550 (Q 42, V 24) 660 (Q 47, V 34) Important Question For You

I took the test twice, the first time on May 29, 2003 and I got 550 (Q 42, V 24) and the second time on July 3, 2003 and I got 660 (Q 47, V 34).

QUESTION
I have question about the test management. From the other posts I understand that last spring the Test has been made more difficult than the past. I can guess that this тАЬupgradeтАЭ was due to the fact that the candidates were becoming more prepared. As a result the normal distribution of scores (the тАЬcurveтАЭ) moved too much towards the right. Students were all making good performance very similar to each other therefore was more difficult to score them on a distribution. Making the test more difficult the ETS has been able to move the curve back.
Now the problem is: if the percentile linked to each individual score is based on results made when the test was easier, current score are not comparable to the ones of two years ago. For example: a 660 today that says 87% score below is based on past results of past results. A 660 made just before the upgrade of test said equally 87% but the test was easier and thus the test takers less skilled. The situation will normalize when the scores will be based on past scores but on the more difficult kind of test.
As a consequence I would expect that in the future GMAT score levels of business school will decrease. Tell me what you think. Thank you.

MY EXPERIENCE
The first time I did not prepare at all on the OG and I used Kaplan and Arco (Cambridge). Kaplan is a good book for math, but it not comparable to the real GMAT test on verbal. Arco Cambridge is USELESS for both.
The verbal section is extremely hard. Some of the questions in the RCs are incredibly confusing and to some degree inappropriate. Anyway, not comparable to the ones contained in the OG. The SCs and CRs are tougher than the OG.
The math section is more or less on line with the OG, with more prob questions and some statistics. Some of the questions are really difficult and the risk is to spent too much time on the difficult questions.
I have no idea of how to improve my verbal skills. I think I can do a little bit better on the math because I had to guess completely the last two questions, but for the verbal I put my maximum effort on it but 34 is still low.