About shifts in language on LR and Reading comp

[desiboy96]

Hey Powerscore, so I have noticed a reoccurring problem when I do LR and RC which is that I'm so beholden to the language in the passages that sometimes, I end up falling for trap answer choices because they use the same language that the passage uses where as the correct choice may use a synonym to the language in question to disguise the correct answer.

While this can be beneficial in spotting language shifts, it is also quite detrimental when I tackle some of the harder questions. Do you have any tips for this?

[Robert Carroll]

desi,

A wrong answer that uses similar wording to the stimulus is a Shell Game answer. I did post about this in another context, and I hope that addresses your concerns: viewtopic.php?t=8801

I'll summarize here. A change in wording is not important; a change in meaning is important. So when the wording is similar, but not identical, look at what's changed. Does it mean the same? Is it implied by what's said? Or is the meaning changed by the different wording? Focus on meaning instead of specific wording. There are thousands of different ways to express the same idea, and thousands of tiny changes that can change the idea expressed.

Robert Carroll

[desiboy96]

Thats a great tip. Thanks Robert