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Reading Comprehension Tips and
Strategies
Don't speed read. You need to find the pace of
reading that is just right for you: not so slow that you
waste time, but not so fast that you don't retain what
you read. Speed reading tends to be counter-productive
because you often don't retain enough to answer the
questions and will spend too much time rereading in
order to answer the questions. Read the question on the right side of the screen
before you read the passage. Sometimes you will find
the answer to the question half-way down through the
passage. You can answer that question immediately, then
read the next one and continue reading the passage. This
strategy can help save you time on the reading
comprehension questions. Read actively. At the end of every paragraph,
pause to reflect on what you have read so far. Ask
yourself why the author wrote that paragraph and predict
what you think the author will say next. On the GRE,
authors always have agendas; they write to persuade, not
to educate. Your job as you read is to determine that
agenda.
Don't hesitate to check back to the passage.
Reading comprehension is open-book! Don't hesitate to
check back in the passage to find an answer for a
question that asks about what the passage stated.
When checking back to the passage, read a little
above and a little below. The answer to the question
is usually close to the line you are sent back to, but
the test would be too simple if it was always in the
same line. Often, the answer will be either a little
above or a little below the line you are sent back to. Don't let unfamiliar subject matter worry you.
Although the topics for some passages can be unfamiliar
and the language can be a bit dense, the arguments
underlying the passage are often discernable if you
relax and don't let the esoteric subject matter
overwhelm you. You don't need any background knowledge
in order to answer the questions that accompany the
passage; anything that you need to understand will be
explained in the passage. Be careful to answer the questions based on what is
stated, not on your own external knowledge of the
subject. The questions don't ask you "which of the
following is true?" They ask "which of the following
must be true based on the passage?" In other words, you
should not use your own personal knowledge of the
subject in order to pick an answer, since this answer
choice may be incorrect if it isn't true based on the
passage. When answering questions, use only the
information that has been stated in the passage. Tips for Studying Reading
Comprehension
Focus first on understanding the passage. The
author of the passage always has an agenda, that is,
something he/she is trying to persuade you to believe.
Read to find what the author is attempting to convince
you (this is the author's main point). Once you become comfortable reading with a focus on
the main point of the passage, begin to focus on the
questions that accompany the passage. Determine
exactly what these questions are asking, and focus not
only on finding the correct answer, but also on learning
to eliminate the wrong answers more quickly.
Refrain from marking up the passage when you study.
On test day, you will not be able to underline or circle
on the computer screen! Make your practice realistic by
using scratch paper to take notes on the passage, and
resist any urge to underline!
Click here to see our reading comprehension practice
questions.
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