LSAT Reading Comprehension is the section most students underestimate and underprepare for. The reasoning: RC looks like something you have done your whole life. You know how to read. You have been doing it since you were five. How hard can it be?
The answer: very hard, if you approach it the way you have always approached reading. LSAT RC is not testing whether you can extract information from a text. It is testing whether you can understand the structure of an argument — who is saying what, why, in what relationship to other viewpoints, and with what degree of certainty.
The most important shift in approach is from passive to active reading. Passive reading means absorbing the text sequentially and hoping the important parts stick. Active reading means building a mental model of the passage as you go — tracking the author's argument, noting where views conflict, flagging the moments where the author's own position becomes visible.
Students who can answer these questions consistently before touching the questions score significantly higher than those who dive straight into question 1 after a quick read.
Legal passages typically present a rule, principle, or precedent and then explore its implications or exceptions. Track the rule carefully and note exactly what it does and does not cover.
Science passages usually present a phenomenon, then one or more explanations. The author typically favors one explanation — find out which one and why.
Humanities passages (literature, art, history) often present a traditional view followed by a revisionist challenge. Track who holds each position and what evidence supports it.
Social science passages are the most variable. Look for the central research question, the method used to address it, and the conclusion — along with any qualifications or limitations the author acknowledges.
One set of passages in every LSAT RC section is a paired comparative passage — two shorter texts that relate to the same topic but offer different perspectives. The most distinctive questions ask about similarities and differences between the two passages, or what the author of one would think about a claim in the other.
The key: do not finish Passage A and immediately dive into questions. Read both passages first, noting how they relate. Are they directly contradictory? Does Passage B extend Passage A? Does Passage B offer a counterexample? Building this relationship map before questions saves substantial time.
Do not use outside knowledge. Every RC answer is in the text. Bringing in what you know about the topic causes you to pick answers that are true in the world but not supported by the specific passage.
Do not re-read the entire passage for every question. Targeted re-reading of the relevant paragraph is appropriate. Full re-reads kill your time budget.
Do not pick answers because they sound smart. Trap answers on RC frequently use sophisticated vocabulary and correctly stated facts that are simply not supported by the passage. The question is always what the passage says, not what is true.