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Hello,

I am using the GMAT Verbal Workbook to prepare for the verbal section. I came across an interesting statment when reading through the strategies that can be employed in answering Reading Comprehension questions.

There is a line that says "if you get an EXCEPT question on your exam, then it means that you are doing well". The paragraph where this is mentioned starts off by saying EXCEPT questions (appears under special types of questions) are the toughest in the RC section.

My question to the test prep company is: How do you know for sure that someone is doing well if they get an EXCEPT question on the exam? I am curious to know if you have any statistics to support your statement or if its just a general statement based on the fact that EXCEPT questions are perceived to be tough? If you do have statistics to support your claim, can you share it on this forum so that potential test takers can benefit from the information?

I'd like to hear what the company representative has to say about this.

Thanks!

No takers for this question of mine??? To help you out a little more, the sentence I am refering to appears on Page # 68 of the book (Second Edition, authored by Ingrid Multhopp, ISBN: 0743250990) fifth line of the first paragraph.

Like I mentioned in my original post, what is the basis of this statement? I am just curious to know what/how the author has mentioned this.

Thanks!

Hi mbaprocrastinator,

Apologies for the delay, and thanks for pointing out the book and page. I personally don't have a copy of that book where I'm located to reference exact phrasing, so if I get further insight from the actual author or publishing teams I will post an addendum. However my general advice is to keep in mind that the exam is adaptive, and therefore as you answer questions correctly, the computer's estimate of your ability level is increased, and your questions become slightly harder. Vice versa if you answer questions incorrectly. Therefore, an extremely difficult question would generally indicate that you are performing at a respectable level. One potential exception to this is that there are some experimental questions on the GMAT, which may not always be presented at the ability level you are performing at.

Keep in mind as well that the GMAT test-makers do not design the test so that you should be able to tell easily from one question to the next, that you are increasing or decreasing in difficulty level. In fact, as I tell my students, when you get to test day, we do NOT want you obsessing over how you are doing, and where you are on the GMAT scoring chart...any brain cells and energy you spend thinking about that, COULD be focused on the given question on the screen instead!! So all in all, the book's comment is meant to reassure you that these are tough question types, and remind you not to get thrown if you see them as it's often a good sign. But at the end of the day, you need to focus on doing the best you can on every given question on the screen, and then moving on and letting go, without over-analyzing too much.

Good luck with your studies, and let us know what we can do to help.

Hi mbaprocrastinator,

Apologies for the delay, and thanks for pointing out the book and page. I personally don't have a copy of that book where I'm located to reference exact phrasing, so if I get further insight from the actual author or publishing teams I will post an addendum. However my general advice is to keep in mind that the exam is adaptive, and therefore as you answer questions correctly, the computer's estimate of your ability level is increased, and your questions become slightly harder. Vice versa if you answer questions incorrectly. Therefore, an extremely difficult question would generally indicate that you are performing at a respectable level. One potential exception to this is that there are some experimental questions on the GMAT, which may not always be presented at the ability level you are performing at.

Keep in mind as well that the GMAT test-makers do not design the test so that you should be able to tell easily from one question to the next, that you are increasing or decreasing in difficulty level. In fact, as I tell my students, when you get to test day, we do NOT want you obsessing over how you are doing, and where you are on the GMAT scoring chart...any brain cells and energy you spend thinking about that, COULD be focused on the given question on the screen instead!! So all in all, the book's comment is meant to reassure you that these are tough question types, and remind you not to get thrown if you see them as it's often a good sign. But at the end of the day, you need to focus on doing the best you can on every given question on the screen, and then moving on and letting go, without over-analyzing too much.

Good luck with your studies, and let us know what we can do to help.

Hi Jen,

Thanks for answering my question and for your valuable advice. Its easier to fall into the trap of focusing on where I could possibly be on the scoring chart rather than concentrate on how I can choose the right answer to the next question. Once again, thanks for reinforcing the basic rules.

Cheers!