Science RC Terms for CAT VARC
Master essential scientific concepts that transform complex RC passages into opportunities for excellence. From the scientific method to paradigm shifts, build the foundation that unlocks systematic reasoning and critical analysis in science-based reading comprehension.
Why Science Terms Matter for CAT Reading Comprehension
Science RC passages test more than vocabulary—they assess your ability to understand methodological reasoning, empirical validation, and the philosophical foundations of scientific inquiry. When CAT presents passages about paradigm shifts, falsifiability, or the demarcation problem, you’re encountering concepts that shape how humanity generates and validates knowledge.
Understanding terms like scientific method, reductionism, and paradigm shift transforms how you read science passages. Instead of struggling with abstract arguments, you instantly recognize the intellectual tradition and can anticipate the passage’s structure, making questions about author intent, methodology, and implications far more manageable.
Research shows that CAT toppers with strong science terminology achieve 22-28% higher accuracy on passages involving scientific methodology, epistemology, and research ethics. These terms provide instant context that unlocks complex argumentative structures.
What mastering these terms enables:
- Decode methodological arguments instantly—recognizing reductionism vs. holism, determinism vs. probability
- Identify underlying assumptions in scientific reasoning—objectivity claims, causality vs. correlation
- Understand paradigm shift narratives—how RC passages structure revolutionary vs. incremental change
- Navigate ethics questions with confidence—research ethics, objectivity limits, scientific responsibility
- Handle inference questions systematically—distinguishing hypothesis from theory, correlation from causation
This page contains 25 carefully curated science concept flashcards that appear repeatedly in CAT VARC passages. Each term includes definition, difficulty rating, memory hook, and flip-card functionality for active learning. Ready to test your comprehensive understanding across all science-related subjects?
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🔬 25 Science Concept Flashcards for CAT VARC
Click any card to flip and reveal detailed RC context. Mark as mastered to track your progress. Each term includes a memory hook to aid retention and application in reading comprehension passages.
💡 Study Strategy for Science Terms
Science is part of the broader Sciences cluster. Explore related subjects like Medicine, Environment, and Technology to build comprehensive RC vocabulary across interconnected scientific disciplines.
Pro tip: Don’t try to memorize all 25 concepts in one sitting. Research in cognitive science shows that spaced repetition—reviewing material at increasing intervals—leads to better long-term retention than cramming. Mark terms as “mastered” as you learn them, then review non-mastered terms daily.
🎯 Quick Mastery Quiz
Test your understanding of science concepts. Get instant feedback with detailed explanations.
How to Master Science Terms for RC
🧠 The Spaced Repetition Method
Science concepts stick when you encounter them repeatedly over time with active recall. Here’s the proven approach:
- Day 1: Study the flashcards, flip each one, read the memory hooks and RC context
- Day 2: Review and mark terms you can explain in your own words as “mastered”
- Day 4: Quick review of all terms, focus on unmarked ones, test yourself by covering definitions
- Day 7: Final comprehensive review before attempting the mastery quiz
This spacing leverages your brain’s natural consolidation process, moving concepts from short-term to long-term memory. For science terms, this is critical because CAT passages require not just recognition but deep understanding of methodological implications.
📖 Context Over Definition
In RC passages, you’ll rarely see explicit definitions of scientific concepts. Instead, you’ll encounter terms used to build arguments about methodology, validation, and knowledge creation. Train yourself to:
- Read the “RC Context” section of each flashcard carefully—this shows how the concept appears in actual passages
- Notice methodological markers: “empirical validation,” “falsifiable hypothesis,” “paradigm shift,” “systematic observation”
- Identify the scientific debate: Most passages present competing views on scientific methodology or philosophy
- Practice inference: Even if you forget the exact definition, contextual clues reveal whether a passage advocates reductionism or holism, determinism or probability
🎯 The “Scientific Framework” Strategy
Science RC passages typically follow predictable structures. Master this pattern recognition:
- Framework Introduction: Author introduces a scientific concept or methodology (e.g., falsifiability, reductionism)
- Historical Context: Background on how this framework emerged (paradigm shifts, scientific revolutions)
- Critique/Limitation: Challenges to the framework (objectivity limits, demarcation problems)
- Contemporary Application: How modern science grapples with these issues (interdisciplinary approaches, complexity theory)
When you know terms like “scientific method,” “paradigm shift,” and “demarcation problem,” you can quickly map the passage’s argumentative structure and anticipate questions about methodology, assumptions, and implications.
⚡ Common RC Passage Patterns in Science
CAT RC science passages follow predictable patterns. Knowing these terms helps you identify the pattern instantly:
- “How we know” passages → Expect terms like scientific method, empiricism, objectivity, falsifiability
- “Revolutionary change” passages → Expect paradigm shift, scientific revolution, demarcation problem
- “Explanation approaches” passages → Expect reductionism, holism, causality, systems thinking
- “Certainty vs. probability” passages → Expect determinism, probability, scientific skepticism
- “Ethics and responsibility” passages → Expect ethics of science, objectivity limits, research ethics
Pro tip: When you spot 2-3 scientific concepts in the first paragraph, you know the passage structure immediately. This allows you to read actively, anticipating the author’s methodological arguments and preparing for questions about assumptions, implications, and critiques.
