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TheGerman
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Timing issues - need advice 14 Jul 2013, 06:50
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Hey people, I 've got a question:

I have done about 120 RC questions in the OG with an accuracy of 80-85%.

However, in MGMAT tests I suck at RC (in the last test I got 4/12 correct)... I have tried different approaches, including Rhyme's and Gin's.

I think the problem is that I tend to outline the text but with passages of 55-85 lines in the MGMAT this seems impossible (timewise).

How long are the passages in the real GMAT?


My strategy so far:

I read the first paragraph slowly and paraphrase the first sentence. I do the same thing for every first sentence of the other paragraphs. In between I note down important words (e.g. "but", "however",....names, lists of things,...). I am always trying to understand as much as possible and not rushing through the whole thing.

Still at the end, I have to review the text for almost every question asked and hence, I am not able to deal with each text in only 6 mins (3 questions for each text in MGMAT tests)... The outlining itself sometimes takes as much as 4-5 minutes for long passages...

I really don't know how to improve my RC skills further...

Advice would be greatly appreciated!
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Timing issues - need advice 15 Jul 2013, 09:22
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TheGerman
Hey people, I 've got a question:

I have done about 120 RC questions in the OG with an accuracy of 80-85%.

However, in MGMAT tests I suck at RC (in the last test I got 4/12 correct)... I have tried different approaches, including Rhyme's and Gin's.

I think the problem is that I tend to outline the text but with passages of 55-85 lines in the MGMAT this seems impossible (timewise).

How long are the passages in the real GMAT?


My strategy so far:

I read the first paragraph slowly and paraphrase the first sentence. I do the same thing for every first sentence of the other paragraphs. In between I note down important words (e.g. "but", "however",....names, lists of things,...). I am always trying to understand as much as possible and not rushing through the whole thing.

Still at the end, I have to review the text for almost every question asked and hence, I am not able to deal with each text in only 6 mins (3 questions for each text in MGMAT tests)... The outlining itself sometimes takes as much as 4-5 minutes for long passages...

I really don't know how to improve my RC skills further...

Advice would be greatly appreciated!
Show more

Hi TheGerman,

The strategy that you are applying is good while you are practicing and it do help you to improve your accuracy.
But as per my experience, you should reduce your time in noting down details/summary.
I would suggest that while you are practicing you start reducing your time for noting down.

I also used to face timing issues in RC, so I started doing all my RC practice timed.

Also, if you want the good strategy book I would suggest if you can have hold of Manhattan LSAT Reading Comprehension.
It did help me in coming up with a strategy of solving RC questions.


I hope that this might help you. Other than this, its all about practice in RC.

Thanks
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Timing issues - need advice 15 Jul 2013, 12:06
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anukrati
TheGerman
Hey people, I 've got a question:

I have done about 120 RC questions in the OG with an accuracy of 80-85%.

However, in MGMAT tests I suck at RC (in the last test I got 4/12 correct)... I have tried different approaches, including Rhyme's and Gin's.

I think the problem is that I tend to outline the text but with passages of 55-85 lines in the MGMAT this seems impossible (timewise).

How long are the passages in the real GMAT?


My strategy so far:

I read the first paragraph slowly and paraphrase the first sentence. I do the same thing for every first sentence of the other paragraphs. In between I note down important words (e.g. "but", "however",....names, lists of things,...). I am always trying to understand as much as possible and not rushing through the whole thing.

Still at the end, I have to review the text for almost every question asked and hence, I am not able to deal with each text in only 6 mins (3 questions for each text in MGMAT tests)... The outlining itself sometimes takes as much as 4-5 minutes for long passages...

I really don't know how to improve my RC skills further...

Advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hi TheGerman,

The strategy that you are applying is good while you are practicing and it do help you to improve your accuracy.
But as per my experience, you should reduce your time in noting down details/summary.
I would suggest that while you are practicing you start reducing your time for noting down.

I also used to face timing issues in RC, so I started doing all my RC practice timed.

Also, if you want the good strategy book I would suggest if you can have hold of Manhattan LSAT Reading Comprehension.
It did help me in coming up with a strategy of solving RC questions.


I hope that this might help you. Other than this, its all about practice in RC.

Thanks
Show more

Thanks! Are the longer passages in the GMAT also as long as the longer ones in MGMAT CATs (55-80lines) ?
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Timing issues - need advice 15 Jul 2013, 12:10
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TheGerman
anukrati
TheGerman
Hey people, I 've got a question:

I have done about 120 RC questions in the OG with an accuracy of 80-85%.

However, in MGMAT tests I suck at RC (in the last test I got 4/12 correct)... I have tried different approaches, including Rhyme's and Gin's.

I think the problem is that I tend to outline the text but with passages of 55-85 lines in the MGMAT this seems impossible (timewise).

How long are the passages in the real GMAT?


My strategy so far:

I read the first paragraph slowly and paraphrase the first sentence. I do the same thing for every first sentence of the other paragraphs. In between I note down important words (e.g. "but", "however",....names, lists of things,...). I am always trying to understand as much as possible and not rushing through the whole thing.

Still at the end, I have to review the text for almost every question asked and hence, I am not able to deal with each text in only 6 mins (3 questions for each text in MGMAT tests)... The outlining itself sometimes takes as much as 4-5 minutes for long passages...

I really don't know how to improve my RC skills further...

Advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hi TheGerman,

The strategy that you are applying is good while you are practicing and it do help you to improve your accuracy.
But as per my experience, you should reduce your time in noting down details/summary.
I would suggest that while you are practicing you start reducing your time for noting down.

I also used to face timing issues in RC, so I started doing all my RC practice timed.

Also, if you want the good strategy book I would suggest if you can have hold of Manhattan LSAT Reading Comprehension.
It did help me in coming up with a strategy of solving RC questions.


I hope that this might help you. Other than this, its all about practice in RC.

Thanks

Thanks! Are the longer passages in the GMAT also as long as the longer ones in MGMAT CATs (55-80lines) ?
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YES you can find 1 passage of that much length.
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TheGerman
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Timing issues - need advice 15 Jul 2013, 12:13
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Damn... but then how come I have an accuracy of over 80 percent during practicing with the OG (timed) and only 30-40% while doing MGMAT CATs? I am using the same approach and I am nowhere near being that kind of anxious during the CATs?!
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Timing issues - need advice 15 Jul 2013, 12:16
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TheGerman
Damn... but then how come I have an accuracy of over 80 percent during practicing with the OG (timed) and only 30-40% while doing MGMAT CATs? I am using the same approach and I am nowhere near being that kind of anxious during the CATs?!
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practice speed if you have 80 percent accuracy in OG...
go to following link..might help you in your preparation:

https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/reading-fo ... economist/

hope it helps
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Timing issues - need advice 15 Jul 2013, 12:22
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...but I do the OG timed... the same time that I use during the CATs..
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Timing issues - need advice 17 Jul 2013, 07:19
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I faced the similar issue...what I decided to do is to prepare extremely well for SC and CR so I can rather quickly solve those types of questions. That way when you get to RC you will have some bonus time accumulated. Now I score in the 40s on Verbal and I do not really worry about time.
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Timing issues - need advice 17 Jul 2013, 08:04
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TheGerman
Hey people, I 've got a question:

I have done about 120 RC questions in the OG with an accuracy of 80-85%.

However, in MGMAT tests I suck at RC (in the last test I got 4/12 correct)... I have tried different approaches, including Rhyme's and Gin's.

I think the problem is that I tend to outline the text but with passages of 55-85 lines in the MGMAT this seems impossible (timewise).

How long are the passages in the real GMAT?


My strategy so far:

I read the first paragraph slowly and paraphrase the first sentence. I do the same thing for every first sentence of the other paragraphs. In between I note down important words (e.g. "but", "however",....names, lists of things,...). I am always trying to understand as much as possible and not rushing through the whole thing.

Still at the end, I have to review the text for almost every question asked and hence, I am not able to deal with each text in only 6 mins (3 questions for each text in MGMAT tests)... The outlining itself sometimes takes as much as 4-5 minutes for long passages...

I really don't know how to improve my RC skills further...

Advice would be greatly appreciated!
Show more

There is no hard and fast rule about cracking the RCs. With an accuracy of 80% in OG, I can assure you that you have some work to do. I don't know when you are going to take the GMAT but if you have up to 30 days then good news for you.

Here are my suggestions:

1. You need to work on your reading comprehension
2. You need to work on your reading comprehension
3. Study 1 & 2 again.

Let's drive the point home. You don't need any formula or a technical way of taking a crack at the RC section. From the way you constructed your sentences, I was able to deduce that you don't really have a problem with the English Language so my ideas will definitely work for you. I am sure you must have heard the suggestions or read them somewhere before but probably felt they won't add any value. I will restate them here again. Get a copy of the Economist and/or the Harvard Business Review. On the Internet, become an active reader of the New York Times. Read one long article from each source per day and use the remaining part of the your time work on the other 4 sections of the GMAT exam. Make sure you focus on getting the main idea and the salient points of each article. Don't focus on words like "however", "but", etc. Read articles on those topics that you know nothing about and those topics that you don't like. The articles on the Harvard Business Review are particularly boring and run several pages. Concentrate on getting the message of the topic as a whole and force yourself to finish each article once you start reading. This will help you train your stamina and learn how to concentrate on understanding dense topics and ideas that the GMAT often throws up.

After doing this for two weeks, do two or three RC passages and let us know your findings.
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Timing issues - need advice 31 Jul 2013, 18:41
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Hi,

It sounds like you have a good strategy. Overall it is (in my humble opinion) critical to understand what you read before you go to the questions. Other people have different ideas that I'm sure work fine for them. I like the idea of taking notes as you read. This can help you make sense of the passage. That said you MIGHT be taking a bit too long on the reading. Good suggestions in this thread about doing extra reading in your spare time to improve your speed and processing power.

The other big thing: avoid non-official verbal material. I haven't encountered any UN-official questions that I have liked (they take a lot work to write properly hence they are rarely properly done). I would never use them with my students and I wouldn't recommend that anyone else use them in their GMAT preparation (maybe at some point someone will come up with some great questions but I haven't seen them as of yet). There is plenty of official RC (OG, Verbal Review, Paper Tests) for practice and you can use GRE/LSAT RC if you run out of official GMAT questions.

Great job on your RC in the OG! That's a very solid percentage. Definitely give the GRE or LSAT a try. They will be tough but they are great training.

Happy Studies,

HG.
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Timing issues - need advice 31 Jul 2013, 20:10
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I would highly recommend the gmatpill RC Pill Strategy.
What you're doing is spot on in theory -- you're just missing the application.
Yes, you do want to read the first sentence carefully -- but it's not always the case that every RC Passage will tell you what the whole passage is about from just the first sentence. Sometimes it may take a few sentences before the reader can finally decipher what direction the author is taking on the topic at hand.

It's about thinking critically while you read. You did pay attention to transitive words and you say you try to understand what you're reading...but certainly the order in which you do things is going to affect your comprehension. And when looking at an RC question, you are reviewing the text perhaps too long. This suggests the entire process of "scanning" without any clear purpose is going to slow you down and cause you to get questions wrong.

Do what you're doing but do it with greater purpose. At GMATPill, we recommend you to figure out the main idea and the "skeleton" of what's going on with the passage. Then once you get "main idea" questions you should be able to answer them quickly. Upon getting "detail" questions, you should be able to jump to the right spots in the passage (sometimes multiple), in order to zone in on getting the correct answer.

Hope that helps.
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