LSAT Progress Journal Forum

[yzero1]

Congrats on your awesome score! Hope it's a sign of things to come

Here's my breakdown of #20:

Econ weak -> Prices constant + (Unemployment rises -> investment decreases)

Via the contrapositive:
- Prices constant OR - Unemployment rises -> -Econ weak

Isolating the part about unemployment rising and adding in the part about investment:

- Investment decreasing -> - Unemployment rises -> -Econ weak

So if investment is NOT decreasing, which is the last sentence of the stimulus, then the key deduction is that the economy is NOT weak.

Now for the answers:
(A) has to be false because neither of the two situations can be true. The stimulus already says that investment is not decreasing, so obviously that's false. Also, the economy can't be weak, as we have deduced.

(B) can be true because prices may or may not remain constant. There is no mentioned relationship between unemployment and prices in the stimulus.

(C) can be true because it's possible that unemployment rising and prices remaining constant are the only two characteristics of a weak economy. If you assume that prices never remain constant, then investment can be the sole determinant of economic strength.

(D) can be true because, even though there is no way that the economy can be weak, prices may or may not remain constant, so the second term can be true.

(E) can be true because although unemployment can't be rising, we know for a fact that the economy is not weak.

The key is to realize that for the answer choices with an either/or scenario, you need to choose the answer which has two impossible situations.

Hope that helps!

[3|ink]

Grats on the 177. Very impressive.

[Hedwig]

Thanks yzero1. I think that helped. I had the initial break down + the contrapositive written out properly. I think for some reason I just got really muddled as to what the question was asking - Like, I was interpreting it as ... I don't even know. Some weird way. Makes more sense now.

And thanks 3link .

[Hedwig]

I haven't been very good at recording what types of questions I've been getting wrong so I just went through quite a few tests outlining it. Looks like a big offender for LR is INFERENCE questions, also sometimes in RC. Will re-read that chapter sometime this week. Seems like a strong prevalence of FLAW questions as well.

Superprep B:
1. LR

#6. Inference/Must be True
#16. Weaken EXCEPT.
#20. Inference.
#25. Resolve the Paradox

Superprep C:
2. LR
#15. Assumption
#22. Role of the Statement
3. LR
#7. Justify the Conclusion
#8. Main Conclusion

PrepTest 7, Feb. 1993
1. LR
#7. Method of Argument
#23. Strengthen
4. LR
#15. Inference
#24. Assumption

PrepTest 9, Oct. 1993
2. LR
#6. Resolve the Paradox
#17. Could be True EXCEPT
#23. Justify the Conclusion
4. LR
#8. Evaluate the Argument EXCEPT
#20. Role of Statement
#23. Inference

PrepTest 10, Feb. 1994
1. LR
#4. Method of Argument
#18. Inference (?)
#20. Parallel Reasoning - Flaw
#23. Inference
4. LR
#17. Assumption
#19. Flaw in the Reasoning
#21. Flaw in the Reasoning
#23. Resolve the Paradox LEAST

PrepTest 11, June 1994
1. LR
#5. Assumption
#6. Principles/Strengthen
#15. Flaw in the Reasoning
#18. Assumption
#25. Parallel Reasoning
4. LR
#19. Flaw in the Reasoning

PrepTest 12, Oct. 1994
1. LR – Not completed
4. LR – Not completed
PrepTest 13, Dec. 1994
2. LR – Not completed
4. LR – Not completed
PrepTest 14, Feb. 1995
2. LR – Not completed.
4. LR – Not completed.
PrepTest 15, June 1995
2. LR – Not completed.
3. LR – Not completed.

PrepTest 16, Sept. 1995
Not completed.
PrepTest 18, Dec. 1992
Not completed.

PrepTest 19, June 1996
#17. Structured to lead to the CONCLUSION
#18. Justify the Conclusion
#19. Complete the Argument

#20. Parallel Reasoning
2. LR
#5. Evaluate the Argument
#22. Help to Evaluate the Argument
#24. Parallel Reasoning
#26. Strengthen

PrepTest 20, Oct. 1996
#19. Parallel Reasoning
#24. Percentage/Numbers – Inference
2.
#19. Inference
#25. Weaken

PrepTest 21, Dec. 1996
#17. Weaken
2.
#16. Conclusion/Must be True
#22. Parallel Reasoning
#23. Weaken

PrepTest 20, June. 1997
#13. Evaluate/Method of Argument
#19. Assumption EXCEPT
#22. Most Strongly Supported
#24. Flaw in the Reasoning
#25. Flaw in the Reasoning
2.
PrepTest 23, Oct. 1997
#8. Weaken
#22. Resolve the Paradox
#25. Parallel Reasoning
2.
#16. Flaw
#18. Parallel Reasoning
#20. Inference
#24. Principle

Reading Comp.

Superprep C:
#1. Main Idea
#4. Author regards…
#25. Analogous
PrepTest 7, Feb 1993:
#18. Inferred from the passage
#24. Organization of the passage
#25. Author’s attitude towards x can be described as.
PrepTest 9, Oct. 1993
#19. Author draws an analogy to prove which point?
PrepTest 10, Feb. 1994
No questions wrong.
PrepTest 11, June 1994
#11. Inferred from the passage
PrepTest 12, Oct. 1994
Not completed.
PrepTest 13, Dec. 1994
Not completed.
PrepTest 14, Feb. 1995
Not completed.
PrepTest 15, June 1995
#23. Inferred from the passage.
#24. Primary purpose of the passage.
PrepTest 16, Sept. 1995
Not completed.
PrepTest 18, Dec. 1992
Not completed.
PrepTest 19, June 1996
#17. Support the prediction:
#19. Inference most strongly supported by the passage
PrepTest 20, Oct. 1996
#2. Detail
#13. Most likely to have been true – inference?
#14. Author would most likely agree
PrepTest 21, Dec. 1996
#9. Main Idea
#11. Statement most compatible with principle in passage
#15. Replace word/meaning of a word
#23. With which statement would [certain person] agree
PrepTest 20, June. 1997
#20. Which principle best expresses author’s idea
#22. Main Point
#25. Explain statement in passage?
PrepTest 23, Oct. 1997
#9. Function of the paragraph in the passage
#21. Analogy

[Hedwig]

Took a break yesterday and then tried to take PT 30 today and basically just ruined it. Gave up 3/4 of the way through RC. My brain's just refusing to cooperate. Lack of sleep, maybe? Really need to work on adjusting sleep patterns. Also need to maybe refuel a bit more before PTing, I started at 11 o clock and I'd only had 2 bananas and like 5 bites of oatmeal + spent some time walking dogs at the SPCA lol. Sooo need a bit more brain power, y/y.

[Hedwig]

Working on -0ing sections. I'm trying to get to my focus to come together to the point where I am consistently -0ing practice sections. 0-1, let's say. Previously, I was content with a -2 each section - and realistically, I should be quite pleased if I achieve that. I bounce between 0-4 on each section, sometimes a bit more on Logic Games.

I'm not sure if focus on sections will work better than what I was doing before, which was more full length PTs. And rest assured, I am going to continue with full length PTs. I think I'll normally do 5 sections, with perhaps an extra section added onto the end (a 6th section). However, this 6th section will be last, so I'll do experimental - 1 - 2 - break - 3 -4 experimental. Just to keep endurance up.

So far today, -1 on an LR section in PT 22. I'm going re-do a games section as well and see how that goes.

[Hedwig]

I need to get on schedule, stat.

PT Schedule:

August 25: PT 32 on campus (renew Student ID as well)
August 27: PT 50 on campus
August 31: PT 51 on campus
September 2: PT 52 on campus
September 6: PT 54 on campus
September 7: Classes start, all subsequent PTs taken on campus after classes
September 10: PT 55
September 15: PT 56
September 17: PT 57
September 22: PT 47
September 24: PT 58
September 29: PT 49
October 1: PT 53
October 2: PT 60
October 6: PT 59

That is about 14 PTs, so pretty much 2 a week until the actual LSAT. Thursday and Friday I am going to do some nice games but that's it. I think Friday I'm going to watch Legally Blonde lol. Or Gilmore girls.

I'm going to take all my PTs from now on at my university campus, which is where I'll be taking the actual test. I still need to check out the room and what not, and see if I can lurk somewhere in the building. I was going to take it in the library, but then realized they are food nazis in the library, and it will be difficult interrupting my test to pack everything up to leave the library to eat my snack. So I'll see if there's enough noise in the building I'll be taking it in (most likely), and if not, I'll take some in there and some in more crowded/noisier areas to get used to it. Although my brother certainly generates enough noise here at home.

I wonder if there is a closer photocopier than my university around here - probably not. I think I'll make the trek on Sunday to my university to make photocopies of all the games (that'll get expensive! Let's see, 10*3=30*4=120*.10=12.00. +3*4=12*.10=1.20) I suppose I should also make photocopies of any untouched games I have from the other PTs. I have 13 of those. 13*4=52*.10=5.2. Alright. So this venture should cost me around 18.40 in photocopying, lol. That's a lot of photocopying. But whatever, I have some credit on my photocopy cards already I think? So maybe more like only 15 dollars. I've already spent enough that it really doesn't matter anymore for incidentals.

I also need to buy computer paper so I can print off the Logic Games from Cambridge LSAT - I'm just buying the few that are from the very very earliest PTs, and the full PT 60.

So I'll have a nice stack of games to work on from now until October to keep me sharp. I'll have to make sure to set aside the unused ones until after I take those PTs, then add them to the general pile.

[Hedwig]

Not really related to the LSAT, but my undergrad just threw me another scholarship for 1500 dollars on top of the one I already receive on a renewable basis that covers all but 250 of the tuition. You can take out remaining money in your account after tuition is paid --> 1500-250=1250 more in the bank for law school!

I also plan on applying to my undergrad's law school - here's hoping they throw money at me again! Like, a free ride? That would be sweet. That's where my LSAT comes in...

[Hedwig]

LOL so no, I don't get that scholarship, because my UG is full of idiots who had a "data error" (wtf) in my sessional GPA and weren't going to give me my almost-full-tuition scholarship, but oh now they are cause they fixed their stupid data error, but I don't get the other one. Goodbye 1000 for law school. It was nice while it lasted.

Also, LSAT, what, no. I've been failing at studying. Not that this is much progress to report, but what the heck.

[Hedwig]

Finally some actual LSAT stuff to report. -0'd an LR section (PT #12). A very old LR section, but you know what, I care not. -2'd the RC section on there.... eh. I wasn't focusing for that first passage.

I'm seriously disappointed in myself when I get anything more than 0 or 1 wrong in RC. I just feel like... the answers are there. In LR, I am disappointed when I get more than 2 wrong. In LG, I am hiding from LG, so I have no comment on that. Wednesday! I am going to my university (even if they have wronged me so) and going to use those photocopiers and photocopy the hell out of my games sections and basically eat games for breakfast for the rest of my life until October 9th.

[3|ink]

Finally some actual LSAT stuff to report. -0'd an LR section (PT #12). A very old LR section, but you know what, I care not. -2'd the RC section on there.... eh. I wasn't focusing for that first passage.

I'm seriously disappointed in myself when I get anything more than 0 or 1 wrong in RC. I just feel like... the answers are there. In LR, I am disappointed when I get more than 2 wrong. In LG, I am hiding from LG, so I have no comment on that. Wednesday! I am going to my university (even if they have wronged me so) and going to use those photocopiers and photocopy the hell out of my games sections and basically eat games for breakfast for the rest of my life until October 9th.

Sounds like the breakfast of champions.

[Hedwig]

Finally some actual LSAT stuff to report. -0'd an LR section (PT #12). A very old LR section, but you know what, I care not. -2'd the RC section on there.... eh. I wasn't focusing for that first passage.

I'm seriously disappointed in myself when I get anything more than 0 or 1 wrong in RC. I just feel like... the answers are there. In LR, I am disappointed when I get more than 2 wrong. In LG, I am hiding from LG, so I have no comment on that. Wednesday! I am going to my university (even if they have wronged me so) and going to use those photocopiers and photocopy the hell out of my games sections and basically eat games for breakfast for the rest of my life until October 9th.

Sounds like the breakfast of champions.

It's both nutritious and delicious.

[Hedwig]

I just scored a 180 for the first time .

Prep Test #32. -1LR, -0RC, -0LG, -0LR. Raw score 99 - so I missed one, and then there was a question taken out of scoring, so I counted 24 right out of 25 for that section (even though I didn't miss any in that section. Is that how I'm supposed to do it? I don't really know).

Pretttttty excited. I've been wanting a 180 for ages now (well, who doesn't want a 180) and today I was like I NEED A 180. I will be focused determined and get a 180. And I did, yay.

Let's review:

Section 1: LR
I got 15 wrong. The funny thing is I saw this question before in the LRB. Lol. I got it right that time? I don't know. Sometimes when you see questions you've already done before you second guess yourself cause you're trying to remember the right answer and what the trip up was and you remember wrong. I don't know. I had it down to 2 choices, chose the wrong one.

Section 2: RC
Even though I got -0, this one was hard! I had QUESTIONS LEFT at the 5 minute mark lol, that never happens. I found the first set of questions quite difficult to answer - thought there was a possibility of getting 2, 3, and 7 wrong. I had one other option left for each of those. Thankfully picked the right ones.
The second passage, I quite easily could have gotten number 13 wrong as well as number 12. How so? Because I read them wrong the first time. "which one of the following blah blah by the proponents of blah blah DISCUSSED IN THE THIRD PARAGRAPH" --> Took this to mean THIRD THEORY PROPOSED, not third paragraph which actually related to the second theory. I saw paragraph, said, wait a second, went back and numbered paragraphs and figured out what I was looking for. In 13, it asks for the strongest objection to the criticism --> I was trying to find the strongest objection to the THEORY not the objection to the criticism of the theory, until I re-read the question.

Section 3: LG
This was a grouping/linear combination game, I think. I found it pretty good - I made the inferences and what not pretty quickly when I was looking at the questions - and there were a lot of "absence forcing presence" kind of things where you had to realize if KL are out of the equation you need to use both O and R and they both need to be in the AM. Could have been faster if I had kept the conditional rules on some questions more in mind while doing them - I kept diagramming wrong for one question that said you had to use G N and R and they had to be on different days - kept putting them on the same day and thinking that worked lol.

This was a really nice grouping game! I hate it when you don't have other letters (I diagrammed as FN FN FN FP FP / RN RN RN RP) but I found it very nice and the rules were very lovely. Number eight was awesome! You could eliminate 3 answers just based on the rules (and not a "which one could be" set up question either).

Followed up by SEQUENCING! I have to admit this sequencing was a bit trickier for me than most - keeping track of the S_ (+?)O _ (+?) S and F _ _ (+?) R _ _ (+?) F thing was tricky! It was the variability of it - AT LEAST ONE space, at least two spaces - you could have more so it wasn't definite and it really tested me. I still like sequencing though. Or maybe this was linear. Whatever.

I found this one difficult just for the amount of stuff you had to determine because it was hard to write little diagrams beside the question --> It was a seven day, two layer kind of thing.
K _ _ _ _ _ _ _
P _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Once you realized that most questions limited the placement of the Himalayans, you were pretty golden. watch out for misinterpreting the rules - those Himalayans COULD go on day 7, Rottweilers couldn't, but since they were mentioned in the same rule (Rottweilers are not featured on day 7, nor on any day that features Himalayans) it was kind of confusing for me, but I stopped that misapprehension in its tracks.

I finished games with 7 minutes left to review! That was a really big bonus as I had left some questions dangling (i.e. one of those long last questino of a set, I immediately identified a as the answer and moved on as I have time management issues in LG, but I had enough time to go back and double check the other answers.)

Section 4, LR
I was terrified to mark this! My brain was wandering everywhere but not on the paper and I had to re-read like every stimulus. Went back and fixed a wrong answer. There were a couple questions I'd had before, but they were ones I'd gotten immediately and gotten right, so I don't feel like those were gimme points - since hte first time I saw them, I got them right. If I have a question that I got wrong, I remember the wrong/right explanation, it shows up in a prep test, I usually try to count it as wrong as that's what I would have gotten if I hadn't seen it before. Luckily these were super easy, including the ANGER IS A VISCERAL EMOTION question that I maintain is about the easiest question EVER.

In conclusion: The break did me good! I am so relieved to have gotten a 180 - proves it's possible and things are paying off. Also another -0 in each section really helps boost my confidence. Especially in games, as I was feeling icky about that area. This prep test also gave me several things to watch out for (in RC, in games, etc), so that's really the best part.

[3|ink]

I just scored a 180 for the first time .

Congratulations!

Here's hoping I join the 180 club soon.

[Hedwig]

I just scored a 180 for the first time .

Congratulations!

Here's hoping I join the 180 club soon.

Thank you! Good luck - I'm sure it'll happen when you're not expecting it.

Additional update:
I bought new Keds yesterday and I'm totally wearing them to the LSATs. I just hope it doesn't rain.

[Hedwig]

Wow, I've been slacking on updating this.

Yesterday I did PT 50, and scored -1RC, -2LR, -1LG, -2LR.

So other than a continuing focus on reading very carefully in LR and spending more time on the really difficult for me questions, and continuing to practice LGs from my big paper pile daily, I've decided to really focus on ENDURANCE.

I've been taking 5 section and 4 section PTs. Now, I might have to do some four section PTs still, mainly because I'm back at undergrad on Wednesday and I'll be quite crunched for time. I've set aside at least two blocks of time to do PTs each week, so I'll be doing about 2 PTs a week, and hopefully some section work every day, at least a few LR questions. I want to have done as many possible questions from as many possible PTs in order to really have a handle on everything. I'm fairly okay with the scores I'm getting now, though, so I think I'll try to maintain them, understand where I'm making errors, and continue to watch for speed in LG.

But I do need to mentally prepare myself for the long hard slog the actual day of the LSAT will be. So this includes fixing my sleep schedule to be on AT LEAST an 11-7 schedule, and then moving to a 10pm - 6 am schedule. I have to get up at 6 Tues/Wed/Fri anyways for class, so that should help.

I'm also going to be doing some 6 section PTs in the upcoming days before school starts as well as a "double test" on Tuesday.

So here's my upcoming PT schedule:
Friday: 1/2 PT #33, PT #49 (6 Section)
Sunday: 1/2 PT #33, PT #51 (6 Section)
Tuesday: PT #47, PT #37 (8 Section)

#33 is an untouched PT, that's why I chose it, so I could break it up into 2 parts and then score it and have a "semi realistic" score of what I would have gotten. Obviously those aren't that indicative and I don't put them on my score tracking sheet or whatever, but they're interesting and inspire you to work harder on your "experimental sections." I am doing the newer PTs since October is coming up SO FAST OH MY GOD, like five weeks until our LSAT. I chose 47/37 because I like paralleling the numbers.

I'm excited for this "maize" passage in RC.

[Gemini]

Imagine my surprise! I didn't know that you had a journal here on TLS, eit!!

Anyway I have a question:

Why do you do some of the tests out of order?

Really beautiful scores, eit! I'm in the 30's right now and I'm scared to move forward because I know the test changes and I'm doing pretty well on most of the 30's. Is that why you are mixing up the order?

[Hedwig]

Imagine my surprise! I didn't know that you had a journal here on TLS, eit!!

Anyway I have a question:

Why do you do some of the tests out of order?

Really beautiful scores, eit! I'm in the 30's right now and I'm scared to move forward because I know the test changes and I'm doing pretty well on most of the 30's. Is that why you are mixing up the order?

That's probably because I let it fall like 8 pages back because I was too lazy to update/study .

You mean like, why didn't I do like 7, 8, 9, 10, etc up until the 50's?

I don't really have a concrete answer... I was bopping around the 20's and 30's for the earlier part of my prep, because I wanted to save the later tests. Now that we're into the final stages, I'm just kind of bopping around between the 40's and 50's. I'm using any 30's tests that I haven't done yet as my experimentals/"double" PT thing that I'm doing once.

I just kind of went with what tests I felt like doing. Usually I like to pretend to be super organized, but nope, I just like bouncing around in the numbers.

I was also afraid of what would happen in the 40's, 50's, so I tried a few later ones on earlier in my prep just to double check the 30's weren't super easy. In my opinion, the later ones have harder LR and RC but easier LG, except now they're cranking the LG up, so just expect harder LG/LR/RC all over hahaha. Deathly. Or well, similar level to 30's, LG.

[Gemini]

Yea it really sucks that EVERYTHING is harder now. I know RC is harder and LG can trip you up but for me, I'm still not sure if LR is harder now or earlier. I'm weird like that. Everyone liked Superprep and I detested it. I always thought the later LR is easier because the stim's are more straightforward and less vague but EVERYONE is saying earlier LR is easier so that kinda worries me a bit. I'm really tempted to try out a PT in the 40's just to see.

I've been trying to go in order. I feel like if I do that, then I will become better accustomed to the changes that occur in the test.

[Hedwig]

I guess there is some sense in going in order - you get a sense of how the test has developed and changed. However, I am not adjusted to any "certain" era of the test, so I'm just all over any kind of LR, RC, LG, etc. I feel like by doing sections from all over the place, tests from mostly the later era last (no more 20's tests or anything for me, only 40's and 50's), I can take whatever they throw at me.

Oh, and also, I have realized I'm missing PTs 40, 41, 42, and 44. Since I have enough material to keep me going until October 9th, and I have all the other recent ones, I think I'm going to leave those as my "in case of a retake" tests so that I still have some untouched material.

I have also ruminated and decided my favorite order for the test would probably be LR RC LG - break - LR/RC?.

I'd love to have an experimental RC. If I get an experimental LR, I may die from having to do 3 LR sections (not really, but I won't be impressed! Note to self: do a couple 3 sections of LR in a row before the test). If I get an experimental LG, it might freak the hell out of me, and also, I don't like LG as much as the others, sooooo.

But whatever the experimental, I shall just have to be prepared for anything. In omnia paratus!

[3|ink]

Yea it really sucks that EVERYTHING is harder now. I know RC is harder and LG can trip you up but for me, I'm still not sure if LR is harder now or earlier. I'm weird like that. Everyone liked Superprep and I detested it. I always thought the later LR is easier because the stim's are more straightforward and less vague but EVERYONE is saying earlier LR is easier so that kinda worries me a bit. I'm really tempted to try out a PT in the 40's just to see.

I've been trying to go in order. I feel like if I do that, then I will become better accustomed to the changes that occur in the test.

Personally, I think LR is much easier now. It is much more skillfully written and concise. Therefore, it's easier to recognize the logical construction of the stimulus. I think this may be one reason the curve is so brutal now.

I also believe that RC has gotten much easier thanks entirely to more skifully written questions. While the content may be harder to follow in later RC passages, the questions are much more straigtforward.

Despite what people say about games, I'd say they're about the same as they always were with a few exceptions. The LSAC is much more creative with in and out grouping games than they were in the past.

[Hedwig]

So, I didn't manage to finish my prep test today (someone called up and took me out to dinner as I was finishing RC lol). But I totally messed up LR (-4 sick) so whatevs. -2 RC (-1 on that stupid maize thing, but I did that in the car and underlining is hard in the car). -1LG. It had one of those stupid CONDITIONAL (I guess they're in/out games, but they are called CONDITIONALS to me because for a diagram you end up with a stupid list of conditionals) but I really managed to follow the conditionals and it wasn't half bad.

I'd say I'll end up with a 165-170 score once I've done the last LR.

I'm getting LR fear. I need to drill the hell out of that crap.

[AverageTutoring]

So, I didn't manage to finish my prep test today (someone called up and took me out to dinner as I was finishing RC lol). But I totally messed up LR (-4 sick) so whatevs. -2 RC (-1 on that stupid maize thing, but I did that in the car and underlining is hard in the car). -1LG. It had one of those stupid CONDITIONAL (I guess they're in/out games, but they are called CONDITIONALS to me because for a diagram you end up with a stupid list of conditionals) but I really managed to follow the conditionals and it wasn't half bad.

I'd say I'll end up with a 165-170 score once I've done the last LR.

I'm getting LR fear. I need to drill the hell out of that crap.

You're doing TIMED sections in the car!?

[Hedwig]

Lol I paused my timer to answer the phone, they were in the car heading to dinner and invited me, I was like "okay if I can finish my RC in the car and you don't talk to me!" haha so I had like 10 mins left so I just went for it.

Obviously it's not like that score for that test is worth much, I just wanted to finish the RC altogether haha. I do not normally do my tests in the car.

Although I'm thinking of doing timed sections on the bus/waiting for the bus. I have about a 30 minute waiting period at an exchange some days after school, and I have an hour bus ride altogether in the mornings.

[Hedwig]

Two prep tests to discuss today, PT 49 and PT 51.

PT 49: 172 scaled, 92 raw. -1LG, -4LR, -2RC, -1LR.

The big mistake in this one was BOMBING an LR section. Okay, literally 4 questions wrong is I suppose not bombing, but it's much worse than I am capable of. I feel like I wasn't focusing and wasn't intent enough on the questions, which for me seems to be the difference between averaging -0 to -2 LR and -3 to -5 LR.

LG
The question I got wrong was on the last game, second last question, a local question with a new condition. I didn't cross out the right answer, so maybe I was overly hasty? Make sure to eliminate all answers if time allows. I'm not 100% sure why this question is wrong - I think I need to re-do this game again just to make sure I've got it straight.

LR (1)
#14. Weaken. I had this circled as a difficult/unsure question. I had a big < indicator by the right answer to show I thought it was a possible. It refers specifically to advanced hunting tools, whereas the answer I chose (D) just refers to dexterity of hands - that's the kind of mistake I make when I don't really focus and try to relate each answer and realllly look for the answer.

#18. Flaw in the reasoning. I had NO other answers crossed out - interesting. I liked my answer for this question, though. Hmm. I just picked the right answer by looking at it again without checking the answer key first. I remember liking the right answer as well, I just didn't pick it.

#19. Justify the Conclusion. Again, I LIKED the right answer, just didn't pick it. I think I picked a mistaken reversal answer here. Maybe do some diagramming next time? Definitely mistaken reversal, now that I look at it.

#24. Parallel Reasoning. I did like the right answer. I think I felt there was a shift in the conclusion of the right answer. But I guess if you look at it, they both connect to the first statement in each.

RC.

#3. Most similar to which of the following?

I just have to say, I SUCK AT THESE ANALOGIES. Seriously. Is there a trick to them?

#23. Freaking Maize. I'm not sure I really understood the paragraph as well as I could have.

LR.

#23. Flaw in the Reasoning.
It seems so obvious now. But I crossed out the right answer.

PT#51. 176 scaled, 94 raw. -1LR, -4RC, -1LR, -0LG.

LR.
#25. Weaken.

RC.
#13. I chose an answer that would weaken the Mars evidence, which is what the RIGHT answer does - but my answer weakens a very insignificant piece of the evidence, whereas the right answer effectively negates a much broader amount of Mars evidence.

#20. It seems like a "duh" question now that I look at it. I think I was over-reaching.

#22. OH MY GOD TRUST YOUR GUT WOMAN. This is why I was having issues in RC before - I wasn't TRUSTING my instinctual answers which come from my innate reading comprehension skillz. I was all concerned over the word "specific observations" but I LIKED that answer much more but I thought the quotes weren't really specific observations. Frack. Go with the gut.

#25. This also seems like a "duh" question and like "how did I miss this?" Not sure I read all the answer choices as thoroughly as possible.

LR.
#20. Follows logically from the statements above --> Inference. Hey, I don't get why this one's wrong. Anyone want to explain it to me?

Summarizing:

1. I find these games MUCH EASIER than the old ones. Must keep up doing the older, weirder games in order not to get too comfortable in case they throw a doozy at us in October.
2. I need to increase my focus and slow down my reading of questions and material in RC. Concentrate, and READ, woman! I think I was hungry/low blood sugar as well - eat a more substantial breakfast than Special K before starting 5 section prep tests.
3. Focusing really hard on LR and concentrating super hard is SO IRRITATING AND MAKES MY HEAD HURT and I count down the questions until I'm done but it is a really good way to go -1 or so on LR which is definitely what I need to do on the real test. So continue work on focus .