SSC CGL English · Reading Comprehension
Finding Facts in the Passage
Questions whose answer is stated in the passage: what the passage says about something, or why the author mentions it. The work is finding the right sentence and matching its meaning to an option.
Why this matters
Sixty-four questions in the bank, all from the 2025 shifts and all but one EASY. They are the quickest marks in a passage, because the answer is written there; the only risk is choosing an option that borrows the passage's words but not its meaning.
Concept 1 of 2: Locating the answer line
The question names something from the passage: a person, a term, a cause. Find that name in the passage, read the sentence it sits in and the one after it, and the answer is a restatement of what those sentences say.
Definition
1. Pick the key word of the question ("second-generation biofuels", "the author's view of cities"). 2. Scan the passage for that word or a close form of it. 3. Read that sentence and the next one in full. 4. Choose the option that says the same thing in other words.
- The right option is usually a paraphrase; an option that repeats the passage word for word but adds or changes one detail is a trap.
- Fast route: read the questions before the passage, so you know which key words to watch for as you read.
Worked example
Passage: "Honeybees communicate the location of food by a waggle dance. The angle of the dance shows the direction of the flowers, and its length shows how far away they are." Question: According to the passage, what does the length of the dance show? (a) The kind of flower (b) The distance to the food (c) The direction of the hive (d) The number of bees needed
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
SSC CGL · 2025 · Tier I, 18 Sep 2025, Shift 1 · Q95Easy
Example 1 · Reading Comprehension · Finding Facts in the Passage
Read the following passage and answer the questions based on the passage :
The accelerating depletion of fossil fuels, coupled with mounting ecological degradation, has propelled renewable energy from a peripheral concern to a central component of global energy discourse. Yet, the conversation often fixates on production rather than application. A nuanced understanding of renewable energy must include not only its sources—solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass—but also the multifaceted domains in which it can transform economies, decentralize power structures, and promote environmental justice. In the domain of electricity generation, renewables have already begun to displace conventional energy systems. Solar photovoltaic installations now power not only urban rooftops but remote rural hamlets long excluded from centralized grids. Micro-hydel projects have enabled mountain communities to harness perennial streams for electricity without the ecological upheaval of large dams. Similarly, wind energy has emerged as a significant contributor in coastal and arid zones, transforming local economies by creating decentralized, sustainable employment ecosystems. Beyond electricity, renewable energy finds compelling applications in transportation, industrial heating, and agriculture. The rise of biofuels—especially second-generation variants derived from agricultural waste—offers a pathway to decarbonize aviation and freight transport, sectors that have traditionally been resistant to electrification. In agrarian contexts, solar-powered pumps have reduced farmers' dependence on erratic grid supply and diesel generators, enhancing irrigation autonomy while mitigating carbon emissions. Industries, often vilified for their carbon intensity, are also experimenting with renewable alternatives. Concentrated solar thermal technologies, for instance, are being employed in textile processing, food dehydration, and even metallurgy, demonstrating that clean energy need not be confined to low-intensity applications. Furthermore, geothermal energy is increasingly being harnessed for space heating in colder regions and for cooling through absorption chillers—thereby offsetting conventional HVAC loads. However, the significance of renewable energy transcends utility. At a deeper level, it challenges existing geopolitical hierarchies shaped by fossil fuel dependency. While oil-rich nations have historically wielded disproportionate influence, renewable resources—abundant yet diffuse—enable energy sovereignty for resource-scarce regions. This democratization of energy, if properly managed, can catalyze more equitable development paradigms. Nevertheless, integration challenges persist. Intermittency, storage limitations, land use conflicts, and upfront costs are not insignificant barriers. A hasty transition without resilient infrastructure or community consent could replicate the very injustices renewables seek to redress. Therefore, the question is not merely how to produce renewable energy, but how to embed it meaningfully across sectors, geographies, and social hierarchies.
According to the author, how does renewable energy challenge global power structures?
Answering from memory of the topic
An option can be true about the world and still not be what the passage says. The answer must come from the passage's own sentences.
Reading only the line with the key word
The answer often finishes in the next sentence. Read one sentence beyond the key word before you choose.
Concept 2 of 2: Why the author mentions something
"Why is X mentioned?" asks for the job X does in the passage: an example of a point, evidence for a claim, a contrast with something else, or a warning. Find the point X sits beside and the job becomes clear.
Definition
- Example: X follows "for example", "such as", or comes right after a general claim it illustrates.
- Evidence: X is a fact or study given to support a claim.
- Contrast: X is set against something with "but", "unlike", "while".
- Reason questions ("Why are young buyers important?"): the answer is the reason the passage gives, often after "because" or in the next sentence.
- Fast route: read the sentence before X; it usually states the point that X serves.
Worked example
Passage: "Many inventions came about by accident. Penicillin, for example, was found when mould grew on a forgotten dish." Question: Why does the author mention penicillin? (a) To praise a scientist (b) To give an example of an accidental invention (c) To explain how mould grows (d) To warn about forgotten dishes
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
SSC CGL · 2025 · Tier I, 18 Sep 2025, Shift 1 · Q94Moderate
Example 2 · Reading Comprehension · Finding Facts in the Passage
Read the following passage and answer the questions based on the passage :
The accelerating depletion of fossil fuels, coupled with mounting ecological degradation, has propelled renewable energy from a peripheral concern to a central component of global energy discourse. Yet, the conversation often fixates on production rather than application. A nuanced understanding of renewable energy must include not only its sources—solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass—but also the multifaceted domains in which it can transform economies, decentralize power structures, and promote environmental justice. In the domain of electricity generation, renewables have already begun to displace conventional energy systems. Solar photovoltaic installations now power not only urban rooftops but remote rural hamlets long excluded from centralized grids. Micro-hydel projects have enabled mountain communities to harness perennial streams for electricity without the ecological upheaval of large dams. Similarly, wind energy has emerged as a significant contributor in coastal and arid zones, transforming local economies by creating decentralized, sustainable employment ecosystems. Beyond electricity, renewable energy finds compelling applications in transportation, industrial heating, and agriculture. The rise of biofuels—especially second-generation variants derived from agricultural waste—offers a pathway to decarbonize aviation and freight transport, sectors that have traditionally been resistant to electrification. In agrarian contexts, solar-powered pumps have reduced farmers' dependence on erratic grid supply and diesel generators, enhancing irrigation autonomy while mitigating carbon emissions. Industries, often vilified for their carbon intensity, are also experimenting with renewable alternatives. Concentrated solar thermal technologies, for instance, are being employed in textile processing, food dehydration, and even metallurgy, demonstrating that clean energy need not be confined to low-intensity applications. Furthermore, geothermal energy is increasingly being harnessed for space heating in colder regions and for cooling through absorption chillers—thereby offsetting conventional HVAC loads. However, the significance of renewable energy transcends utility. At a deeper level, it challenges existing geopolitical hierarchies shaped by fossil fuel dependency. While oil-rich nations have historically wielded disproportionate influence, renewable resources—abundant yet diffuse—enable energy sovereignty for resource-scarce regions. This democratization of energy, if properly managed, can catalyze more equitable development paradigms. Nevertheless, integration challenges persist. Intermittency, storage limitations, land use conflicts, and upfront costs are not insignificant barriers. A hasty transition without resilient infrastructure or community consent could replicate the very injustices renewables seek to redress. Therefore, the question is not merely how to produce renewable energy, but how to embed it meaningfully across sectors, geographies, and social hierarchies.
Why is geothermal energy cited in the passage?
Describing the item instead of its purpose
"Why is geothermal energy mentioned?" is not answered by a fact about geothermal energy. The answer names the point it serves in the passage, such as an example of a wider use.
Summary — formulas & gotchas at a glance
A revision cheat-sheet for the formulas and gotchas above. Click any concept name to jump back to its full explanation.
Watch out for (3)
- Answering from memory of the topic→ Locating the answer line
- Reading only the line with the key word→ Locating the answer line
- Describing the item instead of its purpose→ Why the author mentions something
Test yourself on a real paper
Sit a past SSC CGL paper, timed and marked the way the exam marks it. You see your score and every answer the moment you finish. Free to start.