Reading Comprehension Flashcards
7 cards from real OAT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Reading Comprehension flashcards as text
A reading passage argues that increased screen time correlates with myopia progression in children, then notes that 'correlation does not imply causation.' What is the author's purpose in adding this caveat?
Answer: To acknowledge a methodological limitation and maintain scientific rigor
Noting that correlation does not imply causation is a standard scientific caveat that demonstrates awareness of interpretive limits without abandoning the presented data.
In an OAT passage about the tear film, the phrase 'the outermost lipid layer retards evaporation' uses 'retards' to mean:
Answer: slows or delays
In scientific contexts, 'retard' means to slow or delay a process, not stop it entirely or reverse it.
Which of the following would WEAKEN an argument presented in a reading passage?
Answer: Evidence that directly contradicts the passage's main claim
Contradictory evidence directly undermines the validity of the passage's central argument.
A passage uses the word 'although' at the start of a sentence. What relationship does this word signal between the two clauses it connects?
Answer: The second clause contrasts with or qualifies the first
'Although' is a concessive conjunction that introduces a contrast or qualification between two clauses.
When asked about the author's tone in a passage describing a controversial treatment, the BEST approach is to:
Answer: Analyze specific word choices and the presence or absence of hedging language
Tone is revealed through diction, hedging words, and evaluative language rather than subject matter alone.
A passage states that a new diagnostic device 'may reduce misdiagnosis rates.' The word 'may' indicates the author is expressing:
Answer: A tentative or uncertain claim about a potential benefit
Modal verbs like 'may' indicate possibility or uncertainty rather than certainty or obligation.
If a passage's final paragraph begins 'In summary,' what should a reader expect?
Answer: A restatement and synthesis of the passage's main points
Transitional phrases like 'In summary' signal that the author is synthesizing and restating key points rather than introducing new information.