Gametime24 Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 Hey, I'm studying in a SUPER cramped timeline.. I got a 10 on the first verbal test I did (aamc 3R) stayed there for a bit (4R and 5R) got a 9 on EK 101 passages test 1.. recently i have improved some, getting 11 on EK 101 passages tests 2, 3 and 4. Just cant seem to break the 11 range and into the 12-13 range! I always like to be scoring higher in practice that what would satisfy me on the real thing (ie Id like to be scoring 12-13 in practice so I can comfortably get an 11+) I know practice test aren't ALWAYS indicative of performance, however, any tips would be helpful! Right now im trying to stress the main ideas of the passages and see how examples cited in the passage provide support for or against the authors opinion. Anyone in a similar situation? Or anyone that has gotten into that higher range and has some tips! Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zunik Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 Its pretty good to get 11... do more practice questions to boost your confidence. How did you practice for your verbal so far? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagan Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 If you're scoring 10-11 already, you're probably doing most things right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gametime24 Posted June 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 Just finished another EK passages test and got a 12 on it, but just barely! They list 53-55 to be the range for 12 and I scored a 53/60 lol. I'll definitely keep doing more practice passages, I have about 5 more EK tests to go through and 4 more full aamc tests (obv with a verbal section in them). I read the EK verbal book briefly before starting the practice tests, some things I knew I wouldn't have time to fully get into so I didn't practice them (trying to figure out the tone and material of the passage from just the question stems, etc). However, I have no doubt that, given the proper time, they would be very useful! Tips I've actually used so far are : Stay away from absolutes If you think the answer is directly in the passage, go get it! but do so quickly as to not waste time (found it helps eliminate simple mistakes which are huge when the scale is so tight) Rely on passage information, NOT outside info you already know MAIN IDEA is huge! Try to find the trend of the passage, what is the purpose of the author writing it, any answers that support that purpose are probably right (unless the question is what would the author NOT agree with, etc) I've just taken those tips and kept them in mind while reading the passages and answering the questions in the practice tests I have available to me. Seeing an increase I guess so that's good! Hopefully I can pound out another 12 later tonight! I tend to have trouble with some of the passages based on more historical things, Greek history, etc. I always find about two passages per test that I just have trouble pulling a good trend out of or really understanding the point of the author, which makes answering the questions far more difficult for those passages.. Does anybody have tips on how to deal with the more difficult passages on each test? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PastaInhaler Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 1. Strategy Remember to relax on the verbal. Also, don't be hard on yourself. Take the breaks before each passage including the first passage. 2. Difficult Passages Pay attention to the first paragraph. Usually, there is a lot of information there. Read quickly, but if you can spare it, re-read paragraph 1 again at the end, it should take like 20 seconds. There are exceptions to the rule, but most essays have a lot of the author's input in the first paragraph. This does not apply to all essays, but most. If the crucial information is not found in sentence 1, it is found near the end of the paragraph, sentence n, and sentence n-1. Read these twice or thrice if needed, it should only take a few extra seconds. At the end of the passage, try to figure out the main idea. If you are unable to, then try to figure out what type of professor who would have written the article. Was it a Classics professor, a Philosophy professor, or a Geology professor? Once you have established the type of professor, use this information to stereotype the author. Be harsh, and be vulgar, but not outloud. Do it all in the quietness of your mind. Use this information to gain insight into how to tackle the questions. Philosophy professors think they are lawyers, so they try to trip you up with a technicality, some wrong interpretation of their logic, or the incorrect usage of a definition. Philosophers deal in topics that are hard to illustrate with concrete examples, so they rely on their reasoning to argue things or they use metaphors. Use this information to figure out what the author is arguing about. 3. Questions When you are tackling the questions, utilize all the tools you have, including the process of elimination. Read the question carefully, but do not skim. Then the first step you should do is find a wrong answer. Continue this process until you are left with 1 or 2 answers that you have a hard time rejecting as a wrong one. Think slowly about the 2 remaining answers, and look for the one that may actually be correct in more cases. This is usually the right one. A narrow answer is a possible suspect for another distracter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gametime24 Posted June 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Thanks for the input! I'm about to start another test from the EK 101 passages so I'll try all of that, especially for the difficult passages! Hope to post back with some good results soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gametime24 Posted June 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Finished the other practice test, scored an 11 again, however, more of the wrong answers were simple ones.. Assuming because I wrote the test from midnight till 1:30 lol.. Taking a little break from verbal for some bio studying! Will try again tomorrow after work and see how it goes! Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amalwa12 Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Just finished another EK passages test and got a 12 on it, but just barely! They list 53-55 to be the range for 12 and I scored a 53/60 lol. I'll definitely keep doing more practice passages, I have about 5 more EK tests to go through and 4 more full aamc tests (obv with a verbal section in them). I read the EK verbal book briefly before starting the practice tests, some things I knew I wouldn't have time to fully get into so I didn't practice them (trying to figure out the tone and material of the passage from just the question stems, etc). However, I have no doubt that, given the proper time, they would be very useful! Tips I've actually used so far are : Stay away from absolutes If you think the answer is directly in the passage, go get it! but do so quickly as to not waste time (found it helps eliminate simple mistakes which are huge when the scale is so tight) Rely on passage information, NOT outside info you already know MAIN IDEA is huge! Try to find the trend of the passage, what is the purpose of the author writing it, any answers that support that purpose are probably right (unless the question is what would the author NOT agree with, etc) I've just taken those tips and kept them in mind while reading the passages and answering the questions in the practice tests I have available to me. Seeing an increase I guess so that's good! Hopefully I can pound out another 12 later tonight! I tend to have trouble with some of the passages based on more historical things, Greek history, etc. I always find about two passages per test that I just have trouble pulling a good trend out of or really understanding the point of the author, which makes answering the questions far more difficult for those passages.. Does anybody have tips on how to deal with the more difficult passages on each test? Hi! Just wondering what book you're using to do these tests? The EK 101 passages that i have scores out of 40. Is there a conversion scale or perhaps you're using a different version of the book? Thanks and good luck raising your score:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numero0121407 Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Hi! Just wondering what book you're using to do these tests? The EK 101 passages that i have scores out of 40. Is there a conversion scale or perhaps you're using a different version of the book? Thanks and good luck raising your score:) I was wondering the same too, are you doing them in timed conditions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Femto Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 I was wondering the same too, are you doing them in timed conditions? Hi! Just wondering what book you're using to do these tests? The EK 101 passages that i have scores out of 40. Is there a conversion scale or perhaps you're using a different version of the book? Thanks and good luck raising your score:) I am pretty sure he is using the old version of EK 101, when the test was out of 60. And yes, there is another conversion table for that test. I found one of the old ones online as a free download, so that is the one I have been using also. Apparently all of the passages and questions are the same, just reformatted for the now 40Q in 60min. Instead of there being 11 tests, there are 14 or something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numero0121407 Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 I am pretty sure he is using the old version of EK 101, when the test was out of 60. And yes, there is another conversion table for that test. I found one of the old ones online as a free download, so that is the one I have been using also. Apparently all of the passages and questions are the same, just reformatted for the now 40Q in 60min. Instead of there being 11 tests, there are 14 or something like that. So you just time yourself beyond one hour, however long you need to do 60questions on the old test and convert them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Femto Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Well, actually, I have just been doing one passage at a time, and aiming to stay within 8:00 - 9:00, depending on how many questions in the stem, for each passage. I only take a few minutes in between each passage to review the answers that gave me trouble. In this way, I have been doing 10 to 15 passages at a time. I am not too worried about endurance at this point, but more concerned with honing my precision. As I get closer to my test date I will only do 7 passages in 60min for practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bored Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 ok guys.. i started doing varbal from ek today.. Im getting around 4-5/7.. this is so sad.. I hope things get better in two weeks or so.. also, how much should one spend on reading the passage? I know ek advices against doing fast reading.. but Im taking 5-7 minutes to read a passage.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amalwa12 Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 I think 5-7 minutes is way too long. You need to read in 2-4 minutes and answer the questions in 3-4 minutes to spend a total of 7-9 minutes per passage, which is the estimated time you should be spending. Maybe you're focusing on details or re-reading parts? Try to read it as if it was just a story - that helps me a lot. In fact, I use hand gestures as if I'm reading out a story and explaining it to someone. Lol that might look a little retarded but it sure helps to instill the point in me. Perhaps get yourself a copy of the EK verbal book (not the 101) and read their rules (which emphasize that you should be looking out for a main idea). Most people like the EK method. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bored Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 Yup I got both ek books. Maybe I'm too slow because I'm trying to understand it all and relate it to the previous point. Well I just started reading so I'll give an update in a week or so. I think 5-7 minutes is way too long. You need to read in 2-4 minutes and answer the questions in 3-4 minutes to spend a total of 7-9 minutes per passage, which is the estimated time you should be spending. Maybe you're focusing on details or re-reading parts? Try to read it as if it was just a story - that helps me a lot. In fact, I use hand gestures as if I'm reading out a story and explaining it to someone. Lol that might look a little retarded but it sure helps to instill the point in me. Perhaps get yourself a copy of the EK verbal book (not the 101) and read their rules (which emphasize that you should be looking out for a main idea). Most people like the EK method. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gametime24 Posted June 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 You'd be correct, I have the old version of the book with 60 question tests! I've been doing mine in three passage chunks on a timer, then 3-4 min break for marking, continue on. Doing that, I've been able to finish the 9 passage tests in about 70-75 mins (they give you 85). I write on June 16th though, so its time to step it up to the 6-7 passage runs just to get used to the uncertainty you feel after answering that many iffy questions without any outside assurance you did them right! Reallllllllly wanting a 12 on this section so hopefully it works out! Good luck to the rest of you studying too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numero0121407 Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 I consistently get questions wrong on passages to do with geology/earth/ocean/space....I don't know what to do about that. I just don't get these passages, I dont find a theme/argument that I can follow like I do in other types of passages. I find them very info-heavy and I cannot process or remember most of it. I tried reading up about the stuff, didin't help at all ...any suggestions as to how I should approach them? Some people suggested skipping the passage I don't get and focusing on the other ones, do you guys think its a good idea? Based on my practice, I finish all 7 passages exactly on time, and I get 6-8 wrong excluding that ones passage that I just don't get (so that's another 6-7 wrong)....I don't know how to fix this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inception. Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 I consistently get questions wrong on passages to do with geology/earth/ocean/space....I don't know what to do about that. I just don't get these passages, I dont find a theme/argument that I can follow like I do in other types of passages. I find them very info-heavy and I cannot process or remember most of it. I tried reading up about the stuff, didin't help at all ...any suggestions as to how I should approach them? Some people suggested skipping the passage I don't get and focusing on the other ones, do you guys think its a good idea? Based on my practice, I finish all 7 passages exactly on time, and I get 6-8 wrong excluding that ones passage that I just don't get (so that's another 6-7 wrong)....I don't know how to fix this Keep practicing and don't get discouraged. Also reading up on the stuff helps. It will take some time to see some improvement but just keep at it and eventually you will be able to do them. Different people have different strengths but persistence is the key to get the score you want . Good luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyfeet Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 One thing I've recently figured out is to go with your gut feeling! Usually the answer I thought was correct at first (but picked something else) is in fact correct...but somehow I tell myself to pick the wrong answer...maybe because I am rushing.. I also find that I take too long to read the passage (5 mins) and then 3-4 mins answering questions..so it ends up being 9 mins per passage...I think I am doing the same thing..trying to understand the passage as I am reading..I write in 2 months though..hopefully that is enough time to improve? I am kind of losing hope at this point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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