Types of Reading Comprehension Questions in CAT 2024: Sectional Analysis and Tips

The types of Reading Comprehension questions in CAT 2024 can range from a variety of topics including current affairs, philosophy, statistics, fiction, etc. The VARC section is predominantly comprised of Reading Comprehension questions, making up over half of the section. Around 18 questions in the VARC section are from RC. The RC (Reading Comprehension) questions require the candidates to have good comprehension skills so that they can solve the related questions accurately and quickly.

There are 7 types of RC questions asked in the CAT exam and all types of questions require a different approach and mindset. The CAT 2024 exam will be conducted by IIM Calcutta on November 24, 2024. In this article, we will help you understand different types of Reading Comprehension Questions asked in the CAT exam.

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 Types & Number of Reading Comprehension Questions for CAT 2024

Provided below are the types and number of RC questions you may come across in the CAT 2024 exam.

Types of Reading Comprehension Questions in CAT 2024

Provided below are the 7 types of RC questions that are asked in the CAT exam.

1. Main Idea-Based RC Questions

In these types of questions, you will have to identify the main idea or the subject of the passage correctly. Some of the questions that are asked from this type of RC are:

• What is the main idea/ purpose of the passage?

• The main idea/ concept the passage implies is:

• Which of the following options implies the main idea of the passage correctly?

How to Solve the Main Idea Based Based Questions?

You should read the passage carefully in order to solve this type of problem. You can read the options provided below the question and choose the one that perfectly describes the idea behind the passage. 

2. Title-Based RC Questions

In this type of passage, you will have to identify the appropriate title using the choices provided below the problem. Some of the forms of title-based RC questions are:

• The most appropriate title for this passage is:

• Select the one option provided below that suits the title of the passage.

• Which of the following perfectly describes the title of the passage?

How to Solve Title Based Based Questions?

You can solve this type of question by identifying the option that hints at the title of the passage. You might face some of the tricky/ confusing choices. You are advised to carefully read all the choices before selecting one.

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3. Inference-Based RC Questions

These are the most difficult type of problems you will face in RC. You will have to think logically to answer these types of questions. There are two types of Inference Based RC Questions namely Genuine Inference based questions and Fact re-statement. You will have to read the passage carefully to identify the type of problem. Some of the Inference questions are provided below.

• The sentence, ‘_____’, implies that

• What can be inferred from the sentence,‘_____’

• It can be inferred from the passage that:

• What does the author want to say through the line “____”?

How to Solve Inference-Based Based Questions?

You should read all the lines provided before and after the line provided in the question in order to solve these this type of questions. Besides this, you are advised to understand the passage carefully before selecting the correct option.

Also Read: Exam Day Tips for CAT 2024

4. Fact-Based RC Questions

In these types of questions, you will have to identify the correct and incorrect facts from the passage. Some examples of these questions are:

• Which of the following statement is incorrect/ correct as per the passage?

• The authors mention the following except.

• According to the author, which of the following is incorrect/ correct?

How to Solve Fact Based Based Questions?

You will have to identify the correct option that supports the main idea behind the passage. These type of questions includes logical or inferential facts. You are advised to spot the facts and information provided in the passage and then solve the questions carefully.

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5. Tone-Based RC Questions

In this type of question, you will have to identify the tone/ attitude of the passage. You will be provided with 4 options and you will have to choose one option that perfectly explains the sentiments or tone of the passage. Some examples of these types of problems are: 

• The tone of the passage is:

• The tone of the passage can be described by:

How to Solve Tone Based Based Questions?

You can solve this type of problem by understanding the nature and sentiments of the passage. You can read all the options provided in all the problems and then pick the option that correctly explains the tone of the passage. You are advised to read the passage carefully in order to identify whether the passage is positive, neutral or negative.

Also Read: What is a Good Percentile in CAT 2024?

6. Paragraph and Structure-Based RC Questions

With these types of questions, you will have to analyze the logical reason and intuitive sense behind the paragraph. Here are some types of paragraph and structure-based RC questions.

• The second/ third paragraph describes-

• The organization of the second passage can be best described as-

How to Solve Paragraph and Structure-Based Based Questions?

You can identify some of the keywords such as “ironically,” although,” and “but” in order to identify these types of problems. You should read the complete paragraph carefully before answering these types of questions. 

Also Read:How to Approach CAT 2024 Question Paper?

7. Vocabulary-Based Questions

These are the most repetitive type of questions asked in the RC section. These questions are based on synonyms and antonyms. Some examples of these types of questions are:

• The synonym of the word “___” is?

• Which of the word means the same as “___” 

• What does the word “___” mean?

How to Solve Vocabulary-Based Questions?

You should have a strong vocabulary to solve these types of questions. These types of questions will totally depend upon how good is your vocabulary.

Composition, Details, Weightage of RC Questions in CAT 2024

Check the infographic/ chart provided below to understand the weightage and composition of the RC section in the CAT 2024 exam.

Sectional Analysis of CAT 2024 Reading Comprehension

The main aim of Reading Comprehension is to test the reading speed and understanding ability of the candidate. RC is the first section of the CAT exam. You will not be allowed to move on to the other sections of the CAT exam before 40 minutes. You can check the sectional analysis of RC in the CAT exam from the table provided below.

Also Read: How to Shortlist a B-School Basis CAT Percentile?

Tips to Solve Reading Comprehension Questions in CAT 2024

Check some of the tips that can help you solve the reading comprehension problems in CAT 2024.

• Improve your vocabulary

• Practice many reading comprehension questions

• Read newspapers daily and improve your reading speed

• Try to solve at least 3-4 CAT mock tests in a week

• Refer to the best books for CAT 2024 exam suggested by the toppers and experts 

• Try to understand the meaning and idea behind the passage by reading it

How to Prepare for CAT Reading Comprehension?

The reading comprehension, verbal ability, vocabulary, and grammar categories comprise the bulk of the VARC part. Since reading comprehension preparation is all about creating a reading habit, it should be started early during the preparation process. Candidates may take a look at the tips mentioned below to know more about CAT Reading Comprehension preparation:

• It is crucial to practice fast reading because Reading Comprehension makes up the majority of the VARC component. Reading books, novels, journals, and reports with lots of facts can help you develop this.
• Apart from that candidates must also be informed about certain areas from where CAT RC passages are typically taken from, these include Business and Economics, Current Events, Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences.
• Do not read too quickly during the exam. Read the passage slowly and carefully, paying close attention to the nuances. This will enable you to respond to every question at once. You won't have to repeatedly read the material and the questions to figure out the answers.
• You may choose to read the questions before the passage, but keep in mind that this method only applies to fact-based sections. Don't use this tactic in the CAT exam because the passages in the reading comprehension section are dependent on inference. Passages in CAT contain tedious and dense texts from research papers, poetry, and the fields of psychology, philosophy, art, and so on. So it makes sense to read the passage first, followed by the questions. 
• No method or theorem may be used to decipher a passage for reading comprehension. Therefore, your only option is to practice. Practice a sufficient number of real-world RC passages of various lengths and varieties. Determine how you did each time you practiced. Test yourself once more to see if you can finish the identical English passage in less time.
• Although it is advisable not to read passages too quickly, on the day of the CAT exam, you cannot spend too much time reading passages either. The answer, then, is to learn to read quickly while still paying attention to key details.
• When preparing for the Reading Comprehension portion choose a variety of themes to read because the passages can come from a variety of fields, including psychology, economics, philosophy, history, sociology, and politics, as well as literature, science, and the arts. Most likely, the exam will include paragraphs you haven't read before. The best course of action in that case is to read widely.

Study Material for CAT 2024 Reading Comprehension

Some of the recommended books for the RC section for CAT 2024 are listed below:

• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT by Nishit K Sinha

• How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT by Sharma and Upadhyay

• 30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary Mass Market Paperback by Wilfred Funk & Norman Lewis/ Simon & Schuster

You are advised to solve the CAT previous year question papers in order to know what was the difficulty level of RC questions that were asked in the exam.

After taking the exam and when the CAT answer key 2024 is out, you can use the CAT percentile predictor 2024  to get an idea of your score. Soon after the declaration of CAT result 2024, you can also refer to the CAT College Predictor 2024 to know which colleges you can get admission to. Check the articles provided below to find the best CAT 2024 Preparation Tips.

Besides this, if you have any questions regarding the CAT exam, you can ask questions in the Collegedekho QnA zone.