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IvyGlobal-Critical Reading Strategies

The document provides strategies for the Critical Reading sections of the Ivy Global exam, which include sentence completion and passage-based reading questions. It outlines key strategies such as circling important words, using process of elimination, and not getting stuck on difficult questions. Specific tips are given for each question type, including reading the full passage before questions, using line references, and ensuring all answers are directly supported by the text. Major question types like main idea, details, and tone are explained.

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Roshaan Ashraf
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159 views2 pages

IvyGlobal-Critical Reading Strategies

The document provides strategies for the Critical Reading sections of the Ivy Global exam, which include sentence completion and passage-based reading questions. It outlines key strategies such as circling important words, using process of elimination, and not getting stuck on difficult questions. Specific tips are given for each question type, including reading the full passage before questions, using line references, and ensuring all answers are directly supported by the text. Major question types like main idea, details, and tone are explained.

Uploaded by

Roshaan Ashraf
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Ivy Global

CRITICAL READING STRATEGIES




The Critical Reading sections test vocabulary and advanced reading comprehension. There are two
question types: sentence completion (19 questions total) and passage-based reading (48 questions
total).

For both question types, use your pencil as you read to circle key words and phrases. Use the
process of elimination to narrow down your answer choices. Keep in mind that the questions
progress from easiest to hardest and use your time efficiently: if you are stuck, circle the question
and move on.


Sentence Completion

Read the sentence carefully, and think of a word before looking at the answer options.
If you cant think of a specific word, decide whether the answer should have a positive
or negative connotation.
Use context and familiar word roots, prefixes, and suffixes to decipher unfamiliar
words.
Watch out for negative words and prefixes.
Watch for words that signal support, contrast, cause and effect.
Check all five options before making your final choice. Remember that you are being
asked to find the best answer, even though other answers could seem to make sense.
For double blank sentences, test one blank at a time, not two.


Passage-Based Reading

Read the italicized information at the beginning of the passage. This contains important
context to help you answer questions accurately.
Tackle passages with familiar subjects first. Deal with one passage at a time.
Try to read the passage in full before looking at the questions.
For double passages, try tackling specific questions regarding the first passage first. As
you go on to read the second passage, look for important similarities and differences in
the authors argument, technique, or tone as compared to the first passage.
Active reading: use your pencil as a guide to circle or underline 2-3 main ideas per
paragraph. The goal is to gain a better sense of the overall passage structure and to
make information easier to find when you are answering questions. You may also want
to note the authors thesis, technique, or tone in the margins as you read. Questions
about the passage will likely relate to the main ideas and main techniques of the
argument, not irrelevant details.
Use line references as a guide when looking for answers, making sure to review for
context the material that comes before and after the specified lines.

Ivy Global
All answers come directly from the passage. You should always be able to support your
answer choice with specific quotations from the author. Dont answer the questions by
memory alone, and dont rely on your own knowledge or opinion of the subject.
Use caution with extreme answer options, or answers that are too specific or broad.
If you have difficulty concentrating, try moving your lips as you read.

Major Question Types: Passage-Based Reading

Main idea: check the first and last sentences of every paragraph, or the first and last
paragraphs in the passage. As you read, continually ask yourself what the main idea of
the paragraph is, how that idea is explained or illustrated, and how that paragraph
connects with the rest of the passage.
Specific details: use line references when they are given. Make sure you are
circling/underlining efficiently as you read so you can locate information quickly. Circle
key words in the question and then scan the passage to find them or their synonyms.
Inferences: choose an answer that logically expands on the information the author has
provided. You should still be able to support these answers with specific text from the
passage.
Vocabulary in context: many of these words have multiple possible meanings, so you
must always look back to the passage to decide how the author is using the word in
context. Substitute each answer choice for the word in the sentence and see if it makes
sense. For unfamiliar words, look for clues nearby in the passage.
Tone/attitude: how is the author emotionally engaged with the subject? Know the
following words: aloof, ambivalent, apathetic, callous, candid, caustic, cautionary,
condescending, contemplative, contemptuous, cynical, derisive, detached, didactic,
disparaging, dispassionate, erudite, flippant, forthright, grudging, incredulous, indignant,
indifferent, ironic, jaded, judicious, laudatory, malicious, nave, nostalgic, patronizing,
pedantic, pompous, pragmatic, prosaic, resigned, reverent, sardonic, satirical, skeptical,
trite, vindictive, whimsical
Technique: how does the author structure his/her argument? Is the passage meant to
teach, persuade, or describe? Is the argument objective or subjective? What is the
authors thesis? What type of evidence is used? Does the author quote his sources, or
simply cite their names or titles? Are the ideas concrete or abstract? Does the author
give specific details or rely on generalizations?

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