Being able to predict the types of questions you might be asked also helps direct your note-taking, which can be very useful to reading comprehension.
Purpose
Like most standardized tests, the GMAT is a series of timed sections. Reading with a purpose is essential to make the most economical use of your time. Knowledge of the types of questions the GMAT will ask you helps you prepare for the test; however, when you begin each reading passage, the first question is next to the passage. Before you begin to read the passage, read that question first. This gives you an insight into the information that you're looking for in the passage. In other words, it gives you a specific purpose for your reading. The GMAT will only show you one question at a time, but knowing that first question gives you a slight advantage for the time you'll spend answering subsequent questions.
Pace
If you're preparing to take the GMAT, you're no stranger to standardized tests so it's important that you reflect honestly about how you feel when you take them. If you're the type of person who gets nervous when taking exams, you'll want to keep that in mind while you're preparing. One strategy or technique that will improve your comprehension is to focus on the pace of your reading. Long distance runners rarely sprint the first part of their race. They conserve their energy in a way that helps them maintain a rhythm for the entire race. The same applies to reading. If you read too quickly to try to finish soon or because you're afraid you'll run out of time, you'll only waste valuable time going back over the material to try to find information you may have missed. Each reading passage will be between 200 and 400 words. Find out how long it takes you to read a passage of this length and adjust accordingly. Knowing that you can read each passage with enough time will help you relax and pace yourself during this section of the GMAT.
Practice
People rarely get good at anything without practice. If you want to be appealing to MBA programs, you'll need to be good at taking the GMAT. So, like anything else, practice makes perfect (or at least close to it). There are numerous online practice exams available or you can practice on your own with passages from textbooks or online articles. The more you practice, the more comfortable you'll be with your pace, reading with a purpose and predicting comprehension questions.
Lesson Summary
The GMAT is used to measure the potential success of students in graduate business programs. The Four Ps are techniques to use to improve the chances of your success on the reading comprehension section of the exam. The Four Ps are:
- Prediction
- Purpose
- Pace
- Practice