How to Increase Your Accuracy on RC – 1

How to Increase your Accuracy on RC – 1- RC carries significant weight on the CAT exam, and many test-takers face difficulties with it. I receive numerous queries about RC, so I have decided to dedicate a series of posts to help crack Reading Comprehension.

There has always been a debate on whether to read the passage first and then answer the questions or vice versa. Reading the entire passage first is an effective strategy for those who are proficient in reading lengthy texts. Being exceptionally good and comfortable entails the ability to read the entire passage without losing concentration, answer questions about the primary purpose or central idea without referring back to the passage, and remember specific parts of the passage for answering particular questions.

However, most Indian test-takers struggle with these abilities. They often lose interest or sneak a peek at the questions, making it difficult to maintain focus. Therefore, looking at the questions first and treating RC like a “Match the Following” exercise is not recommended.

I suggest a third approach that addresses the issues faced with the previous two. Read one paragraph at a time and immediately solve any related questions. This approach improves accuracy on specific questions as you have just read the relevant part of the passage. If there are no related questions, move on to the next paragraph and repeat the process. Solve all summary questions at the end.

If the paragraphs are short, consisting of four lines or fewer, you can read two at a time before answering the questions.

Although I have been promoting this approach, I still receive queries about its effectiveness and Increase your Accuracy on RC – 1 in general. The best way to address these queries is by practicing with RC passages from recent CAT exams using the paragraph to questions approach.