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Foundations of Comprehension
Foundation questions ask what the passage says, means, or does. You will learn to handle main idea, primary purpose, explicit detail, paraphrase, words in context, and structure questions, and to read the question stem before hunting for evidence.
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What this chapter covers
- Main Idea & Primary Purpose. These two question types look alike but ask different things: what the author says versus what the author is trying to do.
- Explicit Detail, Paraphrase & Locating Evidence. Detail questions are the most searchable on the exam: the answer is on the page, and your map tells you where.
- Definition-in-Context. The MCAT asks what a word means here, and the surrounding sentences almost always tell you.
- Structure Questions & Reading the Question Stem. Structure questions ask why the author wrote something, and the stem tells you which kind of evidence to look for.
Key points to know
- Main idea = the claim; primary purpose = what the author is doing
- Choose a purpose verb that matches the passage's strength
- Detail answers are stated in the text; find them with your map
- Correct answers are often paraphrases, not repeated wording
- Ask what the word means as used in this passage
- Use contrast, restatement, examples, and tone as clues
- Structure questions ask what a part does, not what it says
- Classify the stem type before rereading the passage
Try a practice question
What is the main idea of the lullaby passage?
- Lullabies differ so much that no general claims about them are possible.
- Researchers have recorded lullabies in dozens of cultures.
- Lullabies share features across cultures because they serve the function of soothing infants.
- Infants prefer a falling pitch to a rising pitch.
Show the answer
C. The author argues that the shared features come from the songs' calming function. Recording in dozens of cultures is a detail, the first option reverses the author's point, and infant preference is never tested in the passage.
Common questions
What does this chapter cover?
Foundations of Comprehension covers Main Idea & Primary Purpose, Explicit Detail, Paraphrase & Locating Evidence, Definition-in-Context, Structure Questions & Reading the Question Stem.
What should I know first?
Main idea = the claim; primary purpose = what the author is doing Choose a purpose verb that matches the passage's strength Detail answers are stated in the text; find them with your map
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.