Reading Comprehension Section Bringing me Down #Help

Comments

• Sharon_sarangyang Member

  October 2019 91 karma

  Hey I would suggest doing structural summaries at the end of each paragraph! I have been there too. Just try to stay as an active reader, and summarize in 2-4 words and do it for all paragraphs. Then try to answer the questions with that summary. Regarding hard passages, I just find Blind Reviewing them really helpful. Know why and how you chose what you chose, and why the right answer is right. Good luck!!!!
• 8 Likes

  RealLaw612 Member

  October 2019 edited October 2019 1094 karma

  I regularly get -0/-3 on RC sections. Here's my technique:
  Read each paragraph and, before moving to the next, summarize it in two ways. First, make a mental note of what the function of the paragraph is in the context of the passage (ex: " a theory is presented.") Second, briefly state to yourself the main point of the paragraph (ex: "fish farms are toxic to the environment.") At the end of the passage, put it all together and think about how the paragraphs are interrelated, the overall tone of the author, the various opinions presented, and the overall purpose of the passage.
  As I read I am constantly asking myself "why is the author mentioning this?" By focusing on the "why" it enables you to remain on-task about the most important factors in RC success: structure and argumentation.
• 5 Likes

  pstroud97 Member

  October 2019 137 karma

  This strategy may not work for everyone, but my problem with RC was my short-term memory. I would miss between 7 and 10 questions sometimes! The answers are always in the passage, but I just couldn't remember as much as was necessary. I began reading each passage twice (except for the last one occasionally due to time - and I always make the one with only 5 questions my last).
  The second read through goes much faster, and it gives me another opportunity to really search for the author's voice/opinion (which is where many of the difficult questions come from). I know it might seem like just a time drain, but it's really helped me, and I now miss about 2-5 questions. If you think you're just having trouble remembering, give it a shot with a timed section and see if it helps at all.
• Little Grasshopper Member

  October 2019 232 karma

  Here is what you can do. Here is what I used from JY's RC lessons. It is breakdown each paragraph and make short sentence. Make sure you pause and think about what the paragraph says before moving on to the next paragraph. Then, write it down after each paragraph It should be no more than 5 to 7 words.

  Here is my tweak of JY 's LSAT reading comp.

  P1: short sentence no more than 6 words at most about the paragraph

  P2 short sentence

  P3: Short sentence

  Proponent: statement proponent's viewpoint in short sentence

  Opponent : statement opponent's viewpoint in short sentence

  Conclusion: short statement for the overall conclusion.
• 2 Likes

  lsatslayer-1 Member

  October 2019 113 karma

  From someone who got -1 on the RC, on the real test, YOU DO not have time to write summary. However, keep in mind of main ideas, I call this STRAP, Structure, Tone, Reasoning, Argument and Purpose. Make sure you get the gist. Comparative passages (gotta actively compare as you READ), science passages (you don't have to memorize things but know where to find stuff AND UNDERSTAND what the details mean) and humanties/social sciences may seem easy but they can trip you up, READ the questions carefully.
  Most important, YOU GOTTA BE ACTIVE, and train to read fast but still manage to see shifts in details.