How long does it take you to read the verbal passages?

[Unis]

On average how long does it take you to read a verbal passage? I think it usually takes me 4 minutes. I try to read the passage carefully but even then I just don't retain things. For the detail questions I always have to go back. I am better at the main idea questions but even after doing so many passages up until this point I don't feel as if I have a good strategy.

I read the passage and try to jot down some key things and then I start answering questions and I panic that I don't have enough time and then it's like I draw a blank. I tried just skimming the passages--reading them in 2:30 min. so that I would have more time to answer the questions and panic less but that wasn't good either.

I constantly feel as if I'm on the brink of figuring things out with this section but I somehow can't get there. Does anyone have advice? I just don't know how to do do better on it.

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[Ibn Rushd]

It usually takes me about four minutes as well. I don't write anything down afterwords though. I use the EK strategy in that I spend 20-30 seconds after reading on summarizing the main idea of the passage, assessing what was being argued (if anything at all), and just getting a good overall feel for the information that was being conveyed. I think this helps me a lot.

I go back to the passages as well, but only when I know exactly where to look. I remember certain ideas or details being listed in a given paragraph or at the beginning or end or whatever, and I just tend to remember those portions, so going back to them isn't time-consuming.