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How should you read this passage to answer a general question?


Alzheimer's Disease



When you encounter a passage comprehension

question - or set of questions - you need to

decide several things so that you'll know how to

read the passage. Here are two: Is the question

general or about a detail? Is the passage

narrative or expository? For this passage, you'll

be given a general question. Look at the

Alzheimer's Disease passage and decide how

you should read it to best answer the question.


Alzheimer's Disease

To detect this disease early, it's necessary to

notice the warning signs. They mostly have to do

with changes in memory and other mental

processes and in personality.


Types of Memory Loss

People with Alzheimer's often become

confused and forgetful in ways that interfere with

their ability to work. Also, the person may forget

parts of familiar at-home tasks, such as serving

a meal once it is prepared. The person simply

doesn't remember having made the meal.

Someone suffering from this disease may be

unable to recognize his or her own street or to

know how to find his or her house from a block

away.


Judgment and Thinking Problems

Alzheimer's patients may wear highly

unsuitable clothing, such as several sweaters on

a blisteringly hot day. This behavior suggests

problems with normal judgment. Most of us

commonly misplace everyday objects, such as

keys or a wallet. But, with Alzheimer's, one may

place an earring in the silverware drawer, or put

a pet bowl in the freezer. A person with this

disease may be completely unable to read

numbers or make any kind of calculation.


Changes in Behavior

People with Alzheimer's usually exhibit very

sudden mood swings. These often occur for no

apparent reason. Similarly, their personalities

change more dramatically than is typical with the

normal aging process. Moreover, with

Alzheimer's, people may permanently lose

interest in all activities that they used to enjoy regularly.


ARead the thesis statement, the main ideas of the paragraphs, and the switchback words, because these will tell you what the overall thesis is of an expository passage.
BRead the passage carefully and pay attention to the kinds of words used, because this will give you information about the characters and setting of a narrative passage.
CRead the whole passage, regardless of what kind it is, and look for the answer to the question.