What is the need of understanding the different types of passages?

Understanding different types of passages gives a clear view of what you are looking for in the passage and helps you quickly answer the questions.
Starting with the elements of passage through which you can breakdown the passage into small parts and digest them easily.

Elements of the passages

1.Background Information- This gives the reader a view of how it all started.
2.Claim- This is the central idea discussed throughout the passage.
3.Problem Statement- The whole idea or thesis of the passage is known.
4.View- It is perception of the characters in the passage.
5.Cause- As the name indicates it is the reason for the event to happen.
6.Mechanism- It presents about the event and is describes it.
7.Author's View- Finally the author's opinion is here.

Looking for these elements in the passage makes an easy understanding of the passages.

What types of passages are present?

Broadly classified there are two types of passages in Reading Comprehension.
1.Exposition Type
2.Argumentation Type

Standardizing the discussed elements we can understand these passage types.
An Exposition passage type has the following elements in any order.
1.Background Information
2.Claim
3.Cause or Effect
4.Author's view

An exposition passage is generally a comprehensive description of an idea or a theory.

Coming to the Argumentation passage types,these are the elements present in it.
1.Problem statement
2.Background information
3.View 1
4.View 2
5.Author's view

In argumentation passages these views carry an important role in deciding the answer and sometimes leaves with confusion .
The primary purpose of these passages is to argue something and so you can expect a problem statement. When you pull this you'll come across a bit of background information. After careful follow it is time to consider the views and decide the correct answer.

With keen observation,careful reading and practicing as many passages as you can, make the Reading Comprehension easy on the D-day.

Source: Galvanize Test Prep