Regularly Read High-Quality Publications to Get Comfortable with RC-Style Passages

A good way to accustom yourself to the style and subject matter of RC passages is to regularly read RC-like writing. High-quality newspapers and magazines such as The Economist, Smithsonian magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Scientific American feature writing on many of the same topics in GMAT RC passages and in a similar sophisticated style. Typically, you can access some articles in those types of publications for free online.

Think of the time you spend reading those articles as “bonus” GMAT study time — you could even make it a daily habit.

And if you want to add another level of practice to your “bonus” RC prep, when you’re reading an, practice doing the following:

identifying the writer’s main point or primary purpose
identifying the writer’s opinions and tone
identifying any opposing viewpoints expressed or conflicting evidence discussed
noticing whether there are any cause-and-effect claims made
noticing whether there are any problems introduced and solutions offered

You may end up finding that you come away with a much deeper understanding of what you’ve read than you typically would. Just don’t convince yourself that reading newspapers and magazines can replace practice with realistic GMAT questions.

Warmest regards,

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep