Comprehension passages: non-fictional prose

A non-fiction passage argues something, and your job is to find the argument, not just the topic. Read for the thesis sentence, the evidence offered for it, and the tone in which it is made. Example: a passage that begins 'It is commonly said that...' and then answers 'but the evidence shows...' is refuting a received view — and questions about its purpose will reward 'to refute', not 'to describe'.