reading comprehension

[sjsudentist]

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Hi guys,

Kaplan's reading comp. section is long and difficult. How is this section in the real test?

Thanks,

SJ

 

[Omenino]

just do search and destroy....

each reading is only ~13 small paragraphs....with a lot of facts...so...

 

[xianexiane]

Hi guys,

Kaplan's reading comp. section is long and difficult. How is this section in the real test?

Thanks,

SJ

I don't think the RC section was that long and IMO is one of the sections that you can't greatly improve upon. The best thing I did for RC was to go to the library and read science journals. good luck

 

[Stephie3]

ok when you're taking the reading part of the test, the passages are SO filled with such minute detail and are like 13 paragraphs long. there is no way you can read through it fast enough to retain all of the information for random questions over details on it.

SOO you probably should do the little "search and destroy" method. which means read the question FIRST, then look for the answer in the paragraphs.

when i took the test, i started out trying to read the entire first passage about some crazy topic, then answer the questions. this took up half on hour. one one passage! when i had like three of them to read. so i thought that method of just reading it then answer the questions doesn't work. you also may get lucky enough to get some science passages you already know a bit about, so you dont have to search for each answer if you already know it in your mind.

 

[Stephie3]

p.s. i personally feel like no practice reading from a science journal would actually help. science papers are all so different, so its not like by reading them, you can gain a vocabulary that would help you on the test. instead, you should spend your time really studying for sessions that you feel you can score really well in and this can help offset a low score in something like reading comprehension. but be sure to prepare for every section of the test..dont blow one section off. except for reading comprehension lol search and destroy, baby.

 

[sjsudentist]

Thanks everyone for the advice

 

[Vicviper]

From what I remember, Kaplan was pretty spot on to the real test - I think the only difference was that my paragraphs were maybe 1-2 sentences shorter, and there were 3-4 more paragraphs.

As others have been saying as well, RC is one of those sections where its a combination of past skill at reading for speed and understanding, as well as coming up with a method for answering the questions. The first part is rather hard to improve upon significantly in a short period of time, but you can make up for that with the second part. Finding a method that works for you personally is the most important part. I modified the standard search and destroy method and it worked really really well for me. If you're interested in my method, I wrote a thread about it a while ago in detail, so search for "Vicviper's RC Method" or something like that.

Good luck, and remember to keep trying different methods until you find the right one for you - the first time I tried my method it worked like a charm for me, I got a 29 on one of the Kaplan full tests, so I stuck with that.

 

[ucla2134]

Practice makes perfect! Simple as that!

 

[TedyBearSuicide]

From what I remember, Kaplan was pretty spot on to the real test - I think the only difference was that my paragraphs were maybe 1-2 sentences shorter, and there were 3-4 more paragraphs.

What he said.👍

 

[Stephie3]

one more thing to look out for....they might try to put the LONGEST HARDEST most unrelated to science passage that will take the longest to wade through first. this could be a total time trap. if it seems like that, you may want to skip that passage, do the easier passages first, then come back to it. you want to make sure that you FINISH the reading comprehension section, getting through all of the questions (even if you have to guess on some of them). it is better to just finish the whole section with some guesses than run out of time and leave stuff blank. you aren't penalized for guesses at all. make sure to finish all sections. even PAT (some of the pat questions were impossible, so i just guessed on them instead of spending too much time on one question)

 

[Palmetto914]

RC, for me, went pretty well (23). Search and destroy works to an extent, but I found it VERY beneficial when combined with effective scanning skills. You can scan each paragraph for key words and phrases, giving you a sort of "road map" of the passage. When going through the questions, I could then refer back to that map to know where to find the answer. I then read that paragraph in more detail to lock in on the answer. Save the tone questions for last. By the time you've scanned and answered the more direct questions, you'll have a good feel for the passage (and probably will have read the majority of it while simultaneously answering questions)...I know a 23 isn't a 30, but I'm an engineer, so a 23 in reading is like a 30 for me, haha!

 

[preOMFS]

I used same technique as stated above.

 

[yuppers]

I did search and destroy.... except for that one inference passage.

 

[drashleypaige]

Well RC was my best section (22)...search and destroy is the best method that I think works.

 

[alanan84]

when i took the test, i started out trying to read the entire first passage about some crazy topic, then answer the questions. this took up half on hour. one one passage! when i had like three of them to read. so i thought that method of just reading it then answer the questions doesn't work. you also may get lucky enough to get some science passages you already know a bit about, so you dont have to search for each answer if you already know it in your mind.

I actually disagree with this. Reading the passage and then answering the questions is the way to get a freaking awesome score. But, you have to be able to read quickly and you have to keep in mind the goal of reading the entire passage at the beginning is NOT to remember or retain everything but to remember WHERE certain things are so you can quickly scan and find them again. I read every single passage before answering the questions and still had a couple minutes left over. I think practicing reading science articles could be beneficial.

Also, be careful answering questions based on what you know without looking through the passage. I remember one where I initially chose one answer that based on prior knowledge sounded correct. When I double checked it in the passage, I found the right answer was actually a different answer choice.

 

[Vicviper]

I actually disagree with this. Reading the passage and then answering the questions is the way to get a freaking awesome score. But, you have to be able to read quickly and you have to keep in mind the goal of reading the entire passage at the beginning is NOT to remember or retain everything but to remember WHERE certain things are so you can quickly scan and find them again. I read every single passage before answering the questions and still had a couple minutes left over. I think practicing reading science articles could be beneficial.

Also, be careful answering questions based on what you know without looking through the passage. I remember one where I initially chose one answer that based on prior knowledge sounded correct. When I double checked it in the passage, I found the right answer was actually a different answer choice.

It really depends on you personally, and how you do best with these types of questions. For me, my method oif reading all of the questions first worked much better for me, and let me get my 30 on the test. For someone else, my method might not necessarily work. You're very right about answering questions from previous knowledge though, I think they have questions that seem familiar on purpose to try to trick you into doing that, haha.

 

[alanan84]

It really depends on you personally, and how you do best with these types of questions. For me, my method if reading all of the questions first worked much better for me, and let me get my 30 on the test. For someone else, my method might not necessarily work. You're very right about answering questions from previous knowledge though, I think they have questions that seem familiar on purpose to try to trick you into doing that, haha.

Totally agree, you've got to find what works best for you. I just think some people need to not be so scared to read the whole darn passage. Sometimes I think that's the difference between an 20 and a 24 you know? Congrats on your freaking 30 man, that's awesome!

 

[enfuego]

p.s. i personally feel like no practice reading from a science journal would actually help. science papers are all so different, so its not like by reading them, you can gain a vocabulary that would help you on the test. instead, you should spend your time really studying for sessions that you feel you can score really well in and this can help offset a low score in something like reading comprehension. but be sure to prepare for every section of the test..dont blow one section off. except for reading comprehension lol search and destroy, baby.

I haven't taken the actual DAT yet, but the RCs I've been doing for practice seem insanely easy. I think it's partly because I've done research and had to read through tons of journal articles looking for specific information that applied to our project. It definitely helps you improve speed reading skills and learn how to pick out the important information from irrelevant details.

Search and destroy on its own is a waste of time, IMO. You should at least skim through the whole essay first. Then when you look at the questions, you know roughly where in the passage you should look. If you go straight to the questions, then you have no idea what the passage contains, and you'll have to waste time searching a long, unfamilar essay for some random key word, which could be at the very end for all you know. Skim first so you have a general idea of the layout and roughly what it's about, then go to search and destroy.

 

[Vicviper]

I haven't taken the actual DAT yet, but the RCs I've been doing for practice seem insanely easy. I think it's partly because I've done research and had to read through tons of journal articles looking for specific information that applied to our project. It definitely helps you improve speed reading skills and learn how to pick out the important information from irrelevant details.

Search and destroy on its own is a waste of time, IMO. You should at least skim through the whole essay first. Then when you look at the questions, you know roughly where in the passage you should look. If you go straight to the questions, then you have no idea what the passage contains, and you'll have to waste time searching a long, unfamilar essay for some random key word, which could be at the very end for all you know. Skim first so you have a general idea of the layout and roughly what it's about, then go to search and destroy.

Like I said before, it depends on the person for the method, but yeah, most of the questions really aren't difficult, but it's a game of time. My method involves reading all the questions first and putting in the back of your mind all of the words that looked like key words, and then reading through the passage, and anytime a little lightbulb comes on in your head that's triggered by reading one of the words that was in the questions, you go to that question and answer it.

And thanks Alanan 🙂

 

[Emmie]

so for each passage, it's about 13 paragraphs and about 4-5 sentences each right? Have you guys seen anything way longer than that? thx!

 

[Vicviper]

I think one of mine was like 15-16 paragraphs, but one or two were like 2 sentences.

 

[peerless218]

I think one of mine was like 15-16 paragraphs, but one or two were like 2 sentences.

I remember one of my passage is 22 paragraphs long. It really took me by surprise. Search and destroy works as long as you dont hit the inference type of essay. I unfortuately got the piano passage....Guessing 17/17 on that passage sure wasn't very fun

 

[Emmie]

I remember one of my passage is 22 paragraphs long. It really took me by surprise. Search and destroy works as long as you dont hit the inference type of essay. I unfortuately got the piano passage....Guessing 17/17 on that passage sure wasn't very fun

so you basically saying the freaking piano has 22 paragraphs? Was the ans easy to find? lot of tones etc??

 

[peerless218]

so you basically saying the freaking piano has 22 paragraphs? Was the ans easy to find? lot of tones etc??

Sorry for the confusion. I meant to say that I had one essay that was 22 paragraphs long, NOT THE PIANO ONE. That one is about 12-15 paragraphs ifI remember correctly. Basically.......the piano passage requires you to think outside the box. Let say, it'll ask you what A is doing in the essay, but the questions will be like...if you combine A with B, what sound does the piano make .etc And a few tone questions of course. I guessed on almost every single one of the piano passage questions and I really dont now how the heck I got a 19 on RC. Someone must've been watching my back from above

 

[Teefs]

Got a 26 using S & D.

This was the first time I had taken the reading comprehension questions under timed constraints (seriously) and ended up being my highest section. Ended the section about ten minutes early, if Iremember correctly. . .

 

[msu2010dtb]

I didn't use S&D or any other study materials for this section other than reading tips and stuff out of a couple books (Barron's, Kaplan BB, etc) and what I already new. I read the entirety of the passages writing down some keywords, but what I though was helpful was writing paragraph number and it's basic idea or what it dealt with...I got a 28 overall on RC on the actual DAT so, hopefully something like this might work?