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 passage presents two paragraphs: the first describes the anatomy of the cornea, and the second describes corneal diseases. What is the organizational structure of this passage?
Answer: Classification followed by application
Moving from anatomy (classification of structure) to disease (clinical application) reflects a classification-then-application organizational pattern.
In a passage about photoreceptor adaptation, the author uses an analogy comparing the eye's adaptation to 'adjusting a camera's aperture.' What is the PRIMARY purpose of this analogy?
Answer: To make a complex physiological process more accessible by comparing it to a familiar concept
Analogies are rhetorical tools that clarify unfamiliar concepts by mapping them onto familiar experiences.
A question asks you to identify which answer choice is 'NOT supported by the passage.' What is the most efficient approach?
Answer: Eliminate choices that are directly stated or clearly implied in the passage; the remaining choice is the answer
For 'NOT supported' questions, use process of elimination by verifying three answer choices against the passage and selecting the unsubstantiated one.
A passage includes the sentence: 'Whereas rods are highly sensitive to low light, cones are responsible for color vision and fine detail.' What type of sentence structure is this?
Answer: Complex sentence using a subordinating conjunction to contrast two ideas
'Whereas' is a subordinating conjunction creating a complex sentence that contrasts the functions of rods and cones.
A passage describes a study's methodology in detail before presenting results. What reading strategy should you use when encountering a dense methods section?
Answer: Read quickly to grasp the general approach and slow down for the results and conclusions
Methods sections provide context; skimming them while reading results and conclusions more carefully is an efficient strategy for timed exams.
An OAT reading passage uses the phrase 'it stands to reason that.' This phrase signals that the following statement is:
Answer: A logical deduction or inference drawn from preceding information
'It stands to reason that' introduces a logical inference derived from prior evidence rather than a direct observation.
Which of the following questions can ONLY be answered by referring directly to the passage?
Answer: According to the passage, which wavelength of light has the highest energy?
Only 'According to the passage' questions require evidence drawn directly from the text rather than prior knowledge.