Do you need more help tackling complex passages?  Do you need to develop an approach to reading tables and synthesising information across multiple tables?Or did you run out of time? Get Hemingway to Medicine, our Section I and II study manual. This manual breaks down the mechanics of comprehension and teaches an easy-to-use 4-step method to answer any comprehension question, as well as providing lots of practice questions to hone your skills!

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1. The answer is B

Many GAMSAT questions test your ability to synthesis the most important information from a passage. This is an excellent opportunity to use our technique of summarising the passage. In summarising you learn how to identify the central theme of a stimulus and not to be distracted by the lesser peripheral points.

 

In this case although Brutus does allude to the good qualities of Caesar, his main goal is not to provide Caesar with a glowing eulogy! Brutus is saying that despite Caesar's good qualities, his ambition meant that he was dangerous to Rome (lines 15, 16). Thus A is incorrect. With similar reasoning we can say that although Brutus claims to have loved Caesar, his speech was intended to portray Caesar as a threat to Rome and therefore answer D is incorrect.

 

Regarding Option C, Brutus mentions that he is an honourable person but does not discuss why. He assumes that people accept him as honourable, as indicated by lines 2-3: 'believe me for mine honour and have respect for mine honour'. Thus answer C is incorrect.

 

To summarise this speech, Brutus is giving a justification as to why he has assassinated Caesar. He appeals to reason ('censure me in your wisdom') and civic duty ('who is here...that will not love his country'). Therefore B is the correct answer.

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2. The answer is D

In the Section I examination, some questions will require you to interpret the meaning of unfamiliar and complicated words and concepts. This is an example of such a question. It is a good opportunity to apply our technique of .

 

'Who is here so base that would be a bondman?', has two unfamiliar words in and . To understand these words we look for context in the surrounding passage. Two subsequent lines have a symmetry to the line in question. These are: 'Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman?' and 'Who is here so vile that will not love his country?' From this context, we can extrapolate that the meaning of base is and that a bondman is someone who is .

 

Brutus is asking people to admit to being rude and anti-Roman! In doing so, he is ensuring that he will not get any answer from the crowd. Although he pauses 'for a reply' he really hopes for silence, as silence will validate his position. As he does not want an answer, Brutus is posing a rhetorical question and therefore answer D is correct.

 

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3. The answer is A

In the GAMSAT examination, many questions ask you to identify the most correct answer. This can be tricky because it is easy to get distracted by answers that are consistent with the passage, but just aren't quite as 'spot on' as the correct answer.

 

This question is a good example of such a conundrum and a good opportunity to use our technique of . The key word in the question is 'justification'. Brutus is rationalising to the Roman people why he has killed their beloved leader Caesar. The reason for his actions is derived from the lines 'Not that I loved Caesar less but that I loved Rome more', 'Who is here so vile that will not love his country' and 'death for his ambition'.

 

Brutus is saying that Caesar had to die because it was best for the greater good of Rome, therefore answer A is correct. Although options B,C and D are probably consistent with the passage, they are not the most correct answers. In particular option B is partially correct, but not as complete as answer A in that the flaw (in this case Caesar's ambition) is not identified in answer B.

 

4. The answer is B

It is not only the questions that are tricky in the GAMSAT, but sometimes the four possible answers are too! In such a case, we use the technique of . Look at the possible options and think about what the words mean.

 

Option A includes the word regretful and Option C the word apologetic. As Brutus does not appear to be sorry for assassinating Caesar, these options can be discounted. Option D is partly correct in that the speech is patriotic, but let us consider the word inflammatory. It means to 'stir up trouble'. Brutus is not trying to stir up trouble; he is trying to persuade the citizens that he did what was best for Rome. He is in fact trying to calm and satisfy the crowd - the opposite of inflammatory!

 

Brutus' speech contains passion for Rome and logical arguments to justify his actions. Therefore B is the most correct response.

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5. The answer is C

C. is the correct answer as this is the only African tree with non-edible foliage hence the elephant eating habits do not impact on this tree species and it is the most abundant on the savannah.

 

6. The answer is D         

In the introduction it is stated that adult female elephants nurture the juvenile elephants.  The juvenile elephants can only digest the leaf of the Acacia Tortilis, therefore this is why the Acacia Tortilis trees are pushed over by the adult female.  Thus D is the correct answer. 

 

7. The answer is B        

With the height and trunk length given in table 2, it is apparent that the bull elephant would eat all trees except for the Bauhinia Thonninghii.  The Acacia Tortilis weighs 1500kg, therefore this tree would satisfy the daily requirements of a bull elephant.  For this reason the Acacia Tortilis is  likely to be the tree  most preferred by the bull elephant therefore B is the correct response.

 

8. The answer is C     

In question 1 you are given the information that the Bauhinia Thonninghii is the most abundant tree on the African Savannah, therefore response A is incorrect.  Of the remaining trees, the Acacia Tortilis is consumed by juveniles and bulls while the Apple Leaf is consumed by bulls and females.  The African Boabab is only consumed by bulls as the females cannot reach the foliage and cannot push the tree over.  Therefore response C is the most correct.

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Practice is key in GAMSAT Preparation! We have over 140 Section I practice questions like this in our Section I and II GAMSAT Study Manual- Hemingway to Medicine. Check it out here!