I do something similar to this, IE read the paragraph and integrate it into a coherent picture or argument, ie looking at the big picture except I also highlight salient points and details that stick out. The idea is that I have a coherent meta-idea, but when I highlight a point I can acknowledge how it can modify the argument, but without focusing too greatly on it.

Since a fair majority of RC is drawn from introductions of academic papers, it more or less makes sense that the author is trying to give you enough information to understand an argument, but wants you to stick to the argument in itself. The highlighted points would be referential/background detail while the bigger picture is the argument that is being made.