LSAT Reading Comprehension: Mastering Global Questions (Main Ideas, Purpose, and Structure)

Main Point

The central claim or primary thesis that the author wants readers to understand from a passage.

Natural Language Processing

A field of artificial intelligence that focuses on the interaction between computers and humans through natural language.

Global Questions

Questions that require understanding the passage as a whole rather than focusing on specific details.

Pivot Language

Words such as 'however' or 'but' that indicate a shift from one idea to another.

Background Claims

Supporting statements that provide context but are not the main claim of a passage.

Counterexample

A specific example that contradicts or challenges a general claim or theory.

Author's Agenda

The author's underlying intentions or goals in presenting a particular viewpoint.

Main Conclusion

The claim supported by reasons and evidence in a passage.

Proposed Framework

A new structure or method put forward to explain a phenomenon or theory.

Complicating Evidence

Information that challenges a commonly held belief or simplifies a complex issue.

Transition Words

Connecting words or phrases that indicate relationships between ideas in a passage.

Two Theories Comparison

An analysis that contrasts opposing views or explanations about a specific topic.

Documentary Evidence

Information or data included in a passage that supports or refutes a claim.

Rhetorical Moves

Techniques authors use to convey their purpose or convey their argument effectively.

Function of a Paragraph

What role a particular paragraph plays within a larger passage or argument.

Articulate Author's Voice

Recognizing the distinctions between the author's views and those of other researchers or theorists.

Hedging Language

Cautious phrases that indicate uncertainty or a possibility rather than a definite statement.

Evaluative Claim

A judgment or assessment made by the author regarding a theory or idea presented in the passage.

Structural Awareness

The understanding of how different parts of a passage contribute to its overall message.

Claim Limitation

A statement that narrows a broad belief by providing specific conditions under which it holds true.

Author's Purpose

The intended function of the passage, such as to inform, persuade, critique, or explain.

Background Introduction

The initial section of a passage that sets the context or gives necessary background information.

Concessions in Arguments

Acknowledgments of opposing viewpoints that strengthen the author’s position.

Purpose Questions

Questions that ask about the intended function or goal behind an author's writing.

Absence of Conclusion

A passage that leaves unresolved questions or proposals rather than presenting a definitive ending.

Passage Mapping

Creating a functional outline of a passage's organization to understand how ideas connect.

Rhetorical Understanding

Recognizing how the author's choices shape the meaning and delivery of their claims.

Argumentative Shape

The overall structure and flow of reasoning that defines how a passage's argument unfolds.