A majority of test takers find Reading Comprehension in the Verbal Section of the GMAT the toughest to handle. It’s not surprising because you encounter 350 word long passages on highly specialized subjects including Business.
The only way you are going to be comfortable with these passages is through practice. If the test date is only a few weeks away then you can limit your reading to GMAT RC reading passages for practice. Ideally though, you should be going through magazines to improve your skills.
Making Reading Comprehension for Business Easier
What else you can do inside qs leap ?
We understand that reading tough and tedious passages for practice is not everyone’s cup of tea. But that’s all the more reason for you to invest time in reading articles on the topic. Questions in the section are about the “main idea” of the passage. So every time you read a passage make it a habit to summarize the main idea in your head.
It’s also considered a good idea to have a reading partner to make things easier for you. It will definitely keep you motivated. The Official Guide has more passages on Business than any other topics. But if you want to get over the fear of the section and ace it then your reading list has to go way beyond that.
Magazines to read for practice
There are several Business magazines that will give you news and analysis of the latest in the field. They are a good reading habit not only before the GMAT but well after as well. In fact, if you want to apply for a B School then you could read The Wall Street Journal daily.
Some of the well-known magazines that you can consider in your reading practice include:
The Economist – Probably the most popular and respected magazine on the topic, it offers the business and political impact of recent events. Bill Gates once said that he reads the weekly from cover to cover. Reading the magazine might need some getting used to, but you will find that the reading material is similar to passages you find in the test.
Bloomberg Businessweek – If you are not a hardcore business enthusiast but still want to grasp the latest then this is the right magazine for you. It is actually quite a light read that covers business in areas like technology, management, finance and more.
Forbes – Published bi-weekly the magazine has news and analysis on finance, investment, marketing and industry on the whole. Quite versatile in its content, the magazine offers you exceptionally high quality reading material.
Reading just a couple of articles a day till your test date can give you adequate practice.
