One of the major challenges for CAT aspirants is to answer more accurately the questions related to reading comprehension (RC) passages. In the exam, the candidates must aim for at least 70% accuracy in RC questions. If you follow some tips and do activities to improve comprehension skills, then you can take your accuracy beyond 80%.
To test your level of accuracy and analyze the improvement, you must attempt regular mock tests and practice as many comprehensive passages as you can. If your score is below 70%, then you need to revamp your approach to RC. For this, you can opt for best online CAT coaching, follow the tips to improve reading skills, and practice it with dedication.
For those wondering whether they can crack the CAT exam without focusing on reading comprehension skills, they must know that it is not possible to do so. In the CAT 2020 exam, there were 26 questions related to verbal ability and reading comprehension (VARC). Out of these, 18 were based on RC, and the rest were from VA. This shows the weightage and importance of RC in the exam. Let’s understand how to improve reading skills for CAT with some tips and effective strategies. How to Develop Good Comprehension Skills for CAT?
Your reading speed matters a lot in solving comprehension questions. The faster you can read effectively, the more time you get to answer the questions. Therefore, you need to improve your reading skills for CAT by making it a habit to read the articles and editorial sections in English newspapers, online media portals, etc. You must read daily and also work on your vocabulary. You can also enroll in a CAT online course and find mentors and strategies for improving RC. - Choose the right books for RC
During your CAT online preparation, you must ensure that you are referring to the best books for reading comprehension. There are some books that will significantly help you not only for RC but also for verbal ability. Here are some highly recommended books:- How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension for the CAT — Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyay
- Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension For The CAT — Nishit Sinha
- Word Power Made Easy — Norman Lewis
Start reading the given comprehension passage with your mind focused on reading. It will help you understand the context of the topic. Since the passages in the CAT exam are well-written, you may not get the entire concept in one go. So, read it again after the first reading attempt. This will help you to get the important aspects and ideas mentioned in the paragraphs. While reading, also look for proper nouns and words like hence, therefore, meanwhile, but, unlike, etc. These words are usually used to deviate the pattern flow and represent the contradictory points. A number of questions will become easier for you to answer. When you see questions based on the proper nouns and words you noted, you can quickly check the specific area of the passage and find answers.
- Analyze the questions quickly
There are two types of questions. The first ones are those having a direct answer in the passage. Whereas, the second type of questions are a bit suggestive and need you to infer from the passage. Some candidates are good at answering the first type of questions, while others are good at the second type. You must analyze yourself and find what kind of questions you can answer fast. Based on that, check the questions and find their answers first. Then move to another type.
You need to practice as much as you can to improve reading skills for CAT and be able to answer the RC questions more effectively and quickly. You should practice mock tests regularly, read books and newspapers, opt for CAT online class, etc.Wrapping Up:
These were some of the best tips to improve reading skills and score more marks in the reading comprehension part of the Common Admission Test. With the strategies mentioned above, you can significantly answer more questions in the exam, read and understand passages fast, and pave the way for success.Also read: Breaking The Goal Into Smaller Targets
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