<p>I'm currently at 630 Math/680 Writing and.... 550 Reading.
Not that good compared to most of you, but I'm happy with the range I'm in.</p>
<p>I have no ambitions for anything higher than UCSB. To each his own, I guess. If I were presented with the option between a CC or Yale, I'd choose the CC!!</p>
<p>But anyways,
I need an approach for the Critical Reading.
I think the main problem is, and it's not just a cop out, BOREDOM.</p>
<p>The stories are not interesting at all, and I don't perform my best. My target score? 620, (70 points higher) by the Oct 4 SAT.</p>
<p>I'm not shooting for 800's. Lucky me :) At least I don't have that stress on my back. But, I am interested in finding out about a way to get an average-ish Reading score.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance :)
I've been on this site for the past hour and a half. Really informative!</p>
<p>I realize this may be a repeat of some threads in the past, and I apologize, but I'm wondering if anything can be optimized to help me?</p>
<p>You should try to improve your vocabulary.It is vital to have ,at least an average vocabulary to achieve a score of 600-650.I am trying to memorize the barrons 3500 words,and i am almost done.HOwever,i cant recommend this book to you,as you dont aim for the perfect score and it would be pointless.Anyway,focus on your vocabulary.</p>
<p>^If he focuses on his vocabulary, what about his passage reading?
Plus his problems could be distributed elsewhere. If misses only around 3-5 SC questions, then he should be focused on passage questions, where his errors are the most.</p>
<p>I have the exact same problem. My mood affects my performance in passage reading a lot, as much as 60-70 points.</p>
<p>The best way is to simply CARE about what the passage is saying. I know it's hard, but you have to fool yourself into getting interested in them.</p>
<p>If that doesn't work... maybe lots of sugar to get you excited? That could backfire, though. You may just read the passages quicker without paying any attention. :/</p>
<p>There's casual reading and then there's critical reading. Casual reading is what you might do when you're waiting in the dentist's office flipping through old magazines. In this case, what are you looking for? Stuff that's entertaining and interesting because that's what's easy to read and comprehend with little effort, right?</p>
<p>But you don't want to go into a critical reading section with that same lackadaisical, casual-reading mindset. Develop a consistent method and routine that you use for every single reading passage. I teach my students to 1) mark up the passage according to the questions 2) read/skim the passage, and 3) answer the questions starting with the easiest first.</p>
<p>Sticking to this routine is like shooting free throws in basketball. Watch all good players and you'll notice they do the exact same thing before EVERY shot, whether it's dribbling the ball 3 times, spinning it their hands or whatever. The important thing is that it's CONSISTENT, the same routine every time. That way, no matter what the pressure situation, even if the game is on the line...that same old routine helps them get into a familiar mindset and perform the task the same old way it's been done in practice thousands of times before.</p>
<p>When you have a consistent routine for the reading passages, it puts you into that all important CRITICAL reading mode.</p>
<p>Critical reading is a test of how well you can concentrate on a reading, NOT a test of how interested you are in it, it's not a test of your CASUAL reading ability. Getting bored is natural but it is no excuse for your underperforming - Collegeboard knows the passages are boring, that's why they use them. 800 scorers are not interested in all the passages I can assure you that.</p>
<p>i have the same problem and its good that u have realistic goals, that might get u somewhere. the secret to the reading section is to read alot...have a passion for reading various genres of literature..i know its boring..but u do want that 620+ dont you? good luck</p>
<p>Well if you're going for only a 620, I say don't study vocab at all. When you do a passage, before you read it, take a deep breath. Curse out the passage in your head and be like you're gonna read it. Then act all interested. Just try. Then answer questions, going back to passage as necessary.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the responses guys!
I have another question which just popped into my brain - Can I get any help with "skimming?"</p>
<p>How can I work on that? Because when I skim, nothing sinks in.
Also, what method do you all use?</p>
<p>First I tried
Read blurb & skim
Go back and read passage to answer questions.</p>
<p>I think now, I'm going to try
Read Blurb
Answers "line 52-56" type questions
Skim
Answer main idea questions ie. the ones that don't refer to a line.</p>
<p>Using method #1, I never finished the reading sections.
So, I think I'm going to try method #2. Is there any other method (that you think I'll like) that I can try?</p>
<p>You do not have to make yourself interested in the passage. I can assure
you that I don't care about interpretive dance, civil rights, or native
americans. And that's okay! You don't have to care about dance, you just
need to read quickly/intensely and figure out how the author of the
passage feels about dance.</p>
<p>Also, you don't need to refer back to the passage for every question so
long as you remember the general "gist" of the passage, which might be
"Dance is a good way to release your emotions and has been overshadowed
by other types of expression" or "Mechanical pencils aren't all they're
cracked up to be"</p>
<p>ahhh just read really challenging English book that are REALLY boring. I can't believe how much my CR score went up from taking an Honors LA Class:
like 580-->low 700s</p>
<p>like Uttaresh said
[quote]
he best way is to simply CARE about what the passage is saying. I know it's hard, but you have to fool yourself into getting interested in them.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>in class we read some really boring books. by teaching myself how to go through book like the Odyssey i could easily get myself in the much more interesting SAT CR reading passages. </p>
<p>And then the questions you just have handle objectively. After all, aren't the answers right in front of your face?</p>
<p>Look at the reading, then skim the questions. If it's a 2 passage reading, I read the first one and answer the questions pertaining to it. (Sometimes the first few are just on Passage 1). After those questions, I read the 2nd passage, and answer the remaining questions.</p>
<p>I'm not that concerned about the vocab, because just by looking @ the context of the sentence, I can narrow it down to usually 2 answers. Then I look at the words and think how they would fit. IDK, maybe I should memorize more vocab. I also draw on my knowledge of word roots. Really helps me.</p>
<p>I think the easiest part of the whole test is the personal narrative. I think it's less boring. </p>
<p>IDK, after going through like 5 practice tests this past week, I'm not very afraid of the large amount of reading.</p>
<p>Just take it one section at a time! Best of luck.</p>
<p>I agree--feigning interest is important.
1) Always read the italics and figure out what you're in for. Tell yourself "Yay! I always wanted to learn more about the orangutan behavior!" Tell yourself how excited you are to read this.
2) Skim the first 3 - 4 questions. Focus on the ones that refer you back to specific lines. Mark these lines on the passage--quickly,...just little dashes.
3) Bite off "chunks" at a time. For example, just read one paragraph,..read it closely,..read it "actively" b/c you are enthralled,...and then answer the questions that pertain to that paragraph.
Then look at the next 3-4 questions and repeat the process.
This way you are maintaining your 'intense level of reading' for short chunks at a time.
You can do it! Try to complete at least one passage and questions per day!</p>
<p>p.s. see my earlier post for more in-depth strategies on how to choose the correct answer!</p>
<p>I guess. If I were presented with the option between a CC or Yale, I'd choose the CC!!</p>
<p>whats cc? Community college? if so lol you don't need sats I believe a 1200 on it will do (which you have even if they were to remove one of your sections)</p>
<p>I was, and actually still am, pretty bad at CR. I have my SAT in just 5 days and I'm just so nervous cause Math and Writing are almost perfect. (I am actually aiming for an Ivy League school).</p>
<p>At first, I would 'skim' the questions and break the passage in 2 or 3 parts. This just didn;t work for me at all, I completely lost my focus. What I do now, is just reading the whole passage and then reading the questions one by one. This method is great for me, although my scores aren't that impressive on CR, they have definitely improved. </p>
<p>I hope this helped you a bit. But, stick to the method y</p>