Reading comprehension forms a huge chunk of the English language section in IBPS PO examination. Preparing reading comprehension for IBPS PO will also indirectly help in other questions such as Cloze test and Para jumbles.
Going by the previous year papers of IBPS PO, around 8 to 10 questions appear from this topic every year. Just solving reading comprehension questions correct will sail aspirants past the sectional cutoff. Aspirants can try IBPS PO online preparation to have a structured way of preparation.
IBPS PO mock tests can help aspirants gauge where they stand. In this blog post, let us see how to tackle reading comprehension for IBPS PO. This is one section where the past deeds of aspirants profoundly influence the scores. Someone with a regular reading habit has a high chance of scoring well in this section.
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Contents
- 1 Reading comprehension Tricks for IBPS PO:
Reading comprehension Tricks for IBPS PO:
English section has been becoming comprehension heavy in recent years. Gone are the days when aspirants needed to mug up phrases and words to score high in this section. Though having a good vocabulary helps, it is not a prerequisite anymore.
Someone who can make sense of the information presented before him has a higher chance of scoring higher than someone who has a huge repository of esoteric words in his memory. Hence, aspirants must try to build this skill rather than memorising tonnes of material.
Aspirants must develop a strong reading habit to ace reading comprehension for IBPS PO. Let us look at more specific tricks that one must follow while answering RC questions.
(i) Read the passage thoroughly:
Banking questions have been moving from fact based to inference based. Skimming through the passage will be of help while solving fact based RCs. But, skimming will be a futile exercise while tackling inference based questions. Hence, read the passage thoroughly before attempting the questions.
(ii) Do not hesitate to reread the passage:
If you feel you have not adequately understood a particular paragraph while answering a question, reread the paragraph. Marking an option unsure of to save time will be penny wise and pound foolish. Allocate enough time to read and assimilate the information provided in the RCs.
Recognising the tone of the passage will be of great help while answering inference based questions. Questions like ‘ What will the author agree with?’ can be solved quickly by identifying the tone with which the author puts forward his views.
IBPS PO Previous papers (download pdf)
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(iv) Do not extrapolate:
Limit yourself to the information given in the passage. Do not extrapolate. There is a mild line between inferring and extrapolating. Don’t assume information as it will be detrimental.
Do not let your knowledge interfere with the facts that the passage provides.
Eg) Read the passage and answer the question:
Time and again, it has been proved beyond doubt that there is a direct correlation between per capita income and esteem needs. People from countries with high per capita incomes quit their jobs when their esteem is at stake. Whereas, people from poor countries, try to hang on as basic needs take precedence over esteem. How can people dream with an empty stomach?
People from which of the following countries are more likely to hang on to their job when their reputation at their stake?
A)Somalia
B)USA
C)UK
D)Germany
E)Cannot be determined or more information is required.
Most people will happily mark option A as the answer. But, since we do not have any information regarding the per capita incomes of these countries, option E is the right answer. Don’t let your knowledge influence your answers.
(v) Allocate enough time:
Do not read the passage with a time limit in mind. The primary objective must be to read the passage so that you can answer all the questions. Do not skip vital information to complete the passage within the time you have allotted.
As Reading comprehension for IBPS PO comes in sets of 8 or 10, skipping information can prove to be a costly affair. Skimming through the passage will work only if the passage is simple and direct.
With the increasing difficulty of banking exams in the recent years, it is a bit more optimistic to expect straight forward sets.
(vi) Try finding the contextual meaning:
Usually, 1 question from synonyms and 1 question from antonyms appear in RCs. Practice figuring out the contextual meaning of words. Try to relate to the circumstance that the word has been used. More often than not, the contextual meanings are different from the absolute meaning of the word.
Some general tips to crack reading comprehension for IBPS PO:
Develop a reading habit:
A good reading habit goes a long way in ensuring that you score well in the reading comprehension section. The more you read, the better you get at it. Hence, read anything that you can get your hands on.
Read an economic daily:
Most of the passages are from economic dailies. Hence, reading articles from financial magazines will help you to get acquainted with the style of writing. Also, over due course of time, you will get familiar with most of the jargons used.
In the exam, you will get a feeling of reading something you are comfortable with. Trying to comprehend economic jargons with the clock ticking below 5 minutes is no fun. Even if you attempt the English section at last, finish RCs first and save the individual questions for the last few minutes.
Have realistic expectations:
Unlike other sections, one can never be sure of the answer. Your thought process might have been different from that of the paper setter. This is mostly true in inference based questions, where, you cannot find a fault in your logic too.
Respect the fact that having a 100% accuracy in this section is highly unlikely. Don’t be too harsh on yourself. Allocate a little scope for errors that might creep in.
IBPS PO Previous papers (download pdf)
To have a brief idea about how to tackle the English section as a whole, try reading 8 tips to improve English for IBPS PO.
