CLAT -

COMPREHENSION
INTRO
Reading comprehensions form one of the most important areas of any competitive
examination. Reading comprehension passages aim to test one’s ability to identify
implications and draw inferences. In general, the percentage of questions that are
asked from this section varies between 30 to 50 percent of the total questions in the
Verbal section. That is a huge number by any stretch of the imagination and keeping
this in mind, it is important that you develop an effective approach to solve RCs.
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INTRO
So what exactly is a Reading Comprehension?
Reading Comprehension is the way of understanding what is being read. In simple
words, reading comprehension means a passage which is to be read and
comprehended. What makes comprehension passages a nightmare for students is the
diverse range of topics that are covered, the vocabulary used in the passage and the
time limit given in the exam
AREAS/TOPICS
Different types of area/ topics for reading comprehensions:
Social Sciences – History, anthropology, sociology, government
Natural Sciences – Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy, Botany
Humanities – Art, Music, Literature, Philosophy
Business – Economics, Marketing, Human Resources
IMPORTANCE
Reading comprehension is so important because:
RCs test a student on a number of skills, including English comprehension and logical
ability, language skills such as reading and vocabulary.
RCs are generally based on a variety of topics, covering science, business, philosophy,
sociology and so on. Such a vast breadth of topics means that one needs to read
regularly and diversely in order to make sure that one is comfortable reading every kind
of passage.
These passages are generally based on unique questions and the some of the
question are inferential in nature.
From weightage point of view, this section covers 40-50% of the major exams, so this
section is very important. It can make or break your career.
TYPES OF RC’S

Different types of questions which come in Reading comprehension:

Factual - these questions are based on the facts given in the passage.
Main idea - in these questions we have to tell the main idea or the central theme of
the passage.
Title- the title of the passage is linked directly to the main idea of the passage.
Inference - these questions are based on the inference of the entire passage.
Tone - in tone-based questions we have to deduce the tone of the passage.
TIPS TO SOLVE READING
PASSAGES FOR CLAT
1. What not to do:
2. Do not over emphasize the small things – the trivialities
3. Do not memorize
4. Do NOT read the passage first
5. Do not OVER emphasize on vocabulary skills
6. Do not spend too much time on RC’s that you cannot comprehend
7. Do not think the correct ANSWER will come from outside the passage
TIPS TO SOLVE READING
PASSAGES FOR CLAT
Do not rely on “trigger words”
Make notes
Try to preempt questions
Opening and closing paragraphs require extra focus
Constantly question yourself while reading the passage
SOME THINGS TO DO
1. Find the central idea in the passage: read the 5 lines above/below, Author’s point
of view.
2. Focus On Details:
3. Logical Structure:
4.The tone of the passage
5. Answer Smart
RC: MAIN
TITLE/POINT/CENTRAL IDEA
One of the most commonly asked questions
You have to figure out the main part of the passage while “SKIMMING” through the
passage
Passages are built accumulating on a number of different ideas. These ideas may
seem disconnected/ unrelated but are built on the central theme the author wants to
convey.
At times the central idea may be present directly or quoted, yet other times it will just
be a indirect reference.
Follow THE FLOW of the PASSAGE
NATURE OF THE TITLES
Titles refer to the “Most appropriate” headings given to the passages.

1. They are brief and precise

2. They contain the subject of the passage and refer to the central idea/theme of the
passage directly or indirectly.
Explicit: These state the subject directly. You are able to identify such titles easily.
Implicit: These state the subject indirectly. You need to be careful with this title
type. 
They may be given in form of metaphors/idioms that imply the main idea of the
passage.
 HOW TO SOLVE THE Q’S
These questions are asked in the following forms:
The most apt title for the passage is:
Select the most suitable title for the passage from the following?

Strategy to answer the title questions correctly : Identify the subject/central idea: Identify
the subject of the passage and make sure it reflects in the answer options (implicitly/explicitly),
as done in case of 'main idea' question. This is the topic around which the whole passage is built.
Do not be misled by minor details; focus on the key ideas: Pay attention to the central ideas
only. Details are irrelevant here. Do not obsess over single points/ideas. They may be stated
directly but do not convey the main idea or theme of the passage. Always keep the whole picture
in mind as single points cannot form the answer
HOW TO SOLVE THE Q’S
Title' is not a 'conclusion': This is a common mistake committed by the students.
The title is meant to summarize the ideas/points enlisted in the passage and not to
recommend subsequent action or deduce judgments. One important tip: summarize
individual paragraphs of the passage. Look at the main idea question as one where
you need to reach the final destination. How do you do so? Well, you take one step at
a time- pausing at important junctions. Consume the information one paragraph at a
time, summarize and make a mental roadmap of the passage flow. Once you have
identified the flow of the passage, try to outline that one central idea the author of
the passage is aiming at.
Focus on the structure: The structure and organization of the passage indicates the
message/idea the author intends to convey. The tone and attitude adopted by the
author, the way he presents his ideas- all signal towards the theme of the passage.
HOW TO SOLVE THE Q’S
Assume the role of author: You are required to think from author's point of view- the
core ideas he intends to convey to the reader and the feeling/experience he is going
through. It basically means that if you were the author, what title would you choose
for your passage?
Strengthen your vocab base: Building your vocabulary will help you identify the
correct title for the given passage, even if stated implicitly. Apart from this, this works
like a long-term approach in honing your language skills. Be sure to learn 10-20
words daily and revise them frequently (use flash cards, mobile apps, books like Word
power made easy by Norman Lewis etc.).
Sharpen your knowledge of idioms and metaphors: The options may be given in
form of idioms/metaphors. Without a good knowledge of these, you will not be able
to identify the correct title for the passage.
HOW TO SOLVE THE Q’S
Be mindful of the scope-trap: It is not uncommon to fall in the scope-trap. Some of the
options may refer to the central idea directly but are outside the required scope. We tend to
pick such answer options, misguided by their construction and donot realize these options
are about another subject or vaguely related to the passage, thus rendering it outside the
scope of the passage. Eg. If the passage talks about unemployment issue in India, the
answer options related to unemployment on global level cannot be the answer. Be sure that
you do not fall into this 'scope trap' to perform well in this question type.
Inculcate a reading habit
How do we reach at the final answer?
Use the important guidelines provided above, match your 'central idea' with the answer
options and eliminate the incorrect answer options. Remember the objective of this exercise
is to follow the process of identifying the main idea in an analytical and objective manner.
CONTEXUAL QUESTIONS

One of the frequently asked questions is based on ‘finding the context’ or contextual
questions. Generally, such questions test your vocabulary with reference to the given
passage. Such questions ask you to identify the meaning of a particular word/sentence
of the passage.
CONTEXUAL QUESTIONS
RC Contextual questions usually features in the following forms:
Based on how the word “..” is used in the passage, what does the word “..” mean?
In the “..” paragraph, what does “..” most nearly/likely means?
Identify the synonym/antonym of the word “..” given in the passage.
Sum up the meaning of the “..” paragraph/line using one word?
Identify the appropriate word that sums up the “..” paragraph/line.
Let’s discuss the right approach to tackle such questions
STRATEGY – TO TACKLE
CONTEXUAL Q’S
Vocab-in-context questions often accompany reading comprehensions. Basically, you are asked to find the
meaning of the word w.r.t the given passage/paragraph. Since, such questions appear simple and straight,
you are likely to answer them straightforward based on your earlier understanding of the word. At other
times, the word is completely new to you. Also, sometimes the given answer options differ slightly in
meaning, making it tricky to identify the correct answer. Follow the given steps to tackle these questions
well:
Read the sentence in which the given word is found.
Think of a synonym/antonym (as asked) of the given word before looking at the answer options. Look for
the context clues to arrive at the right word.
Now, try to match you own answer with the words given in the answer choices. If you can’t think of any
synonym/antonym, try to identify the meaning of the word/its opposite with respect to its usage in the
sentence. Then identify the answer option that means the same.
If you can’t figure out the meaning, substitute each answer choice in the original sentence and check which
word makes the sentence convey the same message.
STRATEGY – TO TACKLE
CONTEXUAL Q’S
Another type of contextual questions asks you to sum up a phrase/sentence in one word.
You are required to identify the word that would convey the same meaning as given in a
particular sentence of the passage. Read the following steps to ace this question type:
Read the sentence. Simplify it by rephrasing it in your own words. This will help you
identify the correct word easily.
Think of the word that would mean same as the given sentence.
Finally, look at the answer choices. Identify the answer option that means the same as
your own word. If it seems difficult, firstly eliminate the answer options that appear
completely irrelevant.
Lastly, such questions can be mastered only by practice and a good vocabulary.
TIPS FOR LONG PASSAGES
Tips for Dealing with Long RCs:
1. Focus on the opening and closing paragraphs of longer passages
Most of the passages encountered in the RC section will be short, but one or two will be long. If you are running out of time, read the
opening and closing paragraphs and skim the middle. The first and the last paragraphs contain the passage's main idea in most of the
passages. You can go back and read body paragraphs more carefully if the questions call for it.
2. Use context to help you
If a question asks about a particular line, don't go back into the passage and read just that line. Instead, read at least 2 sentences before and
after the line in question, so as to comprehend what the author is trying to say. This will help you arrive at the answer with better accuracy.
3. Sharpen your skills through reading
Remember, the biggest challenge with long RCs is the sheer word count of the passage. This can scare you at times and cause you to panic
in the exam. It is extremely important to maintain your cool in the exam and be prepared for such challenges. The best long-term strategy
to deal with long RCs is to build your reading stamina and making sure you are ready for the mental battle. An important point while
reading is to maintain your focus and attention. This can be developed only with a good amount of practice.
Read as much as you can and reading diverse areas will help in increasing your understanding related to other areas in addition to the
areas you are familiar with. Read online journals, magazines, books and newspapers. The more you read and practice, the better will be
your ability to filter out irrelevant information from the relevant one.
TIPS FOR LONG PASSAGES
4. Work on your Vocabulary
Try to increase your vocabulary (general and area specific). Remember, this is
another long-term strategy that requires dedication and application. It is not possible
to improve your reading skills overnight. Thus, it is extremely important to build on
your core language skills in order to develop into a master reader.
Diverse reading helps you build a good vocabulary base as well as enhances your
comprehension skills. Finally, you need to practice questions from RC passages to
check your level of proficiency.