1 · Inference: reading between the lines
An inference is something the passage does not say outright but clearly shows. "Leo grabbed his umbrella and frowned at the dark clouds" lets you infer that Leo expects rain.
A good inference is a small step from the text. If a choice needs a big leap or a guess about the future, it is probably wrong.
2 · Prove the inference
Even though the answer is not stated, you should be able to point to the clues that support it.
Wrong inference choices often say something possible but unsupported, or something too strong ("always", "never", "everyone").
3 · Vocabulary in context
"In line 4, the word bright most nearly means …" The answer is the meaning in this sentence, which may not be the most common meaning.
Cover the word, read the sentence, and put in your own word. "She was a bright student who solved every puzzle" means clever, not shiny.
4 · The author's purpose
Ask why the author wrote the passage: to inform (explain facts), to persuade (convince you), to entertain (tell a story), or to describe (paint a picture).
A purpose question can also ask about one part: "Why does the author mention the old map?" Usually it is an example that supports the main point.
5 · Tone and attitude
Tone is the author's feeling about the topic: admiring, worried, amused, critical, neutral. Look at word choice. "Remarkable", "brilliant" and "clever" signal admiration.
Most informational passages have a neutral or interested tone. Extreme choices like "furious" or "heartbroken" are rarely right.
6 · Figurative language
A simile compares with "like" or "as": "the lake was as smooth as glass". A metaphor compares without them: "the classroom was a beehive". Personification gives human actions to things: "the wind whispered".
The question usually asks what the comparison shows: a beehive classroom is busy and buzzing with activity.
7 · How a passage is organized
Common patterns: problem and solution, cause and effect, compare and contrast, time order, and main idea with examples.
Look at what each paragraph does. If the first describes a problem and the second describes what was done, it is problem and solution.
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