Reading Comprehension
Author's Tone & Purpose
Determining the author's viewpoint, intent, or feelings toward a subject.
Passages typically cover government policy, public administration, or civic topics where the author's stance may be subtle.
What the exam tests
Summary or Purpose Questions
Identify the core reason the author wrote the passage or the general purpose of the information.
Tone or Feeling Questions
Determine the author's specific feelings or emotional disposition toward a subject based on the language used.
Author Viewpoint Questions
Identify the author's belief or stance on a specific topic within the text.
Distinguishing Between Viewpoints
Key rules
- ›Separate the author's specific viewpoint from other perspectives mentioned in the same passage.
- ›Track keywords and phrases that signal the author's primary objective. These act as signposts for both tone and purpose.
Common traps
- !Distractor answers often represent someone else's opinion mentioned in the passage, not the author's own stance.
Excluding External Knowledge
Key rules
- ›Answer based solely on evidence in the text, even if you believe the author's perspective is factually incorrect.
- ›Get a general feel for the passage's overall attitude before evaluating answer choices.
Common traps
- !Do not let your own opinion about the topic override what the text actually says about the author's intent.
Filtering Extremes and Truth Traps
Key rules
- ›Eliminate answer choices that present extreme viewpoints unless explicitly stated in the text.
- ›Distinguish between answers that are factually true per the passage and answers that address the author's specific intent or purpose.
Common traps
- !'Truth trap' answers are factually accurate but miss the point. They answer what is in the passage, not why the author wrote it.
Try one
The accounting technician examination is used by hundreds of federal, state, and local municipalities to fill positions. It serves as a standardized 'yardstick' to ensure all candidates prove they are capable of a particular skill set regardless of their background. What is the primary purpose of the author in this passage?
The author frames the exam as a 'yardstick' ensuring fair evaluation across diverse backgrounds. A invents a complaint. C is absent. D is the opposite of the passage's intent.
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