WOW how do you manage to do that?! I used my full 25 mins and I still do silly mistakes!
What do you do when you come across a question that has choices that all seem wrong to you? Or… a question referring a line you cannot really understand well?
Honestly, I can’t remember a time where I didn’t get it down to only 2 choices. There are almost always 3 clearly wrong answers.
I haven’t really had that issue; just read the lines above and below it, they will always have some context.
So, generally is it better to read the passage or read the questions first? I read a good method a few days ago where you answer the questions as you come to the line referenced in the passage. What works best for you guys?
I have tried both, and I opt for “read the entire passage then answer the questions.”
@katekas22 This method works for some people, but it comes with a caveat: sometimes whatever is mentioned in the referenced lines gets addressed in more detail or under a different angle elsewhere in the passage.
@katekas22, @BethanyD Where this strategy may save you a little time (we are talking about shaving off seconds here) and mental efforts (that’s more important) is in single short passages. You might get lucky and be able to cinch one or even both correct answers by reading only the referenced lines, like in: {she was constantly checking her watch} - of course, it’s a sign of feeling an anxiety of making it on time; or {being the only daughter of some poet} and {taking part in a scholarly discussion of that poet} - obviously, she would bring personal insights to the table!
@BethanyD - that AsianGate article is much more dense than any SAT passage I’ve seen. If you eventually can decipher it, it might be helping your critical reading skills. If not, don’t bother. In any event, I tend to think that working on real SAT passages provides a more efficient means of studying for the SAT, although I acknowledge that there is some benefit from practice with “higher level” reading.
CR is designed to reward chronic readers that challenge themselves with arcane material. It is also an implicit Verbal Working Memory measure. I have ADHD which subtly impairs my comprehension and I am not a very fervent reader. But it is possible to score high assuming you follow the following tips
- Read the questions before reading the passage
- After reading the passage, try to generate your own response without looking at the MC options (unless it is a question that requires you to read all of the MC options(elimination))
- Learn as much vocabulary as possible, and not just simple thesaurus definitions. You need to remember the multi-pronged and subtle connotations of words.
- If possible (especially if you are not a morning person) stay up the night before an early morning test by shifting your sleep cycle so that on the previous day you awaken at like 4pm or 5pm so you are at a cognitive peak.
Even with ADHD, I eventually scored a 780 on the Critical Reading (2nd try)
720 on first try. By following those tips I increased my score by 60 points.
But, on the PSAT, I scored a 78(99th) because I was more of a sedulous student at the time and also because I was reading a lot of relatively challenging literature for my English Literature class.
I do not know the intricate dynamics of the new SAT (1600 scale) but on the old SAT (2400 scale)
these tips do help!
I got a 710 CR score on the December SAT in Asia (November SAT US). I made three stupid mistakes because I narrowed down to two answers for two questions and got them wrong, and I thought the prefix uni- meant two for some reason so I got that problem wrong. I would have had a 760.
Here are my two cents:
Underline line references.
- For one~two line reference questions, underline the sentence before & after.
- For three + line reference questions, just underline that part.
Skip all purpose/tone questions.
While reading, stop at each line reference and read the question, then answer. - Since all CR problems are listed in line order, you can pause, answer a question related to the underlined part, then continue reading.
Skim through everything except for the underlined portions.
At the end, answer the purpose/tone questions.
I hope to get 750+ this time, and I think I will.