2 steps to identify tone of RC passage under a minute

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Shouvik

The tone or attitude questions are quite commonly found in both the GMAT and GRE. These
kinds of questions explicitly ask us to identify the context and the flow in which the author has
set the particular passage. We need to gauge the authors flow of thinking, sentences and the
point he is trying to drive home.
Now under situations where you are stretched for time, you can apply a quick 2-step technique to
mark a correct answer for tone questions.
Step 1: Classify choices into strong or weak tones and eliminate those options that fall into
it.
Step 2: Select either equivocal or qualified criticism depending upon the context of the
passage.

Let us look at an example to understand this concept more clearly.

Those examples of poetic justice that occur in medieval and Elizabethan literature, and
that seem so satisfying, have encouraged a whole school of twentieth-century scholars to
find further examples. In fact, these scholars have merely forced victimized character
into a moral framework by which the injustices inflicted on them are, somehow or other,
justified. Such scholars deny that the sufferers in a tragedy are innocent; they blame the
victims themselves for their tragic fates. Any misdoing is enough to subject a character to
critical whips. Thus, there are long essays about the misdemeanors of Websters Duchess
of Malfi, who defied her brothers, and the behavior of Shakespeares Desdemona, who
disobeyed her father.
Question
What is the authors tone or attitude in this passage?
1.

Enthusiastic advocacy

2.

Dispassionate impartiality

3.

Detached ambivalence

4.

Qualified support

5.

Skeptical

Step 1:
Let us analyze the answer choices without reading the passage.
1.

Enthusiastic advocacy means strong support. Note that the tone of the author is never
extreme on the GRE or GMAT, we can easily eliminate this option.

2.

In this option there are two words, dispassionate, which means uninvolved, and
impartiality, which means, being neutral. The choice suggests that the author is being neutral in
an uninvolved way. This doesnt make sense. We can eliminate this choice.

3.

Now here detached means disconnected and ambivalence means uncertainty. So this
option means disconnected uncertainty, which, again, makes no sense.

4.

This option is neither too strong nor too weak. So let us hold this and check the last
option.

5.

We need to read the passage for this.

Only choices D and E remain after this step.
Step 2:
On reading the passage cursorily we get that skeptical cannot be a correct choice. The author
does not express any doubt, or skepticism, about anything he is saying.
Hence the correct answer is D.
In summary
Step 1: Classify choices into strong or weak tones and eliminate those options that fall into it.
Step 2: Select either equivocal or qualified criticism depending upon the context of the passage.

Examples of Tone in a Story

The tone in a story can be joyful, serious, humorous, sad, threatening, formal, informal,
pessimistic, and optimistic. Your tone in writing will be reflective of your mood as you are
writing.
Tone in Writing
Tone in writing is not really any different than the tone of your voice. You know that sometimes
it is not what you say, but how you say it.
It is the same with writing. Every adjective and adverb you use, your sentence structure, and the
imagery you use will show your tone. The definition of tone is the way the author expresses
his attitude through his writing.
The tone can change very quickly, or may remain the same throughout the story. Tone is
expressed by your use of syntax, your point of view, your diction, and the level of formality in
your writing.
Examples of tone in a story include just about any adjective you can imagine:

Scared

Anxious

Excited

Worried

Foolish

Smart

Depressing
Conveying Tone in a Story
Tone in writing is conveyed by both the choices of words and the narrator of the story.
Consider the tone of The School by Donald Barthelme. Here, words like "death" and
"depressing" set a negative or unhappy tone:
And the trees all died. They were orange trees. I dont know why they died, they just died. Something
wrong with the soil possibly or maybe the stuff we got from the nursery wasnt the best. We

complained about it. So weve got thirty kids there, each kid had his or her own little tree to plant
and weve got these thirty dead trees. All these kids looking at these little brown sticks, it was
depressing.
In contrast, in Charlotte's Web, although the book is sad, the tone is one of peace and acceptance:
But I feel peaceful. Your success in the ring this morning was, to a small degree, my success. Your future
is assured. You will live, secure and safe, Wilbur. Nothing can harm you now. These autumn days
will shorten and grow cold. The leaves will shake loose from the trees and fall. Christmas will
come, and the snows of winter. You will live to enjoy the beauty of the frozen world, for you
mean a great deal to Zuckerman and he will not harm you, ever. Winter will pass, the days will
lengthen, the ice will melt in the pasture pond. The song sparrow will return and sing, the frogs
will awake, the warm wind will blow again. All these sights and sounds and smells will be yours
to enjoy, Wilburthis lovely world, these precious days
In A River Runs Through It, loss is also addressed with a kind of acceptance. The tone here is a
bit wistful, yet peaceful and moving towards acceptance nonetheless.
This was the last fish we were ever to see Paul catch. My father and I talked about this moment several
times later, and whatever our other feelings, we always felt it fitting that, when we saw him catch
his last fish, we never saw the fish but only the artistry of the fisherman.
Choosing Words for Tone
In the following excerpt from Edgar Allen Poes The Tell-Tale Heart, notice the insane, nervous,
and guilty tones.
It was A LOW, DULL, QUICK SOUND -- MUCH SUCH A SOUND AS A WATCH MAKES WHEN
ENVELOPED IN COTTON. I gasped for breath, and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more
quickly, more vehemently but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a
high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why WOULD they not
be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations
of the men, but the noise steadily increased. O God! What COULD I do? I foamed -- I raved -- I

swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the
noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder -- louder -- louder!
In Hemingways A Clean, Well-Lighted Place the tone is calm and peaceful.
It was very late and everyone had left the cafe except an old man who sat in the shadow the leaves of the
tree made against the electric light. In the day time the street was dusty, but at night the dew
settled the dust and the old man liked to sit late because he was deaf and now at night it was
quiet and he felt the difference.
Finally, in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, the tone could be said to be mysterious,
secretive, ominous, or evil.
There was a steaming mist in all the hollows, and it had roamed in its forlornness up the hill, like an evil
spirit, seeking rest and finding none. A clammy and intensely cold mist, it made its slow way
through the air in ripples that visibly followed and overspread one another, as the waves of an
unwholesome sea might do. It was dense enough to shut out everything from the light of the
coach-lamps but these its own workings, and a few yards of road; and the reek of the labouring
horses steamed into it, as if they had made it all.
Formal and Casual Tones
An example of a casual tone is:
The way I look at it, someone needs to start doing something about disease. Whats the big deal? People
are dying. But the average person doesnt think twice about it until it affects them. Or someone
they know.
A formal tone is shown in this example:
There was a delay in the start of the project, attributable to circumstances beyond the control of all
relevant parties. Progress came to a standstill, and no one was prepared to undertake the
assessment of the problem and determination of the solution.

There are as many examples of tone in a story as there are stars in the sky. Any adjective you
can think of can be the tone in a story.
4 Tips to Find the Main Idea in SAT Passages
Posted on July 24, 2013, filed in: SAT, SAT Tip of the Week

Its important to keep in mind for all SAT Reading Comprehension

questions that just because an SAT answer choice is reasonable, true, or mentioned in the SAT
reading passage, does not mean it is automatically correct. Always ask yourself: which answer
choice in this SAT question best addresses thisspecific question being asked? To be able to answer
Main Idea questions, try to adopt these quick tips:
1.

Come up with your own Main Idea as you read.

Read thoroughly, taking short notes on each paragraph as you go. Search for the main idea on the
first read and try to write it down. If you already have the purpose written down BEFORE reading
the question, you wont have to re-read and youll save a significant amount of time! Its too
difficult to decipher the authors main driving idea if you skim too quickly. Youre reading for what
is underneath the words what the author is getting at.
2.

Express the Purpose as a Verb.

The format of these questions will often be the following: The authors main purpose in the
passage is to: The answer choices will all begin with a verb such as describe, show.,
question, demonstrate., etc. If you can learn to express the purpose as a verb in your own
notes your prediction will more closely match the correct answer. What action would the author
like to take? Why did he write this paragraph? Is it more emphatic, or more scholarly/passionless
in tone? Trust your own instincts and ALWAYS WRITE A PREDICTION DOWN.
3.

Eliminate answer choices that are Out of Scope or Extreme.

Look to eliminate answer choices that are outside the scope of the passage. For example, if the
focus of the passage is environmentalism and saving the polar bears in the Arctic, its unlikely the
main idea will involve saving the humpback whale thats an entirely separate, albeit related,
topic, so wed call this out of scope.

Answer choices that contain extreme language such as always and never can also often be
eliminated if they do not match the less-harsh tone of the passage. Answer choices that contain
qualifying language such as sometimes, may, might, could, etc. are also worth noting,
since they are frequently correct.
4.

Eliminate half-right choices.

There may be an answer choice that has a great verb that really reflects the authors tone and
purpose, but the details after the verb dont match the passage. Or, the details may be accurate, but
the verb falls flat. Both halves of the answer must match!
Remember, for a Main Idea question, err on the side of too-broad rather than too-specific. The
correct purpose will encompass the ENTIRE gist of the passage, not just the information found
in one or two paragraphs. Go broad or go home!
Plan on taking the SAT soon? We have SAT prep courses starting all the time. And, be sure to find
us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!
Vivian Kerr is a regular contributor to the Veritas Prep blog, providing advice to help students
better prepare for the GMAT and the SAT.
Determining the Author's Purpose in SAT Passages
Posted on May 17, 2013, filed in: SAT

Nothing sets my students into a panic more consistently than being asked
to describe the main purpose or the authors intent when examining a passage. But thats not
fair! they say, This is an opinion question.
Though it is easy to get oneself into a tizzy and wallow in frustration at a question of this sort, it is
important to remember that nothing is a matter of opinion on the SAT. Every answer is objectively
true and supported by the text. The trick is examining what the passage is accomplishing.
The first task when you are approaching a question like this is to look at the story or article and
describe, in one or two sentences, what it is about. We all do this with content much more
complicated than short passages. When someone asks you what a movie, let say, The Lion King, is
about, you would probably say something like, Its a coming of age story about lion cub who
finds his place in the world. This is similar to what we do with passages, but in making our
description of a passage, we want to state what a passage does as well as what content it engages.

A passage could deal with dinosaurs, for example, but it is too reductive to state the passage is
about dinosaurs. What is the author doing? The author could be:

Convincing you of a viewpoint (are there arguments and examples to support an

argument?)
Comparing two different viewpoints (different arguments are presented, but the author
doesnt pick a side)
Describing or explaining a phenomenon (is it mostly descriptive or explanatory?)
Telling a story (is there a clear narrative?)
These are the kinds of questions that we must ask in determining purpose. Usually if we only look
at the first few words of the answer choices for these key indicator words (describing, arguing,
comparing, etc.), we can eliminate the majority of the possibilities because the answers describe
something that is not accomplished by the text. If our imaginary article is comparing existing
theories about the extinction of the dinosaurs without making a judgment on which argument is
stronger, then any answer choice that states that the author is arguing, or convincing, and
not comparing or explaining is WRONG. What if an answer choice states that the author is
making an argument on a possible cause of the extinction of the dinosaurs? Thats sort of what the
author is doing, right? Nope! Its wrong, wrong, wrong. Sort of true answers are not correct. All
parts of an answer choice MUST be correct and supported by the passage in order for the answer to
be true. It is often easier to figure out what the author is NOT doing and eliminate all choices that
describe an untruth.
As long as we follow these simple steps, we should be able to approach this kind of question with
ease:

Describe what passage accomplishes (is the author explaining, arguing, comparing, etc.)
Examine the answer choices to see which actions the author is and isnt accomplishing
Eliminate choices that dont describe what the author is doing
Examine all parts of remaining answer choices and make sure they are supported in the text
(ALL ANSWERS ARE STATED IN OR SUPPORTED BY THE TEXT)
Dont fear these types of questions. There are many difficult searches for purpose that you may
engage with in your life, the purpose of an SAT article is easy to find: its all in the text.
Plan on taking the SAT soon? We run a free online SAT prep seminar every few weeks. And, be
sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!
David Greenslade is a Veritas Prep SAT instructor based in New York. His passion for education
began while tutoring students in underrepresented areas during his time at the University of North
Carolina. After receiving a degree in Biology, he studied language in China and then moved to
New York where he teaches SAT prep and participates in improv comedy.

GMAT Gurus Speak Out: Answering Why in Reading Comp Passages

Posted on February 26, 2013, filed in: GMAT, GMAT Tips

In GMAT Reading Comp, were sometimes asked to determine why the

author includes a certain detail within a paragraph, or why the entire paragraph itself is included in
the passage. We have to understand the logical structure of the authors argument, the flow of
one paragraph to the next, and the logic behind the use of a particular piece of information.
The most important thing you can do when faced with a Function question is to go back to the
passage and look for clues. Clues within the paragraph are any keywords, sentence structure, or
punctuation that give insight into the authors intention. Dont be afraid to go back and re-read
remember the GMAT Reading passages are an open book test! Heres an example of a
Function question:
Why does the author mention Caesar in the second paragraph?
(A) to compare Napoleon to one of his great forebears
(B) to reveal an aspect of the French character Napoleon utilized
(C) to describe the foundational characteristics of the Gallic people
(D) to emphasize the impact Roman law had on the development of the code
(E) to analyze the function of historical precedence on the Napoleonic code
We can tell this is a Function question because it asks why? Lets go back to the second
paragraph and check out the keywords (for paucitys sake only the 2nd paragraph is reprinted here):
There was much force in this dictum. The overthrow of Feudalism and the old monarchy had not
permanently altered the French nature. They were still the same joyous, artistic, clan-loving
people whom the Latin historians described: and pride in the nation or the family was as
closely linked with respect for a doughtychampion of national and family interests as in the days
of Caesar. Of this Roman or quasi-Gallic reaction Napoleon was to be the regulator; and no
sphere of his activities bespeaks his unerring political sagacity more than his sifting of the old and
the new in the great code which was afterwards to bear his name.

Details in a paragraph are used to bolster that paragraphs main idea. They keywords here are still
the same and linked withchampion. The main idea: the French were unchanged in that
national pride = champion. Caesar is used to show just how far back in time this characteristic
was evidenced. The next sentence then describes how Napoleon was to be regulator and utilized
this aspect to great political sagacity. Basically, Napoleon understood this French characteristic
and modeled himself after Caesar. The detail is being used illustrate how Napoleon was able to
brilliantly rule the French people.
The correct response is (B).
Remember not be fooled by what is merely stated by the paragraph (such as choice (C)). Instead
keep your focus on why the author is employing this specific detail. Always try to dig deeper to
interpret the authors underlying point, and be wary of regurgitated answer choices in function
questions.
Plan on taking the GMAT soon? We have GMAT prep courses starting all the time. And, be sure
to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!
Vivian Kerr is a regular contributor to the Veritas Prep blog, providing tips and tricks to help
students better prepare for the GMAT and the SAT
GMAT Gurus Speak Out: 4 Tips to Master Tone and Style
Posted on March 28, 2013, filed in: GMAT, GMAT Tips

Youve probably seen a GMAT question that looked like this:

The authors tone in the passage can best be described as:
Questions that ask about tone and style may not be as common as Detail or Inference questions,
but they often come up on the GMAT. The first step to tackling them is to make sure you did some
solid note-taking on your first read of the passage. Unlike Detail questions, there are no line
numbers to help you find the answer for tone/style questions. Only by paying attention to the
authors voice and style as you read will you be able to get these questions right.
Now lets talk strategy. What to do if you encounter a tone/style question:
1. Use your passage notes. Ask yourself, what does the author like and what does he dislike? Its
important to note that while the author will have opinions, they may not be obvious. The passages

are often scholarly and balanced in tone, so you must look carefully at the adjectives and adverbs
(and the descriptive phrases) to find the places where the author reveals his opinion. Think of
yourself like a detective looking for clues. They may be subtle, but they are definitely there.
2. Pre-phrase an answer on your own first. Dont even think about reading those answer
choices until you come up with your own prediction. If youre tempted, cover up the choices with
your hand. The GMAT Reading section is testing your ability to think critically, and you must
remember that the answer choices are not there to help you. Once you read them, youll never get
them out of your head.
3. Think positive (or negative)! Use the descriptive words of the passage as your prediction, or
even a simple positive (+) or negative (-) sign. 100% of GMAT passages can be classified as one of
the following based on the authors general attitude towards his topic. Start by classifying the tone
in a general was as one of these six options, then get more specific as the question requires:

100% positive
Mostly positive, some negative
50/50, or ambivalent
Mostly negative, some positive
100% negative
Neutral/scholarly
4. Eliminate answers that dont match your prediction. Trust that youve done your homework
and that you know what the answer should be. Got more than one answer left after eliminating?
Here is where you get into the nitty-gritty of GMAT passages. You may encounter two words with
very similar meanings, for example dislike and despise. How do they differ? Is one of them
overly emotional, informal, or extreme? Unless its truly appropriate to the tone of the passage, go
with the more middle-of-the-road word (i.e. dislike). Most GMAT passages are academic and
technical, not overly emotional, so its best to error on the more restrained choice.
Remember to keep your focus on analyzing the passage and the question-stem, and rephrasing and
interpreting information on your own first before you dive into the answer choices!
Plan on taking the GMAT soon? We have GMAT prep courses starting all the time. And, be sure
to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!
Vivian Kerr is a regular contributor to the Veritas Prep blog, providing tips and tricks to help
students better prepare for the GMAT and the SAT.

GMAT Gurus Speak Out: 7 Types of Reading Comprehension Questions

Posted on March 21, 2013, filed in: GMAT, GMAT Tips

Even if youre amazing at Reading Comprehension, its sometimes

difficult to tell a subtle Inference question from a Detail question. How can you keep straight
which question type is which? Heres an overview of common Reading Comprehension question
types and some example GMAT question-stems to help you identify what youre looking at on Test
Day!

1. Universal This question-type asks about the big picture, the passage as a whole.

Which of the following best summarizes the passage?

What is the author attempting to illustrate through this passage?
What is the thematic highlight of this passage?
Which of the following best describes one of the main ideas ____?
2. Specific - This type asks about details from the passage. The correct answer is often a
paraphrase of something directly stated in the passage.

Which _____ has not been cited as ______?

According to the author, what is ______?
By a _______, the author means
According to the passage, _______?
Which factor has not been cited _______?
3. Vocab-in-Context This is a type of Specific question which asks about the use of a particular
word or phrase.

In the passage, the phrase _____ refers to

In the sentence, _______, what is the meaning of ___?
4. Function This type of question asks about the logical structure of a passage.

The author cites ______, in order to

The _____ in the passage has been used by the author to

Which of the following best describes the reason the author ____?
5. Inference Inference questions require you to understand what is implied by but not necessarily
stated in the passage. The correct answer may rely on subtle phrases from the passage and be hard
to find/less obvious than Specific questions.

The passage uses _____ to imply that ___

Which of the following cannot be inferred from the passage?
What does the author mean by _____?
What can be inferred when the author states____?
The sentence, ______, implies that
6. Application This is a slightly more specific type of inference question, where youre asking to
choose an answer which mimics a process or exemplifies a situation described in the passage.

Which of the following could be used to replace_______?

A _____, as conceptualized in the passage, can best be described as____
Which of the following best illustrates the situation ____
7. Tone This question type is also a specific type of inference, requiring you to infer the authors
point of view and position on certain statements.

The author of the passage is most likely to agree with ____?

Which of the following views does the author most likely support__?
To improve your identification skills, write the question-type next to each RC problem as you
practice! It will help to attune your mind to the subtleties present in the various question-stems, and
get you one step closer to thinking like the test-maker!
Plan on taking the GMAT soon? We have GMAT prep courses starting around the world next
week. And, be sure to find us on Facebook and Google+, and follow us on Twitter!
Vivian Kerr is a regular contributor to the Veritas Prep blog, providing tips and tricks to help
students better prepare for the GMAT and the SAT

Quiz 6: Identifying Tone

Copyright 2004 Laraine Flemming.
Copyright is granted exclusively to instructors and students using textbooks written by
Laraine Flemming. General distribution and redistribution are strictly prohibited.

Directions: After reading each passage, circle the appropriate letter to identify the authors tone.

1. If Nat King Cole is remembered today, it is probably as the father of the talented singer
Natalie Cole. A contemporary of Frank Sinatra, Cole died in 1964 at the age of 44. In the era
of rock and roll, he seemed, if anything, the relic of a bygone age. But had Cole lived, he would
have, easily could have, adapted. As the song with which he ended his television shows in the
1960s so clearly illustrates"Mr. Cole Won't Rock and Roll"Nat King Cole could imitate rock
so well, he might have been a rock musician. Talented and inventive, he left his mark on a wide
range of performers from Ray Charles to Marvin Gaye.
Dedicated to his music, Cole claimed to be unpolitical, even in the highly politicized late '50s
and early '60s. By making that claim, he aroused the anger of many black activists. Still, he
broke the color bar for entertainers in Las Vegas and became the first African American to host
his own variety show on television. When sponsors shied away from the program fearful, as they
said, of offending Southern audiences, Cole was bluntly critical, "Madison Avenue is in the
North, and that's where the resistance is. The South is used as a football to take the stain off of us
in the North." Nat King Cole may have been a musician first, but he was also a man who knew
how to fight when it counted. (The quotation is from Margo Jefferson, "Unforgettable," The New
York Times Book Review, December 26, 1999, p.5)
Tone:
a. Admiring
b. Unsure
c. Emotionally neutral

2. Before Charles Darwin published his most famous work, On The Origin of Species By Means
of Natural Selection, most people believed, without question, in some version of biblical
creation. But after the book's publication in 1859, questions began to multiply in the minds of

many. While voyaging on the H.M.S. Beagle, Darwin noted that the same species, when located
on different islands, had developed differently. In other words, genetic differences among insects
and animals had been encouraged or discouraged depending on their environment. For example,
a finch living on a rocky island might develop a large and very pointed beak useful for cracking
seeds on rock, whereas a finch living on a lush tropical island might have a smaller and narrower
one more appropriate to gathering seeds from fruits and flowers. In Darwin's mind, the difference
in beaks was a result of what he called natural selection. According to his biography, Darwin was
haunted by his discovery because it suggested that humans might have been shaped more by
nature than by God. But that didn't stop him from publishing his theories. As Darwin expected,
the publication of Origin caused an uproar. In fact, the controversy over Darwinian theory
survives to this very day.
Tone:
a. Critical
b. Ironic
c. Emotionally neutral

3. Every few years comets pass close enough to the earth to be seen with the naked eye. Like
frozen fireworks, they glow against the night sky, periodic visitors from the dark recesses of our
solar system. Comets have been seen for thousands of years, but what they were and what they
came from remained a mystery until recent times. In the 1950s, a Dutch astronomer, Jan Oort,
worked out that the comets that visit the inner Solar System are just the merest fraction of a
gigantic sprawling reservoir of icy fragments, which stretches outwards to a distance 1000 times
greater than the orbit of Neptune. They are so distant and so small as to be invisible to our most
powerful telescopes, and it is estimated that there are thousands of billions of these comets, most
of which were thrown out of the forming Solar System by Jupiter and Saturn. (Passage from
David McNab and James Younger, The Planets. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1999, p.
117)
Tone:

a. Awed
b. Ironic
c. Emotionally Neutral

4. Although its origins dated back to the 1920s, the first Iditarod, or 1,100-mile sled race, took
place in Anchorage, Alaska on March of 1973. It was a Saturday, and for most people, it was a
good time to stay home and keep warm. Temperatures were sinking, predicted to reach 65
degrees below zero. If the temperatures were chilling, the wind was worse. It howled along at
100 miles per hour. Yet the horrific weather didn't seem to faze the thirty-five participants and
their yelping dog teams. Even more amazing, few seemed to care that, as one entrant put it,
"Nobody figured anybody could make it."
A little over three weeks after the race started in Anchorage, Dick Walmarth and his team of
huskies slogged over the finish line in Nome. 22 of the original 35 teams also finished the race,
with John Scultz proudly taking last place. In some races, taking last place may not seem a point
of pride, but the Iditarod is different. It requires a level of courage and stamina few possess.
Winning it is a spectacular achievement but so too is just staying in the race.
Tone:
a. Ironic
b. Awed
c. Emotionally neutral

5. In 1918, a mass murderer stalked the globe killing indiscriminately. Schools and warehouses
were turned into morgues piled high with corpses while theaters and movie houses were emptied
of patrons. The mass murderer at large was a deadly flu virus that killed without respect for age,
creed, or color. In America alone, over half a million people died as a result of the flu. Then
suddenly without warning, the murderous flu disappeared as quickly as it had come.

Over the years, scientists have been able to study the structure of that lethal virus, but they still
don't know where it came from, why it was so deadly, andmost frightening of allwhether or
not it will ever return. If it does, there is no guarantee that the world will fare any better than it
did in 1918, when coffins were so scarce many of the dead had to be buried in mass graves
Tone:
a. Ironic
b. Anxious
c. Emotionally neutral

Last change made to this page: November 15, 2004

Answer key
Quiz 7 Additional Material

Reading for Thinking

Quiz 6: Answer Key
1. a

2. c

3. c

4. b

5. b

Quiz 6

Author's Purpose and Point of View

Post test

1. What is it called when the author expresses his opinions and views?

a. entertainment

b. point of view

c. climax
2. All of the following are three main reasons why an author writes a story, EXCEPT to

a. inform.

b. persuade.

c. entertain.

d. to make sure the reader enjoys what he or she is reading.

Identifying the author's purpose. Read the following passages and answer the questions.
3. Lisa always looked forward to the fall because of the Harvest Festival. Of course, she loved
the rides, but she really enjoyed the shows. This year would be the best. Lisa had a special
opportunity to perform in the talent show.
The author's purpose is to

a. entertain.

b. persuade.

c. inform.

d. create a mysterious mood.

4. What do you do with aluminum cans? Do you throw them in the trash, or do you recycle when
you are finished with them? At the rate we are filling our landfills, we will not have anywhere
else to put our trash. If you recycle, you will help the environment. The next time you throw
away your Coke can, think about putting it in a recycling bin. Your effort will help save your
community.
The author's purpose is to

a. entertain.

b. persuade.

c. inform.

d. create a mysterious mood.

5. Tomatoes were once considered poisonous. Some brave people finally took a bite of a tomato,
and they survived. Now, we use tomatoes in our salads and sandwiches. Do you ever use tomato
sauce or ketchup? These products are made of tomatoes. If it weren't for these brave individuals,
you might not be able to enjoy ketchup with your french-fries.

The author's purpose is to

a. entertain.

b. persuade.

c. inform.

d. create a mysterious mood.

6. The impressive eagle is a national symbol in the United States for patriotism and freedom.
Because the bald eagle was once hunted for sport, it is on the verge of extinction. If you kill a
bald eagle, you can go to jail. Unfortunately, the bald eagle still maybe become extinct.
The author's purpose is to

a. entertain.

b. persuade.

c. inform.

d. create a mysterious mood.

7. Most people think that gorillas are mean, but actually they are shy. It seems that such a huge
animal with very large teeth would be aggressive. Hollywood movies help convey this image of
the scary, ferocious gorilla. In fact, gorillas only attack if they are provoked. However, gorillas
usually don't have to fight other animals because of their impressive size.

The author believes that

a. Gorillas are misunderstood as vicious animals.

b. Gorillas are mean animals.

c. Gorillas don't like other animals.

d. Gorillas communicate well with other animals.

8. This was Kathy's first baby-sitting job. She was so excited, but she was really nervous. Kathy's
parents made her attend a baby-sitting workshop before she could baby-sit her neighbor's fiveyear-old son, Matthew. Kathy knew this was a lot of responsibility, but she thought she was
ready. Kathy marched confidently to Matthew's house and waved goodbye to Matthew's parents.
It seemed as soon as his parents left, Matthew fell and hit his chin on the coffee table. Without
panicking, she remembered what she learned in her baby-sitting class and applied first-aid.
The author wants to show that

a. Matthew should not run in the house.

b. Kathy is ready to baby-sit.

c. Kathy needs to attend more baby-sitting workshops.

d. Coffee tables can be dangerous.

9-10 . Ted, the school reporter, interviewed both candidates for the school election. In his column
on the school election, he printed his interview with the two candidates. The following selections

were taken out of the school newspaper.

1st letter. Do you want the best class president for your school? If so, please vote for Marco
Rodriguez. I am a responsible candidate who will work hard to make our school a better place.
Vote for Marco this coming Tuesday.
2nd letter: We need a change at our school. I am the person for this job. I am an honor student
who is involved in many different activities. I know I can make a difference. Vote for me, and
our school will be even better. Candice Park
9. Ted mentioned the two candidates in his article because

a. he thought Candice Park was a better candidate.

b. he was friends with Marco.

c. his teacher told him to.

d. he wanted to give both candidates an equal opportunity.

10. Ted believes that

a. Marco should be the president.

b. Candace should be president.

c. all students should vote.

d. the students should know the candidates' views.

Please print out your post test. Click here to see answers!
Author's Purpose and Point of View
Post Test Answers
1. b
2. d
3. a
4. b
5. c
6. c
7. a
8. b
9. d
10. d

Back to Post Test!

Synonyms for context

noun framework, circumstances

backgroundstar
situationstar

textstar

ambiencestar

conditionsstar

connectionstar

lexiconstar

relationstar

substancestar

vocabularystar

frame of referencestar

More words related to context

case
noun. circumstance, conditions

context
contingency
crisis
dilemma
event
eventuality
fact
incident
occurrence
plight
position
predicament
problem
quandary
situation
state
status
environment
noun. surroundings, atmosphere

ambiance
aura
backdrop
background
circumstances
climate
conditions
context
domain

element
encompassment
entourage
habitat
hood
jungle
locale
medium
milieu
neck of the woods
neighborhood
purlieus
scene
scenery
setting
situation
status
stomping ground
surroundings
terrain
territory
turf
zoo

matter
noun. subject, thesis

argument
context
focus
head
interest
motif
motive
point
purport
resolution
sense
subject matter
substance
text
theme
topic

meaning
noun. message, signification

acceptation
allusion
bearing
bottom line
connotation
content
context
definition
denotation
drift
effect
essence
explanation
force
gist
heart
hint
implication
import
interpretation
intimation
meat
name of the game
nature of beast
nitty-gritty
nuance
nuts and bolts
pith
point
purport
sense
significance
spirit
stuff
subject
subject matter
substance
suggestion
symbolization

tenor
thrust
understanding
upshot
use
value
worth
perspective
noun. view, outlook

angle

aspect

attitude

broad view
context

frame of reference

headset

landscape

mindset

objectivity

overview

panorama

proportion

prospect

relation

relative importance

relativity

scene

size of it

viewpoint

vista

way of looking
setting
noun. scene, background

ambience

backdrop

context

distance

environment

frame

framework

horizon

jungle
locale
location
mise en scne
mounting
perspective
set
shade
shadow
site
stage set
stage setting
surroundings

More words related to context

text
noun. subject matter of document

argument
body
consideration
content
contents
context
document
extract
fundamentals
head
idea
issue
line
lines
main body
matter
motify
motive
paragraph
passage
point
quotation
sentence

stanza
subject
theme
thesis
topic
verse
vocabulary
wording
words
frame of reference
noun. standards for judging or deciding

context
coordinate system
framework
reference frame
reference system
standpoint
universe of discourse
locality
noun. environment

ambiance
area
aura
backdrop
background
circumstances
climate
conditions
context
domain
element
encompassment
entourage
environs
habitat
hood
jungle
locale
location
medium

milieu
neck of the woods
neighborhood
place
purlieus
scene
scenery
setting
situation
status
stomping ground
surroundings
terrain
territory
turf
vicinity
zoo
mise en scene
noun. environment

ambiance
atmosphere
aura
backdrop
background
circumstances
climate
conditions
context
domain
element
encompassment
entourage
habitat
hood
jungle
locale
medium
milieu
neck of the woods
neighborhood
purlieus

scene
scenery
setting
situation
status
stomping ground
surroundings
terrain
territory
turf
world
zoo
significancy
noun. meaning

acceptation
allusion
bearing
bottom line
connotation
content
context
definition
denotation
drift
effect
essence
explanation
force
gist
heart
hint
implication
import
intent
interpretation
intimation
meat
message
name of the game
nature of beast
nitty-gritty

nuance
nuts and bolts
pith
point
purport
sense
significance
signification
spirit
stuff
subject
subject matter
substance
suggestion
symbolization
tenor
thrust
understanding
upshot
use
value
worth
signification
noun. meaning

acceptation

allusion

bearing

bottom line

connotation

content

context

definition

denotation

drift

effect

essence

explanation

force
gist

heart

hint

implication
import
intent
interpretation
intimation
meat
message
name of the game
nature of beast
nitty-gritty
nuance
nuts and bolts
pith
point
purport
sense
significance
significancy
spirit
stuff
subject
subject matter
substance
suggestion
symbolization
tenor
thrust
understanding
upshot
use
value
worth

Description of Comprehension Passages

The Reading Comprehension passages have academic content and style and include topics from
a variety of fields including arts, sciences, social sciences, etc. These passages are comparable to
the texts found in freshman university textbooks in North America. You do not need to have
specific knowledge of the topic to answer the comprehension questions. Geographical and

historical references made in the test are generally related to the United States and Canada. In
each test, there are 5 or 6 comprehension passages with 8-12 questions for each passage. The
total number of questions for Reading Comprehension is 50.
Helpful Testing Hints
* More than 50% of the time, the main idea of a passage is stated in the first sentence of the
paragraph. Sometimes the main idea or topic sentence comes at the end of the paragraph and, on
occasion, anywhere in the paragraph. They may not be stated at all, but simply implied. Make a
habit of reading the opening and closingstatement of each paragraph. The most effective way to
answer the main idea question is to ask yourself what the whole passage is about, not just a
portion of it. The answers that cover specific details are either too narrow or too broad. The
correct answer is usually a restatement of what is said in the whole passage; therefore, the
options that have the same words from the reading are almost always incorrect.
Main Idea Questions
What is the main purpose of the passage?
What does the passage mainly discuss?
With what topic is the passage mainly concerned?
Which of the following does the passage mainly discuss?
* Pay attention to signal words and phrases. They help you understand the relationship between
the ideas within a paragraph(s).
Cause-and-effect words -- as a result, therefore
Time words -- meanwhile, before
Contrast words -- in contrast, conversely
Addition words -- also, in addition
Emphasis words -- more important, remember
* Watch for questions that test your knowledge of the relationships between the topic and the
supporting ideas. Understand definitions, recognize examples, understand explanations, find
similar or unlike characteristics of two things or whatever, learn what produces a result and what
its effects are.

* Go over the passages with familiar subjects. Then read the passages whose topics are less
familiar.
Description of the types of questions tested in the comprehension passages
* Main idea questions test your understanding of the whole passage rather the individual parts.
* Specific detail questions are based on the supports presented in the reading. Scan the passage
to spot the key words for the specific details. Some specific detail questions are negative and are
singled by the words NOT, EXCEPT, MOST ,and LEAST. If you cannot find the correct
answer for negative specific details, eliminate the choices given in the reading and choose the
choice that remains as the correct response.
* Inference questions ask you to draw a logical conclusion from what you read in the passage.
The answers to these types of questions are not explicitly stated.
* Language expression questions include pronouns and vocabulary questions.
* Pronoun questions ask you to spot the correct antecedent or noun to which the pronoun refers
to. To locate the correct answer to these types of questions,concentrate on the sentence(s) before
and a few sentences after the pronoun appears.
* Vocabulary questions ask you the meaning of a word or phrase within the context of the
passage.
* Questions about the organization of the passage, the author's point of view, analogy, or the
following paragraph are not as common as the other types.

Sample Passage
1. The sugar maple is a hard maple tree. It can grow as tall as 100 feet and as wide as
2. 4 feet. The sugar maple is commercially valued for its sap, which is used in the
3. making of maple syrup. Two northeastern states, Vermont and New York,
4. rank as major producers of maple syrup. In Canada, Quebec's annual syrup
5. production surpasses 2.5 million gallons. To make pure maple syrup, holes are

6. made in the trunk of the tree at the end of the winter or in early spring. The water7. like sap seeps through the holes and runs through a plastic spout that is put into
8. the hole. Afterward, the collected sap is transferred into tubes that are hooked up
9. to a tank kept in the sugar house. Then the sap goes through the boiling process.
10. Boiling enhances the flavor as well as adding color to the sap. Once the sugar
11. content of the sap is about 65-66%, the sap is ready to be strained and marketed.
12. The maple syrup found in the supermarkets, however, is usually not pure and
13. has other additives. The color of pure maple may range from golden honey to
14. light brown. Between 35 to 50 gallons of sap are needed to produce 1 gallon of
15. maple syrup. Also popular for strength and finish of its wood, the sugar maple tree
16. has been put to use in furniture, interior woodwork, flooring, and crates.

1. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A. To examine the economic viability of a tree
B. To list a number of the major producers of maple syrup
C. To provide information on how maple syrup is made
D. To emphasize the use of the maple lumber in furniture and other products
This is a general inference question. Most of the passage explains the technique used for making
maple syrup. The best answer is (C). The choice (A) is inaccurate. The choices (B) and (D) are
both specific details but not the main idea of the passage.
2. For which of the following words does the author provide a definition?
A. The sugar maple (line 1)
B. A tank (line 9)
C. Additives (line 13)
D. Furniture (line 16)

This specific detail question tests your understanding of a definition. Only the sugar maple (line
1) is defined. The choices (B), (C), and (D), even though mentioned in the passage, are not
defined.
3. According to the passage, which of the following periods is ideal for sapping?
A. Late January through April
B. May to late July
C. August to early October
D. Early November to late December
This is a specific detail question. Based on the information in the passage, sapping takes place at
the end of the winter and in early spring. Therefore, (A) is the best answer.
4. Where in the passage does the author first mentions the consistency of the sap?
A. Lines 6-8
B. Line 9
C. Lines 10-11
D. Lines 14-15
This specific detail question directs you to the exact line and asks for the first occurrence of the
word. These types of questions are relatively easy to locate. The correct response is (A). Pay
attention that numbers are always in ascending order.
5. All of the following is true about boiling EXCEPT
A. It enhances the color.
B. It improves the flavor.
C. It increases the sugar content.
D. It reduces the shelf life of the syrup.
This specific detail question is negative. In order to answer it correctly, eliminate all the choices
A, B, and C that are used in the paragraph; therefore, (D) is the correct choice.

6. What can be inferred about the production of maple syrup?

A. It is rather simple, but time-consuming.
B. It is labor intensive.
C. Its processing demands complicated equipment.
D. The higher the volume, the less predictable the quality is.
This question tests your inference ability. The answer to the question is not directly stated in the
passage. (A) is the best answer. The production technique is quite straightforward, but it takes
time. The producers have to depend on the natural flow of the sap.
7. In line 11, the phrase "to be strained" could best be replaced by
A. To be tried
B. To be purified
C. To be filtered
D. To be solidified
This is a language expression question. The question is based on the closest synonym for the
phrase "to be strained." Even though all the choices are grammatically sound, (C) is the most
logical choice according to the context.
8. In lines 13-14, what is the author's purpose in mentioning "golden honey to light brown"?
A. To provide a visual description
B. To make the reading more technical
C. To illustrate the difference in quality
D. To persuade the reader to buy the product
This inference question asks the author's purpose. The passage is non-technical; therefore, the
choice (B) is inaccurate. The choice (C ) is incorrect because the difference in quality is not a
concern of the passage. The choice (D) is incorrect considering the author is not persuading the
reader to buy any specific product. Therefore, the best choice is (A).

9. The word "its" in line 15 refers to

(A) Sap
(B) Maple syrup
(C) Color
(D) The sugar maple tree
This is a language expression question as well. This type of question always gives you the line
number, so it is easy to locate. The correct answer is based on the antecedent, the noun to which
the pronoun refers. Reading the sentence, we notice that "its" is a possessive pronoun which
refers to the noun phrase, the sugar maple tree; therefore, (D) is the correct choice.
10. The relationship between the wood and the maple tree is similar to the relationship between
(A) a vase and a bouquet of flowers
(B) a painter and a canvas
(C) a novel and a writer
(D) an inlet and a sea
This analogy question tests your understanding of the relationship between the ideas. These types
of questions need attention. The analogy here is the relationship between a part and a whole. The
choice (A) shows the relationship between cut flowers and a vase. The choice (B) shows the
relationship between the performer and the tool. (C) is incorrect because it indicates the
relationship between a creator (writer) and the work created (novel). (D) is the correct choice.
The relationship between an inlet (a part) and a sea (a whole) is similar to the relationship
between the wood (a part) and the maple tree (a whole).
11. Which of the following would best describe the organization of the passage?
(A) A persuasive argument in favor of the maple syrup industry is advanced.
(B) A comparison and contrast between pure and commercial maple syrup is made.
(C) A cause and effect analysis of the maple syrup production is presented.
(D) A step-by-step explanation of how maple syrup is made is given.

This question tests your understanding of how the author organizes the information in the
passage. Most of the passage explains a step-by-step process of how maple syrup is made; thus,
the correct choice is (D). The author does not attempt to convince the reader; consequently, the
choice (A) is not true. The passage neither expresses the causes of the maple syrup production
nor lists the similarities between pure and commercial maple syrup; therefore, the choices (B)
and (C) are incorrect.
12. The following paragraph will probably discuss
(A) Ways to eradicate diseases attacking maple trees
(B) Other uses of the sugar maple tree
(C) Marketing plans for import distribution
(D) The diversity of the ecosystem
This is an inference question. Based on the conclusion we can draw from the passage, the correct
choice is (B). Since the sugar maple tree's popularity for strength and finish of its wood is
mentioned at the end of the passage, it makes sense to know something about its other uses. The
choices (A), (C), and (D) can not be inferred from the passage.

The new test of TOEFL starting July 1995 will have:

* At least two or three vocabulary or phrase questions. These questions are based on the meaning
of the vocabulary or the phrase within the context of the passage. Sometimes these questions test
your understanding of the meaning of a complicated sentence or an important comment or idea
expressed in a paragraph.
* More pronoun and antecedent questions.
* More detailed questions about the methods of development in the passage. These questions test
your understanding of definitions and explanations presented for a term or a word in the passage.
Sometimes the specific lines on which the definitions and explanations appear are mentioned.

Effective Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary

* If you do not know the meaning of a given word, the prefix and suffix information can help
you unlock its meaning. Study the common prefix list to increase your knowledge of a word. To
illustrate, "nourished" means having proper nourishment. "Malnourished " means improper
nourishment. The prefix "mal" means bad or improper. In addition, learning common suffixes
can be an extremely helpful tool for the acquisition of new words. For instance, suffixes can help
you with the understanding of different parts of speech: nouns, adjectives, adverbs, and verbs. If
you add the suffix "ment" to the verb develop, the new word development is a noun. Further, if
you decide to add the suffix "al" to the noun development, the new word developmental is an
adjective.
* The best way to increase your vocabulary is to study 15-20 new words a day. Write the new
word and its pronunciation on the front of a three by five inch index card; on the back, write the
definition of the word and the sentence in which you saw the word. Keep reviewing your index
card pile and adding new vocabulary. Before long, you will have a rich assortment of words.
How to Tackle the Vocabulary
* Be careful with word choice that has the prefix clue, which can be a distractor rather than the
correct response. The prefix "ex" means "out," but the word "extension " is not a synonym for
"exterior."
The exterior of modern churches lacks typical Gothic architectural features.
(A) Appearance
(B) Outside
(C) Extension
(D) Facade
The correct choice is (B).

* Do not study unusual or technical words related to specific fields of study such as chemistry,
biology, geology, and physics. The vocabulary in the Reading Comprehension section includes
only general words that have synonyms. Definitions of minerals, animals, planets, chemicals,
plants, etc. are not tested. Other types of words labeled as Slang, Informal, Nonstandard, Rare,
Vulgar, Poetic, and Archaic are not tested.
Helpful Testing Hints
* Use context clue to guess the meaning of the words or phrases tested in the reading
comprehension passages.
* From the four answer choices given, choose the word or the phrase that is closest in meaning,
or is a synonym, to the vocabulary or the phrase. Some of the choices might have similar
meanings, but only one will be the most appropriate meaning within the context.
* The vocabulary items vary in degree of difficulty. While some may be easy, others may be
semi-difficult or difficult. Study all three types of vocabulary.
* Nouns and adjectives as well as verbs and adverbs are tested in the vocabulary section. The
ratio varies from test to test. Some vocabulary items are two-or three-word phrasal (for
example, get into , look over , count on ).
* The words tested on TOEFL are similar to those used in college-level textbooks.
* If you do not know the meaning of a word or a phrase, read the entire sentence because the
sentence may provide additional clues. The sentences used before or after the sentence in which
the word or phrase appears often supply clues to the meaning of the word or phrase. The
following example shows this point.
Although mint hybrids are infertile, true mints can be propagated from seeds.
(A) Reproduced
(B) Selected

(C) Planted
(D) Derived
Pay attention to the context clue and construction of this sentence. The information in the
dependent clause is in contrast with the information in the independent clause. The
word infertile means barren, something that can not reproduce, while the word propagate means
reproduce; therefore, the correct response is (A).
* DO NOT be tricked into choosing the correct answer on the basis of its grammatical form. All
the possible answers have the same grammatical form. For instance, if the vocabulary is a
phrasal, all the answers will be phrasal, but the correct answer does not necessarily have the
same preposition. Look at the example.
Coral, a gem stone, is related to living plants.
(A) Compatible with
(B) Partial to
(C) Accompanied by
(D) Associated with
The correct response is (D). Even though (B) has the same preposition, it is not the correct
answer. Associated with is the appropriate synonym for related to.
* If you do not know the answer, guess. You will not lose any points for guessing.
Prefixes
A prefix by definition is a word part that comes at the beginning of a word and changes its
meaning. For instance, if the prefix dis is added to agree, the new word isdisagree, which is the
opposite of agree. Most prefixes are of Greek or Latin origin. Since almost 50 percent of the
vocabulary items tested on TOEFL have Latin origin, it is important to know the prefixes and
their meanings to help you understand the meaning of unfamiliar words.

Prefix

Meaning

Example

a-, an-

without, not

asexual, anonymous

toward

admission

ambi-

ambiguous

amphi-

amphibian
anniversary
before

antecedent

before, opposite

anticipate, antipathy
autograph
benefactor
bicentennial
biodegradable

hundred

century

circum-

around

circumvent

com-, col-

with, together

complex, collaborate

con-, cor-

with, together

contract, correspond

contra-

against

contradiction

counter-

opposite direction counteract

down, away

decompose
decade

di-, dif-

away, apart

diverge, differ
disapprove
emerge

es-, ex-

escape, exterior
good, well

euthanasia

extra-

beyond

extraordinary

extro-

outward, beyond

extrovert

hyper

beyond, over

hypertension

il-, ir-

illiterate, irreversible

into, not

incline, incorrect

between, among

international

into, in

import
panoramic

through

permeate
philanthropist

behind

postscript, posterior

before

precede

forward, in favor ofpromotion, prolife

macro-

macrobiotic

micro-

microcomputer
wrong, bad

multi-

misplace
multicolored

not, without

nonstop

again, back

review, recall
semimonthly

syn-, sym-

under

subside

with, together

syntax, sympathy
televise

trans-

across

transparent
triangle

beyond, over

ultramodern

reverse, not

unload, unable

one, single

union, unisex