<p>I use Barron's SAT prep book,it seems useful;but there's one big problem nagging at me:I have read almost half the books in Barron's reading list and still get unsatisfactory CR scores(score range mostly is 630-690),why is that?Is the reading list not useful or what?
I swear I understand nearly every word of the passages,but when it comes to questions...
has anyone got the same problems?if so,how do you manage it?
many,many thanks</p>
<p>Rare problem I think. I seem to have the opposite problem and am scoring in the same range as you are. I don't know the hard words but I'm doing great with passages and medium sc .</p>
<p>I tend to have a similar problem, although I can't boast that I understand every word. What I am trying to do is to be totally consistant with using process of elimination, rather than just reading over the possible answers and choosing the one that sounds the most right. This is the only way of being 100% sure. What I am trying to do is to quikly find something that I know is wrong with all of the answers as I am reading through them except for the correct one. If I can't do this quikly, then I mark the question in some manner, fill in the answer that I think is right, and come back to it if I have time at the end. However, there will always be that accursed human error. I know, I hate it to.</p>
<p>I use the same method,but it always takes too much time.and sometimes the choice that "sounds" right is really right,and the one I choose by elimination turns out to be wrong.this is quite weird...</p>
<p>and what about Barron's reading list? has somebody read the books and find them helpful or not?</p>
<p>I also use elimination.But the method takes too much time and sometimes doesn't work.in some situation,the sounds right choice turns out to be really right,while the choice chosen by elimination is wrong.
what about Barron's reading list?has anyone read the books listed ?please tell me if reading really helps in critical reading or only doing questions can help.</p>
<p>aaarrrgh, this is what happens when you don't read a lot. damn me</p>
<p>Reading is good, but if you don't understand what you're reading about it won't help at all. Do you close read? Do you attempt to grasp meaning in every sentence? Do you try to get into the mind of the writer? Or do you just speed read? I suggest practicing close-reading for the SAT, speed-reading is for the ACT. </p>
<p>But while you should get into the habit of trying to understand every sentence instead of skipping what you don't understand, the fastest way to improve is of course practice tests and checking wrong answers. And when you do so remember that to improve you must keep your mind flexible, you've got to accept the fact that there is a single right answer and a reason for the right answer and not just that different people interpret passages in different ways.</p>
<p>As for the sentence completions idk what to say. Just make sure your understanding of the word is accurate (connotations especially). For example you can't use the word "factitious" in replacement for "fallacious", even though both mean "false."</p>
<p>Something to keep in mind when you're doing CR is to be careful you don't pick answer choices that aren't stated or directly implied in the passage. It's easy to assume x or y but if you can't find evidence to back up that assumption in the passage, then don't go with that answer.</p>
<p>I suppose I am a speed-reader, especially when I read novels and fictions.But I think if I close read,there will be no hope to finish all critical reading questions,isn't it?so little time.</p>
<p>indeed very helpful messages,thanks guys!!I 'll try if I can get 750 or more on CR by following your suggestions.</p>