The previous section explained ways to read through passages. This section will include strategies to help you understand what you read. The CLAT Reading Comprehension Section is designed to test your ability to synthesize and apply information. Sometimes, you may find simply reading through the passage is not quite enough due to the complexity of the passages the test-writers like to give students.
Below is a sample passage, followed by strategies to help you understand readings in the CLAT Reading Comprehension Section and examples of how to apply them to this sample passage:
We've got 4 super comprehension strategies for you to master: Read On
Passage:
Without symbolism there can be no literature; indeed, not even language. What are words themselves but symbols, almost as arbitrary as the letters which compose them, mere sounds of the voice to which we have agreed to give certain significations, as we have agreed to translate these sounds by those combinations of letters? Symbolism began with the first words uttered by the first man, as he named every living thing; or before them, in heaven, when God named the world into being. And we see, in these beginnings, precisely what Symbolism in literature really is: a form of expression, at the best but approximate, essentially but arbitrary, until it has obtained the force of a convention, for an unseen reality apprehended by the consciousness. It is sometimes permitted to us to hope that our convention is indeed the reflection rather than merely the sign of that unseen reality. We have done much if we have found a recognizable sign.
“A symbol,” says Comte Goblet d'Alviella, in his book on The Migration of Symbols, “might be defined as a representation which does not aim at being a reproduction.” Gradually the word extended its meaning, until it came to denote every conventional representation of idea by form, of the unseen by the visible. “In a Symbol," says Carlyle, "there is concealment and yet revelation: hence, therefore, by Silence and by Speech acting together, comes a double significance.” And, in that fine chapter of Sartor Resartus, he goes further, vindicating for the word its full value: “In the Symbol proper, what we can call a Symbol, there is ever, more or less distinctly and directly, some embodiment and revelation of the Infinite; the Infinite is made to blend itself with the Finite, to stand visible, and as it were, attainable there.”
It is in such a sense as this that the word Symbolism has been used to describe a movement which, during the last generation, has profoundly influenced the course of French literature. All such words, used of anything so living, variable, and irresponsible as literature, are, as symbols themselves must so often be, mere compromises, mere indications. Symbolism, as seen in the writers of our day, would have no value if it were not seen also, under one disguise or another, in every great imaginative writer. What distinguishes the Symbolism of our day from the Symbolism of the past; is that it has now become conscious of itself. The forces which mold the thought of men change, or men's resistance to them slackens; with the change of men's thought comes a change of literature, and with it comes a literature in which the visible world is no longer a reality, and the unseen world no longer a dream.
Comprehension Strategy #1: Active Outlining
Get your notepads and scratch papers ready, we're going to outline the core essence of each of the paragraphs. This non-visual strategy encourages readers to take notes as they read instead of outlining. Taking notes actively engages the reader, keeping their mind focused and reducing the risk of forgetting what they have read.
Here's an example of the shorter and simpler version:
Paragraph 1
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No symbolism=no literature/language, words/letters/sounds=symbols
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Began with first words spoken…symbolism is a form of approximate expression
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Convention yields recognizable meaning, but not necessarily reflection
Paragraph 2
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Comte: symbol=representation not reproduction, concealment & revelation
Paragraph 3
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Naming of Symbolist movement is in line with Comte’s understanding of symbol
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Movement has influenced course of French literature
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Symbolism is employed by every great imaginative author
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Current symbolism is different because it’s conscious, change in literature comes from change in thought
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Conscious symbolism: visible world =/= reality, unseen =/= unknown
This is an effective breakdown of the enitre passage simplifying complex ideas into more relatable shorter chunks of ideas bubbles. This is what we extensively teach our kids to do at the OPUS offline CLAT coaching programs.
As you can see from the above outline that shorthand is an effective way to convey meaning without wasting time writing information. Writing in whatever shorthand is legible and efficient should be done. CLAT Reading Comprehension Section passages are complex but well-written, and the arguments may not be easy to grasp, but they will be clearly laid out.
***Therefore, the main point in the first or last sentence of the text may often be found, and noting those should be done in an outline as test-writers love to emphasize those points.
You should make note of other important pieces of information as they move through a passage. It can be beneficial to include outside perspectives referenced in the text and whether the speaker agrees or not. Additionally, definitions and dates should be noted in an outline. Moreover, noting and connecting causes and effects can assist in understanding the layers of an argument.
The most helpful outlines will help you understand the structure of the reading and where to easily locate relevant content. This strategy may take time and practice to develop and complete quickly, but it can be very helpful for understanding complex passages, especially when they are about topics with which you are unfamiliar.
Comprehension Strategy #2: First and Last Lines
The CLAT Reading Comprehension Section can be understood by focusing on the first and last few lines of each paragraph and creating notes or an outline synthesizing the openings and closing of the paragraphs. This strategy is primarily recommended for students who tend to run out of time and wish to gain an extra point or two from a section. It is advised that these students focus their notes on the first and last lines of a paragraph, although they should still read the entire passage.
This strategy works because the CLAT readings are well-organized, allowing the test taker to understand the argument by understanding where it begins and ends, despite its density. One can easily decipher the broader patterns of a text by focusing on the beginning and end of paragraphs without being bogged down by too many details.
Let's see how this is done:
Paragraph 1
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No symbolism=no literature/language, words/letters/sounds=symbols
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Symbolism at best can produce recognizable meaning, but not necessarily reflection
Paragraph 2
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Comte: symbol=representation not reproduction, concealment & revelation
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Symbols blend infinite and finite
Paragraph 3
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Naming of impactful Symbolist movement is in line with Comte’s understanding of symbol
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Current symbolism is different because its conscious: visible world =/= reality, unseen =/= unknown
***This strategy can help you focus on the most important aspects of a passage since it only requires a brief amount of time. This strategy can help you stay focused on the most important parts of an exam, which could leave you with extra time if you don't finish in time. It's a time saver!!!
Comprehension Strategy #3: Connecting the Dots (the most powerful strategy here)
This strategy is similar to the previous two strategies, except instead of generating your notes as you read, you compile them after you've read the text. Sometimes, the patterns and connections in the text may not be immediately clear. You may find it helpful to summarize your thoughts after you've read the passage in full.
Here’s an example of a summary you might write based on our example passage:
"Symbolism is essential to literature. It is a form of approximate expression that gains meaning through convention. A symbol represents without reproducing (revelation & concealment). Symbolism is employed by every great writer, but the movement being described has impacted French literature because of its version of symbolism which is aware of itself"
Comprehension Strategy #4: Active Highlighting
You can either use this strategy on its own if you prefer to only use the, or you can use it in combination with the previous strategies. You may want to devise a system for highlighting parts of the passage. You can assign specific types of information, including dates, speakers, tone, definitions, and colors. You may also assign a specific meaning to text by underlining it.
Pre-determining a system that you are familiar with and have practiced many times before going into the exam can save you time and help you generate helpful and easy to understand notes.
Deciding on a strategy approach
Try out all the above different approaches across passages and figure out which one or combinations of strategies work best for you. Here's a quick guide on how to pick one: