RC Inferece and Specific Detail Tip/Possible ways for improv

[Nadia222]

Hi Experts and Btger's,

I need some assistance with improving in Reading Comp. Specifically inference and specific detail. My plan is to do about 5 of the RC long passages set in my MGMAT Reading Comp guide. Do you think that this is a good strategy, or should I include some additional resources? For example, also including about another 5 passages from the Official Guide?

[[email protected]]

Hi Nadia222,

While the "volume" of practice that you're planning sounds fine, the bigger question is really "how do you go about doing RC?" Are you taking notes? Do you know what each type of RC question is really asking for? Do you know what the common wrong answers "look like?" These are strategy issues and not intelligence issues. Your way of handling RC might be what's causing the problem, not an insufficient amount of practice.

What resources have you been using to study (books, courses, etc.)?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

[Nadia222]

Hi Rich,

Thanks for the quick response. For reading comp, I take notes for short and long passages, focusing on the first paragraphs of long passages and then writing short headline list for subsequent chapters. I make sure to jot down the point. I usually get caught up with specific detail and inference questions. For specific detail, I would always read the answer choices and then cross off the ones that I believed were wrong. For inference, I would choose the answer that I made more sense ( I don't really have a strategy for this type) Another issue I have is with timing. I had to guess on a few RC questions on my last CAT because I didn't have enough time to answer all of the questions. I just finished my Manhattan course and I am looking for a supplemental course to get me to the 700 mark.

[[email protected]]

Hi Nadia222,

For Detail questions, you essentially have to "hunt down" the answer to the question by going back to the original prompt (you shouldn't be answering from memory and the process of eliminating wrong answers to find the correct one sounds tedious). For inference questions, you'll also have to go back and hunt down the answer, but you have to be open to the idea that an inference could be based on a combination of sentences (and not just one word or one sentence). In both question types, your notes should help you to deduce where to look in the prompt.

A pacing problem in the Verbal section might be about Reading Comp, but it might be about one of the other Verbal question types. As a general rule, CR questions should average about 2 minutes each and SCs should average about 60-80 seconds each. If you're spending too much time on too many of those questions, then that would cause the pacing problem that you're facing. Your practice CATs should include information about the amount of time that you're spending on each questions, so you can use that as a gauge for what's causing your pacing problem.

How have you been scoring on your practice CATs?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

[Nadia222]

Hi Rich,

I will send you a message in regards to my practice test scores. I will incorporate the tips for RC. I have heard from a few others that the RC Bible is another really good source. Have you read that book?

[Brent@GMATPrepNow]

I just finished my Manhattan course and I am looking for a supplemental course to get me to the 700 mark.

Hi Nadia,

It's good that you're looking for supplemental materials. When it comes to Reading Comprehension (RC), I don't believe there's one specific approach that works best for everyone. I always recommend that students spend some time experimenting with different strategies to see which one best suits their memory, reading speed and English proficiency.

If you're interested, we have a free set of videos that cover all sorts of Reading Comprehension strategies: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat- ... prehension

Cheers,
Brent