Yes, yet another verbal question! =)

[italian831]

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So I tried to do a verbal passage the EK way and the PR way- and the result is I got the same score! The thing is that when I'm skipping a psg completely I can really concentrate on the passages I actually do and the EK way I feel like I'm rushing to finish them all and end up guessing so same result I guess.

Now there isn't a particular question type I don't get and usually I get it down to 2, and obviously pick the other answer. I increased by 1 point on the last PR diagnostic test, but it's still low-- a 6 🙁 So I'm not sure how to go about this now, time is cutting close, and I literally practice verbal EVERYDAY at least 3 passages, but mostly a mini-test like 9.

Also, it seems those questions that ask where the author provides examples and you have to go back in the psg and find the examples give me trouble, know how you can approach those faster?


Any advice would help- thanks everyone! 🙂

 

[ADeadLois]

You're falling into the all-too-common verbal trap of being caught up on details. Although it may seem like it, the questions are NOT asking you to go back to the passage to glean specific details. If they were, everyone would get a 15.

The next you do a passage, try this: read through the passage ONCE and only ONCE, then go right to the questions. Force yourself to do the questions without going back to the passage. This will not only force you to read the passage for main ideas, but also force you to get info from the question stem and answer choices. This should ease you into becoming less dependent on the passage when answer questions. Ideally, you should read through the passage once, and then go back to the passage if absolutely necessary.

 

[italian831]

You're falling into the all-too-common verbal trap of being caught up on details. Although it may seem like it, the questions are NOT asking you to go back to the passage to glean specific details. If they were, everyone would get a 15.

The next you do a passage, try this: read through the passage ONCE and only ONCE, then go right to the questions. Force yourself to do the questions without going back to the passage. This will not only force you to read the passage for main ideas, but also force you to get info from the question stem and answer choices. This should ease you into becoming less dependent on the passage when answer questions. Ideally, you should read through the passage once, and then go back to the passage if absolutely necessary.

Ok, so i tried the new method on 2 passages, one thing I realized is that some of the information would be specific and I would forget, do you go back to the passage for that stuff? Or should i think about how the question is phrased...one question had 4 single word answers so it was specific on the passage...maybe i need to read more actively? and im not getting the main idea? what do you think...thanks for your help!!! 🙂

 

[UMP]

what ADeadLois is saying is completely right... but to use this strategy effectively you need to be using real AAMC tests or the EK tests... if you take a Kaplan (or PR) test and try to use the EK strategy it will not work as well because Kaplan's tests are made to fit their own strategy... unfortunately I think Kaplan tests are pretty far off, and so is their strategy... I can't say for sure about PR, but I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case also...

btw, what are you using for your verbal passage practice?

 

[ADeadLois]

Ok, so i tried the new method on 2 passages, one thing I realized is that some of the information would be specific and I would forget, do you go back to the passage for that stuff? Or should i think about how the question is phrased...one question had 4 single word answers so it was specific on the passage...maybe i need to read more actively? and im not getting the main idea? what do you think...thanks for your help!!! 🙂

Good call UMP...you need to use he strategy on EK or AAMC passages. Kaplan passages have more detail specific questions, which is not representative of the actual test.

Before going back to the passage, try to gather as much information you can from the question stem and answer choices. Just because the answer choices are single words doesn't necessarily mean that the question is detail-specific, it just might APPEAR that way. First, using your knowledge about the main ideas in the passage, try to eliminate any answer choices. Then think about which answer choice fits into the main idea of the passage and, most importantly, answers the question. Once you get a feel for the different types of answer choices, you can begin to recognize what answer choices are put there to throw you off...i.e. "big" words that really have nothing to do with anything, overly vague or ambiguous words or phrases. Now, if you know where in the passage you will be looking for the answer (down to 2-3 specific lines) then go back and read it. If you're going back to the passage to re-read entire paragraphs, then you're either doing more work than is required for the question, or missed something important when you first read it. If this is the case, you should try to answer the question from the above strategies, since re-reading large chunks of the passage is a waste of time. If all else fails, guess and move on.

 

[tik-tik-clock]

What does it mean to "try to derive the answer from the question stem or answer choices?"

Can you give me an example ?
Thanks 🙂

 

[HunterGatherer]

Go to barnes & noble or the library and look at the verbal section of Kaplan MCAT Comprehensive Review . excellent info on getting info from the question stem. It's only a few pages so you can take notes on it. The examples and hints in the verbal section are helpful as well.

ISBN: 0743266153
-or-
ISBN: 0743252055

any edition will do.

 

[ADeadLois]

What does it mean to "try to derive the answer from the question stem or answer choices?"

Can you give me an example ?
Thanks 🙂

The question stem clues you in to what sort of answer choice is required. If you understand what the question is asking, you can eliminate answer choices based on this. Here's an admittedly crude example.

The author of this passage would most likely agree with which of the following opinions?

a. tomatoes are red --(this is not an opinion, this is a fact...you can eliminate this answer).
b. tomatoes are delicious --(an opinion, but a very simple one...
c. the socioeconomics of tomatoes have a wide variety of verisimilitudes and are ripe with perspicacity (a very typical "super specific with big words answer choice"...the author's main idea is likely much simpler than this, so we can't assess whether he/she would agree with something so specific)
d. tomatoes are one of the most important crops in the country (the most likely answer, based purely on the question stem and other answer choices...this is an opinion that the author can discuss with examples and supporting evidence)

Again, this is very oversimplified. However, you can see that there are ways to eliminate answer choices without looking at the passage. A lot of MCAT verbal passages have consistently wrong answer choices, such as:

-big words and complex syntax
-too specific and don't completely answer the question
-sound correct, but contradict a word or condition in the question stem