<p>I mean when you r reading those entertaining novels(not classic) improve your ability for SAT reading section?
I know its not efficient but I think it ll help a bit, more or less</p>
<p>Technically, it should improve your reading skill, but it depends on what you read. If you continually read novels that are easy for you to read, then it won't help as much. </p>
<p>Ideally, what prep books say is that students should read a wide variety of materials, i.e. newspapers, magazines, novels, etc. To increase reading skills, he or she should read at or above their reading level...</p>
<p>For example, a sixth grader who reads a third grader book easily isn't really learning much...on the other hand, a ninth grader who is reading ninth grade or above novels is learning vocabulary, reading comprehension, and critical thinking skills. </p>
<p>So it depends on what novels you read. =]</p>
<p>It prob won't help if you read the romance or detective novels that are so popular, but there are a lot of amazing well-written, and entertaining books that are not classics- newer books. Really quality new books can be easier to read because the language is more familiar. Some of the best new (or just more recent) books that I've read recently that I'll recommend:
Waiting For Snow In Havana- Carlos Eire
Middlesex- Jeffrey Eugenides
Caucasia- Danzy Senna
The Plot Against America- Philip Roth
The Satanic Verses- Salman Rushdie
and if you're okay w/nonfiction
Freakonomics- Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner</p>
<p>Of course, mediocre but entertaining books are better than no books at all.</p>
<p>the reason why i wanna read some easy books is because of that i want something easier to read on subway so my head doesnt get dizzy...</p>
<p>I agree...read Freakonomics...it's not particularly scholarly, groundbreaking, special, or intelligent, but it's a fun read, if you can ignore those strange bits in between chapters when the authors include excerpts from newspaper articles about themselves...their egoism is astounding but the book is fun.</p>
<p>what is freakonomics?</p>
<p>Have you read stuff by Dan Brown & similiar authors? Those are "fun reads", yet more brain stimulating than say, trashy romance novels, haha.</p>
<p>Try reading the "classics". Jane Austen is a favorite of mine :) Also, a plus to this is that on the WRITING portion of the SAT, you can use these books again to reference in your essay!</p>
<p>Btw, Freakonomics: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006073132X/sr=8-1/qid=1152128047/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-4999244-0431809?ie=UTF8%5B/url%5D">http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006073132X/sr=8-1/qid=1152128047/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-4999244-0431809?ie=UTF8</a></p>
<p>do you guys think magzines are nessesary in terms of improving reading skill? I think novels are enough</p>
<p>depends what magazine</p>
<p>i recommend atlantic monthly or the new yorker READ ALL ARTICLES</p>
<p>NYTimes magazine is awesome. It would definitely help w/vocab.</p>
<p>Personally, I think Freakonomics is pretty scholarly, special, and groundbreaking. I think the abortion/crime reduction theory is pretty significant.</p>
<p>And Dan Brown...well, IMO, suspense does not equal good writing. But it is fun.</p>
<p>I am reading now Oscar Wilde , The picture of Dorian Gray and Frankenstein by Mary Shelly. They are entertaining for me at least and I feel I am learning new words.</p>
<p>read war and peace</p>
<p>oh yea war and peace, i ll read that after tomorrow i finish the second half of the da vinci code</p>
<p>I agree with elisa, read picture of dorian gray, that book is good.</p>
<p>Personally, I just read whatever I want. I got an 800 on CR this past June. </p>
<p>I read lots of books, some hard, some easy. The magazines I subscribe to include hard (The Economist) to easy (Sports Illustrated, Entertainment Weekly, Premiere). I also read the newspaper every morning when I'm eating breakfast (again, only articles I care about).</p>
<p>I think the key is to just enjoy what you're reading. If you do that, reading will be fun and it won't seem like you're just studying for the SAT. </p>
<p>The one thing that I did do, however, that was "studying" was I would put a post-it note on the front of my book/magazine and write down words that I didn't know. When I was finished, I would go look them up. This is the best way to study vocab.</p>
<p>My tip for you is to actually read the books assigned in English classes. And then read additional books by the same authors.</p>
<p>do you guys think those old english shakspearian things are useful in terms of SAT reading?</p>
<p>I read The Economist (good magazine for SAT prep) and a few novels here and there</p>