Reading Comprehension: Scientific Passages Flashcards

On the DAT Reading Comprehension section, what is the best initial strategy when encountering a dense scientific passage?

Answer: Map the passage structure and locate key ideas, then refer back for specifics

Mapping structure lets you locate details efficiently rather than memorizing everything.

A passage states a hypothesis was 'not supported by the data.' What does this most directly imply?

Answer: The collected evidence failed to confirm the proposed explanation

Lack of support means the evidence did not confirm the hypothesis, not that fraud or error occurred.

When a question asks for the 'main idea' of a scientific passage, the correct answer usually:

Answer: Captures the overall central theme spanning the whole passage

Main-idea answers encompass the entire passage rather than one detail.

A signal phrase like 'in contrast' indicates the author is about to:

Answer: Present an opposing or differing idea

'In contrast' signals a shift to a contrasting idea.

If a passage describes a process in sequential steps, a question about 'what happens immediately after step three' is best answered by:

Answer: Locating the sequence in the text and reading the next described step

Sequence questions require returning to the passage's described order.

The word 'consequently' in a scientific passage most likely introduces:

Answer: A result or effect of the preceding statement

'Consequently' signals a result following from a cause.

An 'application' question on the DAT asks you to:

Answer: Apply the passage's principle to a new or hypothetical situation

Application questions extend passage logic to new scenarios.