some verbal ?'s

[kypreos]

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I have been using Examkrackers verbal prep. I am liking it. I do have a few questions though. I have slowly increased but it has been SLOW. I was expecting like 1 point jumps per test etc. but its slow. Immediately after each exam I review the questions I get wrong. I have realized that reviewing the ones I get right is important as well(or more important IMO) so I will also be doing that as well. I have taken six exams so far.

test 1: 4
test 2: 4
test 3: 6
test 4: 6
test 5: 7
test 6: 7

I have done better, slowly. I know it takes practice and I have plenty of practice ahead of me. My problem I am noticing is getting the main idea. I get virtually every problem that DOES require me to refer to the passage correct but the ones were it is not necessary, I am getting wrong. I am also having a hard time regarding "what would weaken the author's passage" type of questions. I am finishing with around 5 minutes left each time but I need to pull at least a 10 on the real thing(july 30th). Is there anything else i can do? should I just keep going since I am showing improvement? or are my scores not "normal" for where I am at? do I need to re-evaluate my study strategy? is what I am doing working or should the improvements be larger?

 

[itsalovestory]

i was getting a lot of the main idea questions wrong at first too. i then used part of EK's strategy and my score went up. a lot of companies like kaplan advise you to map the passage as you go along... i noticed that this was making me chunk out every paragraph. i was so focused on figuring out what that one paragraph was about that i forgot to tie the entire passage together. i then dropped all mapping, and read the entire passage as a whole before hitting the questions. as i was reading, i started imagining it all in my head. think about the scene as it's described, what the author must look like, etc. it helps get into the author's shoes, and then the main idea questions are easy. also, i tried working backwards often on verbal. i would literally cross out every wrong answer, and then find the right one instead of the other way around. it was this stupid argument with myself in my head on every question, "well that one can't be right because of this!"

 

[kypreos]

I hear ya on the main idea, but these passages are getting the best of me. Last night I took another exam and pulled a 6 on exam 8. I was pissed So today I decided to take a test Untimed to see how I would do. on exam 8, I pulled a 5. It has nothing to do with timing, something is wrong and Im getting frusterated. can anyone help me out here? I can't do well on verbal, It's killing me and examkrackers is kicking my ass.

 

[Vanguard23]

Test taking strategies are essential, esp. on Verbal. Eliminate the impossible then weed out the improbable. Very effective when the answer doesn't just jump out at you. Does sometimes require going back to get that little detail, but that's why the highlight feature comes in handy.

 

[kypreos]

I weed out the impossible and improbable but somehow they end up the answers.

 

[Vanguard23]

I weed out the impossible and improbable but somehow they end up the answers.

Example?

 

[kypreos]

for example questions that mention, which of these statements would the auther MOST agree. Well he'll tend to agree with all of them but i somehow never manage to get the one he agrees with THE MOST. Also questions that relate the passage to something completely different. Asking what situation would most similarly depict what the message of the passage. I know to answer these I need to get the main Idea of the passage which I am seem to be having serious difficulties regarding what the author is trying to say. thank you for all your responses btw, hopefully you can help me out.

I think im reading the passages improperly. I know you should skim them trying to get the main idea which I ihave been doing but then i read it too fast and find myself looking back for minor details too quickly, so I have slowed it down and finished the whole test withing seconds of the hour, taking my time to read the passages for details and make sure I fully understand the questions. Both have netted me subpar scores

 

[Vanguard23]

I really meant for you to give me a specific example, namely from the *old* Ek101 book(which I have). But go ahead anyways.

 

[kypreos]

Ok well can it wait till mourning? I just got in and its about 4:30, Ill post it as soon as I wake up. My family and friends got together and we all went out tonight and I just got home a few minutes ago. Thank you for the prompt response I will post the questions that I got wrong from the last test since I read some passages over even twice.

 

[Vanguard23]

Ok well can it wait till mourning?.

No. It must be done now. You have fifteen minutes to comply.

 

[kypreos]

No. It must be done now. You have fifteen minutes to comply.

dammit man you ask too much... lol

ok ill give you an example.

test 8, # 6 the passsage asks that the reader "imagine that 95% of the world. etdd and then it gives you 3 roman numerals. I put C correct answer was D

passage 5 from test 7 #'s 27-29, all wrong # 27, if the author were a warden in a prison, he would most probobly tend to place the least emphasis on .....I put D the correct answer is C. # 28, according to the passage, one drawback to eliminating capitol punishment is that it can lead to. I put C correct answer was A. also questions 32-34. that passage killed me and passage 1 did me in as well with numbers 1, 3, 4, 5. all wrong.

 

[Vanguard23]

I was so totally joking. I'll take a look at it in a bit. I'm at work right now.

 

[champs]

http://www.winningprep.com

.There are many sites offering gmat tutorials. But I can say for sure, none can beat winningprep.com. This will be my third attempy for the gmat and I had almost given up. But I got back all my lost confidence with the help of winningprep.com and its ebooks

.

 

[kypreos]

omg winning prep, I'm totally there, Im totally gonna KILL verbal on the GMAT!!!, I'm so PUMPED!!!

 

[kypreos]

I was so totally joking. I'll take a look at it in a bit. I'm at work right now.

no it cant for work. I'm studying right now. Im actually in the middle of a verbal test, and I could have used your help right about meow. thanks