One Example of how test makers write RC question

Hi Guys,

Just wanted to share this with all of you as i have gained lot from this community.

So how do test makers trick you on RC question? here is one example that can help you avoid this trap. Lets look at the RC passage followed by a example question.

History Passage:
The United States government has a long-standing policy of using federal funds to keep small business viable. The Small Business Act of 1953 authorized the Small Business Administration (SBA) to enter into contracts with government agencies having procurement powers and to arrange for fulfillment of these contracts by awarding subcontracts to small businesses. In the mid 1960's, during the war on poverty years, Congress hoped to encourage minority entrepreneurs by directing such funding to minority businesses. At first this funding was directed toward minority entrepreneurs with very low incomes. A 1967 amendment to the Economic Opportunity Act directed the SBA to pay special attention to minority-owned businesses located in urban or rural areas characterized by high proportions of unemployed or low-income individuals. Since then, the answer given to the fundamental question of who the recipients should be-the most economically disadvantaged or those with the best prospects for business success-has changed, and the social goals of the programs have shifted, resulting in policy changes.

The first shift occured during the early 1970's. While the goal of assisting the economically disadvantaged entrepreneur remained, a new goal emerged: to remedy the effects of past discrimination. In fact, in 1970 the SBA explicitly stated that their main goal was to increase the number of minority-owned buinesses. At the time, minorities constituted seventeen percent of the nation's population, but only four percent of the nation's self-employed. This ownership gap was held to be the result of past discrimination. Increasing the number of minority-owned firms was seen as a way to remedy this problem. In that context, providing funding to minority entrepreneurs in middle- and high-income brackets seemed justified.

In the late 1970's, the goals of minority-business funding programs shifted again. At the minority business Development Agency, for example, the goal of increasing numbers of minority-owned firms was supplanted by the goal of creating and assisting more minority-owned substantive firms with future growth potential. Assisting manufacturers or wholesalers became far more important than assisting small service businesses. Minority-business funding programs were now justified as instruments for economic development, particularly for creating jobs in minority communities of high unemployment.

So now that you read the passage look at this question and try to answer this question.

According to the passage, in 1970 funding to minority entrepreneurs focused primarily on which of the following?
A: Alleviating chronic unemployment in urban areas
B: Narrowing the ownership gap
C: Assisting minority-owned businesses with growth potential
D: Awarding subcontracts to businesses that encouraged community development
E: Targeting the most economically disadvantaged minority-owned businesses

Ok well even if you got it write, on exam day this will flash on your screen probably after more then 2 hours. By the time you reach this question you might be exhausted or are in rush and say ahh, 1970 and last thing that has registered your memory was the third paragraph so you think ahh i know this answer and probably mark C which is supported by 3rd paragraph. But wait, they are asking about "in 1970" and not "late 1970". So test maker know that last thing that registered in your brain was late 1970 and some test takers will fall for this trap. Well correct answer is B because in 2nd paragraoh they talk about in 1970.

Take Away: for detail question, please look at what is question asking and please refer back to the passage for 5-10 seconds to confirm your answer before marking and moving on to next question.

Hope this help some fellow test take.