MCAT Verbal Question types(What's your approach?)

[orangetea]

Hi,

So exciting.. my first post.

Anyway, as I am post phrasing my verbal, I notice that there are two question types that I just really suck at so I was wondering how you all approach these types.

1) The Ideas of this passage are mainly derived from...
a)facts
b)speculations
c)observation
d)research

I am making the answer choices up but how do I go about figuring out how the author is making the claims that he/she is?


2) Which of the statements provides support for what the author probably means in stating that..

so these questions are about drawing parallels by giving you outside information... I am having a hard time making those connections because to me all the answer choices make some sort of connection.


3) For which of the following does the author provide no support.

I am really confused by "support" as in supporting evidence? How do I know the author did not provide support because there are statements made in the introduction that are then talked about again in the third or fourth paragraph. So does that count as supporting evidence?


THANKS!!!

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[R35]

The biggest tips come from the words the author uses. If he constructs his paragraphs with words like "inefficient" and "better alternatives probably exist" it's probably suggesting he is *critical* of whatever the passage is about. So, he probably wouldn't support an answer choice which backs up the argument. (I apologize if it sounds convoluted, but I can't think of other examples atm!)

Also, many of the questions have answers hiding in the passages. They're just waiting to be found, and most of the time have key words directly pointing you towards the correct answer.