How to improve in the RC section?

[Fractal]

Dear all

The last days, I did all of the 139 RC-exercises in the OG 12th Edition and made 20 mistakes. I think that would not be so bad, but I have to mention that I did all the exercises without time restriction. From other exercises I know, that my score is much worser under time pressure.

Does anybody have a good advice how I can improve my score regarding the time pressure? I am really afraid that the RC-section will seriously lower my total GMAT score. By the way, I am not a native speaker.

Thanks a lot!

Best wishes,
fractal

[vineeshp]

RC is the eternal issue for all test takers.

Practice under timed conditions. How about you get RC 99 and practice it with a timer. They are tougher than OG and will give you a good boost.

[Fractal]

Thanks a lot for your response!

RC 99? I suppose this is a book? I have never heard of it! What is the exactly name of this book? Unfortunately I didn't find it in google.

Thanks a lot!

Greets fractal

[Frankenstein]

Thanks a lot for your response!

RC 99? I suppose this is a book? I have never heard of it! What is the exactly name of this book? Unfortunately I didn't find it in google.

Thanks a lot!

Greets fractal

Hi,
It is RC99 - The Definitive RC Guide by Aristotle Publication

https://www.aristotleprep.com/index.php?q=book/rc99

[Fractal]

Ok, thx a lot!

Does other members also recommend this book? Or are there any other worthwhile books?

Thx!

[mundasingh123]

Ok, thx a lot!

Does other members also recommend this book? Or are there any other worthwhile books?

Thx!

Hey aristotle rc 99 is a tuf book that is meant for making the real gmat rcs aa breeze . If you have a problem with the concept and strategy , MGMAT RC is best

[Fractal]

Thx for your response.

I don't have problems with the concept and the strategy, I just have difficulty to understand the passage within the limited time, especially when I don't know lots of the words used (vocabulary). This is why I am studying vocabulary these days... ! I hope to improve in this way!

[mundasingh123]

Thx for your response.

I don't have problems with the concept and the strategy, I just have difficulty to understand the passage within the limited time, especially when I don't know lots of the words used (vocabulary). This is why I am studying vocabulary these days... ! I hope to improve in this way!

Speed also comes when ypu become very comfortable with the right strategy

[Fractal]

Thx for your response.

I don't have problems with the concept and the strategy, I just have difficulty to understand the passage within the limited time, especially when I don't know lots of the words used (vocabulary). This is why I am studying vocabulary these days... ! I hope to improve in this way!

Speed also comes when ypu become very comfortable with the right strategy

I think that it is all about to understand the passage! I haven't found yet a strategy that helps you when you don't understand the passage because of the vocabulary. In my case, I also don't have time to write down notes...

[ithinkican]

Dear all

The last days, I did all of the 139 RC-exercises in the OG 12th Edition and made 20 mistakes. I think that would not be so bad, but I have to mention that I did all the exercises without time restriction. From other exercises I know, that my score is much worser under time pressure.

Does anybody have a good advice how I can improve my score regarding the time pressure? I am really afraid that the RC-section will seriously lower my total GMAT score. By the way, I am not a native speaker.

Thanks a lot!

Best wishes,
fractal

Hi Fractal,

Were you able to make any progress on RC? Currently I am struggling with RC and that is my weakest area on the entire GMAT. I am 2 weeks away from the actual exam.

Thanks.

[Fractal]

Dear all

The last days, I did all of the 139 RC-exercises in the OG 12th Edition and made 20 mistakes. I think that would not be so bad, but I have to mention that I did all the exercises without time restriction. From other exercises I know, that my score is much worser under time pressure.

Does anybody have a good advice how I can improve my score regarding the time pressure? I am really afraid that the RC-section will seriously lower my total GMAT score. By the way, I am not a native speaker.

Thanks a lot!

Best wishes,
fractal

Hi Fractal,

Were you able to make any progress on RC? Currently I am struggling with RC and that is my weakest area on the entire GMAT. I am 2 weeks away from the actual exam.

Thanks.

hey

mh, not really! but i have still 2 months!

i wish you good luck

[arun@crackverbal]

If there is one thing I want people to remember in RC it has to be:
"Overcome the fear of missing something"

There can't be a greater example of this then to remember that none of us remember who coined the phrase "The devil lies in the details"

Tell yourself a million times.....nay, a billion times before you pick the next RC passage. You don't need to read the entire passage to understand it entirely. And you don't need to understand the passage entirely in order to answer all the questions.

Learning something new is hard. Unlearning an old habit is harder. We have become so used to remembering the details for our school exams we forget that its the concept that is important. We can *always* revisit the passage for minor details.

So next time you hit the passage, try this (try this for 5 passages and I guarantee you will see a change):

(1) Focus on the first few lines - read critically to understand what the author is trying to say. For longer passages this could be roughly 1/3 of the first paragraph.

(2) Skim the rest of the passage. In most cases, the author just ends up justifying what he is trying to say in the first few lines. Skim for the GIST (GI -> General Idea S->Structure T->Tone).

(3) Now for a longer passage try putting down in less than 10words for each paragraph what you thought was the crux. For shorter passages, the same might be for a chunk of 3-4sentences.

eg. Author shows 2 reasons a & b for a theory.
Goes onto show why a is wrong and b is unproven
Explains his own theory (c)
Gives lots of examples for c to be right

(4) Remember that while reading you might not even want to read the examples given and dive straight into the questions

Arun