LSAT Reading Comprehension

LSAT Reading Comprehension Section: The Reading Comprehension section on the LSAT is the most familiar of the sections, requiring students to read passages and then answer questions about those passages. There are 4 passages, each between 400 and 500 words, and a total of 27 questions. The section lasts 35 minutes and tests students on the following skills:

• Locating relevant information
• Comprehending test that is scholarly and dense
• Drawing inferences based on information
• Identifying the main ideas in text

Almost all standardized tests have some variation of reading comprehension. This is because comprehending dense information is an essential skill in all of academia, regardless of subject. Some of the topics in the Reading Comprehension Section are drawn from legal texts, but others come from the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. However, they all resemble the lengthy, scholarly passages found in law texts. It is not necessary to have any particular knowledge of the subject matter in order to respond to the questions correctly. The section tests the ability to read, not the amount of knowledge accumulated.

The questions that follow each passage in the Reading Comprehension Section are very similar to those on the SAT, only they are much more difficult. All the questions test the student's ability to determine the structure, purpose, and logic of the text. This is an essential survival skill when a student enters law school, because students are often required to read hundreds of pages of case law every week. The different types of questions on this section include:

• Application - applying the information to a hypothetical situation
• Description - paraphrasing portions of the passage
• Main Idea - identifying the thesis
• Extension - drawing inferences or conclusions
• Tone - identifying the author's point of view

Because the passages are long and complicated, it is important to read quickly and carefully. Students must be able to skim along while picking out the important points. Next, it is important to be able to identify the different types of questions asked on this section. Being familiar with the types of questions and being able to quickly identify them will give students a significant advantage. The final step is to apply the information gained from skimming and eliminate the incorrect answers and zero in on the right one.

There are many useful techniques to successfully completing the strategy outlined above. While reading the passages, it is often helpful to underline the most important parts of the argument. At the same time, remember not to underline too much; stick to the main ideas. Some students find that reading the questions first helps them comprehend more while reading the passages, while others prefer to read the passage first. Finally, even though the passages are not going to be interesting, try to pretend that they are. This can help students remember more information than they would if they focus on how boring the passage is.