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Need help with RC


mevz

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Hi all,

I went thru all the possible tips on RC but still find it very difficult.

Dont know wht to do!! I get lost half way thru the passage.I try to concentrate,sometimes i get all the answers right. But its not helpin me at all.I need to get a consistent score.Pls advice!!!!!! Also let me know whether its worth solvin the passages from 1000 RC.......

 

Thanks a lot.....

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Try slowing down. Read the first paragraph and pay special attention the concept it introduces. Try to paraphrase the main idea of paragraph (1) in your head before proceeding to paragraph (2). When you finish (2), do the same thing and then try and think about how (2) relates to (1). Then read (3) repeating the process relating it to (1) and (2). Try to do this all in two or three minutes.

 

Consider taking a further moment to read the first sentence of (1) and the first and last sentences of the remaining paragraphs. Then proceed to the questions. Be willing to go back to specific parts of the paragraph to answer inference/specific content type questions as needed.

 

Digest, digest, digest...slowly at first. You're better off taking that approach so that you can breeze through the questions than trying to read quickly, which may end up causing you to get bogged down and confused.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks AJ,

I m practisin ur method...well the only thing i m worried abt is tht my hit rate is not consistent........sometimes i get all the answers correct and in some passages i fail miserably...do let me know how many RC's will i have to solve b4 gettin a consistent hit rate...Thanks...

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Mevz, we are in the same shoes now.

 

I'm going crazy because of this RC.

 

Currently my techniques are

 

1) start with Question. I dont' paraphase or start reading for the main idea. What is the point since sometimes none of question attacks on main idea? And if the question requires me to seek for Main idea, I'll read the thesis and topic sentences.

 

2) Seek and Hunt from Keywords extracted from the question.

 

this step requires experience since many questions found to be complicated and tricky. If you use too wide key word, you may end up with 10 sentences to consider..... Bye bye...

 

With this technique, i raise my score dramatically from 40% to 80% and drastically reduce the time spent at each passage as well, not over 90 sec per question.

 

Anyway, i am still suffering with Biology passage that have a lot of content, higher than Bussiness or History.

 

Obviously, My technique doesn't work well with Biology in which my hit rate is very very low...

 

Do you guy have any special recommendation for the Bio-passage?

 

Thanks,

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  • 2 months later...
  • 3 years later...

The GMAT measures reading comprehension not speed, though speed is of course a factor. They are testing an acquired skill, mastered over a long period of time. In other words, I don't think there is one sure-fire method to attacking all RC passages, but you may come up with your own bundle of techniques that expedites the process. Even still, just when you think you have mastered RC, the GMAT throws you a curve ball, and you must go back to basics. The best advice is be flexible in your approach, read diligently and with interest, be active by jotting down a few key points, don't speed read or skim, and finally RELAX. It's just a test. After all, they simply want to know about what level of skill you have acquired through all your reading endeavors over the long haul. You can't trick the GMAT by learning magical skills; it takes hard work.

 

Good luck everyone!

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  • 6 months later...

can anybody recommend a good source online/print for those tough, scholarly articles that GMAT frequently use to create the harder RC prompts. Any pointers would be much appreciated. thx!

 

and yes, i concur with the thoughts above that understanding first few lines and/or first para is of utmost importance and critical for one's success with that particular RC prompt. Another thing that has helped me in my preparations till this point is that after reading first few lines and/or first para, ALWAYS anticipate what the passage be about- will it explain, elaborate, contradict, argue,.... Something! ..try it! (if you cannot anticipate, there is a good chance that you havnt got the hang of it and would probably struggle later.)

All the best!

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  • 1 month later...
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  • 3 years later...

Another thing to try might be to take notes. Not so much about what is said but about the structure of the passage, so that you know the overall gist of things and where you can find different information. Even something as simple as

 

-Carbon bad

-reason 1

-reason 2

-counterpoint

 

will help you get the main idea and understand where in the passage to go back to specific detail. I also find that writing things down keeps me more engaged in my reading.

 

If you are looking for more difficult RC questions, you might want to look into LSAT questions. The LSAT passages are the very similar to 600+level GMAT RC questions and passages.

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