Unit 3: Comprehension mind map

What the comprehension section looks like, and a reading routine that works under time pressure.

What the section looks like

One passage, five questions

The comprehension section is one passage followed by five questions on it.

• Almost every passage in past papers carries five questions.
• Questions come in a fixed order, one after another.
• All five questions are about the same passage.
• Each question carries two marks, so a passage is worth ten.

Because five questions share one passage, a good reading of the passage pays off five times. A poor reading costs you five times.

In a few papers one or two questions were withdrawn, so a passage may show four or three questions.

Short passages

Passages are short, so you can read each one fully.

• The typical passage is about 220 words.
• The shortest in the bank is about 110 words.
• The longest is about 375 words.
• Two to three minutes is enough for a careful read.

A passage of this size is only a few paragraphs. You do not need to skim it. Read it once, steadily, and you will keep most of it.

Long passages are rare, so do not plan your time around them.

The answer is in the passage

Every correct answer can be found in the passage itself.

• Do not answer from what you already know.
• Look for the sentence that supports the option.
• If the passage does not say it, the option is wrong.
• Common sense can mislead you here.

Examiners write the key from the text. An option may be true in real life and still be wrong because the passage does not say it.

When two options look right, pick the one the passage supports more directly.

Passages come from many subjects

Passages are taken from many fields, so the subject may be new to you.

• Education, economy, politics and law.
• Environment, science and health.
• Culture, language, arts and history.
• Psychology and society.

You do not need to know the subject. The question only tests whether you read the passage well. Do not panic at an unfamiliar topic.

Passages printed in Hindi

In some shifts, a passage was printed in Hindi, and the English version is a translation.

• Some past shifts printed the passage only in Hindi.
• The English version in these papers is a translation.
• Words in the translation can feel a little formal.
• The five questions test the same skills.

If you read both languages, use the one you read faster. The key is based on the meaning, so do not get stuck on one word.

Marks and risk

Comprehension questions have no negative marking in past papers, so attempt all five.

• Each question carries two marks.
• Wrong answers in the past papers did not lose marks.
• Never leave a comprehension question blank.
• Guess by removing options that the passage does not support.

This section is easier to score than most others because the answer is printed in front of you. Treat it as a section where full marks are possible.

A reading routine

Read the passage once, steadily

Read the whole passage once at a calm pace before looking at any question.

• Do not stop to solve each difficult word.
• Do not read aloud in your head too slowly.
• Keep the main point of each paragraph in mind.
• Expect to read it a second time only for details.

A first steady read gives you the shape of the passage. Stopping at every hard word breaks the flow, and you lose the main idea.

Find the topic sentence

The topic sentence tells you what the paragraph is about. It is often the first or the last sentence.

• Mark the first sentence of each paragraph.
• Look at the last sentence for the conclusion.
• Words like 'therefore' and 'thus' point to the conclusion.
• Words like 'but' and 'however' point to a turn in the argument.

If you know where each paragraph's main point sits, you can find any detail again within seconds.

Mark names, numbers and contrast words

While you read, mark the facts that questions love to ask.

• Names of people, places and organisations.
• Numbers, years and percentages.
• Lists, such as 'first, second, third'.
• Contrast words: but, however, although, while.

Questions on facts ask about these exact items. Marking them means you only have to glance back, not reread.

Read the question, then go back to the text

Read each question carefully, then return to the passage to find the supporting lines.

• Read the whole question, including the word NOT.
• Find the keyword in the question.
• Scan the passage for the same keyword or its meaning.
• Check the sentence before and after it.

Keywords in the question are often reworded in the passage. The sentence just before or after the keyword often holds the answer.

Answer in the order of the passage

Questions often follow the order in which the passage presents its points.

• Q1 is often from the first paragraph.
• The last question is often from the end of the passage.
• Central idea and title questions are the exception.
• Use this to find your place in the passage quickly.

This is a habit of how the questions are set, not a rule. It still helps you search faster, but always verify with the text.

Keep the time in check

Spend a fixed time on each passage and move on.

• Two to three minutes to read.
• The rest of the time goes to the five questions.
• Skip a hard question and return to it later.
• Do not let one passage use the time of the next section.

Three hours cover 150 questions across both papers, so a passage with five questions fits in about six minutes. A calm first read saves time later.

Direct questions whose answer is a statement in the passage: facts, definitions, causes and comparisons.

Direct recall

Factual recall

A factual recall question asks for something the passage states directly.

• It is the largest group of comprehension questions.
• The answer is a fact, a name, a number or a phrase.
• The question often starts with 'what', 'who' or 'according to'.
• The right option is usually a near copy of the passage.

Find the sentence in the passage that mentions the keyword. The correct option repeats or rewords that sentence closely.

Wrong options use words from the passage but attach them to the wrong thing.

Finding the keyword

The keyword in the question is your search term in the passage.

• Pick the most unusual word in the question.
• A name, a number or a technical term makes the best keyword.
• Look for a rewording if the exact word is missing.
• Read the sentences around the match.

The question and the passage may use different words for the same idea. If you cannot find the word, think of what it could be called.

Names, numbers and dates

Questions on numbers, years and names test careful reading, not calculation.

• Check the exact figure in the passage.
• Check what the figure refers to.
• Check units such as per cent or crore.
• Do not mix up two figures from different sentences.

Wrong options often give a number from another sentence. Always check what the number describes before you choose.

Definition from the text

Some questions ask what the passage says a term means.

• The passage often says 'X is defined as' or 'X means'.
• The definition may sit in a different sentence from the term.
• Use the passage's meaning, even if the dictionary differs.
• Watch for small misprints in options.

Always use the meaning the passage gives. In one past question, an option said 'timely gaps' where the passage said 'tiny gaps'. It was still the only option that matched.

Examples and features from the text

A question may ask you to pick the example or the feature the passage names.

• Find the list or the example sentence.
• Ignore examples that are only in your own mind.
• Check each option against the sentence.
• The right option names an item the passage lists.

Examples are usually introduced by 'such as', 'for example' or a colon. Go back to that spot and check each option.

Comparison in the text

Comparison questions ask how two ideas, people or things are alike or different.

• Look for 'like', 'unlike', 'as opposed to' and 'compared with'.
• Note which thing is being described in each part.
• The right option states the difference the passage gives.
• Do not add a difference of your own.

A phrase such as 'as opposed to religion' tells you the passage is contrasting two things. The answer is the contrast, in the passage's words.

Cause, reason and effect

Cause identified in the text

Cause questions ask why something happened, according to the passage.

• Look for 'because', 'due to', 'as a result' and 'owing to'.
• The cause may come before or after the effect.
• The right option states the cause the passage names.
• Do not choose a cause that sounds sensible but is unstated.

In one passage, Alzheimer's was almost unknown before the 1950s because most people died before the disease developed. The reason was stated, not guessed.

Reasons listed in the text

Some questions ask for several reasons or factors the passage lists.

• The passage lists causes in a sentence or a paragraph.
• Options may combine them, as in 'A and C only'.
• Check each item separately.
• Cross out items the passage denies or never mentions.

Treat each item as a true or false statement. Then pick the option that matches the items you marked true.

Cause and effect in a process

Some passages explain how one thing leads to another, step by step.

• Follow the chain: first this, then that.
• Note the effect of each step.
• Questions ask 'how does X affect Y'.
• The answer is the effect the passage describes.

In a flood passage, flood-control structures transfer the problem downstream. Paving roads speeds up run-off. Each effect is stated, so find it and match it.

Consequence stated in the text

Some questions ask what follows from something the passage describes.

• Look for 'so', 'therefore', 'which leads to' and 'results in'.
• The consequence is stated, not imagined.
• Do not extend the result beyond what is said.
• Check the option for extra claims.

If an option adds a result the passage never states, drop it. The right option stays within the passage's own conclusion.

Central idea, title, inference, author's view and the meaning of words and phrases in context.

Central idea, theme and title

Central idea and main theme

A central idea question asks what the whole passage is mainly about.

• Look at the topic sentences of every paragraph.
• The right answer covers the whole passage.
• A detail from one paragraph is not the central idea.
• Ask: if I had to say it in one line, what would I say?

The central idea ties all the paragraphs together. Wrong options are usually true details, but they cover only one part.

Questions may say 'central idea', 'main theme', 'crux' or 'what the passage highlights'. They all ask for the same thing.

Focus of the passage

A focus question asks what the passage mainly concentrates on.

• It means the same as central idea.
• The answer is the subject the passage spends most words on.
• Options that are only mentioned once are details.
• Choose the broader of two true options if it covers more.

In one passage on direct foreign investment, control, sales facilities and integration risks were only details. The focus was the international orientation of investment.

Choosing a title

A title question asks for the name that best fits the whole passage.

• A good title is short and covers the whole passage.
• A title that fits only one paragraph is too narrow.
• A title that is much bigger than the passage is too wide.
• Check the title against the first and last lines.

In a passage on Ayurveda, 'dynamic balance' was only a part, so it was not a suitable title. 'Ayurveda' covered the whole passage.

Moral, message and final suggestion

Some questions ask for the moral, the message or the final suggestion of the passage.

• Look at the last paragraph first.
• The message is often stated near the end.
• Choose the option that the whole passage supports.
• Do not choose a general truth the passage does not state.

The last lines of a passage often hold its message. Read them again before you answer.

Inference and the author's view

Inference from the text

An inference question asks what the passage implies, but does not say in the same words.

• The answer is supported by the passage, but reworded.
• It does not need outside facts.
• It must follow from what is stated.
• Do not stretch the passage further than it goes.

The correct inference stays close to the text. In one passage, 'respect for sensible rules of conduct' was the thing that could restrain single-minded pursuit of goals, because the text said so.

Application

An application question asks you to use an idea from the passage in a new case.

• First find the rule or idea in the passage.
• Then see which option fits it.
• The passage's reasoning decides the answer.
• Do not use your own opinion.

In a passage on personal liberty, choosing a school for one's child was a personal matter. So the application was 'personal liberty'.

Interpreting a claim

Some questions ask what a claim or argument in the passage means.

• Find the claim in the passage.
• Read the reason the passage gives for it.
• The right option restates the claim with its reason.
• Watch for options that reverse it.

A claim is usually followed by its reason or an example. Read both before you choose.

The author's view and attitude

Some questions ask what the author thinks or feels about the subject.

• Look at adjectives and verbs the author uses.
• Praise words suggest a favourable view.
• Words of doubt suggest a critical view.
• Do not confuse the author's view with a view the author reports.

A passage may report what others think. The author's own view is usually signposted by phrases such as 'in my view' or by the tone of the closing lines.

Focal inference

Some questions ask for the main inference the passage leads to.

• It sums up where the argument ends.
• Read the last paragraph for the conclusion.
• The right option follows from the whole argument.
• A small detail is not the focal inference.

This type blends central idea and inference. Look at where the argument finally lands.

Words and phrases in context

Synonym of a word in the passage

A vocabulary question asks for a word with the same meaning as a word in the passage.

• Go back to the sentence where the word is used.
• Think of the word's meaning in that sentence.
• Pick the closest option, not a word that only sounds alike.
• A word may have more than one meaning.

Meaning depends on the sentence. 'Drastic' in 'deliberate and drastic planning' means radical, because the planning makes a major change.

Idioms and expressions

Some questions ask what an expression in the passage means.

• Read the sentence around it.
• Guess the meaning from the sentence first.
• Then check which option fits.
• Do not take the words literally.

'Deliver the goods' means to produce the promised results. In the passage, no action was taken against a person who did not deliver the goods.

Phrases that refer to something

Some questions ask what a phrase in the passage refers to.

• Find the phrase in the passage.
• Read the sentences just before and after.
• The phrase points to a person, group or idea named nearby.
• Choose the option that matches that reference.

In a passage on poverty, 'history's recent rejects' referred to the homeless population named in the sentence.

Meaning of a term in context

Some questions ask what a technical term means in the passage.

• The passage often explains the term in one sentence.
• Use that sentence, not a dictionary.
• Watch for a term defined with an example.
• Choose the option that repeats the passage's wording.

Passages on specialised subjects define their own terms. The answer is that definition. For example, micromastery was the ability to experiment and use many learning strategies.

Questions that ask you to check statements, or to find the one that is NOT supported.

NOT, incorrect and except

Which is NOT mentioned

A NOT question asks for the option that the passage does not mention.

• Read the word NOT carefully, even if it is small.
• Check each option against the passage.
• Three options will be in the passage. One will not.
• The one that is missing is your answer.

This type reverses your usual search. Instead of one right option, you look for three supported ones and take the odd one out.

In a past question on state crafts, rock painting was not among the arts the passage listed.

Which statement is incorrect

An 'incorrect statement' question asks for the option that goes against the passage.

• It differs from 'not mentioned'.
• The wrong statement contradicts the passage.
• Three options agree with the passage.
• Mark each option T or F as you check.

In a passage on food, 'an occasional indulgence probably won't cause lasting damage'. So 'occasional indulgence will cause lasting damage' was the incorrect statement.

Negative questions with except and false

Words like 'except', 'false' and 'wrong' also flip the question.

• 'Except' means one option is the odd one.
• 'False' means pick the untrue one.
• Read the whole stem before checking.
• Circle the flipping word before you start.

Many errors in this section come from missing one word. Circle it before looking at the options.

Two statements and lists

Two statements, I and II

In a two-statement question, you decide whether each statement is true or false, then pick the matching option.

• Check Statement I against the passage.
• Check Statement II against the passage.
• The four options are the four true and false combinations.
• Decide each statement separately.

Each statement is checked on its own. In one question, Statement I was false because the passage lists many coral shapes, and Statement II was true because human activity threatens reefs.

A to E lists with combinations

Some questions give statements A, B, C, D and ask which combination is true.

• Check each statement as true or false.
• Then look for the option that matches your true set.
• Do not choose a combination that includes a false item.
• Use one sure item to remove options quickly.

First decide each item. Then read the options. If A is surely true and two options leave it out, remove them at once.

True and correct statements

A 'which is correct' question asks for the statement the passage supports.

• It is the opposite of an 'incorrect' question.
• One option matches the passage.
• The others add, reverse or change something.
• Read the passage line again for the exact claim.

In a passage on Marie Curie, the true statement was that she isolated radium by following the principles of science. The others claimed more than the passage said.

Using one sure item to remove options

You can often solve a list question by knowing just one or two items for sure.

• Pick the item you are most sure about.
• Cut every option that disagrees with it.
• Do the same with a second item.
• Finish by checking the remaining option.

This saves time. You do not need to check every statement if two sure items already narrow the choices to one.

The traps in comprehension options, and how to avoid each one.

Common traps

Not mentioned in the passage

The most common wrong option is something the passage never says.

• It may be true in real life.
• It sounds sensible and fits the topic.
• But no sentence in the passage supports it.
• The explanation says 'not mentioned' or 'the passage does not say'.

In the bank, the explanation for about one in three questions dismisses a wrong option because the passage does not mention it. Always look for the supporting sentence.

Reversed meaning

A wrong option may say the opposite of what the passage says.

• It uses the same words but flips the meaning.
• Words such as 'not', 'only', 'more' and 'less' are often flipped.
• Check the direction of the idea, not just the words.
• Read the passage sentence slowly once more.

In a passage on coral reefs, one statement said reefs are non-living. The passage said corals are marine animals, so that option reversed the truth.

Half-true options

Some wrong options are partly right and partly wrong.

• The first half matches the passage.
• The second half adds something extra.
• A single false word makes the option wrong.
• Read to the very end of each option.

In an August 2024 passage on the brain, one statement said myelination is completed in all areas by age four. That is true for hand-eye areas only. Attention areas finish much later.

Details that are not the central idea

In a central idea question, wrong options are often true details.

• They are real points from the passage.
• They cover only one paragraph.
• The central idea covers all paragraphs.
• Ask: does this option cover the whole passage?

In a passage on direct investment abroad, control, sales facilities and integration risks were all mentioned. But they were only details of the main idea.

Words copied from the passage

Wrong options often reuse words from the passage to look right.

• They copy a phrase and attach it to the wrong thing.
• They pick a figure from a different sentence.
• Familiar words make an option feel safe.
• Check what each word actually refers to.

Do not trust an option just because its words match the passage. The right option matches the meaning, not just the words.

Near-synonyms

In vocabulary questions, two options may both seem close in meaning.

• Choose the one that fits the sentence best.
• A word that stresses something extra is less exact.
• Check the shade of meaning, not only the rough sense.
• Put each option into the sentence and read it.

For 'seamlessly', both 'smoothly' and 'gracefully' are close. But 'gracefully' stresses beauty of movement. The passage meant without any break, so 'smoothly' was the answer.

Reading the options

Small misprints

A correct option may contain a small printing error.

• If one option nearly matches the passage, it may be the key.
• Do not reject it for a single wrong letter.
• Compare the meaning with the passage.
• Choose the closest match to the passage.

In a question on synapses, the passage said 'tiny gaps' and the option said 'timely gaps'. It was still the only option that matched the definition.

Two options that both look right

When two options look right, pick the one the passage supports more directly.

• Go back to the passage for each option.
• Choose the one with a matching sentence.
• The other will need an extra step of thinking.
• If both match, read the question stem again.

The key is the option that is closest to the passage's own words. The other may be a sensible idea that the passage does not state.

Guessing when you are unsure

If you cannot decide, remove the options the passage does not support, then choose.

• Cut options that the passage contradicts.
• Cut options that the passage never mentions.
• Choose from what remains.
• Never leave the question blank.

Past papers did not take marks off for wrong answers. A guess after removing two options gives you a good chance.

The subjects passages have come from, with examples from past papers.

Subjects and themes

Education and child development

Many passages are on schools, teaching and the way children learn.

• Dec 2019: the teacher in a classroom, and affective factors.
• Aug 2024: adolescence.
• Jan 2025: diagnostic evaluation.
• June 2026: the school age period, creativity, and children as the future.

Because Paper 1 is a teaching and research paper, education passages are common. The ideas often link to Unit 1.

Economy, trade and capitalism

Passages on economics explain trade, investment and economic systems.

• Dec 2019: intra-industry trade, labour theory of value, globalisation.
• Dec 2019: motives for direct investment abroad.
• June 2022: poverty and capitalism.
• Dec 2023: fascist economics. June 2025: the capitalist system.

Economic passages use technical terms, but the passage always explains them. Focus on how the author connects the ideas.

Environment and climate

Environment passages cover climate, ecology, disasters and wildlife.

• Dec 2023: coral reefs, climate change and Project Tiger.
• Aug 2024: floods, the field ecologist, and a famine in China.
• Jan 2025: coal, and the 2004 earthquake and tsunami.
• June 2023: climate change, daylight and the environmental effect of human activity.

Many of these passages describe a cause and its effect. Cause and effect questions are common here.

Politics, law and governance

Passages on politics ask about democracy, rights and the working of the state.

• Dec 2019: political representation.
• June 2022: libertarian paternalism.
• June 2023: political freedom and economic justice.
• June 2025: education and democracy, and retired civil servants.
• Dec 2025: the use of the term dharma for law.

These passages often present an argument. Questions ask what the author argues and what supports the argument.

Culture, language and arts

Culture passages describe regions, languages, crafts and the arts.

• Aug 2024: Odisha fairs, stone carvings, Assamese, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Santiniketan.
• Jan 2025: street theatre and handicraft.
• June 2026: comic books and graphic novels, and linguistic diversity.

Culture passages are full of names and lists. Fact and NOT questions are common, so mark names and lists as you read.

Health, psychology and the mind

Health passages cover medicine, the brain, behaviour and everyday habits.

• Jan 2025: Ayurveda, a cardiac surgery, and a cognitive scientist on ageing.
• June 2024: a World Health Organization report.
• Dec 2025: the psychologist John B. Watson.
• Aug 2024: nicotine, and holiday eating.

Health passages use many technical terms. They often define them, so definition and list questions are common.

Society, media and technology

Passages on society and media discuss communication, class and technology.

• Dec 2018: smartphones, and who owns information.
• June 2022: stereotypes, television as a cultural commodity, and the new middle class.
• June 2023: parenting styles and violence against women.

These passages mix opinion with fact. Always separate what the author reports from what the author believes.

History and philosophy

Passages on history and thought often discuss ideas and the people who held them.

• Aug 2024: the Rig-Veda and the thinker A. K. Ramanujan.
• Aug 2024: the beginning of the 15th century.
• Dec 2019: the era before the First World War.
• June 2019: great thinkers.

These passages often compare thinkers or periods. Comparison and definition questions are common.