<p>I need help with CR...and so do most people. My Math and Writing scores are good. </p>
<p>For CR, i get usually mid 600's but sometimes low 600's and sometimes high 600's.
Here is the usual breakdown of my CR score:
SC: usually i get -1 or -2 but on PSAT i got -0. Most of the words on the SC i usually know.
For PASSaGE based questions, i get -10 (epic fail), usually. On PSAT, i got -10 wrong and on practice SAT tests, i get 10-12 wrong. I don't know what to do!!! I took all the tests from CB book but i have the full OC left and about 7 to 8 QAS's to do. I was also going to do PR's 11 practice tests just for CR, if i ran out of CR materials. So, i have alot of resources remaining.
Technique: Before i used to read the PASSAGE and THEN answer the questions, trying to memorize the passage. But i realized that was time consuming with minimal successes. So, then i adopted the technique noitaraperp used , except i modified it a bit to fit my needs; i, now, read each paragraph and answer any questions related to that paragraph. I've learned that this technique fits all my needs and that i was comfortable with it. But still my CR score didn't improve. I've been also reading alot of CR HELP threads on this forum, and people say all the answers are in the text. So, i decided to look in the text for each question and i would say this definitely helped me, but it takes me forever to find the answers in the text. Yesterday, i decided to time myself with this mindset, and i did horrible (17/24 correct, so -7). I had to guess on some questions because i couldn't finish reading the passage. SO THEN, (please bear with me) i've read someone saying (i think it was silverturtle) that you should first lay out all the answers to each question and just review all those questions. So i did that on one section of the PR 11 tests book (i didn't want to use the official materials) and that definitely helped me. When i took practice test, i got an astounding (for me) 720!!!! But then, a couple days later, i'm back to a mid-low 600's. What is wrong here?
Sorry for making this a long story but i seriously need help. My test is in MAY.
What should i do?</p>
<p>Congrats on the 720.I have also used the technique you mentioned and i feel really comfortable.The only way to do well is to practice,i think you have potential to do 700+again if you practise more.My test is in May,too.Good Lcuk!</p>
<p>Sorry if this is irrelevant, but can you explain to me that technique? </p>
<p>Here it goes: What you do is first look at the answer key and circle all the answers to each of the questions in your test book. As you move along through the section, the key isn’t to figure out the answer to each question (you should already know the answers) but to figure out why it’s right. For instance, let’s say im on the passage portion of the section. In that portion, you should first circle all the answers to the questions and as you move along with the passage, reading each paragraph and returning back to the questions related to that paragraph, look for areas in that paragraph where the answers lie. Obviously this will take time to master; it’s sort of working for me but i just started doing this, so clearly, i need practice. But what i want to know is why my score dropped?</p>
<p>I am in the same situation. I have tried out Notitaraperp’s method for a little bit, but it hasn’t been helping much. I score in the 650 range. Should I try silverturtle’s method instead or continue practicing with not’s method?</p>
<p>I’m not perfect at this either (4 - 5 wrong per test) but i’ll try to help.</p>
<p>I dont really think changing your method will be the key to getting better but trying to read a bit more closely. (i’ve been using notitaraperp’s from low 600’s to now mid 700’s) You have to forget all knowledge you have and rely only on the passage. What helped me is not allowing myself to pick an answer until I picked out a line or whatever that completely supports that answer. Also sometimes before I read the answer choices I try to answer the question myself from what I know of the passage and it helps. ehh… its hard to describe this fully…</p>
<p>ex.) (this was a short passage)</p>
<p>Daily life is overflowing with mundane mental events.
A paper clip gleams amid stacks of documents, a friends
face shines like a beacon out of a crowd, the smell of
freshly baked bread evokes childhood memoriesthoughts
and perceptions such as these flow by with monotonous
ease.
So it seems, anyway. Yet given what scientists know
about how brains work, even the ability to perceive a
paper clip on a messy desk represents an extraordinary
and mysterious achievement.</p>
<p>11 In the first paragraph, the author implicitly likens our experience of sensory impressions to
(A) an emotional roller coaster
(B) an unobstructed stream
(C) a repeated image
(D) a nostalgic reminiscence
(E) a diverting daydream</p>
<p>When I first read through this I had no idea which was the answer but I made myself find a line that supported one of the choices (one has to be right…) I reread it and saw ‘flow by with monotonous ease’… the only choice similar to that idea of freely flowing is and ‘unobstructed stream’… </p>
<p>thats usually the kind of thinking i use for all the questions. hope this helps a little bit at least.</p>
<p>also rather than PR’s 11 tests I’d sugget you use the 10 Real SAT’s red book instead (skip those analogies). There’s a lot of extra practice in there and it helped me out.</p>
<p>^with the example passage you gave me and the support you gave me to find the answer, that’s the same way i do so in finding answers! It just takes me a whole hell of a lot of time!!! </p>
<p>Also, where can i get the Red book? It’s not in my local bookstore anymore.</p>
<p>it seems like you should be on the right track then… just try to fully understand something on the first read. (if you have to reread it oftenly thats probably what drains your time)</p>
<p>also i bought the 10 RS online (i think amazon has it… I managed to buy a used one that was clean for like 5$, if you buy used then try to be sure that it isn’t written on)</p>
<p>t seems like you should be on the right track then… just try to fully understand something on the first read. (if you have to reread it oftenly thats probably what drains your time)</p>
<p>Do you think, at this point, i should read classics? or just to stick practicing? And yes, i reread it because i look for the exact position of the supporting detail in the passage.</p>
<p>You could but I probably wouldn’t bother. (i got better through practice, doing all of the 10 RS I’m quite sure helped) Chances are you won’t be reading the classics and pertaining to questions the way you would with a CR section so I dunno if it’d actually help you or not. (maybe you could ask yourself questions as you read to make sure you understand it…? think about tone and stuff…?) </p>
<p>You could try if you have the extra time though. If not then I’d say stick to practicing.</p>