The Illusion of Reading

Reading and understanding are two very different things. Skimming feels like productivity. You trick yourself into believing you’re engaging with the text; in reality, you are scrolling through it like Instagram. Your brain is not processing them. Comprehension is left to luck. That’s why, five minutes later, you're shocked by getting all the answers wrong.

Superpower of Deep Reading

Skimming is passive, and deep reading is active. Think of deep reading like watching a thriller film, eyes peeled, trying to catch hidden clues from every scene. Here are some proven techniques to help you do just that in RCs:

1. Read with Questions in Mind 

You don’t need to peek at the questions first. But while reading, hold this intention: “What’s the author trying to say? And why?” That simple mindset flips your brain from scanner to seeker. You’ll start noticing tone shifts, opinions, and key claims.

2. Break the Paragraph

Each paragraph is usually a self-contained idea. After each one, pause mentally for a summary. Ask yourself, what was the core idea, and how does it connect to the earlier paragraph? This pause helps your brain retain structure, so you don’t have to reread it later.

3. Focus on Structure

Many aspirants get distracted by unfamiliar data. Here’s the truth: CAT rarely asks factual questions. It tests your grasp of flow and tone. Ask:

• “Is this paragraph adding a new point, contrasting the earlier one, or giving examples?”
• “Is the author presenting both sides or advocating one?”

Once you master the blueprint of the passage, the questions become a breeze.

4. Highlight Mentally

Don’t underline everything. It’s useless if your brain isn’t registering why you’re doing it. Instead, train your eyes to mentally bold important parts:

• The author’s main argument
• Transition words (“however,” “but,” “furthermore”)
• Examples that support key claims

This simple shift trains your focus and retention.

5. Resist the Urge to Solve Immediately

After reading, take five seconds to just reflect on what the author’s stance is, and are there any contrasting viewpoints? Jumping into the questions without this mental wrap-up is like trying to answer a mystery without knowing the plot.

What Deep Reading Looks Like?

Let’s say you’re reading a passage about the rise of AI in healthcare. Skimmers will get caught in details like the year of introduction or types of software. Deep readers, on the other hand, will extract the central idea of the passage, the tone, and how the argument flows. Now, guess who’s better prepared to tackle inference and tone questions?

CAT Rewards Smart Focus.

Every topper you’ve seen on YouTube they aren’t reading faster than you. They’re reading better than you. Because RC isn’t about finishing the passage fast. It’s about entering the author’s head and staying there.

So next time you catch yourself skimming through an RC passage, pause and ask: “Am I reading this? Or just faking it?”