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Andrea_
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fed up with preparation, still bad RC :( 22 Jun 2004, 14:33
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hi guys,
I'm just really fed up with GMAT. I've been studying it for last 3 years...

Don't be afraid - I'm jokin'. :)

I've been studying last 2 months. I spent really a lot of time on it, but my RC is still very bad.
Well, it's not always bad, it depends. But I'm not confident in it at all.

my scores:
Kaplan 640, 610
Princeton 590(1.5 months ago), 610,700
"Gmat 800" ~700
Power Prep 550, 550 (1.5 months ago)

the problem is that after all my preparations, I barely imroved my RC, despite the fact that I've read tons of these tedious texts from ETS Guide.
It still a matter of luck for me - whether I will answer correctly or not.

Do you know if there are any ways to really improve reading comprehension? I'm an international student, and effective reading of such passages is still a problem for me :(

I really fed up with all this preparation. I don't know maybe I should just go and pass the test whatever happens.
But I need really high score, that's the problem...

any feedback appreciated!
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boksana
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fed up with preparation, still bad RC :( 22 Jun 2004, 15:46
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First, try to translate into Russian and then answer to questions. It helps me. However, it takes a bit more time, but if you good at CR and SC it would be not a problem. Second, do outline or map for yourself.

Hope, this will help!

All the best
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Andrea_
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fed up with preparation, still bad RC :( Updated on: 22 Jun 2004, 19:17
Originally posted by Andrea_ on 22 Jun 2004, 17:25.
Last edited by Andrea_ on 22 Jun 2004, 19:17, edited 1 time in total.
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it's a very good idea.
i started doing so recently - writing at a piece of paper russian translation of main ideas.
it resulted in significant time increase
i hate RC :twisted:

if i ever pass GMAT, i'll tear out the RC pages from ETS guide, burn them, and dance on the ashes :twisted: :)
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fed up with preparation, still bad RC :( 22 Jun 2004, 18:24
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Andrea_
hi guys,
I'm just really fed up with GMAT. I've been studying it for last 3 years...

Don't be afraid - I'm jokin'. :)

I've been studying last 2 months. I spent really a lot of time on it, but my RC is still very bad.
Well, it's not always bad, it depends. But I'm not confident in it at all.

my scores:
Kaplan 640, 610
Princeton 590(1.5 months ago), 610,700
"Gmat 800" ~700
Power Prep 550, 550 (1.5 months ago)

the problem is that after all my preparations, I barely imroved my RC, despite the fact that I've read tons of these tedious texts from ETS Guide.
It still a matter of luck for me - whether I will answer correctly or not.

Do you know if there are any ways to really improve reading comprehension? I'm an international student, and effective reading of such passages is still a problem for me :(

I really fed up with all this preparation. I don't know maybe I should just go and pass the test whatever happens.
But I need really high score, that's the problem...

any feedback appreciated!
Show more




Andrea, welcome to the site,

I can suggest what I did. I am from Kiev and RC was the worst, I guess a similar story.

Try to stay involved in the passage. I have caught myself a dozen of times thinking about a beach while reading a gmat passage about marine biology or smth of that sort.

I usually would force myself to "guess" how it would go further, what would the passage containt, and how it would end. I guess the same way as we are reading interesting books.

I also sometimes stopped and summarized (5 secs) what I have just read. Sometimes I would spend 10 secs to summarize a paragraph or just would put a label on it. For example, if I read about two theories and the next paragraph is describing why one is good, I would say in my mind: free market economy theory is better than dictatorship becuase: reason 1: more money reason 2: faster growth reason 3: political stability.

Then at the very end, I would try to trace how tha passage went: two theories --> theory 1 --> theory 2 --> comparison --> conslucions: theory 1 is better

Obviously this is simplified.

--
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Emmanuel
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fed up with preparation, still bad RC :( 23 Jun 2004, 01:40
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Andrea_
hi guys,
I'm just really fed up with GMAT. I've been studying it for last 3 years...

Don't be afraid - I'm jokin'. :)

I've been studying last 2 months. I spent really a lot of time on it, but my RC is still very bad.
Well, it's not always bad, it depends. But I'm not confident in it at all.

my scores:
Kaplan 640, 610
Princeton 590(1.5 months ago), 610,700
"Gmat 800" ~700
Power Prep 550, 550 (1.5 months ago)

the problem is that after all my preparations, I barely imroved my RC, despite the fact that I've read tons of these tedious texts from ETS Guide.
It still a matter of luck for me - whether I will answer correctly or not.

Do you know if there are any ways to really improve reading comprehension? I'm an international student, and effective reading of such passages is still a problem for me :(

I really fed up with all this preparation. I don't know maybe I should just go and pass the test whatever happens.
But I need really high score, that's the problem...

any feedback appreciated!
Show more


Andrea_, did you try to split all the RCs into groups? For example, one RCs may ask about assumptions, other may conceentrate on finding parallel structures, etc.

Good review of RC types can be found in Kaplan (if I'm not mistaken...) Maybe you should try Kaplan Verbal workbook?
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fed up with preparation, still bad RC :( 23 Jun 2004, 11:04
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Also, I read an article elsewhere that some poeple have reading comprehension problem even in their native language.They are not able to focus properly,they are not patient enough to read long paragraphs, long sentences, easily get confused etc., All this in their native language.So, obviously it is even more tougher when it comes to differrent language like English.The article suggested, they need to fix the root cause first.

See if you have similar problem,if so,you may want to improve on that first, no point in using wrong medicine.
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Andrea_
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fed up with preparation, still bad RC :( 24 Jun 2004, 15:34
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Thank you guys for your suggestions. I'll study more and will write what helped the most.
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fed up with preparation, still bad RC :( 25 Jun 2004, 12:40
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late in replyin but I guess I was attracted bcos of the title of this topic...yes I too am ...... :roll:

the best thing with RC .. with all respect to everyone who has provided good advice here...

first... U better know what U are reading...FOUCS all ur head on the topic and do it with all heart( if U got a big one its better !)

2) always read the very frst LINE well enough to remembr it when U have finished with the passage.... reason: it will help U know what ''the author is talking about .... what is the main idea and just know where the passage is gona take U ''

3->try to make two to three lines of each para...
frst para= says a..b and d...
second = e...g and h
third = x y and Z
last = good lock!
thsi way U get an idea in a simple format in about few lines... this takes time and popractice!

4--> the last para is important for it will tell U ''what the author concluded and what can be continued ...''

5) be smart look for what type of qeustion is being asked and depending U watch out for the para and ans ... EX: an inference q ...for sure the ans wud not be any line from the passage ''cos U have to infer and it has to come frm somewhere but not the passage...

hope that helps!

Have fun :)
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bono
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fed up with preparation, still bad RC :( 18 Jul 2005, 01:13
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How about reading LSAT passages?

Does anybody have good links to download the passages from the Net?

:roll:
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rchadha
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fed up with preparation, still bad RC :( 29 Aug 2005, 11:16
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Hey Guys! Similar problems.....Struggling with focussing issue on RC....really got to be patient....However, it does get better with time...I'm kinda runnung out of practice material....tried to do LSAT but those RC passages are looong and drone on and on....even harder to keep focus....Ideas? Ideas? Will be welcome!
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