Reading Comprehension? Forum

[twenty]

Compared to LR, (24-25/25) and LG (20/24), I'm kind of sucking at RC. (20/27) I'm not getting that happy feeling when I know I have the right answer, and "What is the author attempting to convey in this passage?" makes me want to throw a large metal object at a nearby wall.

I hate the overall feeling of subjectivity that comes with RC (or so it seems), and I'm wondering if ya'll had any particular way of overcoming this.

[Mr.Binks]

I also hate Reading Comprehension and it is generally my worst area. However, although it may initially seem so, the answers are not so much subjective. In the later reading comp passages, IMO the answers are designed to trick you more so than the questions. It may help you to paraphrase an answer before looking at the answer choices.

Also, are you using any prep materials for RC? It sounds like you're just trying to bulldoze through it. While this may work for some people, I have found it very helpful to use a guide of some sort (Manhattan, Powerscore, etc.). The prep books will give you a general indication of what type of questions to expect so that you can actively look for them while reading the passage the first time.

[bp shinners]

Two quick tips (as others will link to threads with copious advice):

1) Unless there is STRONG language in the passage (you'll know strong when you see it - words like "wrong" "incompetent" "obviously"), pick the weaker answer choice.

2) Before thinking about an answer, figure out what type of LR question the RC question is most similar to, and also figure out through whose viewpoint the question is being asked. A lot of times, students are looking only through the author's viewpoint, when many questions are from other perspectives.

[lovejopd]

Two quick tips (as others will link to threads with copious advice):

1) Unless there is STRONG language in the passage (you'll know strong when you see it - words like "wrong" "incompetent" "obviously"), pick the weaker answer choice.

2) Before thinking about an answer, figure out what type of LR question the RC question is most similar to, and also figure out through whose viewpoint the question is being asked. A lot of times, students are looking only through the author's viewpoint, when many questions are from other perspectives.

That's why BP loves the NUMBER of view points in the passage
thesis(1) vs. anti-thesis(2) vs. synthesis(3)

But I don't know why BP does not pay attention to the topics of Reading Comp. No particular strategy to approach particular topics?
(Humanity, Science, Law,,, etc)

Also, CAN you tell Trent Teti to STOP saying "skipping a/b/c/d/e with no particular reason" and come up with a better phrase?

Boo Trent Teti
Love Matt Riley! <3

[bp shinners]

But I don't know why BP does not pay attention to the topics of Reading Comp. No particular strategy to approach particular topics?
(Humanity, Science, Law,,, etc)

If you take my class, I promise to teach you my methods for tackling each RC subject! I think there's a quick write-up somewhere around the forums in an old post as well...

Also, we try to pare down our methods until they're as efficient as possible. Tracking the viewpoints should be the same in any type of passage, and it should guide you to the right answer in any question. Focusing on the subject matter and methods specific to, say, a science passage (as opposed to a history passage) can needlessly bog you down.

But we're always happy to hear criticism of our class and take it into consideration for future versions! I'll be sure to pass it on.

Also, CAN you tell Trent Teti to STOP saying "skipping a/b/c/d/e with no particular reason" and come up with a better phrase?

Boo Trent Teti
Love Matt Riley! <3

I always love passing on criticism, especially of Trent!

[lovejopd]

But I don't know why BP does not pay attention to the topics of Reading Comp. No particular strategy to approach particular topics?
(Humanity, Science, Law,,, etc)

If you take my class, I promise to teach you my methods for tackling each RC subject! I think there's a quick write-up somewhere around the forums in an old post as well...

Also, we try to pare down our methods until they're as efficient as possible. Tracking the viewpoints should be the same in any type of passage, and it should guide you to the right answer in any question. Focusing on the subject matter and methods specific to, say, a science passage (as opposed to a history passage) can needlessly bog you down.

But we're always happy to hear criticism of our class and take it into consideration for future versions! I'll be sure to pass it on.

Also, CAN you tell Trent Teti to STOP saying "skipping a/b/c/d/e with no particular reason" and come up with a better phrase?

Boo Trent Teti
Love Matt Riley! <3

I always love passing on criticism, especially of Trent!

Thank you

Another suggestion is that PLEASE add "the number of Prep test" of Game and Reading Passage in the Answer Section as well(LR has the Prep test number). It is really pain in my ass as I should always bring this chart (http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/ls ... -list.html) to see where this question comes from.

For example, It simply says "December 1995: Passage 3" without the prep test number. I hope it is not really difficult job to add it. Thank you for your kind words again. I love BP's approach as I am very visually oriented learner!

[twenty]

I'll be taking Blueprint come April (mostly for the logic games), but if I pick up some new approaches to RC, that'd be great too.

Also, are you using any prep materials for RC? It sounds like you're just trying to bulldoze through it. While this may work for some people, I have found it very helpful to use a guide of some sort (Manhattan, Powerscore, etc.). The prep books will give you a general indication of what type of questions to expect so that you can actively look for them while reading the passage the first time.

I'm just bulldozing through it -- and am definitely reconsidering this approach. Which guide did you use? I've heard LRB/LGB were great, RC not so much. Would you disagree with this?

[rglifberg]

What I do for reading comp is underline every detail I think is important in the passage. Testmasters taught me not to do this but I found it to be much more effective. I feel like actively looking for and underlining relevant information helps me retain more information rather than just reading through the passage and trying to make mental notes. Using this approach rather than the Testmasters approach I went from getting 50 % correct to about 85-90% correct very consistently.

[flem]

Compared to LR, (24-25/25) and LG (20/24), I'm kind of sucking at RC. (20/27) I'm not getting that happy feeling when I know I have the right answer, and "What is the author attempting to convey in this passage?" makes me want to throw a large metal object at a nearby wall.

I hate the overall feeling of subjectivity that comes with RC (or so it seems), and I'm wondering if ya'll had any particular way of overcoming this.

Are you prephrasing those big picture questions? Reading comprehension was a section I consistantly only ever missed at most 1 or 2 and prephrasing was a big part of that.