I've read many MCAT books on verbal with many different strategies for verbal, however after taking all the AAMC CBT tests (including AAMC 6) and also all the old format tests with extra passages, I look at ALL the solutions and reasons for one answer being better than another.
It seems there is in fact a system that leds you to the correct answer and that system involve more than just the main idea, but the questions themselves are KEY to alot of answers. Everything from the wording of the questions to little details in the question stem make answers so darn obvious.
Here is a list on the strategy based on the question stem, and the solutions to all the AAMC:
Key Word:
Suggest is different from stated. When a question says the passage SUGGESTS, it is most likely something implied by the passage or paraphrased form the passage. Any direct statement from the passage isnt a suggestion and usually they may change one word in that statement to make it incorrect.
Implied, never pick a directly stated answer from the passage, look for something that is implied (obviously) and SUPPORTED by the passage.
The passage states, this is more likely a direct quote from the passage BUT your answer must be relevant to the question. There is almost always another true statement in the question choice but it is wrong because it has nothing to do with the question.
That leads me to the important point that the question stems usually have true answers but they have nothing to do with the question iself, this is why people struggle when they narrow down questions. They see two right choices, but really one is irrelevant
Conclusion, you choice must be a conclusion meaning it should be a general answer that sums up the passage or part of the passage the question refers to. All too often the AAMC will put in choices that are specific to just one point in the passage that is true but again isnt a conclusion. Usually a conclusion is something you should draw on.
Respectively, honestly when an question has a comparison with respectively, two answer choices are in the "wrong respective" and the 3rd wrong question has one part right and the other part is twisted (or belongs the the other point or person being mentioned).
Counter to main idea, if a passage question asks about anything except "which of the following weakens the..." or "which of the following is contrary to the authors point...." do not choose and answer that contradicts the main idea...even a little.
Conflicitng answers:
When two answers are in conflict AND they seems to answer the question, the most general answer wins. So long as the more general answer deviates fromt he question being asked.
Always ask if the answer is "necessarily true", this goes hand in hand with whether or not the answer is extreme (not some extreme answers may be true if the author says its true)
Watch for "mixed around words in senetences", again this is why picking an answer that seems word for word is dangerous, as one word may be changed and you wont realize it. The MCAT isnt reading comprehension so word for word answers are rare
Eliminate everything that has nothing to do with the question no matter how true it is, this will prevent you from overthinking it.
Reasing passage:
Highlight ares where the author states his opinions or rules, these make it easier to find answers to questions (even if you dont look back, the opinion is engraved in you)
Golden Rule
If it is not mentioned in the passage, if it is not inferable from the passage, if it is general knowledge that most people know but it is not presented in the passage (like everyone knows the heart represents love, and the question asks about the meaning of the heart in that passage)...THOU SHALT NOT PICK THAT ANSWER CHOICE.
As you can see, the strategy above makes the question stem itself seem more important than the main idea. BUT you should still know the main idea then apply the strategy.
Try this out in an untimed test, read the passage and have this stragey next to you and just try it.
The golden rule and the "if it has nothing to do with the question" rule alone can raise you score from and 8 to a 12. So many people can get a question down to 50/50 most of the time and pick the wrong one, these two rule will save you on 50/50 questions
It seems there is in fact a system that leds you to the correct answer and that system involve more than just the main idea, but the questions themselves are KEY to alot of answers. Everything from the wording of the questions to little details in the question stem make answers so darn obvious.
Here is a list on the strategy based on the question stem, and the solutions to all the AAMC:
Key Word:
Suggest is different from stated. When a question says the passage SUGGESTS, it is most likely something implied by the passage or paraphrased form the passage. Any direct statement from the passage isnt a suggestion and usually they may change one word in that statement to make it incorrect.
Implied, never pick a directly stated answer from the passage, look for something that is implied (obviously) and SUPPORTED by the passage.
The passage states, this is more likely a direct quote from the passage BUT your answer must be relevant to the question. There is almost always another true statement in the question choice but it is wrong because it has nothing to do with the question.
That leads me to the important point that the question stems usually have true answers but they have nothing to do with the question iself, this is why people struggle when they narrow down questions. They see two right choices, but really one is irrelevant
Conclusion, you choice must be a conclusion meaning it should be a general answer that sums up the passage or part of the passage the question refers to. All too often the AAMC will put in choices that are specific to just one point in the passage that is true but again isnt a conclusion. Usually a conclusion is something you should draw on.
Respectively, honestly when an question has a comparison with respectively, two answer choices are in the "wrong respective" and the 3rd wrong question has one part right and the other part is twisted (or belongs the the other point or person being mentioned).
Counter to main idea, if a passage question asks about anything except "which of the following weakens the..." or "which of the following is contrary to the authors point...." do not choose and answer that contradicts the main idea...even a little.
Conflicitng answers:
When two answers are in conflict AND they seems to answer the question, the most general answer wins. So long as the more general answer deviates fromt he question being asked.
Always ask if the answer is "necessarily true", this goes hand in hand with whether or not the answer is extreme (not some extreme answers may be true if the author says its true)
Watch for "mixed around words in senetences", again this is why picking an answer that seems word for word is dangerous, as one word may be changed and you wont realize it. The MCAT isnt reading comprehension so word for word answers are rare
Eliminate everything that has nothing to do with the question no matter how true it is, this will prevent you from overthinking it.
Reasing passage:
Highlight ares where the author states his opinions or rules, these make it easier to find answers to questions (even if you dont look back, the opinion is engraved in you)
Golden Rule
If it is not mentioned in the passage, if it is not inferable from the passage, if it is general knowledge that most people know but it is not presented in the passage (like everyone knows the heart represents love, and the question asks about the meaning of the heart in that passage)...THOU SHALT NOT PICK THAT ANSWER CHOICE.
As you can see, the strategy above makes the question stem itself seem more important than the main idea. BUT you should still know the main idea then apply the strategy.
Try this out in an untimed test, read the passage and have this stragey next to you and just try it.
The golden rule and the "if it has nothing to do with the question" rule alone can raise you score from and 8 to a 12. So many people can get a question down to 50/50 most of the time and pick the wrong one, these two rule will save you on 50/50 questions
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