Hello, I would like to have some advice regarding the creation of a passage map in reading comprehension and the way to read in order to improve my timing.Right now my accuracy in these questions is good.However,when I am trying to create a passage map,I waste too much time mainly because it is a little difficult for me to abbreviate when I am in a time constraint.
Another problem I face is that I the best way to a understand everything in a passage is reading each sentence separately instead of a paragraph.The problem is that I do not know whether it will take me more time than reading a complete paragraph which I would need to do twice to get the simple story.
Moreover,I wanted to know if it is necessary to write the simple story when i am creating a passage map?
is there some kind of exercise I could do to improve my abbreviation because I keep having this problem not only on RC but also on CR.
Thank You.
GMAT Forum
2 postsPage 1 of 1
- EnriqueR905
- Students
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2016 1:41 pm
- RonPurewal
- Students
- Posts: 19744
- Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:23 am
Re: RC timing
i would actually recommend not abbreviating anything at all.
if you abbreviate too many things, you'll waste MUCH more time trying to "decode" your own writing than you would have spent simply writing out the words in the first place. remember—it takes LITERALLY LESS THAN ONE SECOND to write out an entire word instead of an abbreviation.
also, don't forget that one of the main purposes of RC is to test your ability to understand the main points/themes of a passage WITHOUT READING MOST OF IT.
what you are talking about here -- "reading every sentence" -- is EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO. in fact, this exam is actually testing your ability to understand the "big picture" WITHOUT DOING THAT!
when you're "reading" the passages -- especially longer passages -- you should "read" the passages as though your job were to MAKE A TABLE OF CONTENTS for them.
furthermore, try pretending that you actually get paid per table of contents that you make -- meaning that you have a significant financial incentive to be VERY efficient.
under these circumstances, i'd imagine you'd have a MUCH better sense of which parts of the passages are actually important to read and which aren't. remember—the only point of "reading" the passages is to prepare you for main-idea questions, in which the entire passage is condensed into a 5-10 word answer choice!
if you abbreviate too many things, you'll waste MUCH more time trying to "decode" your own writing than you would have spent simply writing out the words in the first place. remember—it takes LITERALLY LESS THAN ONE SECOND to write out an entire word instead of an abbreviation.
also, don't forget that one of the main purposes of RC is to test your ability to understand the main points/themes of a passage WITHOUT READING MOST OF IT.
what you are talking about here -- "reading every sentence" -- is EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO. in fact, this exam is actually testing your ability to understand the "big picture" WITHOUT DOING THAT!
when you're "reading" the passages -- especially longer passages -- you should "read" the passages as though your job were to MAKE A TABLE OF CONTENTS for them.
furthermore, try pretending that you actually get paid per table of contents that you make -- meaning that you have a significant financial incentive to be VERY efficient.
under these circumstances, i'd imagine you'd have a MUCH better sense of which parts of the passages are actually important to read and which aren't. remember—the only point of "reading" the passages is to prepare you for main-idea questions, in which the entire passage is condensed into a 5-10 word answer choice!
2 posts Page 1 of 1