Reading Comprehension GMAT- Examples and Tips

Fretting over the reading comprehension in the GMAT exam? Know that, with the right strategy, you can ace any exam. There are several GMAT reading comprehension tips, tricks, and strategies that you can use to master the question types. Before we talk about tips and tricks, let us know what GMAT actually is and how GMAT reading comprehension is an essential part of your study abroad dreams.

What is GMAT Reading Comprehension 

The GMAT reading comprehension questions are part of the Verbal Reasoning section. This section assesses candidates’ abilities in reading and understanding written texts, analyzing and evaluating arguments, expressing ideas in written English, and so on. There are 23 questions in the multiple-choice format. The entire section has to be completed in 45 minutes.

The Verbal Section has three question types:

1. Reading Comprehension
2. Critical Reasoning
3. Sentence Correction

For Reading Comprehension, you need to keep these pointers in mind: 

1. These questions analyze the abilities of candidates to understand sentences, words, statements, and logical connections between major points, along with adhering to the quantitative aspects., Application, support of the idea, style, logical structure, and inference are the main reading skills to be tested. 
2. Each passage has questions that ask people to understand and interpret written material, apply the same to another context, and draw inferences. 
3. These passages have topics related to the humanities, social sciences, biological sciences, or physical sciences. They are sometimes related to business aspects as well. 

Importance of Reading Comprehension in GMAT 

Reading comprehension is crucial to the GMAT as it assesses analytical skills vital for business school success. Candidates must decipher complex texts, identify key information, and evaluate arguments effectively under timed conditions.

Strong reading comprehension enables accurate interpretation of passages, aiding in answering questions on main ideas, inferences, and authorial intent. It reflects a candidate's ability to think critically, make informed decisions, and communicate effectively in a business context.

Mastering this skill not only enhances performance on the GMAT exam but also prepares individuals for academic rigor and professional challenges in management and leadership roles.

Format of GMAT Reading Comprehension

The GMAT reading comprehension section typically consists of 3-4 passages, each followed by 3-4 multiple-choice questions. Passages are drawn from various disciplines, including social sciences, natural sciences, and business-related topics. Questions assess understanding of main ideas, supporting details, the author's tone, and logical inferences.

Test-takers are required to read critically, analyze complex information, and apply reasoning skills to answer accurately. Passage lengths vary, ranging from 200 to 400 words.

Success in this section depends on efficient reading strategies, such as skimming for structure and content and engaging actively with the material to comprehend and respond effectively to questions.

Types of Questions in GMAT Reading Comprehension

You will find many options for the free GMAT reading comprehension practice test questions. Here are some pointers regarding the GMAT reading comprehension practice questions: 

• Most passages fall into either of these categories- History, Business, and Science. 
• Passages on business topics cover aspects like company and consumer behavior and tougher questions emphasizing economic strategies, theories, and global trade. These passages often usher in varied opinions, research insights, and views regarding particular issues. Some crucial concepts here include free trade, tariffs, demand and supply, unemployment, economies of scale, inflation, and more.
• Science-related passages almost always necessitate more focus on the what, when, and how of things. There are references to studies, research, and other discoveries at times. Some of these passages are best shown with tables. Various characteristics and features of natural or scientific phenomena are often topics of discussion. 
• History-related passages are quite similar to their scientific counterparts. They often talk about events and evolutionary happenings over a period of time. Complex passages will have opinions given by several historians and analyses of the merits and demerits of these theories, and how history should be generally perceived. Historical passages in GMAT often cover aspects like groups that are marginalized or others struggling for their political or economic rights. 

The best way to prepare is to read as much as you can. Here are the question types in another paradigm: 

1. Main Idea: These questions will ask for a summary of the entire passage, or an identification of the purpose of the author. 
2. Supporting Ideas & Information: There will be questions regarding the identification of details, facts, sub-topics, descriptions, etc. 
3. Inferences: These questions require identification of what the author is trying to imply without explicitly stating it. 
4. Out of Context: These will be questions regarding using information in the passage to answer questions in a whole new context. 
5. Local Organization and Structure: These questions are function-based. You may have to analyze a passage and its construction or identify any underlying weaknesses, strengths, assumptions, etc. 
6. Tone & Style: These will inquire about the ideas of the author and how they are expressed through choosing the right words and diction. 
7. Direction: These questions will focus on the passage content. You will have to select the best possible answer to every question. 

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Strategies for Preparing for GMAT Reading Comprehension

Here are some effective strategies for preparing for GMAT reading comprehension. By employing these strategies consistently, you can enhance your reading comprehension skills and perform better on the GMAT reading comprehension section.

1. Diverse Reading Practice: Read newspapers, academic articles, and business reports to enhance comprehension speed and depth.
2. Active Reading Habits: Summarize main ideas and note key details for each paragraph to improve retention.
3. Use Official Practice Materials: Familiarize yourself with GMAT-style passages and time yourself to simulate exam conditions.
4. Understand Passage Structure: Identify the author's main argument and recognize supporting evidence within the text.   
5. Practice Outlining: Outline passages to improve your ability to recall key information quickly during the exam.   
6. Question Strategy: Read questions carefully to understand what is being asked, and refer back to the passage for evidence-based answers.   
7. Build Vocabulary: Expand your vocabulary and practice interpreting nuanced language and complex ideas.

Top 5 Tips for GMAT Reading Comprehension 

Here are some reading comprehension GMAT tips that you should keep in mind: 

1. Carefully read through the entire passage and keep making a mental summary of the crucial points made in every paragraph.
2. Always identify the core idea, point of view, and inter-relationship between multiple points of view or concepts. 
3. Pay more attention to the transition words in the passage, like because, thus, hence, as a result, similarly, however, furthermore, etc. These are crucial in maintaining text flow and showing relationships between phrases and paragraphs. They thus help you draw inferences and summaries.
4. Use the ‘elimination’ process to answer questions. If you are confused over the right answer, focus on disproving each option, and then choose the response option that is most difficult to refute. In certain cases, finding the wrong answers is virtually easier than identifying the correct one.
5. Read through the entire passage before attempting the questions.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in GMAT Reading Comprehension

Here are some common mistakes to avoid in GMAT reading comprehension. By avoiding these common pitfalls and practicing strategic reading techniques, you can improve your performance on the GMAT reading comprehension section.

1. Rushing Through Passages: Take time to understand the passage structure and main ideas instead of skimming hastily.
2. Ignoring Passage Details: Pay attention to supporting details, as they often provide crucial context for answering questions.
3. Overlooking Authorial Intent: Understand the author's tone and purpose to correctly interpret the passage's meaning.
4. Guessing Answers: Avoid guessing; instead, base answers on evidence directly from the passage.
5. Not Managing Time Effectively: Allocate time for reading and answering questions within the 65-minute limit to prevent rushing.
6. Lack of Focus on Key Points: Identify and prioritize main ideas rather than getting lost in minor details.
7. Misinterpreting Questions: Carefully analyze each question to ensure you understand what is being asked before selecting an answer.

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Reading Comprehension GMAT Passage Example:

Archaeology, as a profession, faces two major problems. First, it is the poorest of the poor. Only paltry sums are available for excavating, and even less is available for publishing the results and preserving the sites once excavated. Yet archaeologists deal with priceless objects every day. Second, there is the problem of illegal excavation, resulting in museum-quality pieces being sold to the highest bidder.

I would like to make an outrageous suggestion that would, at one stroke, provide funds for archaeology and reduce the amount of illegal digging. I would propose that scientific archeological expeditions and governmental authorities sell excavated artifacts on the open market. Such sales would provide substantial funds for the excavation and preservation of archaeological sites and the publication of results. At the same time, they would break the illegal excavator’s grip on the market, thereby decreasing the incentive to engage in illegal activities.

You might object that professionals excavate to acquire knowledge, not money. Moreover, ancient artifacts are part of our global cultural heritage, which should be available for all to appreciate, not sold to the highest bidder. I agree. Sell nothing that has unique artistic merit or scientific value. But, you might reply that everything that comes out of the ground has scientific value. Here we are part company. Theoretically, you may be correct in claiming that every artifact has potential scientific value. Practically, you are wrong.

I refer to the thousands of pottery vessels and ancient lamps that are essentially duplicates of one another. In one small excavation in Cyprus, archaeologists recently uncovered 2,000 virtually indistinguishable small jugs in a single courtyard. Even precious royal seal impressions known as l’melekh handles have been found in abundance—more than 4,000 examples so far.

The basements of museums are simply not large enough to store the artifacts that are likely to be discovered in the future. There is not enough money even to catalogue the finds; as a result, they cannot be found again and become as inaccessible as if they had never been discovered. Indeed, with the help of a computer, sold artifacts could be more accessible than the pieces stored in bulging museum basements. Prior to sale, each could be photographed and the list of the purchasers could be maintained on the computer. A purchaser could even be required to agree to return the piece if it becomes needed for scientific purposes.

It would be unrealistic to suggest that illegal digging would stop if artifacts were sold on the open market. But the demand for the clandestine product would be substantially reduced. Who would want an unmarked pot when another was available whose provenance was known, and that was dated stratigraphically by the professional archaeologist who excavated it?

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to propose

(A) An alternative to museum display of artifacts

(B) A way to curb illegal digging while benefiting the archaeological profession

(C) A way to distinguish artifacts with scientific value from those that have no such value

(D) The governmental regulation of archaeological sites

(E) A new system for cataloguing duplicate artifacts

2. The author implies that all of the following statements about duplicate artifacts are true, except:

(A) A market for such artifacts already exists.

(B) Such artifacts seldom have scientific value.

(C) There is likely to be a continuing supply of such artifacts.

(D) Museums are well supplied with examples of such artifacts.

(E) Such artifacts frequently exceed in quality those already catalogued in museum collections.

3. Which of the following is mentioned in the passage as a disadvantage of storing artifacts in museum basements?

(A) Museum officials rarely allow scholars access to such artifacts.

(B) Space that could be better used for display is taken up for storage.

(C) Artifacts discovered in one excavation often become separated from each other.

(D) Such artifacts are often damaged by variations in temperature and humidity.

(E) Such artifacts’ often remain uncatalogued and thus cannot be located once they are put in storage.

4. The author mentions the excavation in Cyprus (lines 31-34) to emphasize which of the following points?

(A) Ancient lamps and pottery vessels are less valuable, although more rare, than royal seal impressions.

(B) Artifacts that are very similar to each other present cataloguing difficulties to archaeologists.

(C) Artifacts that are not uniquely valuable, and therefore could be sold, are available in large quantities.

(D) Cyprus is the most important location for unearthing large quantities of salable artifacts.

(E) Illegal sales of duplicate artifacts are widespread, particularly on the island of Cyprus.

5. The author’s argument concerning the effect of the official sale of duplicate artifacts on illegal excavation is based on which of the following assumptions?

(A) Prospective purchasers would prefer to buy authenticated artifacts.

(B) The price of illegally excavated artifacts would rise.

(C) Computers could be used to trace sold artifacts.

(D) Illegal excavators would be forced to sell only duplicate artifacts.

(E) Money gained from selling authenticated artifacts could be used to investigate and prosecute illegal excavators.

6. The author anticipates which of the following initial objections to the adoption of his proposal?

(A) Museum officials will become unwilling to store artifacts.

(B) An oversupply of salable artifacts will result, and the demand for them will fall.

(C) Artifacts that would have been displayed in public places will be sold to private collectors.

(D) Illegal excavators will have an even larger supply of artifacts for resale.

(E) Counterfeiting of artifacts will become more commonplace.

7. The author implies that which of the following would occur if duplicate artifacts were sold on the open market?

1. Illegal excavation would eventually cease completely.
2. Cyprus would become the primary source of marketable duplicate artifacts.

III. Archaeologists would be able to publish the results of their excavations more frequently than they currently do.

(A) I only

(B) III only

(C) I and II only

(D) II and III only

(E) I, II, and III

Conclusion

Mastering GMAT Reading Comprehension requires strategic preparation and practice. By working on your active reading skills, understanding passage structures, and familiarizing oneself with various question types, candidates can improve their performance significantly. Effective time management, critical analysis of passages, and avoiding common pitfalls such as rushing or guessing answers are crucial for success. Ultimately, strong reading comprehension not only enhances GMAT scores but also equips individuals with essential skills for academic and professional success in the field of business management. Consistent practice and application of these strategies will ensure readiness on test day.