Is there any logical way of sensing that a question like this might not be exceptionally difficult but a time consuming one? I feel like with all of the fluff and rules inside of this problem it makes it highly unlikely to be solved in a timely manner. Anyone have any tricks to speed up the process on this style of question?

I don't really think I can give you the answer you are looking for honestly. With that being said, I think you should compare a newer RC passage with an old one and look for similarities and differences in phrasing and structure. Then compare the questions as well. Look for the common theme in your missed questions and look for patterns. Sometimes the best way to study something is to read for pleasure and (maybe not pleasure if it's Yahoo Finance) like JY says try to become more familiar with the topics you are reading. Something he says is that the more familiar you become with topics the easier you'll be able to parse the information. Just a thought.