Chapter 1: Introduction to Unseen Passages
📖 PSTET English Language - Paper I & II
🎯 Chapter Overview
Welcome, future educators! This chapter lays the foundation for mastering the comprehension section of the PSTET English paper. As you prepare to clear this important examination, understanding how to tackle unseen passages effectively can make the difference between scoring high and missing out on your dream teaching job.
In this chapter, you will learn:
✅ What unseen passages are and why examiners use them
✅ The four types of passages you'll encounter in PSTET
✅ Common question patterns with examples
✅ A proven step-by-step strategy to maximize your score
🔍 1.1 What is an Unseen Passage? Understanding the Purpose and Challenge
📌 Definition
An unseen passage (also called a comprehension passage) is a text that you are seeing for the first time during your examination. It is not from your textbooks or any prescribed syllabus. In PSTET, you will encounter two such passages in the English language paper, each followed by a set of questions .
🎯 Purpose of Unseen Passages in PSTET
The inclusion of unseen passages serves multiple purposes:
| Purpose | Why It Matters for Teachers |
|---|---|
| Assess Reading Comprehension | Tests your ability to understand and interpret text - a skill you'll need to teach your students |
| Evaluate Vocabulary in Context | Checks if you can deduce word meanings without a dictionary - essential for classroom teaching |
| Test Analytical Thinking | Measures how well you can identify main ideas, themes, and inferences |
| Check Grammar Application | Examines if you can apply grammar rules in context, not just memorized rules |
| Simulate Real Reading | Mirrors how you'll need to read and understand diverse materials as a teacher |
⚠️ Why Candidates Find Unseen Passages Challenging
| Challenge | Description |
|---|---|
| 🔸 Unfamiliar Content | The topic may be completely new to you |
| 🔸 Time Pressure | You must read and answer quickly (2.5 hours for 150 questions across all sections) |
| 🔸 Vocabulary Hurdles | Unknown words can disrupt understanding |
| 🔸 Complex Sentence Structures | Passages may contain difficult grammatical constructions |
| 🔸 Inference Questions | Answers may not be directly stated; you must "read between the lines" |
💡 Teacher's Insight: Remember, the PSTET exam is designed to test not just your English proficiency, but your readiness to teach children. The comprehension section evaluates whether you can understand, interpret, and explain texts to young learners.
📚 1.2 Overview of Passage Types: Discursive, Literary, Narrative, and Scientific
The PSTET syllabus explicitly mentions four types of prose passages you may encounter: discursive, literary, narrative, or scientific . Let's explore each type in detail.
📊 The Four Passage Types at a Glance
| Passage Type | Primary Purpose | Typical Features | Common Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| 📝 Discursive | Present arguments, opinions, discussions | Logical flow, counter-arguments, conclusions | Editorials, opinion pieces, essays |
| 🎭 Literary | Express emotions, create aesthetic experience | Figurative language, imagery, tone | Short stories, prose excerpts, memoirs |
| 📖 Narrative | Tell a story, describe events | Chronological order, characters, plot | Anecdotes, historical accounts, biographies |
| 🔬 Scientific | Explain facts, processes, phenomena | Technical terms, data, objective tone | Science articles, textbooks, reports |
📝 Type 1: Discursive Passages
🔑 Characteristics
Present a discussion or argument on a particular topic
Explore different viewpoints or perspectives
Often include an introduction, body paragraphs with arguments, and a conclusion
May contain opinion-based statements supported by reasoning
Use logical connectors (however, therefore, consequently, moreover)
🧩 Structure of Discursive Passages
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ │ INTRODUCTION: Topic presented │ │ ↓ │ │ ARGUMENT 1: Point + Evidence │ │ ↓ │ │ ARGUMENT 2: Point + Evidence │ │ ↓ │ │ COUNTER-ARGUMENT (optional) │ │ ↓ │ │ CONCLUSION: Summary/Opinion │ └─────────────────────────────────────┘
📌 Sample Discursive Passage
"Should school uniforms be mandatory? Proponents argue that uniforms reduce peer pressure, minimize distractions, and create a sense of equality among students. When children dress alike, the focus shifts from fashion to learning. Moreover, uniforms simplify morning routines for families and reduce the financial burden of keeping up with trends.
Critics, however, contend that uniforms suppress individual expression and creativity. They argue that learning to make appropriate clothing choices is itself an important life skill. Some studies even suggest that uniform policies do not significantly impact academic performance.
Perhaps the answer lies not in an all-or-nothing approach, but in allowing students some choice within parameters—such as selecting from approved colors and styles. What matters most is creating an environment where every child feels respected and ready to learn."
✅ Key Identification Tips
Look for words like "argue," "debate," "proponents," "critics," "however," "therefore"
The passage presents multiple sides of an issue
Often ends with the author's conclusion or recommendation
🎭 Type 2: Literary Passages
🔑 Characteristics
Focus on aesthetic and emotional impact
Rich in figurative language (metaphors, similes, personification)
Attention to mood, tone, and atmosphere
May be descriptive, focusing on scenes, characters, or emotions
Often from novels, short stories, essays, or memoirs
🎨 Literary Devices to Recognize
| Device | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Metaphor | Comparison without 'like' or 'as' | "The classroom was a zoo" |
| Simile | Comparison using 'like' or 'as' | "Her voice was as soft as rain" |
| Personification | Giving human qualities to objects | "The wind whispered through the trees" |
| Imagery | Language that appeals to the senses | "The golden sunlight filtered through dusty windows" |
| Tone | Author's attitude toward the subject | playful, serious, nostalgic, critical |
📌 Sample Literary Passage
"The old schoolhouse stood at the edge of town, its weathered bricks the color of autumn leaves. Morning light streamed through tall windows, dancing across wooden floors worn smooth by generations of eager feet. The air carried that peculiar scent of chalk dust, aging paper, and childhood dreams.
Within these walls, Mrs. Thompson had spent forty years planting seeds of knowledge in young minds. Her hands, now spotted with age, had once guided tiny fingers forming their first letters. Her ears had heard countless recitations of multiplication tables, each stuttering attempt a small victory.
Now, as she packed the last of her books into cardboard boxes, she paused at the window. Outside, children laughed during recess—not her children anymore, but the laughter was the same. Some things, she smiled to herself, never really change."
✅ Key Identification Tips
Look for descriptive language and emotional content
Focus on creating a mood or atmosphere
Characters, feelings, and sensory details are prominent
The purpose is often to evoke a response, not just inform
📖 Type 3: Narrative Passages
🔑 Characteristics
Tell a story with a sequence of events
Include characters, setting, plot, and often dialogue
Follow chronological order (though flashbacks may appear)
May have a moral, lesson, or point
Can be first-person (I, we) or third-person (he, she, they)
📊 Elements of Narrative Passages
| Element | Description | Questions to Ask |
|---|---|---|
| Characters | People or entities in the story | Who is involved? What are they like? |
| Setting | Time and place of events | When and where does this happen? |
| Plot | Sequence of events | What happens first, next, last? |
| Conflict | Problem or challenge | What needs to be resolved? |
| Resolution | How the story ends | How is the conflict solved? |
📌 Sample Narrative Passage
"Ravi had always been afraid of speaking in front of the class. When his teacher announced the upcoming debate competition, his heart sank. 'Each student must participate,' she declared, looking directly at him.
For three weeks, Ravi practiced every night in front of his mirror. His younger sister was his audience, patiently listening as he stumbled through his arguments. 'You can do this, bhai,' she would say each time he finished.
The day of the competition arrived. As Ravi's name was called, his palms were sweaty and his legs felt like rubber. He walked to the front and looked at the sea of faces. For a moment, no words came. Then he spotted his sister in the third row, giving him a thumbs up.
Taking a deep breath, Ravi began to speak. The words that had seemed so difficult flowed naturally. When he finished, the room erupted in applause. Walking back to his seat, Ravi realized that courage wasn't about not being afraid—it was about being afraid and doing it anyway."
✅ Key Identification Tips
Look for a clear sequence of events
Usually has a beginning, middle, and end
Contains action verbs and time markers (then, after, finally)
Focuses on what happened
🔬 Type 4: Scientific Passages
🔑 Characteristics
Present factual information about natural phenomena, processes, or discoveries
Use technical or subject-specific vocabulary
Objective and impersonal tone
May include data, statistics, or research findings
Often explain cause-and-effect relationships
🔍 Common Scientific Topics in PSTET
| Topic Area | Examples |
|---|---|
| Biology | Plant growth, human body, ecosystems |
| Physics | Light, sound, simple machines |
| Chemistry | Water cycle, states of matter |
| Environment | Pollution, conservation, climate |
| Health & Nutrition | Food groups, diseases, hygiene |
📌 Sample Scientific Passage
"Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants manufacture their food using sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water. This remarkable process occurs primarily in the leaves, within specialized structures called chloroplasts that contain the green pigment chlorophyll.
During photosynthesis, plants absorb sunlight through their leaves. This energy splits water molecules absorbed by the roots into hydrogen and oxygen. The oxygen is released into the atmosphere—the very oxygen we breathe—while the hydrogen combines with carbon dioxide from the air to form glucose, a simple sugar that plants use as energy.
Without photosynthesis, life on Earth would be impossible. Not only does it provide the foundation of nearly every food chain, but it also maintains the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Scientists estimate that approximately 70% of the world's oxygen is produced by marine algae through photosynthesis."
✅ Key Identification Tips
Look for technical terms and definitions
Objective, factual tone without personal opinions
May explain how something works or why something happens
Often includes measurements, data, or percentages
❓ 1.3 Common Question Types: Comprehension, Grammar, and Verbal Ability
In PSTET, each unseen passage is followed by questions testing three areas: comprehension, grammar, and verbal ability .
📋 Question Type Distribution
| Category | Typical Number of Questions | What They Test |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehension | 5-7 | Understanding main ideas, details, inferences |
| Grammar | 3-4 | Parts of speech, tenses, sentence structure |
| Verbal Ability | 3-4 | Vocabulary, synonyms, antonyms, word meanings |
📖 Type A: Comprehension Questions
These questions check whether you have understood the passage at different levels.
🔸 1. Factual Questions
Questions that have answers directly stated in the passage.
| Question Format | Example |
|---|---|
| According to the passage... | "According to the passage, what is photosynthesis?" |
| The author states that... | "The author states that uniforms reduce..." |
| What/Who/When/Where... | "Where does photosynthesis primarily occur?" |
💡 Strategy: Locate keywords from the question in the passage. The answer will be found nearby.
🔸 2. Inferential Questions
Questions requiring you to "read between the lines"—the answer is suggested but not directly stated.
| Question Format | Example |
|---|---|
| The passage implies that... | "The passage implies that school uniforms..." |
| It can be inferred that... | "It can be inferred that Ravi's sister..." |
| The author suggests... | "The author suggests that a balanced approach..." |
💡 Strategy: Look for clues and hints. Combine information from different parts of the passage.
🔸 3. Main Idea / Central Theme Questions
Questions about the overall message or purpose.
| Question Format | Example |
|---|---|
| What is the main idea of the passage? | "What is the main idea of the passage about uniforms?" |
| The passage is primarily about... | "The passage is primarily about..." |
| What is the author's purpose? | "The author's purpose in writing this passage is to..." |
💡 Strategy: Ask yourself: "What is the one thing the author wants me to understand?" Look at the introduction and conclusion.
🔸 4. Title Selection Questions
Questions asking you to choose the most appropriate title.
| Question Format | Strategy |
|---|---|
| The most suitable title for the passage is... | The title should reflect the main idea and be neither too broad nor too narrow |
🔸 5. Author's Tone / Attitude Questions
Questions about the author's feelings toward the subject.
| Tone | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Objective/Factual | Neutral, just presenting facts |
| Appreciative/Approving | Positive, supportive |
| Critical | Negative, pointing out problems |
| Humorous | Funny, amusing |
| Sarcastic | Mocking, ironic |
| Nostalgic | Longing for the past |
📝 Type B: Grammar Questions
These questions test your knowledge of English grammar rules as applied in the context of the passage.
🔸 Common Grammar Question Types
| Grammar Area | What They Test | Example Format |
|---|---|---|
| Parts of Speech | Identifying nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. | "The word 'remarkable' in line 3 is a/an..." |
| Tenses | Correct verb forms | "The verb 'has taught' in line 5 is in which tense?" |
| Subject-Verb Agreement | Matching subjects with verbs | "Choose the correct verb form..." |
| Prepositions | Correct use of in, on, at, etc. | "He went ___ school. (to/at/in)" |
| Articles | Use of a, an, the | "She is ___ honest woman. (a/an/the)" |
| Conjunctions | Connecting words | "Choose the correct connector..." |
| Sentence Structure | Simple, compound, complex sentences | "The sentence 'Ravi practiced, but he was nervous' is..." |
| Voice | Active vs. Passive | "Change to passive voice..." |
| Speech | Direct vs. Indirect | "Convert to indirect speech..." |
📌 Grammar Question Examples
Based on the Ravi narrative passage:
Q1. "His younger sister was his audience" – The word "his" is a:
a) Possessive adjective
b) Personal pronoun
c) Demonstrative pronoun
d) Reflexive pronoun
Answer: a) Possessive adjective
Q2. "Ravi had always been afraid" – This sentence is in the:
a) Simple past tense
b) Past perfect tense
c) Past perfect continuous tense
d) Present perfect tense
Answer: b) Past perfect tense
📚 Type C: Verbal Ability Questions
These questions test your vocabulary and word usage skills.
🔸 Common Verbal Ability Question Types
| Question Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Synonyms | Words with similar meanings | "The word 'proponents' in line 1 most nearly means..." |
| Antonyms | Words with opposite meanings | "The opposite of 'suppress' is..." |
| Word Meaning in Context | Meaning based on passage usage | "As used in the passage, 'remarkable' means..." |
| One-Word Substitution | Replacing phrases with one word | "One who believes in equal rights for all is a..." |
| Idioms/Phrases | Understanding figurative expressions | "The phrase 'heart sank' means..." |
| Prefixes/Suffixes | Word formation | "Adding 'un-' to 'happy' forms..." |
📌 Verbal Ability Question Examples
Based on the scientific passage:
Q1. The word "absorb" in line 2 most nearly means:
a) Reflect
b) Take in
c) Push away
d) Create
Answer: b) Take in
Q2. Which word is an antonym of "remarkable"?
a) Extraordinary
b) Commonplace
c) Significant
d) Impressive
Answer: b) Commonplace
Q3. "Photosynthesis" – The prefix "photo-" means:
a) Light
b) Dark
c) Life
d) Water
Answer: a) Light
🚀 1.4 A Step-by-Step Strategy: How to Read, Analyze, and Answer
Now that you understand the passage types and question formats, let's master a proven strategy that will help you tackle any unseen passage with confidence.
⏱️ Time Management for Comprehension
In PSTET, you have 150 minutes for 150 questions across all sections. For the English section:
| Activity | Recommended Time |
|---|---|
| Reading Passage 1 | 2-3 minutes |
| Answering Questions (Passage 1) | 4-5 minutes |
| Reading Passage 2 | 2-3 minutes |
| Answering Questions (Passage 2) | 4-5 minutes |
| Total for Comprehension | 12-16 minutes |
📋 The SURE-SHOT Strategy
I've developed this 5-step strategy specifically for PSTET aspirants. Remember the acronym SURE-SHOT to recall these steps.
| Step | Name | Action |
|---|---|---|
| S | Scan | Quick first glance at the passage |
| U | Understand the Questions | Read questions before deep reading |
| R | Read Carefully | Detailed reading of the passage |
| E | Extract Answers | Locate and mark evidence |
| SHOT | Solve & Check | Answer and verify |
🔍 Step 1: SCAN the Passage (30-45 seconds)
Your goal here is to get a general idea without reading every word.
✅ What to Look For:
Title/Heading (if any) - gives the topic
First sentence of each paragraph - often contains the main point
Last sentence - may contain conclusion or summary
Key terms - repeated words, dates, names, numbers
Structure - how the passage is organized
📝 Scanning Checklist
| Element | Questions to Ask |
|---|---|
| Topic | What is this passage about? |
| Type | Is it discursive, literary, narrative, or scientific? |
| Paragraphs | How is the information organized? |
| Keywords | What words stand out or are repeated? |
| Tone | Is it factual, emotional, argumentative? |
❓ Step 2: UNDERSTAND the Questions (1 minute)
Before reading the passage in detail, quickly read all the questions.
✅ Why This Works:
Your brain knows what to look for during reading
You can mark relevant sections while reading
Saves time from re-reading the entire passage
📝 Question Analysis Checklist
| Question Type | What to Note |
|---|---|
| Factual | Underline keywords to locate in passage |
| Inferential | Note what you need to figure out |
| Vocabulary | Mark the words and line numbers |
| Grammar | Identify the grammar concept being tested |
⚠️ Important: Do NOT try to answer questions before reading. Just understand what they're asking.
📖 Step 3: READ Carefully (2-3 minutes)
Now read the passage thoroughly, keeping the questions in mind.
✅ Active Reading Techniques:
| Technique | How to Do It |
|---|---|
| Underline key points | Main ideas, important details |
| Circle keywords | Words that might be asked about |
| Number paragraphs | Easy reference for locating answers |
| Note transitions | Words like "however," "therefore," "first" |
| Mark question-related content | When you spot something from a question, mark it |
🧠 What to Focus On:
Main idea - What is the author's central message?
Supporting details - Facts, examples, evidence
Structure - How ideas connect
Tone - Author's attitude
Vocabulary - Unfamiliar words (guess meaning from context)
🎯 Step 4: EXTRACT Answers (2-3 minutes)
Now go question by question and find the answers.
✅ For Factual Questions:
Identify keywords from the question
Scan the passage for those keywords or synonyms
Read the surrounding sentences carefully
The answer will be directly stated
✅ For Inferential Questions:
Locate the relevant section of the passage
Look for clues and hints, not direct statements
Combine information from different parts
Ask: "What does the author want me to understand?"
✅ For Vocabulary Questions:
Find the word in the passage
Read the sentence before and after
Use context clues to determine meaning
Eliminate obviously wrong options
✅ For Grammar Questions:
Identify the grammar concept being tested
Apply the grammar rule
Check the context if needed (for tense, etc.)
✅ Step 5: SOLVE & CHECK (1-2 minutes)
Answer each question and verify your responses.
📝 Answering Strategies:
| Strategy | How to Apply |
|---|---|
| Elimination | Remove clearly wrong options first |
| Evidence-based | Ensure you can point to where in the passage your answer comes from |
| Beware of traps | Options that are true but not answering the question |
| Extreme words | Be careful with "always," "never," "all" - often wrong |
| Similar options | If two options are very similar, both may be wrong |
🔍 Quick Check:
Did I answer what was actually asked?
Can I find evidence in the passage?
Does my answer make sense in context?
Did I avoid common traps?
🎯 Strategy Summary: Your Quick Reference
📊 SURE-SHOT Strategy at a Glance
| Step | Time | Key Action |
|---|---|---|
| S - Scan | 30-45 sec | Get general idea, identify passage type |
| U - Understand Questions | 1 min | Read all questions before detailed reading |
| R - Read Carefully | 2-3 min | Active reading with underlining/circling |
| E - Extract Answers | 2-3 min | Locate evidence for each question |
| SHOT - Solve & Check | 1-2 min | Answer and verify your choices |
🚫 Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Why It's Harmful | Better Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Reading the passage first | Wastes time; you'll need to re-read for questions | Scan first, then read with questions in mind |
| Not reading all options | May miss the best answer | Read all options before selecting |
| Using outside knowledge | Answers must come from the passage | Base answers only on passage content |
| Spending too much time on one question | Loses time for easier questions | Mark and move on; return if time permits |
| Ignoring context for vocabulary | May choose wrong meaning | Always check how word is used in passage |
| Overthinking | Finding problems where none exist | Trust your first good answer |
📝 Practice Corner
🔰 Exercise 1: Identify Passage Types
Read these opening sentences and identify the passage type (Discursive/Literary/Narrative/Scientific):
"The water cycle, also known as the hydrological cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth's surface." → Type: _________
"The old clock on the mantelpiece had stopped at exactly 3:47, the moment grandmother had left us twenty years ago." → Type: _________
"Should artificial intelligence be regulated? This question has sparked intense debate among technologists, policymakers, and ethicists worldwide." → Type: _________
"Last summer, I decided to visit the village where my father grew up, not knowing that this journey would change my life forever." → Type: _________
🔰 Exercise 2: Question Type Recognition
Match the question to its type:
| Question | Type (Comprehension/Grammar/Verbal Ability) |
|---|---|
| "The word 'diverse' in line 5 means..." | _____________ |
| "According to the passage, photosynthesis requires..." | _____________ |
| "The sentence 'She sings beautifully' is in which tense?" | _____________ |
| "The author's tone in the passage can best be described as..." | _____________ |
| "Choose the correct preposition: She is interested ___ music." | _____________ |
| "What is the main idea of the passage?" | _____________ |
🔰 Exercise 3: Apply the SURE-SHOT Strategy
Take a newspaper editorial or short article and practice the 5-step strategy:
Scan (30 seconds) - What's the topic? Passage type?
Understand Questions - Create 3 questions you might be asked
Read Carefully - Underline key points
Extract Answers - Find evidence for your questions
Solve & Check - Answer and verify
📌 Chapter Summary
✅ Key Takeaways
| Topic | Key Points |
|---|---|
| Unseen Passages | Texts you see for the first time; test reading comprehension, vocabulary, and grammar in context |
| Passage Types | Discursive (arguments), Literary (artistic), Narrative (stories), Scientific (facts) |
| Question Types | Comprehension (factual, inferential, main idea), Grammar (parts of speech, tenses), Verbal Ability (synonyms, antonyms, context meanings) |
| SURE-SHOT Strategy | Scan → Understand questions → Read carefully → Extract answers → Solve & Check |
| Time Management | 12-16 minutes total for both passages |
🎯 What's Next?
In the next chapter, we'll dive deeper into each passage type with practice exercises and detailed explanations. You'll learn specific techniques for tackling discursive, literary, narrative, and scientific passages effectively.
📚 Self-Assessment Questions
Test your understanding of this chapter:
Why does PSTET include unseen passages instead of textbook passages?
List the four types of passages mentioned in the PSTET syllabus.
What are the three categories of questions asked after each passage?
Write down the SURE-SHOT strategy steps in order.
Why is it helpful to read the questions before reading the passage in detail?
What should you do during the "Scan" step?
Give an example of a factual question and an inferential question based on any topic.
How much time should you spend on the entire comprehension section?
🔑 Answers to Exercise 1:
Scientific
Literary
Discursive
Narrative
🌟 Final Words of Encouragement
Dear future teacher,
Remember that mastering unseen passages is not just about passing an exam—it's about developing skills that will serve you throughout your teaching career. Every day in the classroom, you'll need to read, understand, and explain new materials to your students. The strategies you learn here will help you become not just a successful exam candidate, but an effective educator.
Your mantra for success:
"I will scan first, read with purpose, and answer with evidence."
Keep practicing, stay confident, and remember—every expert was once a beginner. You've got this!
