Fast Reading for Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension – Fast Reading

We keep on getting requests from FireUp patrons (both paid and unpaid users) to publish various tips which could help them in their preparation for CAT or other MBA entrance examinations.

Good News for You!!

There’s good news for all of you. Now onwards FireUp’s Free CAT Prep section will feature exclusive CAT prep tips. We hope all of you will make full use of FireUp’s new initiative. We can make it successful only with your participation. So write to us your suggestions, requests, and feedbacks. Email id is info@fireup.co.in

Here’s our first post under this initiative

Biggest hindrance to speed reading and its solution

Subvocalization limits your reading to the speed of normal speech to about 200-300 wpm only. It is the tendency to pronounce words as they are read. Activating parts of the brain related to pronouncing limits the reading speed to 250 wpm only. This common flaw is what limits performance of average readers.

Eliminating Subvocalization to Increase Reading Speed

So how can we get rid of the “inner voice” that reduces our reading speed? Here are a number of ways to speed-read by eliminating subvocalization:

Simply the Process

As discussed earlier in Speed Reading post, below-average readers are slowed down when they read word for word. From this, they either verbally or mentally hear themselves voice each word before finally comprehending the meaning of each word. However, there is a better way. The faster way eliminates the practice of hearing your own voice reading each word – you glance at the word and go directly to understanding its meaning.

Adjust the Speed

This actually reinforces initial efforts to shortcut the process as stated above. Step up eye movements across the page to prevent the inner voice from actually verbally or mentally saying the text you are reading. Pick-up the pace of the finger, hand, pen, or card movements as you go over the material. The objective here is to distract you and skip the subvocalization process in order to speed up the reading process.

Consider the reading material in entirety

When reading, people have the tendency to focus on the word or blocks of words only, paying no attention to the whole thought and idea expressed in the sentence, paragraph, and reading material as a whole. Shift the focus on the entire idea expressed in the book, article, or any reading material you are holding.

Constant practice with these techniques increases the number of words read at each eye stop and picks up your pace in reading.

Buy FireUp Reading Comprehension module for detailed description of various techniques like the one discussed above and for thousands of practice questions and tests.

What is Lateral Thinking?

Lateral Thinking is a powerful method to use the unused potential of brain. This is originally propounded by Edward De Bono.  In this post various simple methods which can bring about lateral thinking capabilities in a reader are described. This post will surely help all CAT aspirants and future managers.

Lateral Thinking Methods or Skills-

There are a number of mental tools or methods that can be used to bring about lateral thinking. These include the following-

Random Entry: Choose an object at random, and associate that with the area you are thinking about. This is also called the method of focal objects.

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Stress : The biggest Enemy, How to deal ?

Guest Post by Vikramjeet Singh

Lack of concentration and getting nervous just before the commencement of exams is common among many students. While MBA exams going around, tension do gets build up. This tension may help you or worsen your condition during the exam. So, it all depends how you deal with your nerves. Your whole preparation for the respective entrance exam may get spoil, if you don’t deal with it appropriately. I have seen many MBA aspirants not able to take test to their full expectations just because of nervousness and tension being created. So, it’s a very serious matter of how to deal with undue stress and tensions.

Well, I am going to discuss few of the points which may really help you out in overcoming such undesired stress to do well in the exam.

1. Relax: This is the best thing to do before the test. Give your mind and your body some to relax. So that they can feel free and can regain the energy you spent during your late nights or early morning preparations for the test.

2. Avoid last minute preparation: I have seen many aspirants studying all through till last minute before the test. This Is the best technique to create undue stress in order to spoil your exam. Please, Avoid it. What you have not done till one day before the test, you can’t do it in last few minutes. It may hamper the functioning of your mind. As, you are putting undue pressure on your mind to memorize the things in the last minute when you are already very nervous and
tensed due to the exam. It’s better to give your mind enough time to relax so as to perform well.

3. Have FUN: “All work and no play make jack a dull boy”. Fun doesn’t come to an end with the tests. Do understand this. You do need break from your busy schedule so as to enjoy and remain calm during the exam. Even our mind need to cool down. Even our gadgets need rest as continuous working may hamper their functioning. So, go outside, Have chit-chat with your friends (not related to your studies of course). Have fun and this will provide you with much needed stamina for coping with exam stress and stay focus.

4. Accessory: Be prepared with you admit card, pencil, pens, eraser etc one day before the exam. Even looking for such things also creates stress. I am saying this from my personal experience. Also, go and have a look at your test center one or two day before the D-Day. Do not reach too early or too late for the test, as both affects your mind status. Do not eat too heavy. Otherwise you will doze during the test.

5. Stay positive: It is common human tendency to dream. So, most of us start thinking about the results even before taking the exam. And even that will unnecessarily create stress. Avoid it ! You are supposed to stay positive before the exam. Because confidence is one thing which can change the whole game. So, do not think of negative aspects as to what will happen after the exam. Just be focused on as to how you going to take the test. And that everything will be fine. Even Lord Krishna said in Mahabharta ”Karam kar, Phal ki ichha mat kar” ( Do your work effectively, don’t worry for the results ).

Last but not the least; hard work plays an important role in your success. Trust GOD, Be focused and confident and go for your test. All the Best.

Vikramjeet Singh
Software Engineer
Cognizant Technology Solutions (Pune)
Mob:9673352227

Honing a unique strategy to bell the CAT

With just 2 weeks left for CAT 2010 to begin, it is time for you to remain calm and composed. Hitting the panic button, as the d-day is nearing, might be an easier way out but surely not the wisest!

If you already have a strategy in place that suits your individual style, then you are obviously better equipped that the majority but stay grounded. In any circumstance, do not be over-confident.

If you have not carved out a suitable strategy for yourself as yet, NOW would be the time to do it before it is too late. However do not feel disgusted. Remain confident. CAT is not something to be scared of. All you need to do is maintain a balance between speed and accuracy and of course, keep in mind that working smart is more important than working hard!!

Time management is really important at this juncture, both in your daily routine as well as in your test-taking style. Work out a daily routine for yourself giving relaxation its due importance. Keep aside some time for entertainment, exercise and meditation and adequate hours for sleep. Do not set out a very difficult layout as you will not be able to follow it for more than 2-3 days. Set a realistic and achievable target for yourself and stick to this as far as possible.

As far as your test taking style is concerned, do not waste too much time on a particular question. Learn to get over that urge to get the answer if you have already wasted time on it without any results. Solving a question should not become an ego issue. Focus more on accuracy than attempting more number of questions. Believe me, it pays off. Make sure that whatever option you have marked is the right one. It is absolutely fine if you take a few seconds per question extra.

Tips for CAT 2010

Guest Post by Nikita Patwa

As countdown to CAT 2010 begins, Nikita shares with all the CAT 2010 takers some important tips and suggestions. Join me in thanking her for sharing such useful tips for handling upcoming examinations.

CAT – Way To Win

The season seems to be changed. Those puny puny preparations transformed in all nights love and practice with books with coffee in one hand and pen in other.

With need of arduous work and fame CAT accompanies some Satan like depression, trepidations etc. But good news for all aspirants is that, they will overcome all the evils with the angels of confidence. So here are some tips you need to follow during the last hot time and all evils will be thrashed out from your mind.

The Best Mantra

CAT= Preparation + Confidence – Boredom-Indifference

Well if you had been loyal throughout your studies no one can ever hinder your success. Remember “be true to your talents”.

Things to Do in Last Month

Revisit your problem areas.

Revise! Revise!!Revise!!!

Make daily schedule and make important notes.

Practice mock cat’s as many as you can. (But never forget to tap your back for your performance)

Discuss and help your buddies to solve the problem areas.(doesn’t make difference to help someone because your competition is not with one but with a big number aspirants)

Things to Be Taken Care in Last Week

Relax!Relax!!Relax!!!

No more mock CATs.

Revise especially Quants.

Well time to tune your biological clock according to your exam slot.

Don’t ever forget to wish yourself “LUCK”.

Get some fresh air and enjoy it.

Things to be Managed in Hall

Be with your required documents.

Read instructions carefully.

Remember you have sectional cutoffs. (Try to allocate about equal time to each section)

Every question is solvable, but not every question should be solved.

No question is an ego issue.

Don’t panic if the question is tough and don’t be elate if they are not.

Well friends it’s been a long time you must have spent with your books and all focus in studying trying hard. So the right time has come to put your knowledge in right direction. So dear it’s not going to hurt if you watch “Inception” one time but it will hurt if you see that 5^th time. Remember “it’s not always about aptitude but it’s about your atitude that will lead you to success. If you can think! Yes you can do it!!

ALL THE BEST!!!

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Simple Things You Can Do to Ace the CAT

One of the biggest obstacles that prospective business school students have to overcome is the CAT examination, which is the entrance exam conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management to determine who can gain entry into highly exclusive management programs. The two-and-a-half hour test can unsurprisingly be daunting for some students, but with the employment of certain study techniques (and avoiding others!) you can be assured of CAT success.

Begin studying well ahead of time. Studying for the CAT is just like studying for another examination.  It needs to be done at a steady pace so that you can truly absorb and comprehend the materials. You can begin studying for the CAT months before you take it in order to prepare, though several weeks should be sufficient as well. Though the CAT mainly covers concepts that you are already familiar with, it is beneficial to relearn these concepts so that you truly master them.

In addition, studying well ahead of time helps your brain to store the information you are learning as “long-term memories,” whereas studying materials in a limited time span will only store that information as “short-term memories.” Long-term memories are more easily recalled and less liable to become confused or muddled, which is the type of memory you want to store your CAT testing information in. On the other hand, short-term memory is unreliable. It may only last for a few hours or days, and can disappear with the onslaught of stress. That is something no test-taker wants, because taking the CAT is stressful, so having your studying efforts disappear due to anxiety is never a good thing. For these reasons, strive to begin studying for the exam well ahead of time.

Although studying is important, be sure to still get plenty of sleep. It may be tempting to stay up late and study for the CAT instead of going to sleep, but this will actually prevent you from properly learning. Every day, your brain processes numerous tidbits of information from the moment you wake up until you go to sleep. Like a computer, your brain must “clear its cache” each night in order to allow more information to be absorbed the next day. It does so while you are sleeping, which is why getting a full seven to eight hours of sleep each night is imperative for academic success. While you sleep, your mind will sift through the information it acquired during the day and toss out irrelevant information and file away relevant information, just like emptying your computer’s recycle bin and defragging the hard drive. It also mulls over the problems you faced during the day, matching up correlating pieces of information. This is why sometimes you can suddenly find a solution to a problem that had perplexed you the day before. Without adequate sleep, your brain can become too bogged down with the day’s data and work slower. New information is also less likely to stick. Therefore, it is better to get plenty of rest than to attempt to trudge through sleepless nights of studying.

Finally, eat healthy and get your exercise. Having a healthy body means having a healthy mind. When you are feeling well, you are more likely to have successful study sessions than if you are feeling sick. In addition, eating healthy and partaking in regular physical activity will also lower your chances of falling ill around examination time, as well as lower your stress levels so that you can concentrate better.

These small things can all add up to make your CAT studying experience much more effective. And when it comes to doing well on the examination so that you may have a fighting chance to enter into a prestigious management program, every bit of effort counts.

About the author

This guest post is contributed by Lauren Bailey, who writes on the topics of online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: blauren99 @gmail.com.

SMS Channel – Free CAT Preparation

FireUp SMS Channel

This post is to introduce you all to a very useful and 100% free service provided by FireUp to all its users- the all new FireUp SMS Channel.

Now you can get various information, tips and tricks related to your CAT preparation directly on your mobile through SMS.

We will send you -

1)      English words with their meanings daily. How is it beneficial?

• 5 Words daily means : 5×30= 150 words per month and 150×12=1800 words an year. (approx.)
• You can revise them in your free time

2)     Quick calculation tricks which will surely make you a master at tackling data interpretation questions.

3)      Information about important events and dates related to CAT and other examinations.

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CAT 2010

CAT 2010

A big hello to all CAT 2010 aspirants,

CAT 2009 Examinations are over and lots of students suffered from enormous problem while facing the CAT online exam from server failure and other technical glitches, shift of exam dates, etc.

But now, as CAT 2009 exam is over most of the students are getting to prepare for CAT 2010 Exam.  So FireUp is presenting started new batches for CAT 2010.

To hit bulls eye and to bell the cat in CAT 2010, start now. Early bird catches the worm they say and indeed it’s true. Start preparing now for cat 2010 and you will have plenty of time to familiarize yourself with possible intricacies of CAT 2010 and to improve yourself . We at FireUp will assist you with the unmatched quality of original content, IIM Alumni as faculty to support you all time. FireUp is also taking reasonable care of students who are regular follower by providing free e-books, Mock CAT Tests, daily CAT level questions, games, EMAIL and SMS Preparation. Hope you are benefited from this.

Great news for all you guys!!

At FireUp, we have decided to present our long term Online CAT Preparation program  at the cheapest prices for our flagship e-CAT Tests and e-CAT Prep Materials

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Definition of Financial Terms

Financial Terminology is very important for MBA aspirants.As future managers you are expected to know the meanings of terms related to finance, accounts, economics, etc. irrespective of the stream of education you belong to.

These definitions could really help you in your interviews.

Tags: CAT interview, Definition of Financial terms, Finance, financial terms, IIM, MBA