Any tips for comparative passages?

JSL17824

Hi 7sagers!
I browsed all RC courses but I found that there's no specific video teaching what we should be aware while reading comparative passages.

And I also searched the Forum but didn't find any post concerning this question.

Does anyone has any suggestion?

Thank you very much.

thelocal711

Great RC write-up's at the LSATblog:
http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/p/lsat-reading-comprehension-tips.html
http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/new-lsat-reading-comprehension-tips.html

Hopefully that will point you in the right direction.

Also Top-law-school forums. Pretty much anything anyone has ever had a question on in regards to the LSAT has been asked and (mostly) answered.

dpgold24

For folks shifting through this for the first time like me, found this info below by searching through the links provided:

5. How to deal with Comparative Reading passages

LSAC started including these in the Reading Comprehension section in June 2007, so instead of having 4 long passages, you'll only have 3. The 4th is replaced by 2 shorter ones on a related topic.

However, most of them will compare the short passages. Although the passages won't explicitly refer to each other, they'll be on similar topics. The authors will probably agree on some issues and disagree on others. Sometimes, one passage will go into detail on a particular topic and the other will discuss it in more general terms.

How to approach:

Start with the questions that focus on only one of the two passages - it's easier to locate the relevant information.

When you start doing questions that focus on the 2nd passage, analyze it with an eye towards how this passage is different from the first. Look for variations in the topics, areas where the authors agree / disagree, and contrast their tones and styles.

Link: https://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/lsat-reading-comprehension-strategies.html