<p>Just a general question to everyone on CC.</p>
<p>Do you read the questions and then refer to the passage or do you read the passage first and then refer to the questions?</p>
<p>You don't have to but I would appreciate if you would state why as well.</p>
<p>I skim the questions to find line numbers, which I mark in the passage. If a question asks for the approximate definition of a word or phrase, I circle the word or phrase in the passage and write “Def.” in the margin. Questions about tone, the main idea, etc. are left for last. I do not read them until after I finish the passage. The process of skimming and marking down line numbers and such takes less than 30 seconds. I then start reading the passage, stop, answer the questions that pertain to the part of the passage that I just read, and rinse and repeat.</p>
<p>For dual passages, I read the first passage all the way through, answer the questions that pertain only to Passage 1. Then, I read the second passage all the way through, answer the questions that pertain only to Passage 2. Finally, I answer the questions that have to do with the relationship between the two passages.</p>
<p>The very short double passages I treat like vocabulary questions. I read them through really quickly and answer the questions really quickly.</p>
<p>That’s exactly how I do it.</p>
<p>Are the dual passage’s always short though (80-120 words each)?</p>
<p>^ Yes, probably less.</p>
<p>No. Some of the double passages are relatively long. There are different kinds. The ones that come right after the vocabulary questions (that are like 15 lines) are usually the short ones I believe. Some are like 50-60 lines each passage. How do you not know this? Haven’t you taken numerous practice exams before?</p>
<p>Slips my mind from time to time, lol. </p>
<p>Regardless I’ll do good on the test.</p>
<p>If the passage is less than 1.5 columns, I’ll read through it and then answer the questions.</p>
<p>If the passage is a full 2 columns I’ll make brief mark-ups and then read.</p>
<p>I assume OP was probably referring to the ones that come after the vocabulary section.</p>