The Economist is the single most recurrent source of CAT RC passages in the last four years, appearing in the 2022, 2023 and 2024 papers. Learning to read it comfortably is one of the most direct investments you can make in your CAT VARC score.
The Economist writes about economics, business, science, culture and global affairs in a style that is dense, formal and argument-driven. Its sentences are long. Its vocabulary is precise. Its arguments move quickly without repetition. These are exactly the characteristics of the hardest CAT RC passages. If you can read an Economist article with full comprehension, you can handle most CAT RC passages.
Start with the Leaders section, which publishes short, clearly structured opinion pieces of around 500 words. Each Leader takes a position on a topic and defends it with two or three main arguments. This is the same structure as a CAT RC passage. Read one Leader per day for the first two weeks.
Once Leaders feel comfortable, move to the Briefings section, which publishes longer, more complex pieces of 1000 to 1500 words. These are closer in length to what appears in CAT. After four weeks of daily reading, you will notice a shift in how easily you follow complex analytical writing.
After reading each article, ask yourself three questions. What is the author's main argument? What is the most important piece of evidence they use? What position does the author take on the issue? If you can answer all three clearly, your reading comprehension of that article is solid. If you cannot, re-read the final two paragraphs, where The Economist usually restates its position most clearly.
One Economist article per week is enough to build familiarity with the style. Two per week is better. You do not need to read The Economist from cover to cover. Choose articles on topics that appear frequently in CAT RC, economics, technology, society and culture, and read them with full attention.
GRADFLIX essays are written in the style and difficulty of The Economist and Aeon, specifically for CAT RC practice. With questions built in.
Start ReadingYes. The Economist is the single most recurrent source of CAT RC passages in recent years. Reading it regularly directly prepares you for the style and difficulty of the hardest CAT passages.
One to two articles per week is sufficient. Focus on the Leaders and Briefings sections, which most closely match CAT RC passage length and structure.
It is challenging at first but becomes manageable with consistent reading. Start with the shorter Leaders section and build up to Briefings over four to six weeks.
The Leaders section for short, clearly structured arguments. The Briefings section for longer, more complex passages that match CAT RC length and difficulty.