Reading Comprehension
🔒 Log in to trackOne 250–350-word passage with 5 questions in Tier 1; 3 passages (12–15 questions) in Tier 2. Passages come from editorials, science reporting and social issues, and every answer is traceable to a line. RC is the highest-value block in the English section — five marks for one fixed routine.
One page per subtopic: detailed notes, every question type, formulas, tricks and practice sets.
Every formula on one printable page, grouped by subtopic.
3 exam-level questions worked step by step.
72 questions — untimed practice or a timed test with analysis.
Track record in the exam
Questions per shift in recent SSC CGL papers.
Test difficulty mix (72 questions)
Question patterns exams keep repeating
Taken from previous-year papers. If a pattern is marked "very common", expect to see it in your exam.
Main idea of the passage
very commonThe question says 'central idea', 'main theme' or 'the passage is mainly about'.
Say the topic and the author's point in about ten words before looking at the options.
Drop options that cover only one part, are too broad, or use words like 'only' and 'always'.
A passage says people throw away gadgets because repair is hard, that this creates e-waste, and that new rules on spare parts can make repair possible again. What is the central idea?
Topic: gadgets and repair
Point: hard repair creates waste, and rules can help
Options about only one detail are too narrow
Answer: Making repair easier can reduce e-waste.
Best title
very commonThe question asks for 'the most suitable title'.
A title is the main idea in a few words.
Drop titles that cover only one example or are much broader than the passage.
A passage says city footpaths are broken, this is dangerous and adds to traffic, and good footpaths are cheap to build. Best title?
Topic: city footpaths
Point: they should be fixed
'A History of Road Accidents' is too broad
Answer: Why Cities Must Fix Their Footpaths
Fact question ('According to the passage')
very commonThe question asks what, when or how often, and the answer is in one or two lines of the passage.
Take a keyword from the question and find it in the passage.
Read the lines around it and match the option that says the same thing.
Passage: 'Money was paid every ten days, directly into bank accounts.' The old trader 'delayed payment for weeks'. How often did the cooperative pay?
Find 'paid' in the passage
It says 'every ten days'
'After several weeks' is about the old trader, not the cooperative
Answer: every ten days
NOT / EXCEPT question
commonThe question has NOT or EXCEPT, often in capital letters.
Circle NOT or EXCEPT first.
Tick every option you can find in the passage; the one left is the answer.
A passage lists steps, carvings and shaded platforms as features of a stepwell. Which is NOT mentioned? Options: steps / carvings / shaded platforms / wooden roofs
Steps are mentioned
Carvings are mentioned
Shaded platforms are mentioned
Answer: wooden roofs
Inference question
commonThe question says 'it can be inferred', 'the author implies' or 'most probably'.
Go one small step beyond the line the question points to.
Drop options that are too extreme or use outside facts.
Passage: a farmer's solar pump made water free, he watered longer than needed, and his borewell level dropped. What can be inferred?
Free power made him use more water
The extra pumping lowered the borewell level
'Solar pumps always damage groundwater' is too extreme
Answer: Free power encouraged him to over-pump groundwater.
Meaning of a word in context
very commonThe question quotes a word or phrase and asks its meaning, synonym or antonym 'as used in the passage'.
Read only the sentence with the word.
Think of your own simple word, then test each option in the sentence.
'The board shelved the plan and instead agreed to repair the roof.' What does 'shelved' mean here?
The board did something else instead
So the plan was not followed
The usual meaning 'put on a shelf' does not fit
Answer: put aside
Author's tone
commonThe question asks for the tone, the author's attitude or what the author would agree with.
Look at the describing words and decide if they are positive, negative or neutral.
Match both the direction and the strength.
'Surely a city that can spend crores on brochures can find the money to lay a single drain.' What is the tone?
The writer mocks the city's spending on brochures
The word 'surely' adds a sharp edge
The writer is not praising or neutral
Answer: critical and sarcastic
Structure and purpose questions
commonOptions like 'Only I and III', or questions like 'Why does the author mention ...?'.
For statement questions, check each statement on its own and cut options with a wrong one.
For 'why mention X', read the sentence before X; the example supports it.
Passage: 'Small savings add up. A tea-seller who saves ₹20 a day has over ₹7,000 in a year.' Why is the tea-seller mentioned?
The first sentence says small savings add up
The tea-seller shows this with numbers
He is an example, not the main topic
Answer: to show that small daily savings become a large sum