Reading Comprehension questions are one of the four styles covered in the GRE Verbal section–and worth a quarter of your mark. For your best chance at success in this second, you should aim to answer these questions in 60 seconds. Here are some tips to help you through this section at top speed.
- Read the Passage carefully. Depending on the length of the passage presented, it should take between 1.5 and 3.5 minutes. Read carefully the first time, or you risk wasting time later on.
- Look for structural hints. Certain words are clues to important ideas. They are: Continuance of an idea (Moreover, Likewise), Conclusion (Thus, Therefore), Contradiction (Although, Unlike) Highlight these during your initial read through.
- Identify the type of question being asked. There are 7 types: purpose, implied meaning, specific detail, structure/organization, application/connotation, attitude/tone, and except/not/least (pick the untrue statement).
- Practice identifying relationships between ideas. In addition to testing your ability to read, this section tests your ability to see relationships between ideas and make inferences based on those relationships.
- If you must go back to the passage, keep your focus narrow. Focus on the section of the passage referenced by the question. Do not waste time rereading anymore then you must.
Find out how your times measure up.