# GRE Reading Comprehension: Question Types, Tips | topin GRE guidesReading Comprehension Section Verbal Reasoning, about half the questions in each section Passages Mostly single paragraphs, with some longer passages of several paragraphs Formats Select one of five, select all that apply of three, and select a sentence in the passage Questions per passage One to about four, depending on length Topics Sciences, social sciences, business, arts and humanities Credit No partial credit on select-all questions ## How it works Each passage is followed by one or more questions about it. Most have five choices and one answer; some have three choices where any number can be right; others ask you to click the sentence in the passage that does a given job. Short argument paragraphs also appear, asking what would strengthen or weaken a claim, what it assumes or what role a sentence plays. ## Worked example For decades, city planners valued street trees mainly for their appearance. Recent measurements have complicated that view. In several cities, researchers found that blocks with dense canopy cover recorded afternoon surface temperatures well below those of treeless blocks nearby, largely because shaded pavement absorbs less sunlight. Yet the same studies found that at night the difference narrowed and on some blocks reversed: a dense canopy can trap heat rising from the ground, slowing cooling after sunset. The researchers therefore caution that the benefit of planting trees depends on when a city's heat is most dangerous to its residents. The passage suggests that which of the following would most reduce the value of dense canopy for a particular city? 1. AThe city's streets are paved with materials that absorb a great deal of sunlight. 2. BMost heat-related illness in the city occurs during hot nights rather than hot afternoons. 3. CThe city's planners value trees primarily for their appearance. 4. DThe city has few treeless blocks against which canopy could be compared. 5. EAfternoon surface temperatures in the city are unusually high. Show the answer Most heat-related illness in the city occurs during hot nights rather than hot afternoons. The passage says canopy cools afternoons but can slow cooling at night, and that its benefit depends on when heat is most dangerous. If the danger is mostly at night, canopy helps least and may even hurt, so the second choice is right. Absorbent paving and very hot afternoons would make shade more useful, not less. What planners value does not change the physical effect, and a lack of comparison blocks affects measurement, not the value of the trees. ## A method for Reading Comprehension 1. 1 ### Read for structure, not detail On the first read, note the main claim, where the author's own view appears and what each sentence or paragraph does. Words such as yet, however and therefore mark the turns that questions ask about. 2. 2 ### Identify the question task Decide whether it asks for the main idea, a stated detail, an inference, the author's attitude or the role of a sentence. Each task needs a different kind of answer and a different place to look. 3. 3 ### Go back to the text and predict Find the lines the question points to and answer in your own words before reading the choices. For inference questions, the right answer is a small step from the text, not a leap. 4. 4 ### Eliminate with evidence Cross out choices that are too extreme, out of scope, reverse the passage or mix true words into a false claim. Keep only a choice you can back up with a specific line. 5. 5 ### Treat select-all choices one by one On three-choice select-all questions, judge each choice as a separate true-or-false statement about the passage. One, two or all three can be correct. ## Traps to avoid * A choice that is true in the real world or sounds sensible but is not supported by the passage. * Extreme wording such as always, never or entirely when the passage makes a qualified claim. * A choice that repeats words from the passage but links them in a way the author never did. * Confusing a view the author describes with a view the author holds. * Answering an argument question about strengthening with a choice that merely restates the conclusion. ## Reading Comprehension FAQs How many Reading Comprehension questions are on the GRE? They make up roughly half of each Verbal section. The exact count varies by test and by which version of section 2 you get. How long are GRE reading passages? Most are a single paragraph, and short argument paragraphs are common. A longer passage of several paragraphs may appear with a few questions attached. Should I read the questions before the passage? For short passages, reading the whole passage first is usually faster. For long passages, a quick look at the questions can tell you what to watch for, but you still need the author's main point before answering. How can I improve at GRE Reading Comprehension? Practise summarising each passage's main point and structure in a sentence, then check every answer against a line in the text. Regular reading of academic articles in unfamiliar fields also helps. ## Try Reading Comprehension under real timing Your first full-length GRE mock is free, with every section included. [Take the free mock ](/gre/login)