LSAT Reading Comprehension

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The sixth lesson of the FREE LSAT prep course offered by Insight LSAT. This is a comprehensive course for LSAT preparation, taught by an instructor who scored 179 on the LSAT. We go through every section, providing expert advice, strategies, illustrations of methods, and more!
In this lesson, we discuss the reading comprehension section. We explain the RC mindset you should have when dealing with the passages, annotation styles, and more. We also go through an entire sample passage with questions of the major question types.

[@insightlsat]

Hi everyone! The original Insight LSAT Prep Course, launched in 2017, is now outdated. I have released a new series of eight videos that is updated for the modern test and incorporates all that I've learned tutoring since I released the original videos almost a decade ago. kzbin.info/aero/PLafC0Olll40wXlcvb3JrIO1jkxuPJvz5D Thank you for all the support over the years. I hope you enjoy the new series. -Albert

[@zackarydutton875]

I hope this dude is loving life cause I feel eternally grateful for him and this channel.

[@kalieseraydarian6520]

Does anyone else do these problems and feel so confident, and then when working on actual practice problems can never do as well??

[@roxannekinnally4208]

Yes I am having trouble when I do it online i get it right but when I do it on my own I get wrong why is that there is o lying one perfect right answer.

[@MB-gd6be]

how'd you end up doing? I see that with logic games... there are lots of strategies to diagramming. Finding which diagram goes with a particularly ques is tricky is heck@@roxannekinnally4208

[@christybrooks2837]

Yesss!! I was passing all practice things rather easy, practice tests i an bombing and have no idea why.

[@abigailmendel593]

Fantastic video! With the LSAT being administered online during COVID-19, how would you recommend annotating the passages when we are not taking the test on pen and paper where we can write in the margins, circle and underline, etc.? Also, because we are not able to see all of the 4 sections (i.e. historical, humanities, science, and law) and then choose the order that we want to read because it is online and we can't skip to other sections, how should we go about prioritizing which passages to do first (if we even can)? Thank you!

[@brittanybutts4529]

I've tried a couple of different ways to annotate. It's all online now that we're doing flex. So I tried highlighting and I tried writing notes on the paper that I have for the games. All of it takes too long. I have chosen to drink a Mountain Dew before hand. I don't drink a lot of caffeine, so it works to keep me awake and alert. I read the passages and really pay attention. Visualize, internalize the author's tone, what the passage is about, everything. I mean, there are only four passages. This can be done. Taking all of those notes and/or highlighting has only resulted in me not even getting to the fourth passage. Today I took a practice exam only occasionally highlighting words like "thus" and "but" and "since." Then I went right to the questions. They pretty much tell you where in the passage to look for the answer most of the time. I sought out key words from the questions. By only changing my strategy for RC I improved my score by 10 points because I was able to finish the fourth passage. I didn't get all of the questions right. But if you don't get to the 4th passage you don't stand a chance.

[@MB-gd6be]

paper is def better for clarity sake.

[@MB-gd6be]

sounds like a fact

[@JayAbzz]

Very helpful. Thank you so much for taking your time and making this course!

[@sppsports2449]

Excellent video. You really went above and beyond in this one. RC is such a difficulty for me. I scored a 158, but the highest I've reached on PTs is 164, but that was 4 months ago. I haven't tested myself yet, but I believe I'm reaching mid-upper 160's. RC is the most crippling in terms of reaching my ultimate one day possible goal of a 170. Thanks again for the effort put out in this video, it really shines through.

[@nebinmathew1359]

What books do you use?

[@boazcole6882]

Sir you are brilliant and no words can express how grateful I am for your kindness in sharing these techniques. I wish you an abundance of blessing!

[@sonjacarpenter-rice9238]

This video was extremely helpful thank you!!

[@ivalinapasse2469]

Yes Just Excellent Method!!! Reading Comprehension Very Very Very Good!!!!!

[@bernards6115]

You are the best ive found on LSAT prep

[@cls5326]

Thank you so much for this video. A good workout for reading comprehension. #Awesome

[@BellaG-fo9jn]

Thank you for all the videos! You are amazing.

[@oitsendless]

Great vids bro! They really help. Do you have an answer key that you use to verify the answers you choose are correct? For 26, 27, and 28 I have really strong differences as to what the answer is vs. what you chose.

[@nikkihill2527]

This was really good, all of your videos are great. It would be very helpful though if you included a comparative comprehensive example too though.

[@insightlsat]

Glad you found them helpful. And I agree. I'm planning an advanced RC series that will be ready for February 2018 test-takers - comparative will be covered more closely there.

[@veronicagimenez-bermudez1428]

Has this 'advanced RC series' come into being yet, @@insightlsat ?

[@sunflowers_sarah]

16:51 ...I wish I wasn't taking it virtually, writing on the text would probably help me so much :(

[@jessimmamess1866]

i always write all over my reading comprehension tests having it virtual is going to be such a struggle for me

[@hyojinlee]

Thank you so much!

[@aerosmithsrinivasan8138]

Will you be showing the other topics like Science and Law where most people struggle?? Thanks!

[@roxannekinnally4208]

Yes I feel that way also when I do it on video I understand but when I do it bymyself I have problems too

[@jrst6]

Thank you so much!!

[@erikfigueroa6390]

Me when realizing I have to work with my own style which is based on translating in my head to Spanish: Ah Jesus I'm going to explore am I :) ? looking forward to learn this however. The class has given me clarity to ace the exam.

[@sheildingepicness]

thank you insight lsat person!

[@gina2722]

For question 26, couldn't you argue that the text stated how the United State Sanitary Commission raised $15 million in SUPPLIES rather than MONEY for the Union Army? I understand that the vegetable garden was mentioned earlier in the passage but this question confused me

[@victoriabaxter6836]

Can you do some videos on law/science questions for people that don't typically do well in that subject?

[@deisimartinez1563]

What is the book you work from?

[@rowdy5583]

How is the correct answer B on question 23? when there is less support for that argument than there is for the argument E makes?

[@JBskill]

Keep in mind it is an inference question. Your inference must be able to hold up logically, given the direct language of the passage. Your answer choice (E) does SOUND correct; however, the language of the answer is too limiting for it to be an inference: ("Exclusively American") Since the passage does not deal with other countries that aren't America, you cannot logically infer that this ideal is "Exclusive" to America. Answer choice (B) is correct because it can be logically deduced from the passage: If the ideal supports that "True Women" sought to stay at home, then it would be logically consistent to deduce the ideal's lack of support for women who wanted to do the opposite (Work in an office).

[@laurasolomon1522]

@@JBskill I hope LSAT is marking B as the right answer as well, because I would rather go with E as the passage was talking about American women in the antebellum era.

[@chetselz2063]

It's E, this guy is making it up as he goes

[@cruzgonzalez1737]

Has Insight LSAT ever worked with someone with Dyslexia? If so, were there improvements on RC?

[@insightlsat]

Unfortunately we've never worked with someone with dyslexia

[@cruzgonzalez1737]

Would Insight LSAT be willing to?

[@insightlsat]

Of course. We don't have anyone who is familiar with the condition, but we can certainly try to help. Check out insightlsat.com to explore options and sign up.

[@DD-bg4di]

I can bairly read. I have 176/180 credits for bs in political science. Is it hard to get extra time on the test?

[@DD-bg4di]

@@hannahmangen8311 ty for the response

[@dianatamayo5089]

I took mine yesterday omg I think time was a main issue for me

[@srtghost3842]

@Diana Tamayo How did you do?

[@Bossanik]

22 B is wrong because the passage never talked about Men's contributions, it's out of text content.

[@ambarshukla4389]

Regarding question no. 27: In second para it is mentions that "....household became a new kind of place: a private feminized domestic sphere." So, shouldn't we also consider that fact that "a private feminized domestic sphere" came into existence as a result of some change and that change was the absence of men (option B). I am stuck between B and E and having a hard time eliminating option B.

[@anngo157]

Hey, not sure if you came to the answer yourself, but i think B is out because there's no textual evidence in the passage to support it, whereas E has textual evidence. B might be something that's inferred by you as the reader (seeing as you went through a logical flow to come to your justification of the answer), but it's not explicitly communicated by the text, which is what the question looks for in an answer. Can't guarantee this is right but it was how i thought about it in my head :) Good luck with your LSAT !

[@bobfryfish]

is this real lsat test questions?

[@farmanm2452]

Isn't D the answer for question 23?

[@kimht90]

Is this even a real LSAT passage

[@iStorm-my5fp]

Thank you... I hate RC with a passion

[@r.p.8906]

7/7/23

[@SpcKenny07]

I feel like b was the correct answer to question 27. The author is most definatly trying to emphasize the absence of men in the antebellum household. Evidence for this can be found in line 9-10 "As men's work moved away from the home...The became a new kind of place". The author is saying is explain that the change occoured as a direct corrleation of the absence of men. It is the absence of the masculin presence that the home became "a private, feminized" space instead of a space more gender balanced........

[@chetselz2063]

23. Is definitely E Prove it or it didn't happen

[@shrillpsicho1149]

47:37 "Victorian ideals" implies mutliple countries are involved as Victorian ettiquette originated in England and was widely practiced due to the imperalistic expansion of the British Empire. Victorian practices were very widespread across the globe at that time.

[@Warron_]

the LSAT is not concerned with the historical accuracy. It is best to put aside any knowledge of the subject matter and go strictly off the information provided. Your bias can be your worst enemy.

[@shrillpsicho1149]

@@Warron_ for a logic test, that's highly irrational.

[@AsadtheTutor]

@@shrillpsicho1149 The basic theory of the LSAT is that it evaluates reasoning and critical reading. If a question mentions history, the answer has to be in the passage and not in some other history text. If the answer wasn't in the passage, the LSAT would be testing history.

[@shrillpsicho]

@@AsadtheTutor If your reasoning is only based on what you can see, you are prone to making logical errors. We TRAIN lawyers to think this way. I can remember one practice question from an old LSAT about cats which basically asked how cats maintain musculature when they aren't particularly active and only stretch occasionally in a home enviroment. The actual answer is because cats don't metabolize carbohydrates and only metabolize protein and fat. So, they get the amount of protein needed to maintain musculature from their diet. The answer the LSAT wanted was they maintained musculature by stretching. (This was from circa 1984, and they have gotten better.) The information provided was never going to get to the actual answer, as is the case with most of the LSAT questions structured this way. If we're going to only focus on the amount of information present, we are bound to make incorrect decisions and conclusions.

[@lillypad9589]

I'm so confused in your teaching method .