GRE RC: Purpose of the Passage Questions

The following video and the theory that follows give you a quick recap of the Mind Map Approach for RC, help you understand how to use it for GRE purpose of the passage questions, and then apply it to GRE-style questions with representative answer choices so you gain first-hand experience. Take your time, pause the video to apply the approach yourself, study each explanation carefully, and by the end, grasp how to apply the Mind Map Approach to purpose of the passage questions and carry the learning forward into your GRE practice exercises and GRE practice tests.

Comprehensive GRE Prep Course Online by Experts’ Global

Understanding the Purpose of the Passage RC Questions

What do the purpose of the passage GRE RC questions look like?

The format begins with a passage that can vary in length, from short to medium to long. GRE passages often include twists and turns, reflecting the characteristic style of GRE texts. After the passage, a clear question stem follows, focusing on identifying the overall intent of the author. Common question stems ask about the primary purpose of the passage or what the author is primarily concerned with, such as their main point or argument. Each question is multiple choice with five answer choices, and only one answer choice is correct.

Recap of the Mind Map Approach for Solving RC

In a previous lesson, we learned the Mind Map Approach for solving any GRE Reading Comprehension question, and this lesson continues from that base. A part of our GRE preparation course, the Mind Map Approach helps you approach all GRE Reading Comprehension questions in a methodical way that supports both accuracy and pace.

Summary: Mind-Map Approach (MMA) for attempting all GRE RCs

Before we move ahead, here is a quick recap of the Mind Map Approach:

Start by skimming the first byte of the passage, meaning one logical piece you can process in one look, without focusing on details. Ask yourself what this byte does and keep your takeaway short. Skim the next byte, ask the same question, and keep its takeaway short as well. Then link the takeaways from the two bytes, and repeat this process for each new byte to build a clear mind map. Finally, read the question and eliminate wrong answer choices using a grid.

Using the Mind Map Approach for Solving Purpose of the Passage GRE RC Questions

The Mind Map Approach works for all reading comprehension question types. In this section, we focus on applying the Mind Map Approach to purpose of the passage questions. The approach works especially well here because purpose questions ask what the passage as a whole is trying to do, and the mind map you build captures the role of each byte and how the passage moves from start to finish. As a result, you identify the purpose quickly and stay anchored to what the author is doing across the entire passage, without even, generally, needing to refer back to the passage.

Finding the primary purpose of a GRE RC passage

GRE-Style Purpose-of-Passage RC Practice Question

Below is a snapshot of the GRE style Purpose-of-Passage based Reading Comprehension question discussed in the video, along with the Mind Map approach used to solve it and the Mind Map created for the passage.

GRE RC question

Correct Answer: D

For a detailed explanation of this question, please refer to the video presented earlier on this page.

Following is a step-wise written explanation, using our Mind Map Approach…

Step 1 and 2: First Byte

Byte: “Can we consider Carl Sagan a remarkable scientist? One’s immediate reaction may be to dismiss this question as superfluous.”
- What it did: It raised a question regarding Carl Sagan’s status and scientific standing.

Step 3 and 4: Subsequent Bytes

Second Byte: “A gifted astronomer… key role… central figure… gifts were widely recognized… advocate for science education.”
- What it did: It developed a case for YES by detailing his major contributions and influence.
Third Byte: “However… incongruent with his standing among scientists… unwilling to group him alongside… liaison… rather than specializing.”
- What it did: It developed a case for NO by highlighting the skepticism of peers who viewed him more as a generalist.

Step 5: Read the Question

Question: Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of the passage?

Step 6: Eliminate

To detail the breadth of Carl Sagan’s scientific contributions. (Eliminate: This only covers the “YES” case and ignores the critical perspective.)
To assess Carl Sagan’s standing as a scientist, relative to figures such as Ghez and Drake. (Eliminate: Too narrow; these names are used as specific examples for the “NO” case, not the main focus.)
To defend the idea that Carl Sagan was a remarkable scientist. (Eliminate: The passage is neutral and presents a counter-argument rather than a defense.)
To assess the value of Carl Sagan’s scientific contributions and his standing among scientists. (Keep: This perfectly captures both sides of the debate presented in the bytes.)
To reassess the criteria for considering a scientist remarkable. (Eliminate: The passage focuses on Sagan himself, not on changing the general criteria for all scientists.)