<p>I am a math/science kid. I did well on both of those sections and surprisingly got a 32 on the English section. However, my reading score was awful compared to my other scores, 26. I think and choose logically, so answering questions with no absolutes is not one of my strong suits. For anyone like me, people who can't stand the reading sections, what can I do to improve that score? I have done practice test after practice test, and to no avail. If I can get that reading score up to a 30, that would bring my composite up to a 34. Please help!</p>
<p>I understand how you feel, because I was always a math/science student myself. But I want to push back a little.</p>
<ol>
<li>The science question is mostly a reading section.</li>
<li>The reading section is logical.</li>
</ol>
<p>So if you are doing good on the science section it shows that your reading comprehension is high. This is a great start, it means you can read quickly, fluently, and know enough vocabulary and grammar to understand what a sentence is saying.</p>
<p>It seems the part you missing is the rules of the reading section. This is why it seems illogical right now, because you don’t understand all of the logical rules that are being followed.</p>
<p>The most important rule of the reading section is that: </p>
<pre><code>Everything must be supported from the text!
</code></pre>
<p>You might be tempted to use your own pre-existing knowledge to answer questions, but you have to avoid that temptation. The reading section is testing your ability to understand what the author thinks, not what you think.</p>
<p>To emphasize that point when I explain problems to students, I underline each element of the question and answer and the corresponding element from the text that proves that point. See <a href=“ACT Practice Exam - Reading Passage 1 Question 3 - YouTube”>1</a> for an example.</p>
<p>I hope that helps!</p>
<p>Ben</p>
<p>You get 8:45 per passage, and what really helped me timing-wise was setting my timer for 8:00 and working with that. That way you get a few extra minutes to spread out over the rest of the section. I highly recommend underlining “important” things, or anything that jumps out. When I do this, I tend to remember exactly what section the question is asking about, and I can go straight to there. Another strategy that works for some people is to read the questions first, then go back to the passage and answer. That way, you’re only reading the info that matters. Either way, you need to “clear” your mind and focus only on the reading in front of you. Don’t be distracted while reading. And I agree that it’s tempting to answer based on your knowledge, but you have to throw that out the window.</p>