GMAT Reading Comprehension: 4 Steps for Supporting Ideas Questions

Sometimes these questions are written as fill-in-the-blank statements, such as “According to the passage, a reasonable assumption about x is that:” Take a moment to mentally rephrase the stem in the form of a question. This will help you understand exactly what to look for in the passage.
Original Question: “The passage states that Jim Crow laws occurred because:”
Possible Mental Rephrase: “What reason does the passage give for Jim Crow laws?”
What to Look for: The paragraph where the author discusses Jim Crow laws, and then the specific point where he discusses the reasons for the laws.

Check your passage map to locate the appropriate paragraph that contains the detail, and re-read the appropriate sentence to locate the relevant information. Don’t try to predict without referencing the passage. Some of these questions are incredibly specific and will hinge on a single sentence, or even a solitary word. Chances are you will not remember the correct answer from your first reading of the passage, so don’t try.

Avoid writing complete sentences, but take a couple of seconds to make a note in shorthand of the question’s answer. Don’t skip this step! If you do, you risk forgetting your prediction as you read the answer choices, and becoming swayed by tempting wrong answer choices. A written-down prediction will give you something to reference when you are stuck between two choices.

Look for the common wrong answer types: distortions, extreme language, misused details, and opposites. If you are stuck between two choices, ask yourself what is the subtle degree of difference between them, and re-consider your mentally-rephrased question. Only one choice will perfectly match the scope of the question.