Critical Reasoning

Hi
I have tried couple of times but still not able to understand if there is any strategy that works for answering bold face questions.I was wondering if someone can help me on how should I approach bold face questions.

Also how often are these questions tested on GMAT?

I would appreciate any help or advise you have for me

Thank you
Parul

Parul -

Bold-faced questions are fairly well represented on the test. They are the main form of "method of reasoning" question where the answer choice does not weaken or strengthen or supply the assumption, but rather describes what has already been written and does so in abstract terms. I would say that each test taker should be prepared to face 1 or 2 of these questions and that these questions can be among the toughest questions. For example, when I did the OG Verbal Supplement 1 several years ago I got 81 of the 82 questions right and I missed question 82, the hardest in the book, and it was a bold-faced!

Here is a link to a discussion of that question for you to look at later. https://www.beatthegmat.com/bold-faced-q ... 65499.html

Remember that with Bold Faced Reasoning it is a process of elimination so you are looking for anything wrong with the answer choice so that you can eliminate it. Like in Sentence Correction.

Here is a simple strategy that I have found works well:

Start the problem by identifying the main conclusion. There may not be a main conclusion on a bold faced problem. The stimulus might be a paradox for example, but there usually is a main conclusion, so if there is one find it. If there is not, don't worry about it just figure out why there is no main conclusion (is it a paradox for example?).

Once you have the main conclusion take each bold statement and ask yourself three things:

1) Is there a clear role for the statement? Categories are "Prediction" "main conclusion" "evidence" "opinion" etc. If the role of the statement is not clear then proceed to the next step.

2) How does the statement relate to the main conclusion? Is it the conclusion? Is it evidence in support of the conclusion? Does it undermine the conclusion? etc...

3) How does the statement relate to the other statement? Does it support the other statement? Does the other bold support it? Does it undermine the other statement? etc...

If you understand these three things - usually not too hard to do on most questions - then you are ready to work through the answer choices pretty efficiently.


These are some bold-faced questions that I wrote and then discussed:

https://www.beatthegmat.com/bold-faced-f ... tml#307471

https://www.beatthegmat.com/salt-water-p ... tml#291765

https://www.beatthegmat.com/bold-faced-e ... tml#293014


Here are some other bold-faced questions that I discussed:

https://www.beatthegmat.com/bold-faced-f ... tml#307471

https://www.beatthegmat.com/bold-faced-q ... tml#294134


And here is one about the crazy bold faced that only have one portion in bold and you have to choose the best replacement rather than describing it!

https://www.beatthegmat.com/useless-bott ... 66646.html

Hope it helps!