Mistake 1: Ignoring the Author’s Tone and Purpose

• Why it matters: Tone and intent reveal deeper meaning; misreading them can lead to wrong answers in inference or attitude questions.

• How to avoid it:

  • Look for emotional cues (sarcasm, judgment, enthusiasm).

  • Ask: “Is the author informing, persuading, criticizing, or arguing?”

  • Practice reading editorials and opinion pieces to detect tone quickly.

Mistake 2: Getting Stuck on Difficult Words

• Why it matters: Over-focusing on vocabulary slows you down and reduces accuracy.

• How to avoid it:

  • Skim for overall meaning and infer from context.

  • Highlight keywords; skip words that don’t affect the sentence’s meaning.

  • Develop a “move-on” mindset for unfamiliar words.

Mistake 3: Reading the Passage but Not the Question Properly

• Why it matters: CAT questions include qualifiers like “according to the passage” or “in the author’s view.” Missing them can lead to choosing irrelevant answers.

• How to avoid it:

  • Read the question first to know what to look for.

  • Underline key terms.

  • Re-check that your answer directly addresses the question.

Extra Tips to Boost RC Performance

• Practice with timers to simulate real exam conditions.

• Analyze wrong answers to identify traps and patterns.

• Balance speed with comprehension: skim intelligently instead of reading every word.