Help with reading comp.... i get anywhere from -10 to -17

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• 1 Like

  emmorens Core Member

  January 2021 1470 karma

  following
• CountingDown2ndCh Core Member

  January 2021 21 karma

  Also following
• 1 Like

  Martianman Core Member

  January 2021 211 karma

  I thought I was decent at it but the more recent PTs feel different to me.

  On the most recent tests RC was my worst section. I was averaging -6 on my first 5 PTs, -4 to -10 range best to worst (all prior to PT65) and I have gone -13, -8, and -11 on PTs 82, 83, 84.

  Has anyone else experienced this?
• 1 Like

  emmorens Core Member

  January 2021 1470 karma

  @Martianman definitely! I was scoring well and I just took PT 84... -13. 81 was also killer too. Glad to hear you felt the same about 84 because it really killed my confidence.
• 6 Likes

  whatsmyname Member

  January 2021 606 karma

  @christianbaker27 said:
  I am awful at reading comp. I am not really grasping what is being read and its honestly boring. LR and games im good at

  My RC jumped to almost perfect overnight. I kept deferring RC because the passages seemed long, dry, and daunting, as well as demanding. I tried doing them a few times, bombed them and said fuck it, I'll leave this for last.

  After a proper long swim I was amped and came home one night. I read an RC section untimed and did surprisingly well. I was really "on" from the workout, and I had read a few tips here and there.

  Forget about "methods". Reach each sentence and fully understand what it means. Process it. Re-read it if you have to. Then read the next sentence and do the same. Then connect the two sentences in your head. Then do that with the rest of the sentences when you get to the end of the paragraph. Then summarize the entire paragraph in your head. Actively.
  Do that with the next 2 paragraphs. At the end of each paragraph, going back and rewording the ideas and the chronology of ideas in your head. Understand what is being said, and how it is supported by examples or reason.

  Now go into the questions. If your mind is on and you're proatively reading, you should be able to read everything properly and properly weigh answer choices against each other.

  RC is really interesting actually, especially the science passages. The worst are the legal ones and sometimes the complex art ones. If you're a curious person, you should be able to enjoy the section.
• 10 Likes

  powerstrengthdedication Member

  January 2021 26 karma

  Isn't it a bit ironic that they types of RC passages people find the most boring are the legal ones?
• Martianman Core Member

  January 2021 211 karma

  @whatsmyname I agree with your point about "being on" - very interesting how important mindset is. If I am not properly focused I will miss every 3rd or 4th question on LR, and if I'm "on" aka very focused and have a quiet mind, maybe miss 2-3.

  I think what you are describing IS a reading method lol. But it sounds like the right approach. I am trying to find the balance of reading deeply (retaining the detailed content) and the "actively summarizing" (insights into the passage structure) simultaneously, or in tandem at least.

  I feel like, in my experience of 1, the older tests you could just read and do pretty well. The newer ones seem like they have more structural questions about the interrelationships of the paragraphs which require the active summarization you are referring to.

  Thanks for the insights!
• tams2018 Member

  January 2021 727 karma

  @whatsmyname said:

  @christianbaker27 said:
  I am awful at reading comp. I am not really grasping what is being read and its honestly boring. LR and games im good at

  My RC jumped to almost perfect overnight. I kept deferring RC because the passages seemed long, dry, and daunting, as well as demanding. I tried doing them a few times, bombed them and said fuck it, I'll leave this for last.

  After a proper long swim I was amped and came home one night. I read an RC section untimed and did surprisingly well. I was really "on" from the workout, and I had read a few tips here and there.

  Forget about "methods". Reach each sentence and fully understand what it means. Process it. Re-read it if you have to. Then read the next sentence and do the same. Then connect the two sentences in your head. Then do that with the rest of the sentences when you get to the end of the paragraph. Then summarize the entire paragraph in your head. Actively.
  Do that with the next 2 paragraphs. At the end of each paragraph, going back and rewording the ideas and the chronology of ideas in your head. Understand what is being said, and how it is supported by examples or reason.

  Now go into the questions. If your mind is on and you're proatively reading, you should be able to read everything properly and properly weigh answer choices against each other.

  RC is really interesting actually, especially the science passages. The worst are the legal ones and sometimes the complex art ones. If you're a curious person, you should be able to enjoy the section.

  and how did this contribute to your RC score under timed exam? Did you receive the same accuracy?
• SpartanSaturnReturn Member

  January 2021 edited January 2021 41 karma

  Cry out loud for RC
• LawfullyMelanin Core Member

  January 2021 3 karma

  @powerstrengthdedication said:
  Isn't it a bit ironic that they types of RC passages people find the most boring are the legal ones?

  I just laughed out loud at this LOL! are we really pre law students if we don't even like reading about the law 😅