How do I improve Reading Comprehension?

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How do I improve Reading Comprehension?

by Setarehrrr » Thu Apr 06, 2017 7:26 pm
Hi!
I have difficulty with RC, nothing seems to work, I take notes but I always get majority wrong... please help!!! any advice appreciated!.

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by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Fri Apr 07, 2017 4:34 am
What kinds of notes are you taking?

For each passage, you need only identify and summarize:
- the theme of each paragraph (4 to 8 words)
- conflicting points of view (4 to 8 words)
- main idea (4 to 8 words)

That said, when it comes to Reading Comprehension (RC), I don't believe that 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.

Having said THAT, when reading ANY Reading Comprehension (RC) passage, it's crucial that you engage 100% in the passage. So, rather than approach a new passage with dread ("I don't enjoy reading it at all"), try to feign interest ("Excellent! This passage is about stock market regulations in Peru!"). The better your engagement, the better the results.

You'll find additional tips to help you better engage with the passage in this video: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat- ... on?id=1123

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

Cheers,
Brent
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
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by DavidG@VeritasPrep » Fri Apr 07, 2017 7:25 am
A couple of other suggestions, in addition to Brent's sound advice:

- Read voraciously everyday for two weeks. (Anything challenging will do.) There's research suggesting that the physiology of our brains changes when we read more: https://www.theatlantic.com/education/ar ... in/282952/

- Consider incorporating some mindfulness meditation. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archi ... on/275564/

Afterwards, review the official material you've worked through and see if there are patterns to the questions you've missed. Anything unclear, post here. Jot a few notes to yourself about simple adjustments you can make. Before you select an option in Reading Comp ask yourself if there's textual support for that answer. Be relentless. Then hit some fresh official tests to see if your adjustments are working.
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by ceilidh.erickson » Sat Apr 08, 2017 6:59 am
Here is some other advice that may be helpful:

- Think Like a Lawyer! https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... -a-lawyer/

- Avoid Traps - https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... rehension/

- How to tackle tough passages - https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... ge-part-1/

- Boring is sometimes best - https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... at-verbal/

- How to Infer - https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog ... nfer-gmat/

Good luck!
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education