Mastering RC: Most Commonly Asked Topics & How to Prepare for Them
- rahulsirclasses1
- Oct 1
- 4 min read
Reading Comprehension (RC) accounts for a significant portion of your CAT score. The secret to consistently scoring high isn't just reading speed—it's topical familiarity. When you encounter a passage on a subject you're already acquainted with, your brain processes the information faster, leading to quicker comprehension and better accuracy.
At Rahul Sir Classes, we've analyzed past CAT papers to identify the five themes that appear most frequently. Being prepared for these topics gives you the crucial edge you need to maximize your accuracy and save time on exam day.
1. Philosophy & Psychology
These passages are usually abstract, dense, and deal with concepts rather than concrete facts. They test your ability to follow complex reasoning and identify the author's nuanced perspective.
What to Focus On:
Core Theories: Understand fundamental concepts like utilitarianism, existentialism, cognitive biases, nature vs. nurture, and ethics.
Structure: Pay attention to how the author defines terms and transitions between different ideas or thinkers. Look for critiques and counter-arguments.
Source Material: Read essays from thinkers like Kant, Plato, or modern popular science authors like Daniel Kahneman and Steven Pinker.
Reading Strategy: Slow down initially. Map the argument flow: "Premise 1 leads to Conclusion A, which is then challenged by Counterpoint B."
2. Social Issues & Current Affairs
These passages are highly relevant and often cover contemporary global and national issues, cultural shifts, and sociological phenomena. They tend to be opinionated, demanding you to differentiate between facts and the author's commentary.
What to Focus On:
Global Issues: Climate change policy, demographic shifts, globalization, post-colonial studies, and political economy.
Contemporary Debates: Societal impacts of technology (AI, social media), debates on education, and public policy reforms.
Source Material: Editorial pages from high-quality newspapers (The Hindu, Indian Express), long-form articles from magazines like The Economist, Foreign Affairs, and The Atlantic.
Reading Strategy: Clearly identify the author's main contention and the solution or recommendation they propose. Look for words that express emotion or judgment (e.g., "crucial," "flawed," "essential").
3. Literature & Arts
These passages involve critical analysis of classical works, literary movements, music, architecture, or thematic elements within art forms. The language can be subjective and interpretive.
What to Focus On:
Literary Movements: Familiarize yourself with broad terms like Romanticism, Modernism, Post-Modernism, and their core tenets.
Critical Vocabulary: Understand terms like narrative voice, allusion, motif, aesthetics, and dichotomy.
Source Material: Read reviews and critiques in publications like The New Yorker, Paris Review, and academic art history texts or essays.
Reading Strategy: Focus on the author's evaluation. Is the author praising the work, criticizing it, or presenting a neutral analysis? Your questions will often revolve around tone and specific critical claims.
4. Science & Technology
These RCs deal with developments in fields like biology, physics, astronomy, and computer science. They are generally fact-heavy and objective, requiring good retention of technical terms and processes.
What to Focus On:
Emerging Tech: AI, quantum computing, genomics, biotechnology, and space exploration concepts (e.g., dark matter, exoplanets).
Scientific Method: Understand how studies are conducted, what constitutes evidence, and the difference between a hypothesis and a proven theory.
Source Material: Scientific American, Nature, and The New York Times science section. Look for simplified explanations of complex phenomena.
Reading Strategy: Treat the passage like a process flow. When technical terms are introduced, do not get stuck on the meaning; instead, focus on what the term does or how it relates to the main concept.
5. Economics & Business
These RCs discuss market trends, corporate strategies, economic models, and global finance. They rely on understanding cause-and-effect relationships and financial terminology.
What to Focus On:
Macro Concepts: GDP, inflation, interest rates, monetary policy, fiscal policy, supply, and demand.
Business Strategy: Organizational behavior, competitive advantage, market structure (oligopoly, monopoly), and corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Source Material: The Economist, Financial Times, and business journals. Pay attention to analytical pieces that forecast or explain market shifts.
Reading Strategy: Look for terms that signal consequence or linkage (e.g., "as a result," "due to," "consequently"). The questions often test your ability to infer the likely outcome of a specific economic action.
Conclusion: Build Breadth, Not Depth
The goal isn't to become an expert in astrophysics or existential philosophy. The goal is to build enough familiarity so that when you see a topic, your mind isn't starting from zero. By strategically reading from varied, high-quality sources, you train your brain to quickly adapt to the varied academic and journalistic styles used in the CAT. This is the ultimate time-saver.
Ready to start your topic-focused prep?
Join Rahul Sir Classes for curated reading lists, section-specific strategies, and daily analysis of the high-frequency RC topics mentioned above. Stop scrambling on exam day—start preparing smartly today!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: How much time should I spend reading non-CAT material daily?
We recommend dedicating at least 60 to 90 minutes daily to reading high-quality, non-fiction material across these five core themes. This consistent exposure is far more effective than binge-reading right before the exam.
Q2: Which topic is generally the hardest to score in?
While this varies by person, passages from Philosophy & Psychology are often cited as the most difficult because their complexity lies in abstract reasoning and ambiguous language, rather than clear facts.
Q3: Does CAT repeat the exact same passages?
No, CAT does not repeat exact passages. However, it frequently reuses the same themes, terminology, and argument structures. Familiarity with the concepts and vocabulary from these core topics is the key advantage.
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