zhuziyan

I am overwhelmed... I always fail to finish the whole section within 25 or 20 minutes... I really have no idea about how to speed up!! In the practice test, I can only score 600 to 680, and today I only got 570!!!!! I feel desperate now... I scored 520 in reading while scored 780 in math in the real test 5 month ago... Does anyone have suggestions for me? Thanks!!

anthonygekko

i share the similar situation with you...i am really helpless

AimingAt750

I am copy pasting what I just wrote in another thread.

Did you try reading the passages in small chunks? Usually the questions are in order with the lines of the passage. Read the question, then read a bit of the passage just enough to answer the question. Then read the next question and read on the passage to answer it, and so on... Leave the general questions (asking the main purpose of the passage) for last. You will always be concentrated on the relevant lines this way. According to my experience, this method saves time.
Always underline important lines and words mentioned in the passage; they will be on your focus.

12hulk345

This used to happen to me. But I restricted my time more and made it 22 min for the 25 minute section and 18 for the 20 minutes section. Believe me, there was a change. I now finish my sections on time

PS: While practicing, just think there is no 25 minutes, it's just the 20 minutes that you are provided with. And eventually, you will know what to read thoroughly and what to leave.
Again, if you are taking the October SAT, just give it a try for 5-6 critical reading sections. If it works , then go for it and if it doesn't, I suggest you try something else.
Best of luck!
( BTW, not to forget, I am also an international student)

anthonygekko

re 12hulk345:
Giving yourself the stricter time limit won't help i think. The key to do it faster is to grasp the theme of passages, no matter which kinds they are,as soon as possible. i wonder what methods can faciliate us to familiarise ourselves with the passages. Once you can be familiar with the theme, you can of course maximize the reading speed.
The point is how we can familarize ourselves with the topic, which i emphasise on repeatedly.

AimingAt750

I think there is no better option than practicing... The more you read SAT passages, the better you start to understand them.

zhuziyan

Thanks for your suggestions guys! Sometimes I need to read some sentences for several times. I think this is the most important reason why I cannot finish on time.

zhuziyan

Re @12hulk345
Thanks
How many errors do you make per section?
Sometimes I have to read a sentence for several times in order to understand them so I am quite slow!

12hulk345

@anthony: I agree with you , the main point is grasping what the passage has to say, not stricting time to finish all the questions. But as zhuziyan said, he is always short of time, I thought that would be a good remedy,, because that is what worked for me . I used to just pass time thinking there is a lot of time, but in the end , I missed 3-4 questions. I guess I gave more time to unnecessary things. But when I restricted the time,, I gave time to necessary parts only!
Well, that's my opinion and I am not saying it will not work for everyone . But I suggest
him to give it a try

Zhuziyan: I make 1-2 error per section.
Yes, I had the same problem . I read the same sentence thrice or more than that. There is one remedy for that, which worked for me ( it might not work for you though!)

I really really promised myself to focus as much as I could. Really, that helped a lot.
promise before beginning the passage, yet some sentence are meant to be read twice( usually 2-3 in every passage)
Really, you are not that far if your problem is just time management. If you are grasping what the passage has to say , you are doing it the right way.
Just practice a hell lot
Best wishes!!
Yes you can ^_^

anthonygekko

12hulk345:
i thinktime management is a big headache...i got 2-4 wrong per sections but overran too much(3-12min).....i finish 8 out of 10 practice test from college board...should i practise more??or do i have some intrinsic problems actually?? really perplexed...

12hulk345

your so called "intrinsic" problem might be subjectivity. Don't guess, try to substantiate whatever you are picking as a right answer. Remember, there is always a one and only right answer, always!( You know this better than me, but don't forget this while practicing, this will always help you , believe me!)....
Some things I always suggest someone who ask me for the tips, :
1. Always be positive
2. Feel happy when you are practicing the reading section
3. Increase your hunger for the Reading section
4. And last but not the least, don't give up!

I know I haven't scored perfectly on the section, but I believe, one day, I will!
so will you!

PS: OBJECTIVITY and OBJECTIVITY
screw subjectivity
And yes, practice more. Don't tick the answer as right unless you have substantiated it.
Best wishes!!

anthonygekko

actually sometimes i even can't read the connotations of passages...
i wanna ask if you guys focus on questions far more than passages by using elimination of answers once you face unfamilar passages.
also, what is your score in CR??

12hulk345

For the connotation part, practicing is the main key. Practicing here means "reviewing". If you review why the answer is right or why is it wrong, you will eventually start to know how the passages work, how the author says what he has to say and other important things.

And about how I deal with the passages, here is what I do! ( the very very useful and a stellar post by Noitaraperp)

How to Attack the SAT Critical Reading Section Effectively
And yes, I score somewhere around 730+

zhuziyan

Re@12hulk345: wow amazing. I hardly get more than 700. Are you going to take SAT in Oct.? I am trying... And I feel a little better... Thx.

12hulk345

Yes, this week