Science and technology passages in CAT RC come primarily from Smithsonian Magazine and Scientific American. Building a reading habit from these sources is the most direct way to prepare for the science genre in CAT VARC.
Smithsonian is the most consistent source for science and history passages in CAT RC. Its articles blend narrative with analysis, covering natural history, anthropology, archaeology, physics, biology and culture. The writing is precise but accessible, which means it is challenging without being impenetrable. Read one Smithsonian feature per week, focusing on articles in the Science and Nature sections.
Scientific American publishes longer, more technical articles than Smithsonian. Its essays section, which publishes opinion and analysis pieces rather than news, is closest to CAT RC style. Focus on essays that explain a scientific debate or challenge a widely held assumption. These are the most common types of science passages in CAT.
MIT Technology Review covers technology, artificial intelligence and science in a style that is rigorous and analytical. It is useful for technology-specific passages. Nature's news and comment section publishes short, high-quality science journalism that is excellent for building comfort with precise scientific writing.
GRADFLIX Science and Technology essays are written in the style of Smithsonian and Scientific American at CAT RC length. They come with RC questions that test the same skills CAT tests in science passages: the distinction between stated fact and inference, understanding of mechanism, and identification of the author's position on a scientific debate.
GRADFLIX science essays are written in Smithsonian style at CAT RC difficulty, with questions. Free to start.
Read Science EssaysSmithsonian Magazine is the primary source for science passages in CAT. Supplement with Scientific American essays and MIT Technology Review for technology passages.
National Geographic is useful for biology, environment and geography passages. Its style is slightly more narrative than Smithsonian, but reading it regularly builds comfort with science writing.
Science passages in CAT are written for a general educated reader, not a specialist. You do not need domain knowledge. The questions test comprehension and inference, not scientific expertise.
One feature article per week from the Science or Nature section is sufficient alongside daily practice from a platform like GRADFLIX.