VERBAL VIRTUOSO

TIPS TO CRACK " CAT "

With most aspirants trying hard to score well in the quantitative ability section of CAT,the importance of verbal ability often remains understated . But with a little planning it can actually help you crack the exam..i tell u how....
The perception that CAT is difficult is mainly owing to the difficulty of its quantitative ability section .However ,as candidates progress in their preparation for the test ,they soon realise that the decisive part of CAT is not quantitative ability ,but the verbal ability section.
To put it in perspective ,the apprehension ,of candidates is not misplaced .In most cases ,one attempts to prepare for CAT only when they are reasonably comfortable with quantitative ability(quant).After that, the competition lies in the verbal ability section .Successful candidates scores in the quantitative section generally within a narrow range from 35 to 45% of the marks in that section . Data interpretation (DI)scores also do not vary much . However, the verbal scores range from 40 to 90% of the marks in that section and almost 50% of the candidates total marks , and thus make a significant impact on the overall percentile.
Another aspect of the verbal section is that it is the only section in which one can maximise the score if additional time is devoted to it. In quant and DI ,additional time may help a candidate to merely identify more questions that cannot be solved . But given enough time there is almost no question in verbal ,with the exeption of perhaps vocabulary and grammar questions ,that one cannot attempt with a reasonable degree of certainty. The maximum significance of the verbal section in the CAT is its ability to distinctly influence a candidate's overall percentile .
1)WHAT IS THE IDEAL NUMBER OF ATTEMPTS IN VERBAL ?
A)About 70% of the total marks in the verbal section should be attempted .Since most successful candidates will have maximised their score in verbal , a modest attempt will not be sufficient to reach a percentile to get a call . A mere cut-off score will be useful only if you are able to score extremely well in the other two sections, which may prove to be more difficult than scoring well in verbal .
2) HOW DOES ONE SELECT PASSAGES IN RC ?
A)CAT generally allows some freedom of choice in RC passages . When there are three passages, students generally attempt only two . Choose the passages that you are most comfortable reading . This will differ from person to person - a commerce graduate is likely to choose an economic passage over a technical one that an engineer might . To ensure accuracy , adequate comprehension of the matter that you are reading is essential . You must remember that the questions kin the CAT are specific , with the right option sufficiently answering the specific nature of the query . Hence , do not be misled by the so-called close options before marking your answer.
3)HOW SHOULD I DISTRIBUTE MY ATTEMPTS ACROSS RC AND NON-RC SECTIONS ?
A)Generally CAT distributes questions equally between RC and non-RC .Ideally it is also advisable to divide your attempts that way . However , since non-RC questions(vocabulary,grammar) are less time-consuming ,one may be able to devote more time to RC .
For example ,if the section contains 30 questions , 10-12 attempts in non-RC and 10-12 attempts in RC with about 75% accuracy should definitely fetch calls .
4)CAN I ATTEMPTS ONLY NON-RC QUESTIONS OR ONLY RC QUESTIONS STILL SCORE WELL?
A)You must never do that . In fact , try and score maximum marks in RC because grammar and vocabulary are not areas you can rely on for high marks . Also ,do not miss out on the easy questions in the non-RC part of the section .
Attempt whichever one you feel most comfortable with first . However , if you are attempting the verbal section last , it is advisable to attempt RC first , because in the last five minutes of the exam , starting on a new passage is not possible . You will still be able to attempt a couple of non-RC questions at that time .
5)WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO PREPARE FOR GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY ?
A)Prepare the way you would for other topics . However ,remember that these skills are acquired over a long period of time . Solve as many questions in these areas as possible . Learn grammar and vocabulary backwards . This may be more useful than going through fundamentals now . If you are using a wordlist , intensify it close to the examination so that your memory doesnot fail you .
6)I USUALLY NARROW DOWN MY ANSWER TO TWO OPTIONS BUT END UP MARKING THE WRONG ONE. WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS ?
A)This is one of the most frequently asked questions . In grammar and vocabulary it is difficult to get around this problem . In reasoning and reading comprehension questions , however , try to first establish the superficial difference between the two options . After this , relate the difference that you have established to the question , and check if either of the differences is necessary to answer that question .
7)WHAT SHOULD BE MY PREPARATION SCHEDULE FOR VERBAL ABILITY IN THE NEXT 50 DAYS ?
A)Solve as many questions as possible for practise . Test material will be ideal . Tests give you a mixed bag of questions . However , in the practise mode , you need not time yourself . Cover a large area with good accuracy . Take at least two full-length tests and several section tests every week . Make sure that all these tests and most of the practice , happen on-screen . Spend at leastan hour on verbal everyday .