony in its broadest sense, the incongruity or diff between reality and appearance 116 Irreverent showing disrespect for things that are usually respected or revered 117 Jargon the special language of a profession or group 118 Jovial happy, jolly, full of good humor 119 Judgmental authoritative and often having critical opinions 120 Juxtaposition the side by side comparison of two or more object 121 Laudatory praising; extolling; applauding 122 Local Color the use of the physical setting, dialect, customs, and attitudes in a region 123 Lugubrious mournful, dismal, gloomy, especially to an exaggerated or ludicrous degree 124 Lyrical expressing a poet's inner feelings; emotional; full of images; song-like 125 Malapropism the comic substitution of one word for another similar in sound but different in meaning 126 Malicious purposely hurtful 127 Matter Of Fact accepting of conditions; not fanciful or emotional 128 Metaphor a direct comparison that does not use "like" or "as." 129 Metaphorical having the characteristics of melodrama in which emotions are plot are exaggerated and characterization is shallow 130 Mocking treating with contempt or ridicule 131 Mood the prevailing emotional attitude in a literary work 132 Morose gloomy, sullen, sourly, despondent 133 Motivating impelling; inciting 134 Mournful sorrowful, sadness, melancholy 135 Mundane ordinary or common, as in everyday matters ("his mind was filled with mundane matters") 136 Narrative Pace the speed at which an author tells a story 137 Naturalistic tending to present things in art and literature as they appear in nature or actuality 138 Nostalgic inclined to long for or dwell on things of the past; sentimental 139 Objective an unbiased view - able to leave personal judgments aside 140 Obsequious fawning; showing servile complaisance; flattering; deferent ; polite and obedient in order to gain something 141 Ominous menacing, threatening 142 Optimistic hopeful, cheerful 143 Parody a satirical imitation of something serious, such as a comic takeoff of Romeo and Juliet (the parody must have enough elements of the original for it to be recognized) 144 Patronizing air of condescension; haughty; looking down upon 145 Pedantic overly concerned with minute details or formalisms, 146 Pedestrian lacking vitality, imagination, distinction 147 Personification the attribute of human qualities to inanimate objects or abstract ideas. 148 Persuasive intended or having the power to induce action or belief 149 Pessimistic seeing the worst side of things 150 Philosophical interested in the study of basic truths of existence and reality 151 Picturesque strikingly expressive or vivid 152 Pious having or displaying a reverence for god and religion; sometimes used pejoratively, when the display is excessive and overly righteous 153 Poetical having the qualities of poetry, such as pleasing rhythms or images 154 Poignant affecting or moving the emotions 155 Pompous displaying one's importance in an exaggerated way; sometimes this quality is found in comic characters 156 Populist egalitarian; pertaining to the characteristics of common people/ working class 157 Provincial limited in perspective; narrow and self centered 158 Provocative inciting; stimulating; irritating; vexing 159 Prurient preoccupied with lewd and lustful thoughts 160 Pseudonym pen name, alias 161 Puritanical strict or severe in matters of morality 162 Quizzical odd, eccentric, amusing 164 Realistic inclined to represent things as they really are 165 Reflective illustrating innermost thoughts and emotions 166 Regretful sorrowful because of what is lost, gone, or done 167 Restrained held-back, deprived, checked 168 Reverent treating a subject with honor and respect 169 Ribald offensive in speech or gesture 170 Ridiculing slightly contemptuous banter; making fun of 171 Romantic fanciful; impractical; unrealistic; extravagant; exaggerated 172 Sanguineous optimistic, cheerful 173 Sarcasm harsh cutting personal remarks not necessarily ironic 174 Sarcastic harsh, bitter derision; taunting; sneering; cutting remarks 175 Sardonic scornfully and bitterly sarcastic 176 Satire any form of literature that blends ironic humor and wit with criticism. seeks to correct through ridicule 177 Satirical ironical; taunting; human folly held up to scorn/ derision/ ridicule ; ridiculing to show weakness in order to make a point or to teach 178 Sentimental resulting from or colored by emotion rather than reason or realism 179 Simile a comparison using "like" or "as." 180 Sincere without deceit or pretense, genuine 181 Situational Irony the contrast between what is intended or expected and what actually occurs. 182 Skeptical doubtful, apprehensive in agreement 183 Solemn deeply earnest, tending towards sad reflection 184 Soliloquy a speech delivered while the speaker is alone, calculated to inform the audience of the character's thoughts. 185 Speculative theoretical rather than practical; thoughtful; reflective; hypothetical 186 Stream-Of- Consciousness a technique that allows the reader to see the continuous chaotic flow of half formed thoughts 187 Subjective relying on one's own inner impressions, as opposed to being objective 188 Surrealistic stressing imagery and the subconscious and sometimes distorting ordinary ideas in order to arrive at artistic truths 189 Technical using terminology or treating subject matter in a manner peculiar to a particular field, as a writer or a book 190 Terse effectively concise, brief 191 Timorous funny, witty 192 Tone the reflection in a work of the author's attitude toward his or her subject 193 Trite lacking power to evoke interest through overuse or repetition; hackneyed 194 Turgid excessively ornate or complex in style or language; grandiloquent 195 Unity the quality of oneness in a literary work 196 Urbane sophisticated, socially polished 197 Veneration admiration, wonder 198 Verbal Irony a contrast between what is said and what is meant 199 Vexed distressed, annoyed, perplexed 200 Victorian prudish, stuffy, and puritanical (qualities associated with queen victoria's reign) 201 Vitriolic full of anger and hatred 202 Vituperative cruel and angry criticism 203 Voice the sense a written work conveys to a reader of the writer's attitude, personality and character 204 Whimsical odd, strange, fantastic 205 Wry devious in course or purpose; misdirected words meanings parvenu person who has a humble origin and has risen to the levels in the society, and he was lacking in accomplishments to achieve that , upstart epicure person whose main concern is sensual pleasure .. Esp eating glutton , gourmand,hedonist ,sensualist,sybarite ,voluptory,libertine recidivist person who has the tendency to slip back to crime arriviste ambitious self seeking person ,upstart calumnious of the nature of calumny,slandererous,defametory apochryphal pertaining to writing ,spurious,false ,mythical,debatebale,sham,counterfiet effusive exuberant ,demonstrative,ebullient,expansive,wordy,verbose uncouth uncertain,unusual,uncommon,uncivilised,unrefined ant: refined ,cultured,sophisticated deprecate try to avert by prayer ,disapprove of ,criticize,deplore,censure,condemn,denounce, deprecate his achievement belittle,disparage,denigrate,decry, transgress violate,trespass,infringe,breach,contravene,defy,disobey satiate satisfy,gratify to the full rescind annul,repeal,revoke,reverse,cancel,setaside abrogate repealed,abolished by authority slake satisfy,quench contravene tresspass,disobey,infringe execrate utter curses, execrate violence abhor,abominate,loathe,hate,detest,despise,deplore execrate & blaspheme curse, swear at,revile,fulminate,vituperate,condemn,excoriate,censure counteract hinder or defeat by contrary action,offset , neutralise ,countervail,counterpoise exacerbate aggravate,make worse,increase,intensify undermine weaken foible flaw,shortcoming,defect,infirmity,quirk,idiosyncrasy,strange aspect of a persons character tribulation( humorous connotation) worry,anxiety,vexation,afliction,misery,wretchedness,unhappiness irksome boring,troublesome,vexing baffled ( by the problem) puzzling,flummox, baffled(their plans) obstruct,prevent,bar distraught pulled apart in different directions secede withdraw from society or public sleight cunning,deceitful,skillful conscripted enlist,recruit,call up, mobilize sermonize give serious advice chutzpah shameless audacity objectivity impartialilty,disinterest,dispassion,dispassionateness fecility style of writing travails suffering, polemics a controvesial argument or discussion,aggressive contraversy scruplous minutely exact or careful , punctilluous,meticulous coercive hold together,convincing devious cunning,crafty,sly,wily,artful,insidious,furtive,secretive. devious ( route) indirect,roundabout,deviating. therauptic curing,healing,remedial,sanative,reparative,beneficial,curative,ameliorative imperil take the risk,gamble,threaten,endanger disperse scatter,separate,dissolve expel banish,exile,debar,ostracize,proscribe. transcend surpass,eclipse,outshine,exceed stimulate instgate,foment expertise professionalism,deftness,dexterity,facility,competence. finesse elegance,sopistication,subtlety. humilation disgrace,dishonour,discomfiture,embarrassment,debasement contentious argumentative,bickering,quarrelsome,factious,cavilling,litiguous,pugnacious,perverse, vivacious ebullient,effervescent,scintillating. luscious delicious,juicy,mouth watering,tasty,delectable dejected extremely saddened,despondency inveterate habitual incorrigible beyond correction oppresive cruel,draconian,brutal,relentless,inexhorable. compulsive irresistable,obsessive,irrresistible credulous those who believe in anything, buttress (n) support,prop an arch vindicated absolve,free from blame avenge,revenge lintel horizontal supporting timber,across the top of the door or window gazebo gallery near a garden pylon tall structure to support a wire belfry chamber in which bells are hung deluge heavy fall of rain gale hurricane squall tornado zephyr gentle breeze cyclone strong breeze sleet mixture of rain and snow dilatory tending to cause delay , having the purpose of buying time sartorial pertaining to clothes leery wary,cautious, mistrusting
underpinnings support or strengthen from beneath parochial behaving like parish .. Or like god prudential wisdomical reflective thoughtful eugenicist science dealing with the study of hereditary qualities of race.. And with ways of improving those qualities incapicitated make incapable, disqualify pandering assist in the gratification of responsive quick to react con artist swindler reductionist the principle of analsing complex things into simpler ones prudish extremely modest, excessively formal virtuous UPRIGHT , GOOD schemist astrologer,planner , intriguer enshroud enfold,enwarp,obscure,conceal,hide obfuscate confuse,complicate,make abstruse,bewilder,bamboozled diabolic ( forces) devilish,fiendish,demonic, diabolic master sinful,savage,brutal,monstrous,execrable, diabolic task difficult,complicated,complex motif dominant idea, or theme. leitmotiv theme associated throughout with a person,situation or sentiment commensurate proportional ruckus uproar , disturbance ,row , commotion. objectively bias free,unprejudiced slack (muscles) not taut slack (rope) not taut business a bit slack slow,quiet rather slack about puctuality lax ,negligent slackening off relaxing business slacks off lessens drivers slackening off reducing speed aggrandize increase in power ,wealth or rank contagious communicatible disease or corruption by contact shunned evade,shrink with fear ,avoid eschewed avoid ,evade ,keep clear of ostracized exclude a person from particular social group.refuse to associate with . rabid violent , madly violent in nature or behaviour pernicious tending to destroy,kill or injure,destructive contumacious obstinately disobedient to authority difident lacking condidence or trust, lacking self confidence and trust.. mandate command,order,injunction, perinatal 1 week or 4 week after birth disaggregated separate into components wail loud & prolonged cry weep shedding tears cry weeping wild noise sob catching breadth and cry whimper high pitched cry ( by mental agony) beside by the side of under under something below lower level beneath&underneath economical saving econimics way in which money affects society scowled loud noise , making anger vocal frowned making anger visible w/o vocal grimace distort face because of pain glared look threateningly sneer mock frown upon look down upon blue collared working class.. Those who do manual work white collared management..brain power sangfroid coolness of blood, maintain composure sanguine pertaining to blood..optimistic,cheerful,spirited repudiate disown,discard,give up artistry skill orchestrate organize something compared to to show similarity compared with to show dissimilarity nihil a thing of no worth or value show clean heels commit fraud and run away cassandra always speak about doom achilles heel most vulnerable one. tones in RC reprosiac billingsgate vulgar language mayhem confusion,pandemonium protean versatile precocious ability before age umbrage offend pleonastic verbose ,loquacious bad behaviour misdemeanour abnegate deny tergiversate hide the truth, equivocate machiavelle shrewd.. Do anything to retain power temperament behaviour intemperate lacking control of ones behaviour temperamental moody impressionable can be easily influenced impressive striking , splendid tenor gist , essence inure habituated,accustomed impetuous acting with rash or sudden energy subterfage trickery,justify one argument leeway room to manouvre insiduous subtle,surreptious,machailvellan dissident disagreeing ,dissentient,dissenting disaggreing ,recusant,schismatic,rebel imperturrbable not excitable,calm,calm insurrectionist rising against authority or government , a rebellion prurient having morbid cravings .. Esp sexual incipient beginner,commencing,starting,inceptive,inchoative,germinal. contingency event,incident,occurrence,fortuity. descry a warcry,perceive from a distance.. decry suppress,denounce exalted elevate,promote,ennoble,aggrandize exulted spring, or leap up with joy, on cloud nine types. lath wood in thin narrow strips ( used with a plaster) lathe a machine for making pottery.. And tools physique form,size of a persons body physic art or practice of healing,medical treatment allusion an indirect reference,hint,mention. elusion the act of deluding some1 hon honorable person extent the tax levied on property extant able to the publicly seen , accessible, in existence lightning electric discharge lightening make brighter or less heavy prophecy noun form .. Making a prediction prophesy verb form.. Telling something in advance facetious of manner,polished,urbane factious dissenting,discordant,conflicting factitious artificial material fabric materiel available means or resources.technique,equipment,supplies. wretch vile,despicable person retch stretch,extend,reach.. A long stretch of a river , be sick .. Throw up bullion melting-house, mint , place of exchange .. Metal esp . Gold buillion clear soup , with a clear flavour illicit not allowed, illegal elicit bring out,extort,extract,evoke,derive,educe ordinance laws ordnance military weapons torturous characterized by .. Causing torture..excruciating tortuous twisted,winding,curving,convoluted, roundabout, his tortuous policy devious,cunning,deceitful callous hard,harsh,cold hearted callus thickened skin envelop wrap up.. Surround completely envelope container of a letter peeks a quick look piques feeling of sharp anger .. Or resentment cadence flow in a rhythm,resolve discord or establish a key with a cadence immanent inherent vendatta vengeance,private revenge in limbo in a state of suspension..in a state of neglect.. slaves sentenced to limbo imprisonment,incarceration,confinement,detention,captivity. souls in limbo abode of unbaptized infants. grapple with the enemy wrestle with..combat with.. grapple with a problem tackle,face grapple the theif seize,grab,lay hold of,grip,clench grapple the boat secure fasten shrift penance imposed after confession..a confessor short shrift little time allowed for making confession before execution or punishment shrift-father a confessor milieu an environment,surroundings expeditious speedy,immediate,prompt,swift facile easily done or said ,w/o much effort facile speeches superficial,shallow,glib,slick facile tasks simple,uncomplicated pithy full of strength and vigour,very alcoholic,concise, full of strength and vigour escapism the tendency or the practice of seeking ,distraction from life or reality. postures approach or attitude .. Towards something truculent savage,aggressive,pugnacious jurisprudence knowledge or a skill in law jugular pertaning to the neck or throat.. fetish anything to which one gives excessive attention posit put in position,put in place scourge person or a thing seen as a punishment . staple large or a important part of something complement something added to make a thing more attaractive supplement something added to improve or complete adjunct something added to a thing which is larger or more important unwise used when the result will give a negative impact futile will not yeild result valoristiaon fixing up the value by the govt. egalitarian that asserts the eqaulity of all mankind ostentation mere or false show,showoff concotions blend,mixture.combination,brew wistfully sad melancholy,mourning,dreaming presumptous overconfident,superconfident exaptations niceties detials niceness condition of being nice knottiest difficult to understand nugatory trifling,of not much worth nuggety rugged,harsh in sound observance act of complying with the law or custom occupied busy preoccupied being absorbed into thoughts,oblivious of the surroundings nautical pertaining to ships naval pertaining to navy mortgagors one who takes loan mortgagees one wh gives loan outdoor used adjectively outdoors used as a noun or a adverb rotund circular or spherical object orotund strong,powerful,full,rich penurious poor parsimonious frugal parlaying increase by gambling parleying speech,talk palpitating strong emotion,esp to heartbeat. palpating make an examination by touching picturesque possessing the elements or qualities of a picture picaresque of pertaining to rogues,urchins..adventure anthropogenic oroginating from the activities of humans salinity exigency requirement ,need platoon a small body of foot soldiers .. Separated by a lerge body clairvoyance exceptional insight,extrasensory perception fallout side-effects of an unexpectd kind. experiential derived from experience experient something experienced, a person who experiences something totemic representation of that particular thing.. asymptomatic producing or exhibiting no symptoms snub disregard,ignore,insult,shun purported cliam,allege documents purported mean,signify purport of his message gist,substance,implication his purport aim , objective exhumation dig out ,extract unvarnished plain and simple,not complicated kangaroo court an improperly held court by mutineers belie deceive by lying,misrepresent..contradict digress deviate,deflect,tangent ingress enter egress exit transgress trespass regress retreat aplomb coolness ,self confidence cognate similar,look alike,congruent cognizant knowledgeable incognito indisguise,pretense,masquerade,undercover cognoscente connoisseur,expert ductile highly flexible prehensile ability to grasp or hold incarnation personification,embodiment redolence remembering the past,nostalgic. accede accept,approval genuflect bow down in respect. subscribe support bon-homie cheerful,happy bonvivant cheerful,happy doctrinaire stubborn decadent decaying,dying declining connive conspire,overlook,condone cadence pertaining to music cascade sequence, flow credulous gullible,unassuming kallistocracy society run by criminals ochlocracy society run by mob circumlocution roundabout way of saying things circumscribe boundary,deliniate circumvent avoid,evade,dodge. emendiation makig correction in a text. denuoement final resolution of a play. ego trip trip which makes you happy quisling traitor,renegade,turncoat providence provision, the action of providing incineration burn to ashes,cremate quiescent inert,dormant,passive,inactive. conceit pride,arrogance abash embarrass amoral non-moral chicanery trickery,decietful notwithstanding nevertheless,however inimical unfreindly,hostile rebel streak element of rebel desiccative having the tendency to dry up hunky-dory prosthesis artificial replacement of a limb pantomime a mimic actor decreptitude heat until a crackling ceases emasculated weaken..castrate,neuter in full possessions of faculties to be fully aware facilities purview scope or range of a book purvey provide,supply prosecution party which prosecutes sm1 in the court of law persecution treat badly interpellated interrupt interpolated add,inject flare a dazzling display flair natural ability modal model modus vivendi model of working modus operandi model of working meritorious someone with merit meretricious showy flout break the rules deliberately flaunt toshow off climactic relating to climax de facto in fact de jure in law portentous serious intended to impress pretentious FALSE liberal unbiased,broadminded equable uniform throughout,even tempered.easy going,calm,composed,unflappble,unruffled acceded come forward,join exceed go beyond the limit. adapted fit, adjust . Make suitable. adept expert,clever,proficient adopt embrace,espouse,arrogate continual frequent, continuous something that goes on w/o a break transmit passing through, being a medium transfer change of movement. sedation sleep sedition write something against the govt. or people indolence lazy insolence rude expel dismissal of a person dispel dismissal of a feeling uninterested not interested disinterested impartial official something approved by the govt. or the authority. officous people who are eager to tell others what they should do . congenital from the time of birth congenial pleasant surroundings infested something present in large numbers infected getting a disease inextricable smthng which cannot be separated inexplicable something which cannot be explained conform to obey a set of rules confirm to support smthng by stating as true endemic disease that occurs permanently in particular part or population .. Malaria is a constant worry in parts of Africa. epidemic An outbreak of disease that attacks many peoples at about the same time and may spread through one or several communities. pandemic When an epidemic spreads throughout the world. upbeat RC TONES corroborated commiserating feeling,expressing surrow. contemptous expressing contempt,disdain humanistic expressing keen interest in himan affairs,nature,welfare values incendiary causing strong felings pedestrian lacking vitality,imagination. populist pertaining to the characterstics of the working class provoking inciting,stimulating speculative theoritical rather than practical technical using technical jargon vituperative angry ctiticism fervid passionate,ardent,burning hot flippant carefree, ant. Serious prosiac lifeless,dull, dry mundane rebuke warn,scold rhetoric extravagant, bombastic didactic instruct,teach analytical examining or tending to examine things carefully descriptive one which is based on saying what the subject actually is rather than concentrating on the main theme hyperbloic way of speaking so as to make something appear bigger than what they actually are narrative style similar to a fiction novel critical giving opinions or judgement reproachful to criticise someone esp for not being successful or not being what is expected facetious not serious, attempt to be amusing or the appear clever equivocal unclear and seeming to have two opposite meanings,confusing or be able to understood in to ways circular describe an argument which keeps returning to the same theme rhetoric describe an argument which keeps returning to the same point but very effective way unwarranted lacking good reason and therefore annoying adulatory flattery caviling to raise trivial and frivilous objections cellar underground room or storage area complaisant accepting what others are saying without complain mopped wipe with a piece of cloth moped miserable punitive harsh puny weak dingy small dark place dinghy small boat rigourously carefully and thoughtfully vigourously with great energy and enthusiasm vigilant harsh vigilante group of people formed to protct their group from others shear to cut sheer pure shame embarrassment sham not real, or not what it seems to be pining feeling sad pinning fastening intermittent not regular comparative study things for their similarity & dissimilarity comparable similar and so possible to be compared untrammelled unhandicapped untenable not able to be occupied enthocentrism belief in ones group as superior ceremonial formal,ritual quantitative pertaining or concerned with the quantity or its measurement alluding make an indirect reference exhort recommend earnestly prescribing confine within bounds hedging preventing oneself against any loss savour taste irenic pacific usuriuos excessive interest exclusivity diorama scenic painting ,viewed thru a peephole gambol play grandious impressive, expressing extravagance retellings regurgitate bring up and again to the mouth siesmic like an earthquake compunction pangs of conscience. amatory pertaining to making love nonchalant calm and casual quiescence silent,dormant genteel elegant sleek smooth rostrum platform maudlin clown vitiate corrupt apotheosis quintessence tautology pedagogy aposthesis chequered royal or national treasury sodomize any form of sexual intercourse with a person of same or opposite sex parole a promise by a criminal to abide by the laws of the society Penitentiary social prison covenant mutual agreement,bond utopian impossibly ideal bequeath reproach epoch plastic uvre look through examine look over inspect vanguard forefront, taking lead position proselytize convert people folloeing a particular thing to another sensitising espoused take a person as a spouse,supporter of a cause perturbed disturb indignant provoked by anger infuriatied provoked by anger somhpmoric juvenile,nave edifying instruct so as to attain spiritual,ethical improvement dissuade discourage hubris excessive selfconfidence effrontery shameless audacity grate irritating inerrancy flawless gratuituous uncalled for,unwarranted natty neatly dressed cadge to beg quotidian commonplace dissemble ( different from disassemble) hiding under false appearance outset beginning churlishness rude ill mannered person complaisance eager to please loll ease sprint rush ingratiating gain grace or favour sychophaitic abstemious abstaining oneself from something temperate not excessive in degree achromatic delirium frenzy rectitude moral uprighteousness,integrity adherence firm attachment adherents followers especially standing apart uniquely from the rest specially given unusual treatment incenerate burn up completely incinerate suggest something unpleasant accede give in exceed go beyond a mark ales drink ail pain collision crash collusion conspiracy fineness state of being perfect finesse somoothness or tactfulness lean tilt lien legal claim over ones property antecedents individuals who have gone before antecedence going before time divers various ,several diverse markedly different gibe make fun of jibe agree with mean lacking kindness mein persons appearance addenda something added agenda list of things to do elusive hard to catch up or grasp illusive unreal impetousness zealous precipitancy zealous freshet sudden overflowing of a river spate sudden forceful flow of a river effluence sudden flow of river duplicity chicanery, deceit guilelessness innocent malapropism using word in a wrong place raucous harsh sounding palliative soothing pain exacerbating increase bitterness discrete separate from others,individually distinct discreet civil,polite,courteous wean get accustomed to , ween think, garner collect gauge infer continuously continuously continually frequently salubrious healthy lugubrious sad surged full of purged emptied banter ridicule,tease saunter leisure walk incisive actute , sharp dotty crazy,eccentric throw down a gauntlet issue a challenge precarious uncertain modalities attribute or trait of personality multiplicity large no. of men docile teachable utile useful,advantegeous corral herd of cattle chorales song in church mendicity begging mendaticy habitual lying or deceiving derisory contemptful derisive ridiculous abstruse difficult to understand obtuse unwilling to undserstand bawled sob loudly torte cake tort civil wrong , breach of conduct indignant angry indigent poor specious plausible but actually wrong whit least possible amount lampooned satarical attack moot debatable point moor open uncultivable land sloven untidy solecism grammatical error solipcism philophical theory which says , self is all that u know exists crimping join the ends together by pushing crumpling to crush foreboding feeling that something is going to be wrong amended edit something from a legal document emended edit something from a normal text iambic written in metrical units of one short and one ong syllable lumbered to walk heavily or awkwardly encumbered make it difficult for someone to do something gawk to stare stupidly gaunt appearing worn or exhausted,emaciated adjunct addition, attachment,accesory vying competing or contending hawking act of selling goods for aliving propaganda organised promotion of information to assist or damage the cause of something subsumed to include something under large classification or group wallowing luxiuriate sheepish fearful , cowardly obverse opposite of something envoi concluding words antagonise alienate reorganize change way in something is done authoritarian believing people to obey you authoritative showing people to obey you invoke to give a theory or opinion to support urs evoke bring a feeling,memory or image to mind depose remove somebody from power reposed keep someone rile to annoy someobne rack to make someone suffer great pain fictitious invented by someone fictional only in stories elect choose to do something select choose from a group of things raillery friendly banter railing fence made from bars sangiune friendly sanguinary liking blood shed cohere work together on something adhere stick deduce inference from a evidence adduce provide evidence latitude freedom to choose salutary having a pleasant effect cavil to make unncecessary complains about something contretemp unfortunate event ` lithe bending body in a way that is elegant eclectic general, broadbased entailing demanding depose forced to give up position disport amuse or divert oneself in a happy,energetic way nonchalant carefree noncommittal deliberately not to take stand or opinion serge wollen thick material effete weak and powerless effervescence cheerful bubbly facetious humorous in a foolish way scud move quickly scuff make a mark on the surface due to movement confidant man confidante women concussion damage to the brain caused by a blow concision conciseness scud move quickly scuff to make a mark on the surface by movement resolute firm dissolute degenerate goal aim gaol jail facetious foolish felicitious suitable gaggle noisy group of people gaffe stupid mistake sheaths covering for knives sheaves pertaining to corn skittered run around quickly scuppered spoil something veneer, faade, modicum appearance pathos fwwl sad about bathos shift from something serious to silly improvise make use of something present improve pitying showing pity in such a way that someone is better piteous deserving or arousing pity eventually ultimately subsequently as a result of perceptrive pertaining to senses perceptible see it long enuf to understand urbane cheerful urbanized pertaining to town adverse unpleasant adversative word or phrase said in opposition to lovely loveable qualities that people find attractive and easier to love quietude state of being calm and quite quietus death irrupted enter suddenly with great force individualism pertaining to the fact that each person in the society has the right to take his own decisions individuality characterstic of a particular person interfere indulge into smthng , such that it looks umpleasant intervene contemporary belonging to the same time ,mordern contemporenous belonging to same time .but not mordern person who has a humble origin and has risen to the levels in the society, and he was lacking in accomplishments to achieve that , upstart person whose main concern is sensual pleasure .. Esp eating glutton , gourmand,hedonist ,sensualist,sybarite ,voluptory,libertine disease that occurs permanently in particular part or population .. Malaria is a constant worry in parts of Africa. An outbreak of disease that attacks many peoples at about the same time and may spread through one or several communities.