<p>Okay, sorry for the corny title and sorry if this question has been asked many times before. My question is about the Critical Reading section. Are you supposed to read the passages? What do you do? Do you look at the questions and find the answers (even though some aren't very difinitive and you have to somewhat read), do you skim the passage and answer the questions, or do you read the whole passage thoroughly and then answer the questions? The latter seems to take way too long. Anyhow I'd like to know what you do. I'm sure there is a way that most people do it that works. Also, if you don't mind, could you write in your Critical Reading scores or lit. or whatever so I am not taking advice from the lowest scorers here (which are probably like a 710'ers). </p>
<p>i got a 790 critical reading, i missed 2. (sentence completion ones.)</p>
<p>um i'll read a paragraph, or if there are really long paragraphs, i'll read a section of the passage. and then answer the questions pertaining to what i've read so far. then read the next paragraph, etc.</p>
<p>i always finish cr early too, so i guess it's pretty good for time?</p>
<p>i got a 790 too (missed 2, omitted 1..stupid)
A. Don't omit
B. I always read, but if you read slow then try to look at the ?s then go back and read.</p>
<p>read them all...you don't have to study them, you can read kinda fast, then look at the the part that relates to each question as you get there. as long as you pace yourself, you should be ok time-wise. </p>
<p>i don't know if this would work for you, but it does for me: i never omit in the cr/writing sections, and i always go with my gut reaction. good luck</p>
<ol>
<li>I personally read them all. That way, I generally don't have to go back to the passage (even though I do occasionally, definitely no blind guessing) as much and in the long haul, it saves you a lot of time. Plus, it makes those main idea and author's tone questions a heck of a lot easier. In the end though, do what you feel comfortable with.</li>
</ol>
<p>Yes, it seems sometimes like once you've read this gargantuan passage, by the time you get to the questions, you've already forgotten those little factoids and only have a sense for the passage as a whole. So I guess I should read a paragraph or so and go to the questions and continue. I hate it when the questions are on the back of the passage page though. That always screws me up. Maybe I just have a horrible memory. </p>
<p>p.s. I haven't taken the SAT yet, I am just referring to other tests I've taken.</p>
<p>Oh, btw, for the double passages (the long ones), I do them one at a time, skipping the questions that refer to both of them until the very end.</p>
<p>I took a practice test once and got like a 600. I effed up one section because I COMPLETELY missed the main point of the passage. I was using Grammatix's method. A week before the actual SAT my friend (800 CR) helped me realize what a crappy method that was. Unfortunately I was only able to use his method (aka READING each passage) like twice - both times my score was about 50 points higher than when I used Grammatix's method. Didn't do as well on the actual though.</p>
<p>Don't think about it too much. The questions are actually very simple. Is this true? Yes or no. If you come up with more than one answer, which one is most strongly associated with the story?</p>
<p>Also, the oldest strategy in the world - make up your own answer before looking at the choices. If you look at a bunch of choices you're bound to see more than one and say "hm, why didn't I think of that?" It was most likely that you didn't think of it because it wasn't directly conveyed by the passage very strongly. That is, unless it's a very hard question.</p>