Skill 1: MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS

Almost every reading passage will have a multiple-choice question about the main idea of a passage. Such a
question may be worded in a variety of ways; you may, for example, be asked to identify the topic, subect, title,
primary idea, or main idea. !t is relatively easy to find the main ideas by studying the topic sentences, which are
most probably found at the beginning of each paragraph.
!f a passage consists of only one paragraph, you should study the beginning of that paragraph to determine the main
idea.
"xample
The passage:
#asketball was invented in $%&$ by a physical education instructor in Springfield, 'assachusetts, by the name
of (ames )aismith. #ecause of terrible weather in winter, his physical education students were indoors rather than
outdoors. *hey really did not like the idea of boring, repetitive exercises and preferred the excitement and challenge
of a game. )aismith figured out a team sport that could be played indoors on a gymnasium floor, that involved a lot
of running, that kept all team members involved, and that did not allow the tackling and physical contact of
American style football.
The question:
+hat is the topic of this passage,
A. *he life of (ames )aismith
#. *he history of sports
-. .hysical education and exercise
/. *he origin of basketball
*he first sentence of this passage states that basketball was invented, so the invention of basketball is probably
the topic. Aquick check of the rest of the sentences in the passage confirms that the topic is, in fact, the beginnings
of the sport of basketball. )ow you should check each of the answers to determine which one comes closest to the
topic that you have determined. Answer A. mentions (ames )aismith but not basketball, so it is not the topic.
Answer #. is too general; it mentions sports but does not mention basketball. Answer -. is also too general; it
mentions physical education but does not mention basketball. *he best answer is therefore answer /.0 the origin of
basketball means that the way that basketball was invented is going to be discussed.
!f a passage consists of more than one paragraph, you should study the beginning of each paragraph to
determine the main idea. !n a passage with more than one paragraph, you should be sure to read the first sentence of
each paragraph to determine the subect, topic, title, or main idea.
*he following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about main idea questions.
MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS
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What is the topic of the passage?
What is the subject of the passage?
What is the main idea of the passage?
What is the author's main point in the passage?
With what is the author primarily concerned?
Which of the following would be the best title?
+1"7" *2 3!)/ *1"
A)S+"7
*he answer to this type of question can generally
be determined by looking at the first sentence of
each paragraph.
12+ *2 A)S+"7 *1"
56"S*!2)
$. 7ead the first line of each paragraph.
8. 9ook for a common theme or idea in the first
lines.
:. .ass your eyes quickly over the rest of the
passage to check that you have really found
the topic sentence;s<.
=. "liminate any definitely wrong answers and
choose the best answer from the remaining
choices.
Skill 2: STATED DETAIL QUESTIONS
A stated detail question asks about one piece of information in the passage rather than the passage as a
whole. *he answers to these questions are generally given in order in the passage, and the correct answer
is often a restatement of what is given in the passage this means that the correct answer often expresses the
same idea as what is written in the passage, but the words are not exactly the same.
Example
The passage:
3lutes have been around for quite some time, in all sorts of shapes and si>es and made from a variety
of materials. *he oldest known flutes are, about 8?,??? years old, they were made from hollowed-out
bones with holes cut in them. !n addition to bone, older flutes were often constructed from bamboo or
hollowed-out wood.
*oday flutes are generally made of metal, and in addition to the holes they have a complicated system
of keys, levers, and pads. *he instrument belonging to well-known flautist (ames @alway is not ust made
of any metal, it is made of gold.
The question:
According to the passage, the oldest flutes
A. had holes cut in them
#. were made of metal
-. were made 8??,??? years ago
/. had a complicated set of levers and pads
Since this question asks about the oldest flutes, you should see that this question is answered in the
second sentence. *he passage states that the oldest known flutes were bones with holes cut in them, so the
best answer is answer A.. Answers #. and /. are true about todayAs flutes but not about the oldest flutes, so
they are incorrect. Answer -. is an incorrect number; the oldest flutes are 8?,??? years old, not 8??,???
years old.
*he following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about stated detail
questions0

STATED DETAIL QUESTIONS
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!/")*!34 *1"
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According to the passage
It is stated in the passage...
The passage indicates that
Which of the following is true...?

+1"7" *2 3!)/
*1" A)S+"7
*he answers to the questions are found in order in the
passage.

12+ *2 A)S+"7
*1" 56"S*!2)
$. -hoose a key word in the question.
8. Skim in the appropriate part of the passage for the key
word or idea.
:. 7ead the sentence that contains the key word or idea
carefully.
=. "liminate the definitely wrong answers and choose the
best answer from the remaining choices.

Skill : !IND "UNSTATED" DETAILS
4ou will sometimes be asked in the reading section to find an answer that is not stated or not
mentioned or not true in the passage. *his type of question really means that three of the answers
are stated, mentioned, or true in the passage, while one answer is not.
Example
The passage:
*he 3lorida Beys are a beautiful chain of almost $,??? coral and limestone islands. *hese islands form
an arc that heads first southwest and then west from the mainland. 6.S. 1ighway $, called the 2verseas
1ighway, connects the main islands in the chain. 2n this highway, it is necessary to cross forty-two
bridges over the ocean to cover the $C& miles from 'iami, on the mainland, to Bey +est, the farthest
island on the highway and the southernmost city in the 6nited States.
The question:

+hich of the following is NOT mentioned about the 3lorida Beys,
A. *he 3lorida Beys are a chain of islands.
#. *he 3lorida Beys contain coral and limestone.
-. *he 3lorida Beys are in the shape of an arc.
/. *he 3lorida Beys are not all inhabited.
*his question asks for the one answer that is not mentioned about the 3lorida Beys. *he passage states
that the 3lorida Beys are a chain ;answer A< with coral and limestone ;answer #< in the shape of
an arc ;answer -<, so these answers are not correct. *he best answer is therefore answer /.. *he passage
does not mention whether or not the keys are all inhabited.
*he following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about DunstatedE detail
questions0

#UNSTATED$ DETAIL QUESTIONS
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Which of the following is not stated...?
Which of the following is not mentioned...?
Which of the following is not discussed?
Which of the following are true except....?
+1"7" *2 3!)/
*1" A)S+"7
*he answers to these questions are found in order in the passage.
12+ *2 A)S+"7
*1" 56"S*!2)
$. -hoose a key word in the question.
8. Scan the appropriate place in the passage for the key word ;or related idea<.
:. 7ead the sentence that contains the key word or idea carefully.
=. 9ook for answers that are definitely true according to the passage "liminate
those answers.
C. -hoose the answer that is not true or not discussed in the passage.
Skill %: IM&LIED DETAIL QUESTIONS
!n this type of question, you will be asked to answer a multiple choice question about a reading passage
by drawing a conclusion from a specific detail or details in the passage. 5uestions of this type contain
the words implied, inferred, likel, or probabl to let you know that the answer to the question is not

directly stated. !n this type of question, it is important to understand that you do not have to Fpull the
answer out of thin air.F !nstead, some information will be given in the passage, and you will draw a
conclusion from that information.
Example
The passage:
*he number of rings in a tree can be used to determine how old a tree really is. "ach year a tree
produces a ring that is composed of one light-colored wide band and one dark-colored narrow band.
*he wider band is produced during the spring and early summer when tree stem cells grow rapidly and
become larger. *he narrower band is produced in fall and early winter when cell growth is much slower
and cells do not get very large. )o cells are produced during the harsh winter and summer months.
The question:
!t is implied in the passage that if a tree has $?? wide bands and $?? narrow bands, then it is
A. a century old
#. two centuries old
-. fifty years old
/. two hundred years old
*his question asks about the age of a tree with !"" wide bands and !"" narrow bands. *he
passage does not tell the age of a tree with $?? wide and narrow bands, but it does indicate thatG.wide
band and one.....narrow band are produced each ear 3rom this, you can draw the conclusion that a
tree with $?? wide and narrow bands is $?? years, or acentur, old. *he best answer to this question is
therefore answer A..
*he following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about implied detail
questions.

IM&LIED DETAIL QUESTIONS
It is implied in the passage that
It can be inferred from the passage that...
It is most likely that
What probably happened.....?

*he answers to these questions are generally found in order in the passage.
$. -hoose a key word in the question.
8. Scan the passage for the key word ;or a related idea<.
:. -arefully read the sentence that contains the key word.
=. 9ook for an answer that could be true, according to that sentence.
Skill 5: 'O(A)ULA*+ IN (ONTE,T QUESTIONS
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What is the meaning of #$% in line &?
The word #$% in line & could best be replaced b

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!nformation to help you understand the meaning of a
vocabulary word can often be found in the context
surrounding the word.

12+ *2 A)S+"7
*1" 56"S*!2)
$. 3ind the word in the passage.
8. 7ead the sentence that contains the word
carefully.
:. 9ook for context clues to help you understand the
meaning.
=. -hoose the answer that the context indicates.

Skill -: "./E*E" QUESTIONS
*here will be a multiple-choice question that asks where certain information is
found. *he answer choices will list possible locations for that information.
Example
The passage:
*he words FcapitalF and FcapitolF are confused in spelling and in meaning by
a lot of people who try to use them. #oth their spellings and their meanings are
quite closely related. A FcapitalF is the location of the center of government,
while a FcapitolF is the actual building where the government officials meet.
*hus, in the 6nited States, for example, the -apitol building is located in
+ashington, /.-., which is the capital city of the 6nited States.
The question:
here in the passage does the author define the word FcapitalF,
A. 9ines $-8
#. 9ines :-=
-. 9ine C
/. 9ine H
*o answer this question, you should skim for the word capital and then look
for its meaning A capital is the location of the center of government, and this
definition is given in the third line. Answer #. is therefore the best answer to this
question.
*he following chart outlines the key information that you should remember
when you are trying to determine where in the passage something is found0


QUESTION A)OUT ./E*E IN T/E &ASSA0E
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Where in the passage.?
+1"7" *2 3!)/
*1" A)S+"7
*he answer can be in any of the lines listed in the
answer to the question.
12+ *2 A)S+"7 $. -hoose a key word or idea in the question.
*1" 56"S*!2)
8. Skim the appropriate past;s< of the passage
looking for the key word or idea.
:. -hoose the answer that contains the key word or
idea.