I have tried many different approaches for RC. I am averaging only 65/70% correct and it is taking me overage of 14 min. to finish passages.
Can you please give me some pointers. I am starting to panic!
P.S. I have reviewed RC videos and have completed the first set of RC passages. I do not want to go further in RC without correcting what am doing wrong. VERY UPSET!
Comments
I think I need more information to be helpful. How long do you take to read each passage? How long do you spend on just doing questions? Are you reading for structure or details? Are you skipping the hard questions?
It feels crazy not to focus on details. I am not comfortable with that at all. It is taking me approximately 14 minutes per passage and questions (6 minutes per passage and 6/8 minutes on questions). Sometimes longer.
I do not skip questions. I answer them in order and to the best of my ability.
I do not know how to read for structure. I have tried, but I just feel totally lost.
hmm it might help if we work through a passage together. If you want, I can go over a passage with you on Discord this weekend.
2) 6/8 minutes on questions is way too long. Never spend more than 1 minute on an RC
question. Your average should be under 45 seconds
3) You have to skip questions. You would do significantly better if you changed this tactic
4) In terms of reading for structure, I like to take 10 seconds after each paragraph and make a one (maybe two) word shorthand note about its point, such as "Prblm" or "Pot. Sltn" .. It takes time, but it helps later on
The main thing you've got to remember is that your goal here is different from your goal with academic reading. You are reading to accomplish an entirely different task, and so you have to acknowledge that in your approach. So what is your task: It's to answer as many questions correctly as possible in the time allowed. To do that, you are going to have to employ some unhealthy, reckless habits that would be completely unacceptable in an academic context. If you don't acknowledge that reality, you are going to have a rough go at it, and you are going to hobble your potential and ultimately your prospects.
This is excellent, haha. Take Sami up on this, as it looks like you intend to. I've worked some RC with her and she really knows her stuff!