Ultimate Guide to verbal reasoning w/ EK verbal 101

[christian15213]

Verbal reasoning is easier and yet Harder than you could ever imagine. However, what is funny about it is how you improve. Yet again this isn't funny. It is hard and REQUIRES practice.

First, EK's method is a little rediculous regarding time. You do have to work on your reading speed. A lot of normal and smart people have what is called vocalized reading, meaning they read at they speed they would speak / vocalize. at 8.57 minutes per passage this is a dangerous act to try and follow vocalized reading techniques.

However, with that said, if you read the passage in 30 minutes and answered 0 correct it wouldn't matter if you read the passage in 2 minutes and got zero correct.

So, first thing first, fix your reading comprehension. For guys, this can be more killer of a task IMO... Girls seem to just do better with this, probably because they actually read books besides science. lol.

For the most part when EK tells you to sit up straight and focus focus focus, this is ABSOLUTELY TRUE... Don't be distracted ONE second,,,, I mean nothing. Put in ear plugs and act as if this is the test that determines your life.

Now, for now, THROW away the timer. I need you to answer questions correctly not worry about speed. If you have the 101 verbal passages don't do a whole set at a time. Do one by one, otherwise it is a waste.

Generally Verbal is READING COMPREHENSION. it really is... For get the other and underlining and highlighting this and that... Mapping a passage, LMAO... yea right... NOT necessary... You should read the passage so well that if a question were asked you could recall the general idea of where it is in the passage. With practice this will become easier.

DO not visualize questions along the way of reading the passage per se. Agree in your mind or disagree with what the author is saying but don't try to think of a question you feel the test is going to pose for you... IT never is a question and you waiste valuable brain power thinking crtically about something that isn't going to be of use. The questions, feel like they come from left, right and center field.

Ek tells you to feel confident, This is TRUE... You should feel like you are going to kick butt today!!!

Don't worry too much about seeing why an answer was wrong. If you are fighting the reasoning of an incorrect answer you need to go to the local pub and get a drink and RELAX... The book is right, YOU are wrong. You just haven't read the passage critically enough to see why or why not the answer is what it is. You should miss a question and say... DOhhhhh I knew it could have been that choice, "won't make that silly mistake again." By now you should be missing only 1 or 2 per passage. When your at this level, you have graduated from level 1.

Go to the second verbal set and now lets work on time. Put a timer in front of you and let her rip... But again, don't do a whole set.... Just do one at a time. See how you did and go to the next passage...

Finally when you are done with Verbal set 2... Then go to Verbal set three and do the entire 60 questions set. and have it timed. this is some serious verbal conditioning but I FREAKING ASSURE you, you will improve your verbal score TREMENDOUSLY...

Verbal truly is pretty much reading comprehension.

Hope this helps...

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[Raihan Mirza]

wow, thanks for the tips. I really apreciate the advice

 

[MDee]

Awesome post!

 

[quiksilver87]

wow thanks...I currently do 2 untimed passages a day...My test is in august 14th! I got a 3 on my diagnostics! I am definitely seeing improvement, however I am still far behind!

What did you score on your first verbal? and what did you improve to? This question is for all of you!!

 

[poly800rock]

wow thanks...I currently do 2 untimed passages a day...My test is in august 14th! I got a 3 on my diagnostics! I am definitely seeing improvement, however I am still far behind!

What did you score on your first verbal? and what did you improve to? This question is for all of you!!

you absolutely need to time your stuff. always, forever.

 

[christian15213]

Glad I could help. Don't give up...

 

[quiksilver87]

you absolutely need to time your stuff. always, forever.

Why would I time a passage when I cant even do it all right untimed? I dont sit back and chill...I do a passage in a max of 14 minutes...

 

[christian15213]

Why would I time a passage when I cant even do it all right untimed? I dont sit back and chill...I do a passage in a max of 14 minutes...

I agree quick... IMO... it is important to see that you can actually DO it (meaning GET them all right or miss perhaps 1...) then work on time...

 

[Chowdder]

wow thanks...I currently do 2 untimed passages a day...My test is in august 14th! I got a 3 on my diagnostics! I am definitely seeing improvement, however I am still far behind!

What did you score on your first verbal? and what did you improve to? This question is for all of you!!

My first MCAT diagonist with PrincetonR was 8 8 3 and N. I got the same VR score as you but I scored a 12 on the last one. That was a lucky test for me, usually I'm scoring an average of 9-10. So there is hope. Keep it up chap

 

[ballzout2010]

It is actually quite easy. Hopefully your reading speed is up to bar. Measure that and improve on that first hand. you are not going to turn into a speed reader nor should you try to but you want to be a quicker more proficient reader.

2. After you are confident with your reading speed make sure you can do an entire easy to moderate passage in 7 minutes... YES SEVEN MINUTES...

What does that do. A lot.

Ok, when you are taking the exam between sections write down these numbers:

60
------- I
53
---------- II
46
--------- III
39
---------- IV
32
----------- V
25
--------- VI
18
---------- VII
11


Your saying great I just gave myself 11 minutes to spare... I am a genius.

The reason why you do this is to make sure you are following the proper time. The roman numerals are telling you where you should be and when. You will spend almost zero time figuring out if you are behind or not. The 11 minutes left over is not real. But in reality you will do many passage in the 7 minutes, if you come to a BUGGER of a passage then borrow out of the time bank. Now, when you borrow time you must remember that the time will come from the end of the 11 minutes. So perhaps a difficult passage will take an extra 3 minutes make that mind check and keep it moving. I have actually taken longer on some passages and then made the time back up on other passages.

Now in reality the system works for about the first 4 perhaps to 5 passages. When you get to the last two you should see you have about 20 to hopefully 16 minutes left... that is 10 to 8 minutes per passage... Which if you dont' give up can prove more questions right on the VR instead of the famous Christmas tree that occurs. I started this technique about 2 weeks away from the real test and it really worked out for me because apparently it was my best section LOL<<<not funny. I did only get an 8 however and furthermore I did christmas tree the last passage. I failed at my own technique but I understand why.

Ok, with all of that said, the next questions is how the hell does one try to develop a 7 minute per passage technique.

READ the QUESTIONS FIRST. here is where the practice exam to the real exam got a little hairy.

For the passages I could read the questions first I knew I rocked those. I am telling you when you take 20 to 30 seconds at the most and read JUST the question not the answer choices you GET an instant feel for what the story is going to be about.

FURTHERMORE, when you go to the passage you see all the filler BS they put in just to make the passage longer. You can almost immediately skim through this and sort of run into the sections or parts that are NECCESSARY to answer the questions.

By the time you read and go back to the questions to answer them it is not the SECOND time you officially read the question and I am telling you I answered so many of those questions correctly. For those of you coming from the dark depths of a very low score for verbal this is a consistant and good method to get you going.

Why did I screw up still and only got an 8... Like I said, I got tricked a little by the real test. For example, one passage had PARAGRAPHS as questions. I was like WTF? It threw me off for a little and I just say screw it and went to the passage to try and read that. I would say that passage was moderate to hard. Of course the famous CAVE / limestone passage = a smack in the face mostly because it was so technical... probably should have saved that one to the end but once you commit to a verbal it is hard to say go to the back. Then by the end I started reading about American Hopelessness and appropriately I had enough and christmas treed it. LOL, I did have about 6 or 5 minutes left but that is almost like a trap LOL. OH yea and I was robbing the bank a little too much and didn't really recover from that.

I hoped this made some sort of sense and helped a little