MCAT: CARS Ch. 10

Inference questions make up about 16 percent of the CARS section (about eight or nine questions)

-Assume, because, conclude, imply, infer, justify, reasonable, and suggest

1. Assumption: ask whether you are looking for a missing but essential piece of evidence 2. Implication: are you looking for a conclusion that is unstated but highly probable given what is said

Inferences are unstated parts of arguments that must be true based on what the passage says. Assumptions are unstated pieces of evidence, while implications are unstated conclusions

Strengthen-Weaken (Within the Passage) questions make up about 12 percent of questions in the CARS section (about six questions)

-Relate, support, challenge

-2 claims and the connection between them -you will always be given at least one of these elements and then we will be asked to find the other(s)

Evidence is used to support a conclusion through a one-way relationship. A refutation is used as a counterargument against a conclusion through a one-way relationship

CARS authors often use multiple terms (words or phrases) to describe the same concept, or underlying idea. On Test Day, pay special attention to the ways in which authors use terms, especially when you see Opposition keywords. When you come across dualisms, you can draw a set of columns adjacent to your map on your scratch paper and jot down what words the author uses for each side of the contrast. This can serve as a handy reference for any synonymous language you might encounter in the questions and answer choices.

In a Clarification question, look for an answer choice that is nearly synonymous with the given claim, only that is more specific or exact

Answering a Weakness question is just like using the Denial Test. The difference is that the correct answer choice will be detrimental to the arguments in the passage Without being negated

A paradox is a set of two claims that appear to be inconsistent on the surface. The correct answer in a Paradox question will be consistent with both of the claims, and it will usually attempt to explain the surface inconsistencies between the two claims