Working Through a Passage
1
Preview the questions
Knowing what is asked lets you read with a purpose.
2
Read carefully but steadily
Do not stall on one hard sentence; the context that follows often clarifies it.
3
Return to the passage for every answer
Do not rely on memory. The correct answer must be supported by the text.
4
Eliminate
Cross out choices that contradict the passage, go beyond it, or are too extreme.
5
Check conditions
If the question adds a condition ("if the visitor has no ID"), find the sentence that covers that condition.
Applying a Procedure: A Worked Approach
Suppose a passage describes the visitor procedure: check identification, sign the visitor in, issue a badge, and escort visitors who refuse to comply. A question may ask what happens first when a visitor arrives, what happens when a visitor cannot produce identification, who may grant an exception, or what the badge is for. Locate each step in the passage, note the conditions attached to it, and match the answer to the exact wording.
For an incident narrative, such as a student found with a prohibited item, identify what first alerted the agent, the agent's immediate action, who was notified and what documentation was completed. Separate what the passage states from what it only implies.
Errors to Avoid
!Choosing an answer only because it repeats words from the passage.
!Using outside knowledge instead of what the passage states.
!Picking a partially correct answer; the correct choice must be entirely supported.
!Misreading NOT and EXCEPT questions, which ask for the one statement that is false.
!Over-reading inference questions by adding assumptions the passage does not support.
!Accepting absolute words (always, never, all, none) that the passage does not support.
Remember for the Exam
Every correct answer can be pointed to in the passage. If you cannot find the sentence that supports your choice, reconsider it.
