Reading strategies | CARS | Achievable MCAT

Strategies to try:

Reading the questions first for context
Sketching out a passage outline

Sample Passage 1: THE GOTHIC PALACES OF VENICE

First, preview just the questions themselves.

Ignore answer choices for now
See what the question gives us:
1. Topic information (for the passage)
2. Task (what do we need to do or find when we read the passage)

Q1: Which of the following can be inferred about Venice during the Middle Ages based on information in the passage?

What topic information is there?

Venice, Middle Ages.

What task will I need to do in the reading?

I’ll need to use information from the passage to make an inference (it won’t be directly said).

Q2: What can we assume about the houses of mainland Italian cities?

Identify the info and tasks, then hover over the spoilers below to confirm.

(spoiler)

Topic: Italian houses OTHER than in Venice
Task: Assume = use pieces of info provided to make an assumption (not directly said)

Q3: Other historians note that noble families in other European cities were able to build broad estates with heavy materials such as marble without the limited space and soft ground of an island, while Venetians tended toward vertical dwellings with light materials expertly chiseled or mosaicked by artisans. Where and why might this piece of information best be integrated into the current passage?

(spoiler)

Topic: EXTERNAL info about wealthy people in other cities in Europe having wide houses and heavy building materials, Venice/island has small space and soft ground so build upward, light materials with hand decoration.
Task: Decide where in the passage this information best fits (consider topic and purpose of each paragraph)

Q4: The author would most likely agree with which of the following statements, based on information provided in the passage:

(spoiler)

Topic: I’ll need to keep the scope of the assumption close to the info in the passage itself (don’t overdo it)
Task: Connect various points by the author to determine larger ideas, compare to the statements to find closest fit. Next, read the passage with this topic and task information in mind.

Now that we know what kind of information we may encounter and what kinds of tasks we will have to do with it, we should feel a bit more prepared to handle the reading itself.

The second strategy is to make brief notes of key ideas as we go, typically 1-3 word phrases, just enough to remind us of the ideas we saw as we look at it later.

Read the passage, make brief notes/outline, and then answer the questions that follow. You can hover over the “spoiler” to check your answer and read an explanation.

Passage 1: THE GOTHIC PALACES OF VENICE which can be found at Project Gutenburg.

    The location of Venice upon a group of islands, sufficiently removed from the mainland to make it impossible to effectually attack it from this side, and naturally defended on the side towards the sea by a long chain of low islands, separated by shallow inlets and winding channels, making it difficult to approach, has rendered the city peculiarly free from the disturbing influences which were constantly at work in the neighboring cities of Italy during the Middle Ages.
    While her neighbors were building strong encircling walls, each individual house a fortress in itself, Venice rested secure in her natural defences and built her palaces open down to the water’s edge, with no attempt at fortification. Her hardy and adventurous inhabitants rapidly extended their trade to all quarters of the world and accumulated vast wealth, which was freely lavished on public and private buildings. The magnificence of the former was only equaled in the days of ancient Rome, and it is doubtful if the latter have ever been surpassed in sumptuousness and splendor.
    The palaces of Venice form an architectural group of great interest, in many respects quite distinct from the contemporary buildings on the mainland. They were carefully planned to satisfy the demands for comfort and convenience as well as display. Most of them have the same arrangement of plan, and were commonly built of two lofty and two low stories. On the ground floor, or water level, is a hall running back from the gate to a bit of garden at the other side of the palace, and on either side of this hall, which was hung with the family trophies of the chase and war, are the porter’s lodge and gondoliers’ rooms. On the first and second stories are the family apartments, opening on either side from great halls, of the same extent as that below, but with loftier roofs, of heavy rafters gilded or painted. The fourth floor is of the same arrangement, but has a lower roof, and was devoted to the better class of servants. Of the two stories used by the family, the third is the loftier and airier, and was occupied in summer; the second was the winter apartment. On either hand the rooms open in suites. The courtyard at the rear usually had a well in its centre with an ornamental curb; and access to the upper floors of the house was gained by an exterior staircase in the court, which was often elaborately enriched with carved ornament.
    The materials used in construction are mostly red and white marbles, used with a fine color sense, and the desire for abundance of color was frequently further gratified by painting the exterior walls with elaborate pictorial decorations. The earliest palaces are Byzantine, but with the growth of the Gothic movement these were gradually superseded, although the Gothic influence worked more slowly here than on the mainland. The richest and most elaborate work was built at this period. Finally the Renaissance took the place of Gothic; and the later palaces, built in this style, show strongly the debased condition into which the art of Venice fell in the Dark Ages.

Hover here for a sample of notes (a simple passage outline):

(spoiler)

Gr of isl’s off mainland-> hard to attack, long ch of isl’s with inlets & channels, not distrbd like most It. Cities in MidA’s.

Neighbors circle walls, Ven natural def’s so houses to H2O edge, not fortified. Rapid expanse of trade, big $-= all buildings amazing.

Ven. Palaces diff. f/m Mainland; both comfort + display, 2 high & 2 low st’s.:\

Gr flr/H20 lev, hall to garden, each side fam trophies and the porter’s lodge & gond’s rooms.\
1.&2. Flr= fam apts with lofty roofs, gilded or paint. 4.flr same with lwr roof, sr. servants. Family floors= ↑ lofty/airy, sum and ↓ =wntr. Rooms open to suites.\
Courtyard @rear= well in ctr, extr stair in court to ↑ flrs, carved ornmt.

Constr. Mat= red & wh marble, paint extr walls w/décor. Early ones=Byzantine, later Gothic but slow. Rich, elaborate most in Gothic= show art in Ven fell in Dark Ages.

Q1: Which of the following can be inferred about Venice during the Middle Ages based on information in the passage?

A. It formed alliances with all neighboring cities.
B. Its geography discouraged invasion.
C. Its wealth allowed it to pay off invaders.
D. Its location limited trade in the region.

(spoiler)

Answer: B. Geography discouraged invasion.
Venice is described in the passage as being in a group of islands and shallow inlets with winding channels, making it difficult to approach in some sections and impossible to attack from others.

Q2: What can we assume about the houses of mainland Italian cities?

A. They were built in a plain fashion with only one or two floors.
B. They were connected by secret tunnels to facilitate mass escape during attacks.
C. They had protection from both a city wall and individual home features.
D. They typically included an underground room to avoid attacks common at the time.

(spoiler)

Answer: C. They had protection from both a city wall and individual home features.
While the passage indicates the Venitian homes were very comfortable and extravagant compared to surrounding cities, it does not give information to indicate that homes were particularly plain or how large they were. It does distinctly mention that Venice was different from all her neighbors by having homes open right to the water’s edge and no city wall, as well as the mainland cities having encircling walls and homes that were “fortress(es) unto (themselves)”, indication protection externally and also at the home level.

Q3: Other historians note that noble families in other European cities were able to build broad estates with heavy materials such as marble without the limited space and soft ground of an island, while Venetians tended toward vertical dwellings with light materials expertly chiseled or mosaicked by artisans. Where and why might this piece of information best be integrated into the current passage?

A. In paragraph 1, to further describe the role of the island location in Venice’s relative freedom from attempted attacks.
B. In paragraph 2, to strengthen the author’s assertion that Venetian homes were typically built as splendid fortresses.
C. In paragraph 3, to expand on the contrast with mainland homes through explaining the look and materials of upward design.
D. In paragraph 4, to provide examples of how the elaborate style of Gothic buildings common to Venice was achieved.

(spoiler)

Answer: C. In paragraph 3, to expand on the contrast with mainland homes through explaining the look and materials of upward design.
While the island location is part of the topic mentioned in this external information, it is not in relation to Venice’s safety. This island information is to point out limited space, necessitating upward building, and softer ground, necessitating lighter building materials, which best matches paragraph 3’s overall theme of houses having multiple floors and little yard/garden space while also being elaborate with carvings. Paragraph 4’s main idea is to describe the evolution of Venice’s building styles over time, rather than one specific period.

Q4: The author would most likely agree with which of the following statements, based on information provided in the passage:

A. There was a direct relationship between Venice’s role in trade and the ambiance of the city.
B. The opulence of Venetian life was a sign of excess and moral decline preceding the Dark Ages.
C. The location of Venice on a group of islands created a myriad of transportation difficulties.
D. Mainland Italians of the Middle Ages were dependent on Venice as a source of supplies.

(spoiler)

Answer: A. There was a direct relationship between Venice’s role in trade and the ambiance of the city.
The passage does not criticize or connect the opulence of Venice to the Dark Ages nor does it does mention or allude to transportation difficulties. While it points out that Venice was a key part of trade in the region and the world, it does not provide information leading us to believe that it was the only source of trade for surrounding cities. It does, however, mention that Venice’s heavy trade made it wealthy, and that Venetians liked to display their wealth through their splendid buildings, so choice A is a logical statement to suppose the author would agree with.