SET 18 – TEAS 7 Reading: Traps, Mistakes, and Test-Taking Hacks

Extreme answer trap

Avoid choices with always, never, completely

Outside information trap

Correct answers must come from the passage

Too broad trap

Includes ideas not fully supported by text

Too narrow trap

Only covers one detail, not whole passage

Opposite meaning trap

Uses a detail but flips the meaning

True but not in passage trap

Factually true but not supported by text

Opinion disguised as fact trap

Uses strong emotional language

Main idea trap

Must match entire passage, not one paragraph

Inference trap

Must be logical and supported, not guessed

Assumption trap

Avoid answers that add new information

Detail distortion trap

Slightly twists a real detail

Cause/effect reversal trap

Switches cause and effect

Comparison confusion trap

Says things are similar when passage says different

Contrast confusion trap

Says things differ when passage says similar

Tone trap

Misidentifies author attitude (positive vs negative vs neutral)

Purpose trap

Mistakes entertaining detail for main purpose

Evidence trap

Incorrect evidence choice does not support answer

False context clue trap

Synonym does NOT always equal meaning

Chronology trap

Mixing up order of events

Primary vs secondary mix-up

Wrong source type chosen

Best summary trap

Includes unnecessary details or opinions

Author opinion trap

Adds thoughts author never stated

Graph misread trap

Wrong axis or wrong trend

Unit misread trap

Misreading units on chart/table

Weak evidence trap

Unsupported claims, emotional wording

Fact vs opinion trap

Opinion words: should, must, best, worst

Connotation trick

Positive vs negative emotional meaning changes answer

Ambiguous wording trap

Overthinking vague answer choices

Text feature trap

Headings/titles do not equal main idea

Reverse logic trap

Turning a possibility into certainty

Distractor with exact wording

Matches text but wrong meaning

Misleading synonym trap

Word may be similar but not exact meaning

Least effective evidence

Choose weakest or irrelevant support

Most effective evidence

Choose most relevant factual support

Purpose guess trap

Purpose must align with entire passage

TEAS hack: Always return to text

Do NOT rely on memory

TEAS hack: Shortest answer often correct

If concise and fits text

TEAS hack: Eliminate extremes

Remove always/never choices first

TEAS hack: Read first and last sentences

Often reveal main idea