CARS Strategy: Passage Analysis & Question Types

Reading Strategy

Preview (10 seconds): Glance at passage length and topic. Don't read questions first.
Read actively (3-4 minutes): Identify the main idea of each paragraph. Note the author's tone and argument structure.
Identify the thesis: After reading, mentally summarize the author's main claim in one sentence.
Answer questions (5-6 minutes): Return to passage for evidence. Eliminate wrong answers.

Key Point: CARS is about what the AUTHOR thinks, not what YOU think. Every correct answer is supported by the passage.

Type	What It Asks	Strategy
Main Idea	What is the author's central argument?	Summarize thesis. Avoid too narrow or too broad.
Detail/Retrieval	What does the passage state about X?	Locate specific evidence. Paraphrase, don't match exact words.
Inference	What can be inferred / implied?	Must be supported by passage. Strongest inference = most directly supported.
Strengthen/Weaken	What would support or undermine the argument?	Identify the author's claim, then find what helps/hurts it.
Author's Tone/Attitude	How does the author feel about X?	Look for loaded words, qualifiers, praise/criticism.
Function/Purpose	Why does the author mention X?	Consider context. What role does this serve in the argument?
Application/Analogy	Which scenario is most analogous?	Abstract the principle, then match structure.

Extreme language: "always," "never," "all," "none" — usually wrong unless passage explicitly uses them
Out of scope: Brings in outside knowledge not in the passage
Opposite: Contradicts the passage — often a tempting distractor
Too narrow: Only covers one detail, not the main idea
Half right: Starts correct but ends with an unsupported claim

Key Point: When stuck between two answers: go with the one MORE DIRECTLY supported by the passage. The MCAT rewards conservative inference.

9 passages × 10 minutes each = 90 minutes total.