Don’t read: Revolutionary technique for solving RC for GRE, GMAT & CAT

By: Satyadhar Joshishivgan3@yahoo.com

http://onlineclasses.nanotechbiz.org/

Contents of Plan

• Introduction • General areas of RCs• Predefined strategy• Pre knowledge• Skim to find author’s tone• Get to the question, read it carefully and eliminate

options. Never select always remove• Diplomatic: Author is always diplomatic and so is the

answer i.e. Never are things in extreme direction

http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/GRE/pdf/011499.GRE.pdf

Time strategy with the RCs• In GRE there are 30 questions in 30 minutes, if someone do

the antonyms fast enough we have around 10 min for 7 RC question. Thus we have around 1.5 minutes for one RC questions.

• But, we cannot go back to questions in GRE and GMAT therefore the first question must be done carefully in more than 1.5 minutes, hence I suggest that you practice to read the paragraph in around 2.5 minutes before moving the questions

• Statistically 3 question in 5 min, 4 question RC may be done in 7 minutes & 5 question in 8 min

ETS says:

• Reading comprehension questions measure your ability to read with understanding, insight and discrimination. This type of question explores your ability to analyze a written passage from several perspectives. These include your ability to recognize both explicitly stated elements in the passage and assumptions underlying statements or arguments in the passage as well as the implications of those statements or arguments.

http://www.ets.org/gre/general/prepare/sample_questions/verbal/reading_comprehension

ETS says:

Pay attention to the following as you review the passage:• the function of a word in relation to a larger segment of the passage• the relationships among the various ideas in the passage• the relationship of the author to the topic or to the audience.You will find five types of reading comprehension questions to answer:• the main point of the passage• information explicitly stated in the passage• information or ideas implied or suggested by the author• possible applications of the author's ideas to other situations,

including the identification of situations or processes analogous to those described in the passage

• the author's logic, reasoning, or persuasive techniques

http://www.ets.org/gre/general/prepare/sample_questions/verbal/reading_comprehension

ETS says:

• You should analyze each passage carefully before answering the accompanying questions. As with any kind of close and thoughtful reading, look for clues that will help you understand less explicit aspects of the passage. Try to separate main ideas from supporting ideas or evidence. Try also to separate the author's own ideas or attitudes from information he or she is presenting.

• Note transitions from one idea to the next, and examine the relationships among the different ideas or parts of the passage. For example, are they contrasting? Are they complementary? Consider the points the author makes, the conclusions drawn, and how and why those points are made or conclusions are drawn.

• The best answer is the one that most accurately and most completely answers the questions being posed. Be careful not to pick an answer choice simply because it is a true statement. Be careful also not to be misled by answer choices that are only partially true or only partially satisfy the problem posed in the question.

• Answer the questions on the basis of the information provided in the passage. Do not rely on outside knowledge. Your own views or opinions may sometimes conflict with the views expressed or the information provided in the passage. Be sure that you work within the context of the passage. You should not expect to agree with everything you encounter in reading passages.

http://www.ets.org/gre/general/prepare/sample_questions/verbal/reading_comprehension

RCs in GMATWhat Is MeasuredReading Comprehension questions measure your ability to understand, analyze, and apply information and concepts presented in written form. This section evaluates the following abilities:

• Understanding words and statements in reading passages: Questions of this type test your understanding of and ability to comprehend terms used in the passage and your understanding of the English language.

• Understanding the logical relationships between significant points and concepts in the reading passages: Questions of this type ask you to determine the strong and weak points of an argument or to evaluate the importance of arguments and ideas in a passage.

• Drawing inferences from facts and statements in the reading passages: Questions of this type ask you to consider factual statements or information and, on the basis of that information, reach a general conclusion.

• Understanding and following the development of quantitative concepts as they are presented in verbal material: Questions of this type involve the interpretation of numerical data or the use of simple arithmetic to reach conclusions about material in a passage.

http://www.mba.com/mba/TheGMAT/TestStructureAndOverview/VerbalSection/

Areas of RCs

• Science: Medicine, botany, zoology, chemistry, physics, geology, astronomy

• Humanities: Art, literature, music, philosophy, folk, philosophy

• Social Science: History, economics, sociology, government

• Tone is trying to convince or share his opinion

Pre knowledge of the areas for GRE Reading comprehension1. Biology and Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology2. Psychology and basics of mind and behavior, how and where signals go and their effect on working on brain, child psychology 3. History of US and World: Civil War, African American, Slavery, Wars (Eng vs. France)4. Communism and Capitalism with their important meanings5. Literature: Poems, scriptures, plays, mythology etc… Example Milton’s work6. Feminism and situation of women in world and US, esp Black female character7. Philosophy and basics, Greek, Persian and other older mythology 8. Global warming, Recession, Job loss, Economics etc9. Formation of us and immigration from England 10. Female poets 11. Critics and implications from historical prospective 12. US history from 1650-1700, 1700-1800 and 1800-1900 and issues 13. Sociology14. All genre of novels and also novels and style of various writers 15. Sound and related folks old things , folk arts , what is jazz and different type of music 16. Bronze age, iron age 17. Marxist Ideology and old and new labor laws for economics also, also industrialism 18. Anthropology19. US civil wars, African Americans, Indian Americans, Mexican American artists 20. Human relations 21. Spanish Language and its evolutions or in fact all languages 22. Biographies 23. Photography and sculptures 24. Public Administration of power distribution between kings and other men25. Renaissance 26. Russia vs. America27. Movies how they started in USA

Ability to concentrate.

• Yoga and meditation• Spacing out, drifting off, falling asleep, etc

Diplomatic Language • Diplomatics is the "science of diplomas, or of ancient writings, literary

and public documents, letters, decrees, charters, codicils, etc., which has for its object to decipher old writings, to ascertain their authenticity, their date, signatures, etc."

Tactics: Strategy1. Read questions and then read passage2. Learn major question types and technical terms3. Main ideas depends on first and last lines of each paragraph4. Don’t be too specific or too broad5. Be careful to understand tone: Author is always diplomatic

and political6. Inferences are tough, see what passage implies and not

what it states7. Put yourself in author’s page: He generally tells the story for

a purpose

Addition to the strategy

1. Writing techniques are: Comparing vs Contrasting 2. Show case effect 3. State a position and then examples4. Extension5. Tones: Positive, negative or neutral (mostly it is

neutral)6. Focus on adjectives 7. Answer is not emotional, not extreme, and not

grammatically wrong

Track Words

• Example: but, since, therefore, etc

Importance of Pivotal / Triggering Words

1. Loud and speak these words with care and effort: but, however, although, except

2. While in pace reading you may forget these words

3. They helps to find authors attitude, complexity involved, significance points, strong opinions, weak and unsupported points

Fast reading concepts

1. Eye movement2. Non-lip and no-voice reading3. Varying the pace here and there4. Urgency5. Same energy level6. Developing interest and understand how

they squeezed all the information to one RC, it’s a tough job to do that so enjoy your time

Put yourself in authors position

• ETS revelations: Big book and Real 19• Various Exams GRE vs GMAT vs TOEFL• Distributions of areas

DIAGRAMMING• Time, Details and Focus

Common Questions asked:

1. Main idea2. Attitude of writer3. Author says4. Author does not say5. Implied meaning6. Title of passage

Advanced concepts: changing seats

1. Outside knowledge always help but don’t apply it to the RC2. Inside knowledge is also helpful, means ETS ways of writing

RC3. This is not business reading, not normal reading not novel

reading, this is ETS reading4. Optimizing scratch paper usage if necessary5. Learn to pick and detect the use of Yin Yang words6. POE is a great weapon7. Detect vague answers with the help of: Sometimes, can,

may, most, usually

Power of Elimination (POE)

• Author is mostly and careful in taking a diplomatic stand while discussing his ideas, views and contention.

• Extremism is rarely present in any part of the discussion

• Author generally generalizes the answer

WWE Elimination Chamber

Basics of Business JudgmentThis is the most important form of problems posed under the BJ section. You will begiven different conclusions / statements / assumptions / items and would be requiredto classify each of these under one of the following categories viz.1. MAJOR OBJECTIVE: An objective is a final result desired by someone. Hence amajor objective is the most important result desired. It is the aim or the majorpurpose of some action.2. MAJOR FACTOR: A factor is used to determine the decision. Thus a major factoris a basic factor influencing a decision. It might affect the basic reason for someaction.3. MINOR FACTOR: It is a secondary/less important factor affecting the decisiontaking process.4. MAJOR ASSUMPTION: It is the basic/primary assumption made by the decisionmaker in order to make the decision.5. UNIMPORTANT ISSUE: It is not significantly related to the decision makingProcess.

Art of War (RC): Understand your enemy

• What is his constrains

• And limitations

• War on with ETS to get the RCs correct

Greek Mythology for RC

Practice with me

• While the online classes get: scratch paper to add one word for each paragraph, eliminating options.

• Test and practice this all with me!!!!• Join the next session for Practice• Example RCs from big book

Examples

• Arts & History• Business & Economy • Science & Engineering

References

• GRE Barrons• GRE Nova• Cracking the GMAT • How to read better and faster• ETS• http://gmatclub.com/forum/rc-through-

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