Planning to study an MBA abroad? You must be familiar with the GMAT exam. The GMAT is the most important exam to fulfill your dream of studying abroad. But let’s first understand the intricacies of the exam in detail.
The GMAT Reading Comprehension is an important part of the Verbal Reasoning section of the GMAT test. The candidates need to draw insights from the given passages and answer 9-16 comprehension questions. There will usually be 3 short passages of 200-250 words with three questions, and one long passage of 300-350 words with four questions in this section. Occasionally, you might get two of each.
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GMAT Reading Comprehension Section
A solid score in the GMAT verbal reasoning depends heavily on your ability to perform well on the GMAT reading comprehension problems, which make up about one-third of the in the entire section. As a result, the verbal section will have 4 GMAT RC passages, with 3–4 questions each.
There are a total of 36 multiple-choice questions in the verbal segment that include: GMAT Reading Comprehension, Sentence Correction, and Critical Reasoning.
Types of GMAT RC Passages
Most passages in the GMAT comprehension passages section fall into one of three groups: business, science, or history. Let us gather more insights about them below:
Business
Among the simpler GMAT RC sections, business passages discussing consumer and corporate behavior appear quite frequently. They mostly concentrate on more intricate economic theories and global trade.
Science
Most of all, science texts demand sustained attention. A table to monitor the passages in science is frequently the best representation. Biology is the most frequent science subsection, but physics and social science are also commonly mentioned.
History
GMAT historic themes frequently concentrate on underrepresented communities and their equality, with passages most frequently addressing the fight for women's, African American, workers', and Native American economic and political rights.
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You may also come across passages that touch on subjects like astronomy, technology, philosophy, physics, biology, or chemistry. You might also see chapters that explore human rights, international law, history, economics, or politics. With the types of passages out of the way, let’s take a look at the different types of RC questions that are asked in these passages:
Types of GMAT RC Questions
The GMAT's reading comprehension questions emphasize your capacity to comprehend the provided passage. Consequently, the types of reading comprehension problems you'll see on the GMAT are as follows.
Main Concept
You are asked to paraphrase the text in its entirety or to determine the writer's main goal in penning the passage.
Supporting Idea
You will be asked to name facts, details, descriptions, or subtopics in questions on supporting idea specifics.
Inference
You must determine what is implied by the text but not expressed clearly to answer these questions.
Application or Out-of-Context
These inquiries require you to use the passage's material in a different setting.
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Logical Structure
Questions about logical structure focus on function; you may be asked to evaluate how a paragraph is put together or to identify the underlying assumptions, arguments' strengths and flaws, and potential counterarguments.
Tone and Style
Questions about the writer's language, or choice of words, are asked in the style and tone sections.
You can get stronger in GMAT RC with practice, but it will take several hours of work to see any development. Nevertheless, using a more focused strategy will be essential to achieving the highest score advancements in the shortest amount of time. Now let us look at a few GMAT RC strategies and GMAT reading comprehension practice tips:
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GMAT Reading Comprehension Tips
GMAT reading comprehension practice is a must to achieve a high score in the verbal section of the GMAT exam. Here are a few tips to remember and follow for smooth learning:
- Practice Timing Yourself: You only get 65 minutes for 36 questions in the verbal section. You are required to read the passage, understand it, and make judgments. You’ll need to be a quick thinker, read the passage, and interpret its meaning. Practicing timing can help you a great deal in saving your time for the other questions as well.
- Technical jargon: There is a lot of technical jargon stuffed into passages to intimidate students. One way to overcome this fear is to learn relevant jargon related to various topics that might be asked, and the other way is not to get frightened and try to infer the meaning as much as possible if you are unaware of the meaning.
- Practice passages: Try to find and review GMAT reading comprehension practice questions online. Read newspapers, and read as many passages as you can to practice. Read topic-related data available on the internet to broaden your knowledge.
- GMAT reading comprehension books: There are tons of books available in the market to help you practice for the GMAT reading comprehension questions. Here is a list of a few finest books available in the market for GMAT reading comprehension practice:
Power Score verbal trilogy Bible
Veritas Prep Complete GMAT Course
GMAT Official Guide 2023
Manhattan Prep GMAT Strategy Guide Set
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From the Desk of Yocket
Along with having the best book for GMAT reading comprehension, an effective study strategy is extremely important to excel in the exam. A strong academic profile, early application, and good GMAT scores are the best possible ways to get admission to your desired universities abroad.
Still confused about the first step? Navigating through the strategies to excel in the GMAT exam can be overwhelming, but fear not! We're here to guide you through every step, ensuring you take the right steps for your future. Yocket Premium comes with a dedicated counsellor for you, guiding you through the best strategies for the GMAT exam.
