Sample · 02-Reading Comprehension
Chapter 2 Overview
Bocconi Online Test · CHAPTER 2: Reading Comprehension
The Reading Comprehension area contains 11 of the 50 questions on the Online Bocconi Test. You are given passages to read carefully, each followed by several questions. Some questions test your grasp of information stated explicitly in the text; others ask about the implicit meaning of the passage as a whole or of some of its parts. This book first explains the question types and a reliable strategy, then gives you six passages with fully explained practice questions. Every answer must be based only on the passage — never on your outside knowledge.
2.1 How to Read for the Test
2.1 How to Read for the Test
Reading Comprehension rewards disciplined reading rather than speed alone. Read the whole passage first to grasp its main idea and structure, then answer each question by returning to the relevant lines. The correct answer is always supported by the text; if you cannot point to the words that justify it, it is probably wrong.
Almost every question fits one of a small number of types. Recognizing the type tells you what to look for.
📋 The main question types
| Type | What it asks |
|---|---|
| Explicit detail | a fact stated directly in the text |
| Main idea | the central point of the whole passage |
| Inference | what the text implies without stating outright |
| Vocabulary in context | the meaning of a word as used here |
| Purpose / structure | why the author includes a detail or how the text is organized |
| Tone / attitude | the author's feeling toward the subject |
⚠️ Common traps
Wrong options are often true statements that simply do not answer the question, or they twist a detail by making it too extreme (using words like "always," "never," "all"). Watch for options that reverse a relationship, or that rely on knowledge from outside the passage. An answer that is "half right" is wrong.
Worked Example — Reading an option critically
Passage line: "The policy reduced traffic in the center, though it pushed some congestion to the outer ring roads."
Question: The policy's effect on traffic is best described as…
Working: "Eliminated all traffic" is too extreme; "had no effect" is false; the supported answer is that it reduced central traffic but shifted some elsewhere. Match the option to the exact wording.
📋 Question types seen on the real Bocconi test
| Wording of the question | What it is really asking |
|---|---|
| "Which of the following is not in line with the passage?" | Four options are supported by the text; the odd one contradicts it. The contradiction is the answer — eliminate the four that agree. |
| "What is meant by the highlighted phrase '…'?" | Interpret the exact phrase in its context, not a general definition. Re-read the sentence around it and match the option that restates its role. |
| "Speaking of X, the author refers to…" | A definition/main-point question: find where the passage introduces X and choose the option that mirrors that definition, avoiding options that reverse cause and effect. |
| Three-option verdict: true / false / not derivable | A statement follows the passage. Decide whether the text supports it (true), contradicts it (false), or simply does not settle it (not derivable / cannot be determined). |
⚠️ About the passages
Continue reading — 1 chapters, worked examples and practice.
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