The Economist, Scientific America, Science Magazine_how to read them?

Giant Panda

Dear there,

How do you read these articles? Especially the last one: Science Magazine.

The article most often, if not all, are subjects that I have no knowledge of and most often, every sentence contain a term, undefined, and require in depth background knowledge. For example, in this issue, Title "Biochemical and genomic data elucidate how fungal enzyme attacks polysaccharides", and my brain can only understand, "Data+verb, don't know what it means+how enzyme attacks+this object"

And it gets even crazier when you go down into the actual passage.

I made a similar post in TLS where the community recommends me just focus at the underlying logic and take undefined terms by its first letter (Like math, assume X is this junk)...

Any lights on how you will do it?

[I find these article great practice on RC and LR just because it is always wrote in a commanding voice on something that I have no idea about]

Cant Get Right

@"Giant Panda" said:
my brain can only understand, "Data+verb, don't know what it means+how enzyme attacks+this object"

This is kind of what you need to understand from this actually. I usually try to consolidate complex ideas into simpler things so that I can keep it all straight. So I would try to read the above as “data shows fungus attacks polys.” Something like that. From there I’d just have to kind of keep the details on the back burner for when I need them. What kind of data? biochem and genome. The fungus itself? No, an enzyme it produces. The trick here is keeping all the terms consistent. When they repeat a term, you’ve got to be able to remember, okay this is the same thing as “don’t know what it means.” Similarly, when they use referential phrasing, you’ve got to be able to identify what it’s referring back to. So the simplified version let’s me know what’s really going on. The details simmering in the background let me follow the process. When I see enzyme or polysaccharide again, I need to be able to understand how those function within the greater context of the passage, even if I have no idea what they really are.

stepharizona

@"Giant Panda" said:
How do you read these articles? Especially the last one: Science Magazine.

Read with the LSAT questions in mind. Ask yourself the "typical" reading comp questions as you go and at the end.

What was the main point of the article? What was the authors tone? Where there opposing views? Was there a shift? The more RC you do the more you will better understand what to "read for".

Giant Panda

Wonderful, thanks.

Chipster Study

Hmm. Tricky problem.

Giant Panda

@"Cant Get Right" said:
, when they use referen

I have to write this down on my notes.

stepharizona

@"Chipster Study" said:
when they try to trip you up with science jargon.

But remember the test isnt about what you know when it comes to RC, its about how you can interpret ideas applied to "things". You can be just as successful on a RC passage using terms you have no idea what they are and simply calling them "widgets" vs the given deoxyribose. You might have more confidence reading a passage knowing what "deoxyriboses" is, but as long as you understand referential phrasing and dont get tripped up by the technical words, you are good to go.

Someone once told me to use "puppies" or some other word that made you happy/relaxed vs widget to substitute with, when confronted with a term in RC that you weren't familiar with to lower anxiety. At first I thought it was silly, but you know what, it works.

joecarterruskey

I think spending a lot of time reading those magazines isn't a great way to study. Sure, it's good supplemental material, but at the end of the day the way to get better with RC is to do more RC passages, and there are plenty of them. Plus, redoing them is how I started to get a handle on the section.

stepharizona

@joecarterruskey said:
t the end of the day the way to get better with RC is to do more RC passages, and there are plenty of them. Plus, redoing them is how I started to get a handle on the section.

I fully agree with this. There are over 250 passages out there and over 344 if you can get your hand on every LSAT. Plus add in the free India LSAT passages, there are even more. Plus, the more you review, the more you match line items to the passage, the better you get at reading the passages with the LSAT in mind.

Chipster Study

Yes, of course, I get your reasoning. Totally understand why you would want to substitute puppy for deoxyribose.

stepharizona

@"Chipster Study" said:
I get your reasoning. Totally understand why you would want to substitute puppy for deoxyribose.

I actually like "Wrackspurt" so my brain doesn't go fuzzy... 10 points for Harry Potter Humor...