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Reading Actively & Mapping the Argument
CARS rewards readers who track where a passage is going, not readers who memorize it. You will learn to preview, map each paragraph, separate main ideas from details, use signal words, and keep a running summary.
Study this chapter in PrepMed (free)
What this chapter covers
- Previewing & Paragraph Mapping. A passage you can map in ten words per paragraph is a passage you can answer questions about without rereading it all.
- Main Idea vs. Detail. Most wrong answers on main-idea questions are true details or claims that stretch beyond the passage.
- Signal Words & Transitions. A single 'but' can flip the author's position; signal words are the road signs of an argument.
- Argument, Counterargument & Running Summary. Most CARS passages argue against something; knowing who holds each view keeps you from answering with the wrong side.
Key points to know
- Ask what each paragraph is doing before what it says
- Map each paragraph in a few words as you read
- Main idea = the claim the whole passage supports
- Detail = evidence, example, or qualification that could be removed
- Contrast words mark a turn; the endorsed idea often follows
- Concession words give up a small point before the counter-move
- Label each view with its holder before answering
- Concede-and-refute puts the author's view after the turn
Try a practice question
Which map label best fits this passage as a whole?
- Challenges a common assumption, then poses the essay's guiding question
- Traces the history of museum architecture
- Defends neutral display as a museum ideal
- Lists reforms that would remove bias from museums
Show the answer
A. The first two sentences describe the museums' self-image, 'Yet' pivots against it, and the last sentence states the question the essay will pursue. Nothing is said about architecture, no defense of neutrality is offered, and no reforms are listed.
Common questions
What does this chapter cover?
Reading Actively & Mapping the Argument covers Previewing & Paragraph Mapping, Main Idea vs. Detail, Signal Words & Transitions, Argument, Counterargument & Running Summary.
What should I know first?
Ask what each paragraph is doing before what it says Map each paragraph in a few words as you read Main idea = the claim the whole passage supports
20 original practice questions accompany this chapter in the app. Spaced review brings missed ideas back at the right time; it helps memory but cannot promise you will not miss an idea again.