Improving the reading score on the DSAT is one of the toughest peaks to climb. Although it is very straightforward, it requires you to have a solid reading background and a reading habit consistent reading habit. While there is not fixed way to improve your reading score, there are a few skills that we can develop to ace it.
- Understand the approach - Many students who fail to score on the DSAT reading section fail to understand what the question is actually asking. Just understanding the passage, though very important, but is not enough. Every question on the DSAT asks you to work on a specific detail in the way that will direct you to the answer. Since the questions are NOT open-ended, answer to every question is very objective with absolutely no ambiguity. Getting to that answer will require you to apply each approach where it is needed. For example, there is a question in the section: Information and Ideas called Central Ideas and Details. Now if you have a question that asks you the central idea of the passage, you have to look for an answer that takes into account all of the information that has been discussed in the passage. For such a question, you may have options that talk about part of the passage, but they will never be your answer. Failing to understand the approach and the fact that what is needed may push you to select that as your answer, which ultimately will be wrong even though you understood what the passage what the passage was talking about. So make sure you understand what the question is asking before you move on to the options.
- Know what you read - Now where most of the students fail to understand the approach to the questions, others have a hard time understanding what the passages actually talk about. The passages on the DSAT are related to Science researches, Social science issues, and narratives that include poetry and prose both, which is not easy for everyone to grasp, and especially not for the ones who do not read regularly. Like physical stamina, our minds also need time to grasp texts that are that complex and are timed for such short intervals. It is extremely crucial to understand what you read, and this is one skill that will not just come on its own. You would have to spend time on it and for starters takes notes of what you read, and maybe start with topics that are relatively easier and more fun for you to read especially if you are having a really hard time getting around them. The harder you feel it is, the more you have to practice for it. Taking it for granted is a mistake I wouldn't advise anyone to make.
- Timing is everything - Let's suppose there is a student who understands what he reads and knows the approach to solve the question as well, but he fails to read the question within the time allotted. This student, even after knowing everything he needs, will not be able to complete all the questions on time. And that, brings us to the the most crucial part of the process, which is to crack the paper in the given time. Not being able to do that will take all the efforts and understanding down the drain. Now, how to master it? The single only method to master timing is to practice practice and practice until you get it right. All the tests, all the question, everything. You just can't leave anything. But one thing is for sure, if you all this hard work, and give everything you have, you will definitely see an improvement.
