How to Overcome Boring Reading Passages
The ACT and SAT love to use reading passages that most students will find boring. This presents a problem because if you find the passage boring, then most likely, you will naturally not be interested in the passage and not pay attention. When you cannot focus on a reading passage, you will then have the classic problem of your mind wandering, which will cause you to reread the sentence, the paragraph, or the passage.
So, how do you combat a boring passage? First, we need to trick the mind. You need to reframe your thinking. Yes, most likely, every passage you read on either the ACT or SAT will be boring. However, if you try to refocus, you can turn a boring, unpleasant passage into a success.
So, how do you trick your mind? By turning the reading passages into more of a game. Generally, everyone loves to play games. With games, you have set rules and order of operations that provide you with the tools needed to win the game. Here are the rules for our game.
You want to start with a clear mind and a positive mental attitude for each reading passage. Even if you just finished a hard passage, you must leave that reading passage in the past. Every passage is a new experience. If needed, take 30 seconds to close your eyes, take a deep breath, and say a positive affirmation to yourself. This will help control your anxiety and clear your mind. Now you are ready to begin.
Start by always reading the introduction blurb. This contains incredibly useful information: the title, the date, and the publication. This might seem trivial to most. Pretty much every student that I start working with skips this information. However, the ACT or SAT gives you three key components to deciphering the reading passage:
Title of the Reading Passage = The start of the main idea
The Date = Time
The Publication = Source (Objective vs. Subjective)
These three areas will help create the framework for the passage. Now that we have a general overview of the reading passage, we can dive into the passage itself.
While reading, you need to not only think about the main idea but also find the purpose. This will help you develop a deeper understanding of the material. Some questions to ask yourself while reading the passage:
What is the author trying to communicate?
How is the author achieving this?
Did the author try to influence the reader, or is the passage neutral?
By asking yourself these deeper questions, you will get into the mindset of the author. Once you achieve that goal, you will break the passage and win the game!
Now, this is not an easy process. Anytime you introduce a new strategy or concept, the brain will naturally fight you. However, if you stay strong and keep redirecting your focus, you can learn to tackle boring reading passages.
