Is there a way to improve RC in the GRE without reading newspapers or academic articles every day?

Question

Divakshi Arora · Accepted Answer

Yes, it&rsquo;s definitely possible to improve GRE RC without reading newspapers or academic articles every day. What matters more is working directly with GRE-style content and reviewing it strategically.
RC practice should come from official ETS material, Manhattan sets, or Big Book passages. Solving 2&ndash;3 passages daily under a timer builds familiarity, but reviewing why each option is right or wrong matters even more. Labeling each paragraph with its function&mdash;like intro, argument, or example&mdash;helps build passage structure awareness.
Watching 5&ndash;10 minute video explanations of tough RC questions can also speed up learning. Hearing how expert readers eliminate options or find tone clues trains the brain to follow the same logic. With focused practice like this, accuracy improves even without daily reading from external sources.

T Mehta · Answer

Not everyone connects with newspaper-style reading&mdash;and that&rsquo;s fine. RC performance can still improve with targeted practice.
&bull; Use ETS and Manhattan RC sets only&mdash;no need for outside reading if the focus is on test-style material. &bull; After each passage, write down the central idea in just one line. This builds skill in identifying author intent. &bull; Group practice by question type (e.g., inference or tone) and do 10 of each in a row to spot recurring logic traps. &bull; Spend 20 minutes on one passage early on&mdash;deep understanding matters more than speed in the beginning. &bull; Do a weekly recap: reattempt 5 questions answered incorrectly earlier, but without re-reading the passage. This sharpens reasoning memory.
RC isn&rsquo;t about how much is read outside the test&mdash;it&rsquo;s about learning how to read for the test.
For more details you can read this blog on "GRE Test Verbal Reasoning"