<p>Although I'm not really a voracious reader, I enjoy reading articles on NY Times, Economist, or The Week. I am not a fast reader.. I usually finish regular 25 minute CR section (without two different passages) in 21-22 minutes, and I finish the 25 minute section with two different passages in about 23-24 minutes. I usually don't have enough time to bubble or to check my answers. Are there any strategies that I can utilize to conserve time? I realized last Oct test that I should be able to finish the section in about 17-19 minutes to have enough time in the real test.. Tips?!</p>
<p>bump.
Need something… before Saturday :)</p>
<p>Not sure if I qualify to help, since I scored only 780 on the Oct SAT CR section. But to my credit (or laziness), I’ve never memorized a long vocab list or forced myself to read boring magazines for the SAT.</p>
<p>Which parts are you struggling with? Vocab or passage-based Q?</p>
<p>Oh no. I’m not forcing myself to read articles. I actually enjoy them. I’m struggling with passage-based questions. I seem to always be just a tad bit short on time.</p>
<p>Perhaps answer the questions as you read the passage? An example would be with line reference questions. Once you get to that line, go to the question and solve for it instead of reading the passage first.</p>
<p>To add to what BMW said, answer the specific-questions first then the general questions last. In doing so, you can gain added insight into the main idea and author’s purpose. So when you begin answering the general questions you wouldn’t have to look back at the passage too much, if at all, to answer these questions.</p>
<p>What I do is that I read the passage first very quickly to pick up the main idea and tone. Then I examine other parts of the passage for the detailed answers.</p>
<p>I do what SimplyBMW suggested. I mark the line references, and I answer the questions as I read the passage. With this method, I don’t think I’ll be able to finish with time left to check (especially for the double passages).</p>
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Do you mark the line references?</p>
<p>Don’t read the whole passage, read the blurb, and the first and last sentence of each paragraph. You would need to come back to the passage anyways after reading questions so no point in reading it multiple times.</p>
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<p>I think I’m going to try this for one practice test. I fear that this method might sacrifice accuracy.</p>
<p>The speed versus accuracy tradeoff on the SAT is just like the tradeoff in typing. Up to a certain speed, you can type making few, if any, errors. But then, if you go just a bit faster, you begin to make a few mistakes. And a bit faster than that, you begin to make a lot of mistakes. The key is to read at a pace that facilitates comprehension.</p>
<p>Hm… I don’t know what’s better: having no time to finish the last two questions or finishing the section without 100% assurance.</p>
<p>Well, I got two wrong AND left one blank on the 2010 November SAT, but I still got an 800. Absolute perfection is not entirely necessary if there’s a nice curve. Good luck!</p>
<p>Getting a high score isn’t easy, which I’m sure you’ve heard already. If it was easy then everyone would get one,but that’s not the case. (Don’t count the ppl on CC cuz everyone on here seems to be get 2200+, lol). </p>
<p>PS. When you do a test and finish with two questions left, do you get all the questions that you answered right? as opposed to when you finish all the questions but are still dubious about some of your answers?</p>
<p>PPS. this is unrelated but because of you I’m now hooked on the Economist. Like you I’m not a voracious reader so i decided to check out the mags you mentioned in a last-ditch effort to raise my CR score but as it turned out i kinda got into the habit of reading and it hasn’t stopped.</p>
<p>read this, it might help:
[Never</a> Sacrifice Accuracy for Speed - FamilyEducation.com](<a href=“http://school.familyeducation.com/college-prep/sat/39900.html?detoured=1]Never”>http://school.familyeducation.com/college-prep/sat/39900.html?detoured=1)</p>
<p>My scores are not bad at all. My CR is at high 700’s and I really want that last twenty points or so. I usually get the questions I answer correct.</p>
<p>I love The Economist. I love the British spelling… :)</p>
<p>what the high 700’s! I should be getting advice from you then lol!!</p>