Check out this new Learnboard with a step by step guide to conquering RC once and for all!
Step 1 — To start, here’s the mandatory books you’ll need to get:
- GMAT Official Guide – 13th edition
- GMAT Official Guide – Verbal review, 2nd edition
You’ll want to know the RC questions in this book backwards, forwards, and upside down.
Other books with lots of passages to practice:
- Veritas Prep – Reading Comprehension Guide
- Manhattan GMAT – RC Strategy Guide
- Artistotle Prep – RC Grail
Step 2 — Read The Economist, or other high-quality publications!
The Economist is a weekly newspaper focusing on international politics and business news. Not only is its subject-matter right up GMAT’s alley, but its written in a more advanced vernacular than your average newspaper — a level matched by the GMAT RC.
As you read these articles, do the following:
- Circle the topic
- Underline any transition words
- Write down the purpose of each paragraph
- Write down the author’s point of view in your own words
- Write down the Main Idea in your own words
Do all of this to build your RC skills — ALWAYS read with a pen in your hand, and always ask the million dollar question, “Why is the author saying this?”
Fun fact: You can use your Delta Skymiles for a free subscription. 3,200 miles gives you 51 issues!
For Steps 3 through 7, check out How to Destory GMAT Reading Comp (once and for all)!
Supporting idea questions ask about details directly stated in the passage. You can identify them because they will refer to only one part of the passage (and usually give line numbers). This is a common RC question-type on the GMAT!
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