When reading those passages, I personally have to go SLOOOOOW. After each sentence, if there is a word I cannot clearly define, I stop and look it up. Then I return to the sentence and make sure I fully understand it. I do not move on until I can explain the sentence in my own words. It is a slow and rigorous process, but it steadily expands my vocabulary and improves my comprehension.

As I get more comfortable with the material, I start moving a little faster. After each paragraph, I create a simple “skeleton” or outline. I briefly note the purpose of the paragraph: Did it introduce a new topic? Support an argument? Provide evidence? Give an example? Then I write down a few key words that capture the paragraph’s main idea.

This process becomes easier with practice, and over time I get much faster. When I reach the questions, I can quickly look at my skeleton and remember what each paragraph was doing and the information it contained, instead of having to reread the entire passage. This process has helped me and I hope it helps you!