Reading Comp - timing

gioaragon95gioaragon95 Alum Member
edited May 2017 in Reading Comprehension 174 karma

Hey everyone, just wanted some insight.

So I have just started to tackle reading comp passages. I am curios to know for those that have increased their score and improved on this section how have you managed to decrease your time spent on reading the passage and answering the questions?

Did you just force yourself to push through the passage when timing yourself during practice or did the timing issue become less apparent with the more practice passages that you did.

I know that RC is the longest to see improvement but It would be helpful to know what people's experiences have been in this section.

Many thanks!

Comments

  • Achen165Achen165 Member
    656 karma

    Hey gioaragon95!

    I found that RC required a lot less of my attention in terms of the LSAT sections once I understood some basic traits on perspective. I am new to 7Sage, so I haven't navigated through the RC CC on here, but I have read through it in Mike Kim's The LSAT Trainer sections on RC and found that adopting such a perspective on the RC section allowed for significant improvements in timing. RC is the only section I can actually finish within the allotted time thus far lol. Kim advises two strategies: to either spend more time on the passage or on the questions. I opt for the latter. Choosing to spend more time on the questions, and less on the passage, has helped me significantly, once I adopted the right approach. These pointers helped me stay on top of what I was reading until I was able to establish a comfortable pace to move through RC sections. I stop to think when reading only when absolutely necessary about the reasoning structure, slow enough to understand why component parts are presented, but too fast to get bogged down by details.

    As stated loosely, I don't know what tips 7Sage provides for you, so I apologize in advance if this information is unnecessary and/or redundant. However The Trainer's approach worked for me, perhaps this may help:

    1. Timing will come naturally once you've established a reading pace (that is how I saw significant improvements). You have to remember to read for structure (organization of information), and not for details. By nature, I am simply not a fast reader. It is second nature to me to analyze and for my brain to wander, though for the sake of the RC section, you must read rather rapidly but still be alert enough to understand the passage. I advise that you don't rush...but that you navigate rapidly through the passage while remaining accountable of what you read. Its a habit that doesn't take a significant amount of time to build. After a few PT's or drills, you may find yourself improving timing.

    2. Prioritize information when reading, paying attention the overall role that they play in terms of the overall passage. Do not try to retain information or to make judgment. Accept the passage establishes as 'objective truth'. If you don't understand a sentence, but do understand the role or function that it plays, and also are sure that it is not the main point, quickly move on.

    3. Keep track of the MP (main point) or the reason for the passage. This is the only underlining I do.

    4. Pay attention to:
      -support (premises)
      -opposition (and contradicting points)
      -application of theory

    5. Understand the roles of the component parts in the passage. For some passages (usually the most difficult one in each RC section), the structure does not reveal itself until the final sentences.
      -is the passage organized logically?
      -what is the relationship between subjects?
      -what is the organization of the overall passage?
      -why has the author chosen to write what they did? Why is a certain sentence included? Does
      it oppose or support the main point?

    6. Allow room for uncertainty, but stay accountable of uncertainty.

    7. Rush through supplementary/background information.

    8. Do not spend a significant amount of time underlining, unless you locate a main point/ sub conclusion/ opposing point/ evidence of author opinion.

    9. Push the pace with the easier questions. I spend about 2.5 minutes on each passage, with a bit more time for comparative reading passages.

    Timing was established by adopting a pace, first by timing for individual passages and their answer set (8 minutes per) and then it became habit.

    I hope that this was useful and not elementary. Best of luck!

  • gioaragon95gioaragon95 Alum Member
    edited May 2017 174 karma

    @achen013 Thank you so much for the detailed response. lol I am going to dissect and analyze each part of your suggestions and incorporate them into my line of thinking in RC passages.

    After reading this you convinced me to buy the LSAT Trainer to add to my studies for RC.

    Thank you again.

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