Data Sufficiency

Hi, Im just curious to get opinions on how people go through DS questions with wordy question stems.... Sometimes I find that it takes me forever to read and understand the stem....then when it comes to the questions i vascillate b/w using algebra and picking numbers and it just takes too forever... especially when it comes down to a C or E question.

Would love to hear overall strategy or pointers picked up while studying...also, on DS questions where you are asked for VALUE and given a RATIO in one of the stems...do you always test #s?

thx