F. Don't read,
skim
The
test grades you on the ability to answer questions, not whether
or not you understand every nuance in the text. Do not try to
memorize information. Make a slight mental note of something
that seems important. Focus instead on the structure, the argument,
and what the writer is trying to say. Draw a mental road map
so that if you are asked a question on the detail later, you
may quickly locate the information.
ALTERNATIVE
STRATEGY- SPEED READING:
A common strategy to read
quicker is to focus on the first sentence of paragraphs. Think
about it, each essay is well written and well written paragraphs
are usually summarized in the first sentence. Thus, you can theoretically
ONLY read the first sentence and ignore the balance of each paragraph.
Since you aren't graded on reading the essay (just getting the
questions right) there is no reason that you have to read the
entire essay.
You can construct a mental road
map of the essay by simply reading the first sentence of each
paragraph. This will save you time and give you more time to
focus on the questions themselves.
In sum, there are six different
strategies to analyzing reading comprehension sections.
A. Identify the
writer's purpose and voice
B. Find the essay's main point
C. Find the purpose of each paragraph
D. Determine the scope of the argument
E. Determine the structure
F. Don't Read, Skim
II. Three
Most Common Question Types
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