The best way to prepare for Reading Comprehension is to learn to recognize the patterns in a passage and be an active reader.Here you will learn the strategies to attack a passage and not just read it. Reading rapidly helps but is not essential to crack the RC. By following the strategies and techniques this article covers, you are certain to improve your reading ability and your accuracy.

It's Incomprehensble!!

write while you read

com·pre·hen·sion Pronunciation(kmpr-hnshn)
n.
1.
a. The act or fact of grasping the meaning, nature, or importance of; understanding.
b. The knowledge that is acquired in this way.
2. Capacity to include.
3. Logic The sum of meanings and corresponding implications inherent in a term.

Okay...forget all that!! The GMAT guys are well aware that we cannot be astronomers, doctors, environmentalists, engineers, drama critics all at the same time...right?? So it's pretty lame to expect that we would understand every minor details out there in the passages they give us to read. So what does comprehension really mean here? It means how much you have "understood" what the author is trying to convey. Don't expect questions which will ask details beyond the scope of the passage. For that matter you should infact keep your general knowledge in a box! So if you know that pluto is now not a planet anymore....please don't use this bit of information if it's not stated in the passage.

Strategies

I am assuming that you have plenty of time to prepare and so you should get into the habit of reading. It can be, and preferably should be, random stuff, nut nevertheless from good sources. A good reading speed and a good vocabulary, especially with lots of jargon awareness is worth possessing, but not mandatory.

But obviously you don't have much time and you are panicking already, becuase your accuracy leveles are not good. So try this:

  1. Read between the Paragraphs.
  2. Read for Author's Main Idea and Primary Purpose.
  3. Create a thought flowchart by writing down the Main Idea and Primary purpose after each paragraph.
  4. The Main Idea of the passage is the repeated idea in each of the Main ideas (of the paragraphs)
  5. The primary purpose is mostly the Primary purpose of the concluding paragraph.
  6. Classify the passages as
    1. Explanatory (Mostly Science passages, explain one theory/phenomenon in detail)
    2. Comparative (two or more point of views on a theory/topic. Doesn't go in much detail)
    3. Argumentative (Subjective, opinionated. Mostly social science/business topics. Pros and cons of a topic with author's views on them)
  7. Paraphrase the text to simplify.
  8. Don't over read. Skip examples, dates, lengthy names, any details which can be referred in case something is asked explicitly. skip it!! Skim the passage.
  9. Don't go for choices which hold true only for one part of the author's argument.
  10. Don't go for choices which exaggerate the author's conclusion.
  11. Don't fill in the blanks yourself. Use only as much is there in the passage.
  12. At the end of reading, ask yourself questions like : What was the passage about? What was author's motive in writing all this?
  13. Read quickly through soporific passages.
  14. Don't re'read until and unless you have to..,atleast don't re-read the pasage because you feel you haven't understood it!! NO!! Don't do it!!
  15. Read the first question before the Passage.
  16. Use your Critical Reasoning techniques for reasoning/inference/strengthen/weaken questions.
  17. Use the scratch paper to quickly write a very very very small summary of each passage. This can work wonders especially in specific details questions and help you locate the portion which can answer the particular question. But this needs practice.
  18. Also Kaplan gives you a good technique. Roadmap....works like magic...basically you chart out the structure of the passage. Helps you spot the relevant info quickly and gives you command on the passage...you have bird's view of the passage this way.

Practice a lot and work on the explanations. If time permits, try to take the LSAT stuff; it prepares you for the really tough questions.
Happy GMATing...!!

What you need?

There are many books in the market...good, bad and ugly. I have a very good idea by now as to which ones are really good. These are what I recommend. (I got a 45 in verbal! I know this stuff)

  1. My notes and articles on this website (FREE!!)
  2. The Official Guide for GMAT Review, 12th Edition
  3. Official Verbal Review
  4. Kaplan Verbal Workbook
  5. Kaplan 800
  6. Princeton Verbal
  7. RC Manhattan


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