Guide to Reading
Comprehension
About Reading Comprehension
This part of the exam tests your ability to read and answer questions about passages written in formal written English.
It usually contains five passages. After each passage there are usually from eight to twelve questions referring to that passage for a total of fifty questions.
The passages vary in length from about seven lines to about thirty-five.
The Passage
The passages cover a wide range of topics, but in general can be classified as follows:
1. Science and technology (40%) Includes astronomy, geology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, zoology, botany, medicine, engineering, mechanics, and so on.
2. North American history, government, geography, and culture (20%)
3. (15%) Includes literature, painting, architecture, dance, drama, and so on.
4. Social science (10%) Includes anthropology, economics, psychology, urban studies, sociology, and so on.
5. Biography (15%)
3
The Questions
The main types of questions asked can be categorized as shown below:
The Questions
5
The main types of questions asked can be categorized as shown below:
The Questions
The main types of questions asked can be categorized as shown below:
