GRE Verbal Reasoning

Reading comprehension

⏱ ~3-min readAceMark Guide

The big idea

What this topic is really about

The author cites the critic's view to reinforce their own thesis, making it an illustrative example supporting the main argument. Option A is incorrect because the author agrees with or uses the critic's authority rather than attempting to undermine or discredit their reputation.

The passage notes a distinct difference in emission reductions between urban and rural settings, showing that geographic context influences the policy's efficacy. Option A is incorrect because the unequal results directly contradict the idea of 'uniform' effects.

How it works

See the mechanism

Diagram coming soon

The author cites the critic's view to reinforce their own thesis, making it an illustrative example supporting the main argument. A diagram for this topic isn't available yet — the worked example below walks the same reasoning step by step.

Worked example

An exam-style question, fully explained

In a passage on classical music, the author cites a critic. Most likely purpose:

Identify what the question tests: In a passage on classical music, the author cites a critic..
The author cites the critic's view to reinforce their own thesis, making it an illustrative example supporting the main argument.
Option A is incorrect because the author agrees with or uses the critic's authority rather than attempting to undermine or discredit their reputation.

Answer:Provide an example supporting the author's argument

Common mistakes

Traps the examiner sets

Option A is incorrect because the author agrees with or uses the critic's authority rather than attempting to undermine or discredit their reputation.
Option A is incorrect because the unequal results directly contradict the idea of 'uniform' effects.
The idiomatic phrase "by no means" is used to emphasize that something is definitely not the case, which indicates a strong negation.

Self-check

Test your recall

Answer each from memory — you'll see instantly whether you're right and why.

Q1.In a passage on classical music, the author cites a critic. Most likely purpose:

Q2.A passage states "the policy reduced emissions in cities but not in rural areas." The author would most likely agree that:

Q3.In a reading passage, the phrase "by no means" most likely indicates:

Q4.An author writes that "X is often dismissed but deserves reconsideration." The author's stance toward X is:

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