I know many people say to avoid reading the passages, but others swear by them.
What I would like to know is: will I be able to get the answers without reading them?
Is it easier to get answers by ALSO reading the passages? Or do the figures/tables supply you with enough information as it is?
This really depends on the type of test-taker you are. What I recommend for fast-readers is to skim through, go to the questions and revisit the passages. For slow readers, you should definitely spend more time reading figures/tables. If someone told you they got over 33+ without reading the passages, they are either lying or they are geniuses. Although most questions can be inferred/answered by looking at graphs, a couple of questions (usually between 3-5 per exam) require you to read the passage to fully understand and answer the questions.
Each question usually identifies what info is necessary to answer it. If a question requires only a chart or table, you should answer that question without referring to the passage. However, many questions on each test do require reading the passage to find the answer.
On the passages that have a lot of tables and graphs, you could go straight to the questions and start there. You will need to read the conflicting viewpoints passage for sure. Save it for last because it takes the longest. Magoosh has a handy, free video about pacing on the Science test.
https://act.magoosh.com/lessons/1374-pacing-on-the-act-science-test