aamc practice test 9 questions

[Rushnrhcp]

Hey guys, I just took the AAMC practice test 9 as I prepare to retake the MCAT. I had a quick question about one of the verbal questions. It's on the rain passage and it asks which of the answer choices would be least plausible for an inland region. I was convinced I had spotted a trick question and chose the answer that said it was by the ocean, as surely an inland region can't be by the ocean. Anyway, I was wrong. Can anybody give any insight into that? The correct answer makes sense, but I think I'm worried I'm reading too much into the questions. However, I know the MCAT likes to trip you up with wrong wording.

Thanks!

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[IslandStyle808]

The MCAT does love to tweak their words, it is best to take the answer stems as a whole rather than look for words that are wrong (of course, sometimes it is important to look at the words also). Remember that on verbal that knowing wrong/less right choice is far more valuable than the best one (in comparison to the sciences). So you have to make that differentiation in order to get the best answer.

Although, what you are saying is true, some inland regions can be closer to the ocean than others (even if they are not near an ocean). So that answer choice is plausible. However, wind going over a region is one of the largest factors in rain production. This wind picks up the particles from the ocean used in rain production. So it is necessary to have wind coming from the ocean. If you pick choice C (being near an ocean is implausible), then you also acknowledge that wind is not a significant player in rain production (which is not true). This is why again you should not choose C and choose A (little wind goes over the region). The key to verbal is evaluations of all choices and the best one will stick out like a sore thumb once you can deduce the "wrong" answers (they could be right, but they are not the best answers).

 

[Rushnrhcp]

Okay thanks for the advice. Yeah I usually try to go through the answers but this one jumped out at me and I thought I was finally catching on to them! Apparently not haha.

 

[IslandStyle808]

Okay thanks for the advice. Yeah I usually try to go through the answers but this one jumped out at me and I thought I was finally catching on to them! Apparently not haha.

LOL

I did the Official Guide to the MCAT 3rd edition just yesterday. It is amazing how different this verbal is from the verbal of the earlier MCATs. I noticed a lot of "look back at the passage" type questions, pretty much none of the older aamc practice exam or even self-assessments for that matter had these.

I have to agree, as soon as you think you gotten them, they throw a curveball at you. In the end, the general strategies of reading the passage work the best and are pretty much timeless (understanding the passage, main message, authors opinion, etc.).