CR Best Method?

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>I know there have been numerous threads, but i want to gather up a lot of opinions on what is the best method or other methods. Please don't tell me it's your preference, i'm just curious to know what the majority of you think is the best</p>

<p>1) Read it straight, than go to the questions while lookin back at the reading
2)Look at questions and answers, read passage, than go back to questions
3)Read just questions, read passage, than go back to the questions
4)Read the excerpt, than the first and last sentence in each paragraph to get the gist, than read the passage, than the questions
5)Read the excerpt, than the first and last sentence in each paragraph to get the gist, than read the questions, than the paragraph
6)Skim read excerpt, than read the last paragraph, than questions
7)Preview, read the passge, Than answer questions in chronological order, which doesn't make sense, b/c opinions can change a lot during the whole passage, which can alter the answer</p>

<p>Any more i forgot, please feel free to give ur method</p>

<p>thanx</p>

2

<p>I did method 3</p>

3

<p>Number one for sure; it got me multiple 800s.</p>

4

<p>I know it differs for everyone, but I personally ignore the questions until I have fully read the passage. I quickly glance at the excerpt at the top then closely read the passage and then answer the questions. I find it very useful when questions give specific lines to refer to since that saves time and allows you to read the passage without running out of time. While reading, I try to underline if I spot something that may be helpful later.</p>

<p>I've only taken the SAT once (Dec 3rd) but I got a 750 on CR, so I think my method works pretty well. It probably depends on how quickly you can read.</p>

5

<p>Do you think, in regards to the line reference questions, read the first line than the line after the referenced sentence works, or is it more sentences you should read?</p>

6

<p>I usually look at the line to refresh myself and then depending on the question, I may look ahead and after the given lines to get more context. It depends on what kind of question it is.</p>

<p>For example, if the question is about vocabulary and references a specific line, it is really only necessary to read that sentence as long as it is long enough to give adequate context. :)</p>

7

<p>the answer in most cases is either before or after the line specified</p>

8

<p>I do 2. Maybe thats why I keep scoring in the low 400's.</p>

9

<p>I read the entire passage first then look at the Qs one by one. Usually, I don't even have to refer back to the reading because I remember the context. Unless, of course it asks for specific lines and such.</p>

10

<p>If you ask me, the ebst method to get answers right in CR is to choose the most neutral option, the one that is least difficult to attack and least extreme. Personally, I peruse the passage first and then refer back to them as I answer the questions. All you really need is a snese of the gist of teh passage and you get an idea of which answers are right.</p>

11

<p>but sometimes when you feel that you have the gist of it, and they ask you a question that is a hard one that could go either way, you start to formulate your own ideas about how the passage is from your perspective if you don't fully grasp it, and that could make you answer wrong,
if that ^ does't make sense, i don't blame you</p>

12

<p>I did this link this morning to help prepare take a look at the verbal video</p>

<p><a href="http://www.studyhall.com/webpage2000/INSTR/flashinstruc.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.studyhall.com/webpage2000/INSTR/flashinstruc.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

13

<p>Gista, it makes sense and I can empathize, but I think when it somes to the SAT, practicality is what counts. The people who are really insightful may do well at school, but may not do so well on the SAT because they read between the lines too much and see things that can be manipulated to fit their perspective but not "inferred" as the SAT commonly asks you to do. To infer, basically, you look need evidence to support your answer, and that evidence can often be directly procured from the passage. Anyway, this is just the method that works for me. It's different for everyone. :)</p>

14

<p>could anybody help me analyze a critical reading passage that i found extremely hard, i'll type it on here later tonight, tommorrow, i just need to know how people will apply there mehtods on a real application, thanx in advance</p>

15

<p>I can try to help.</p>

16

<p>This one is from the 8 real SATs, and i will give you the excerpt(?spelling), passage, and questions, in three different posts</p>

17

<h1>1 for me!</h1>

18

<p>Excerpt:
The following passage was adapted from an account of two scientists about the emergence of genetics, the science of inherited traits.</p>

19

<p>Passage:
You have seen them in movies: scientists who
are infallible and coldly objective- little more
than animated computers in white lab coats. They
take measurements and record results as if the
collection of data were sole object of their (5)
lives. The assumption: If one gathers enough facts
about something, the relationships between those
facts will spontaneously reveal themselves.
Nonsense!
The myth of the infallible scientist evaporates (10)
When one thinks of the number of great ideas in
Science whose originators were correct in general
but wrong in detail. The English physicist John
Dalton (1766-1844) gets credit for modern atomic
Theory, but his mathematical formulas for calcu- (15)
lating atomic weights were incorrect. The Polish
astronomer Copernicus, who corrected Ptolemy’s
ancient concept of an Earth-centered universe,
nevertheless was mistaken in the particulars of the
planets’ orbits. (20)
Luck, too has played a determining role in
scientific discovery. The French chemist Pasteur
demonstrated that life does not arise spontane-
ously from air. But it may have been luck that he
happened to use an easy-to-kill yeast and not the (25)
hay bacillus that another, long-forgotten, investiga-
tor had chosen for the experiment. We now
know that hay bacillus is heat-resistant and grows
even after the boiling that killed Pasteur’s yeast. If
Pasteur had used the hay bacillus, his “proof” (30)
would not have materialized.
Gregor Mendel, the founder of modern genetics,
epitomizes the humanness of the scientist. Plant
hybridization intrigued and puzzled Mendel, an
Augustinian monk with some training in mathe- (35)
matics and the natural sciences. He had read in
the professional literature that crosses between
certain species regularly yielded many hybids
with identical traits; but when hybrids were
crossed, all kinds of strange new combinations of (40)
traits cropped up. The principle of inheritance,
if there was one, was elusive.
Mendel had the basic idea that there might be
simple mathematical relationships among plants
in different generations. To pursue this hypothesis, (45)
he decided to establish experimental plots in the
monastery garden an Brunn, raise a number of vari-
eties of peas, interbreed them, count and classify
the offspring of each generation, and see whether
any reliable mathematical ratios could be deduced. (50)
After many years of meticulously growing, har-
vesting, and counting pea plants, Mendel thought
he had something worth talking about. So in, 1865,
he appeared before the Brunn Society for the Study
of Natural Science, reported on his research, and (55)
postulated what have since come to be called the
Mendelian laws. Society members listened politely
But, insofar as anybody knows, asked few questions
and engaged in little discussion. It may even be
that, as he proceeded, a certain suspicion emerged (60)
out of the embarrassed silence. After all, Mendel
lacked a degree and had published no research.
Now, if Pasteur had advanced this idea….
Mendel’s assertion that separate and distinct
“elements” of inheritance must exist, despite the (65)
fact that he couldn’t produce any, was close to
asking the society to accept something on faith.
There was no evidence for Mendel’s hypothesis
other than his computations; and his wildly uncon-
ventional applications of algebra to botany made it (70)
difficult for his listeners to understand that those
computations were the evidence.
Mendel undoubtedly died without knowing that
His findings on peas had indeed illuminated a well-
nigh universal pattern. Luck had been with him in (75)
his choice of which particular traits to study. We
now know that groups of genes do not always act
independently. Often they are linked, their effect
being to transmit a “package” of traits. Knowing
nothing about genes, let alone the phenomenon (80)
of linkage, Mendel was spared failure because the
traits that he chose to follow were each controlled
separately. * The probability of making such a
happy choice in random picks is only about 1 in
163!</p>

<ul>
<li>Some scientists believe that Mendel actually did have some idea of linkage and did choose traits purposefully.</li>
</ul>

20

<p>Questions:
21. The word “Nonsense!” (line 9) conveys the
extent to which the authors</p>

<p>(A) object to the tendency of scientist to rely
on existing data
(B) reject the way in which scientist are
portrayed in the media
(C) are amused at the accidental nature of
some scientific findings
(D) oppose the glorification of certain scien-
tists at the expense of others
(E) realize the necessity of objectivity in research</p>

<ol>
<li>The authors cite the example of Copernicus
(lines 16-20) to substantiate which of the
following claims?</li>
</ol>

<p>(A) The achievements of scientists are not
always recognized.
(B) Scientific progress depends on a variety of
factors.
(C) Scientists often suffer from professional
jealousy and competition.
(D) Noted scientists are not always wholly
accurate in their theories.
(E) A scientist may stumble on an important
truth accidentally.</p>

<ol>
<li>The term “humanness” (line 33) as it is applied
to Mendel refers to</li>
</ol>

<p>(A) the tendency to rely excessively on emotion
(B) an interest in improving the human condi-
tion through scientific research
(C) an attitude of forgiveness toward those
who underrated him
(D) a combination of intellect, intuition, and
good fortune
(E) a talent for preserving in the face of oppo-
sition</p>

<ol>
<li>In the passage, Pasteur’s use of a certain yeast
is comparable to</li>
</ol>

<p>(A) a previous investigator’s use of the hay
bacillus
(B) Dalton’s discovery of atomic weigths
(C) Mendel’s choice of traits to study
(D) Copernicus’ study of the universe
(E) Mendel’s use of mathematical ratios</p>

<ol>
<li>In lines 61-63, the authors imply that in
comparison to Mendel, Pasteur </li>
</ol>

<p>(A) was a more proficient researcher
(B) based his theories on more extensive
investigations
(C) possessed a more impressive professional
reputation
(D) was more meticulous in his observations
(E) devoted more energy to promoting his
scientific ideas</p>

<ol>
<li>The “universal” (line 75) refers to</li>
</ol>

<p>(A) the initial skepticism with which new
ideas are received
(B) a tendency of botanists to resists purely
theoretical proof
(C) the way peas tend to exhibit the quality of linked traits
(D) the way traits usually reappear in succeeding generations
(E) a similarity between Mendel’s experiments
and those of succeeding geneticists</p>

<ol>
<li>The word “happy” (line 84) most nearly means</li>
</ol>

<p>(A) joyful
(B) fortunate
(C) willing
(D) dazed
(E) pleasing</p>

<ol>
<li>The passage suggests that Mendel’s contempo-
raries assumed that valid biological theories</li>
</ol>

<p>(A) are often proposed by inexperienced
researchers
(B) cannot be based on mathematical proof
alone
(C) must be supported by years of careful
research
(D) often represent a departure from estab-
lished practice
(E) must be circulated to a wide audience</p>

<ol>
<li>The passage suggests that Mendel’s experi-
ments succeeded because</li>
</ol>

<p>(A) Mendel was able to convince his col-
leagues to support his research
(B) Mendel discovered flaws in his research
design and corrected them
(C) Mendel had a thorough understanding of
the concept of linked traits
(D) the scientific community finally under-
stood the connection between mathe-
matiical computations and heredity
(E) the traits in peas happen to reappear in a
distict and predictable way</p>

<ol>
<li>As described inn the passage, the experiences of
Mendel are most like those of</li>
</ol>

<p>(A) Albert Einstein, who fled Nazi Germany
to become the most famous physicist of
this century
(B) Pierre Curie, whose career as a chemist
was cut short by a tragic accident
(C) Barbara McClintock, whose theories about
inherited traits in corn were not under-
stood or accepted until long after she
had advanced them
(D) Leonardo Da Vinci, whose numerous
attempts to make a successful flying
machine resulted in failure
(E) James Watson and Francis Crick, who
competed with other teams of scientists
in the race to unravel the generic code</p>