When confronted with a question whose scope is too broad, the recommended initial step is to:

When confronted with a question whose scope is too broad, the recommended initial step is to:

• A. Analyze the answer choices first
• B. Read the entire passage again
• C. Look at the figures or diagrams
• D. Check the author’s credentials

Answer: (A)

When a question’s scope feels too broad, the best first move is to analyze the answer choices. Looking at the options quickly reveals how broad or narrow the question intends you to be and which framing best fits that intent. This helps you avoid drifting into an overgeneralization and spot distractors that overshoot or miss the required level of detail. Once you’ve estimated the scope from the choices, you can verify with targeted reference to the text or data if needed. Reading the entire passage again or examining figures can be helpful later, but they don’t narrow the scope as efficiently as evaluating the options first. Checking the author’s credentials isn’t relevant to determining the correct scope of the answer.

When a question’s scope feels too broad, the best first move is to analyze the answer choices. Looking at the options quickly reveals how broad or narrow the question intends you to be and which framing best fits that intent. This helps you avoid drifting into an overgeneralization and spot distractors that overshoot or miss the required level of detail. Once you’ve estimated the scope from the choices, you can verify with targeted reference to the text or data if needed. Reading the entire passage again or examining figures can be helpful later, but they don’t narrow the scope as efficiently as evaluating the options first. Checking the author’s credentials isn’t relevant to determining the correct scope of the answer.