Improving in CR

[jollybjolly]

<p>Aside from reading books and newspapers, is taking practice tests and reviewing explanations on your wrong answers the only way to improve in CR? Is it a waste of time or worthwhile to read through the CR section in the BB before the actual practice tests begin?</p>

<p>Will my CR score raise by continually reviewing and completing practice tests in this area?</p>

[erikklass]

<p>Assuming the explanations are good, tackling passages from the College Board book is the way to go. I’m not familiar with the College Board’s solutions (accessible on-line at its website), but I assume they’re pretty good. The most important tip I give to my students is: use context. In other words, find your answers in the text. The College Board may be tricky, but the answers are there. You just need to learn how to find them. </p>

<p>Are you reading the passage before answering the questions? I hope so. Also, you might try answering the specific-detail questions *before *you look at the answer choices. It might feel strange at first, but it really helps.</p>

<p>Finally, here’s a handy formula for when you’re ready to practice a single passage timed: time (in minutes) = # of questions x 1.2</p>

<p>Good luck,</p>

<p>Erik Klass is the author of The Ultimate SAT Tutorial</p>

[ATLMOM13]

<p>The new Blue Book offers you 30 critical reading sections. Use part of your time practicing one section at a time and looking up any vocabulary word you don’t know whether it is the right or wrong answer.Then work through the reading passage questions and figure out why answers are wrong as well as why the answer is right. When you feel confident try a full timed test. You can use this same process for the math and writing sections. </p>

<p>Use the resources available from the College Board! The SAT Practice Test online at the College Board website will give you excellent detailed explanations to every answer choice for FREE. It takes some time to work through all the explanations but it will really help.</p>

[HopefulEagle86]

<p>^ Can you link me the site to the answer explanations on collegeboard? – the one for second edition of the blue book that just came out</p>

[darkblademaster]

<p>This is what I posted in another thread about this:</p>

<p>

Studying vocabulary and reading widely really helps, if you want to increase your CR score.</p>

<pre><code>* Read British literature and publications like the Economist.

• For vocab, find word lists in practice books (like Barron’s review book, very comprehensive) or study sites (like Fully customized online one-on-one SAT training and tutoring to increase your score by 150 - 300, which I used).
• Practice
  </code></pre>

<p>I ended up getting an 800 in CR.

</p>

<p>I would say, don’t read through the passages beforehand, or your results won’t be representative of how well you’d do on the actual test.</p>

<p>

Will my CR score raise by continually reviewing and completing practice tests in this area?

To some extent, but you might need to do extra (see list above).</p>

[jollybjolly]

<p>

I would say, don’t read through the passages beforehand, or your results won’t be representative of how well you’d do on the actual test.

</p>

<p>What do you mean? Do you mean don’t read them before your time starts?</p>

<p>And also, I noticed on my first practice test, on some sections I couldn’t finish in time and went a few minutes over. Is this bad to practice?</p>

[darkblademaster]

<p>

What do you mean? Do you mean don’t read them before your time starts?

Yes, don’t read them before time starts.</p>

<p>Whether or not you go over it is always good to practice. At first you may need more time, but if you keep at it you’ll probably be able to whittle your time down.</p>

[jollybjolly]

<p>Thank you so much, very encouraging :).</p>

[darkblademaster]

<p>No problem. :)</p>