Can I improve Critical Reading score?

<p>Study vocab as much as possible. I bought the barrons sat book and looked over the 3500 word list (only need to look at the ones you didn’t know). My score went from a 680 to a 770.</p>

<ol>
<li>Direct Hits Vocabulary: 435 words; 13 hits; 33.3 words per hit</li>
</ol>

<p>I amazed, 13 questions correct only for 435 words.
Direct Hits is best on passage-based too?</p>

<p>I already studied the edition of both DH books. I also studied the Rocket Review list. I have the Barrons but to me, that list is a bit too much.after learning that long list, it would evident that I would forget most because of overload. Any other efficient vocabulary source?</p>

<p>did you attempt to get at least to list 35? for barorns?</p>

<p>Nope. I was studying from it and then was advised to get DH. After going through BB, I found that vocabulary lust to be very effective. How like everyone sad, every word is not in the list. Still I would like if anyone could advise efficient vocabulary lists. I would appreciate it. Thanks.</p>

<p>try 323 Rocket Review^</p>

<p>The Oxford dictionary lists over 500,000 words in the English language so I do not think learning 30,50, 100 or even 500 new words is going to help you very much.</p>

<p>The fact is that despite some doubtful accounts of dramatic improvements with practice on actual tests, I think it is highly unlikely that anyone can significantly improve their performance on the passages part of the test by reading study guides, taking practice tests or using some kind of method or strategy. </p>

<p>Reading and understanding difficult passages and then being able to correctly answer subtle and ambiguous questions about them is partly a function of innate intelligence which can not be changed and the rest is the result of the ability gained through a lifetime of reading difficult materials and there is little that can be done about this in a matter of months.</p>

<p>Time spent trying to raise CR scores is basically time wasted that could have been used studying and practicing for the Math and Writing sections which can be significantly improved through preparation.</p>

<p>^
Why you are hardly drammatising that? Just let him read 1-2 books and his score would be 200 points higher. You need only general idea and feel of book. You don’t need to learn every new word. Just read and feel it. Author’s mood, tone of it, etc. Jane Austen’s books are amazing for CR reading.</p>

<p>Books+Direct Hits+BB(practice)=strong and powerful base for CR.
I’m following this rule.</p>

<p>P.S
Person who read a lot of books won’t be afraid that words from his list wouldn’t be on real exam.</p>

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<p>That’s BS. I am a very avid reader and have been since I was very young (5 or 6) and I scored only a 580 the first test I took. I studied about 50 Direct Hits words, and after 5 PR tests and 3 BB tests, I scored a 710 on a practice test. So it is definitely a skill that can be developed with practice. To what extent can be debatable, but it can be developed A LOT. Look at noitaraperp, for example.</p>

<p>I raised my score from a 570, to an 800, so it’s possible.</p>

<p>@ Tenplenesis and schoolisfun, ive been improving drastically on my CR but im afraid my score would go down once i start timing my CR test. Any advice on how to speed up the reading without loosing comprehension of the passage?</p>

<p>Tenplenesis, from your earlier posts on this thread it seems like your rise from 570 to consistent 800s have all been done on practice tests and not the real thing under actual testing conditions. If you had actually taken the SAT once and received a 570 in CR, used your method to study for the next administration of the SAT and then on the real SAT on your second or even third attempt had scored an 800 on CR I would be more impressed.</p>

<p>a huge part of doing well on the CR is to understand the types of questions they are asking. Master that and you are good to go.</p>

<p>I really do hope that this section can be beaten and isn’t a test of innate skill!</p>

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<p>Except for some cases, I believe if you continually practice, you will eventually reach 2400. The problem is the time factor and knowledge factor. Not everyone has the knowledge to practice efficiently enough at a younger age, and then when they do, they might not have too much time to get to the 2400. So, in a way, your innate ability gives you a boost over others, but if they work hard enough, they could probably get ahead of you.</p>

<p>@schoolisfun. Is it possible to significantly increase your score in a month though? With daily work dedicated to the exam?</p>

<p>@Lemaitre I scored an 800 CR on the May SAT, and, a 57 CR on the October PSAT.</p>

<p>As you go through the answer choices in the reading passages take time to look at each choice and determine why a choice is not the answer as well as why the one you choose is the right answer. Most of the answers are stated in the passage. </p>

<p>They also love " tone" questions so knowing the difference between wry/droll and sarcastic/sardonic and any other synonyms is important. On the Oct. 09 SAT they had 2 level 5 questions back fo back and the first answer was wry and on the second you needed to know the author was being sarcastic and pick the answer with the word mock.</p>

<p>can you tell us the difference? i’m too lazy to search it up.</p>