Study guides › CARS › CARS Passage Drills
Mixed Timed Drill
A full CARS section mixes genres and rewards steady pacing. You will learn a ten-minute passage routine, how to triage questions and when to skim or read deeply, then face two timed-style passages from different genres.
Study this chapter in PrepMed (free)
What this chapter covers
- The 10-Minute Passage Budget. Nine passages in ninety minutes leaves about ten minutes each, so a fixed routine protects you from one hard passage sinking the section.
- Question Triage. Not every question deserves the same minute. Answer the quick, sure ones first and spend leftover time where it can change your score.
- Skimming vs Deep Reading. Reading every word at the same speed wastes minutes. Read closely where the argument lives, and skim where it only decorates.
Key points to know
- Budget about 10 minutes per passage over 9 passages
- Split roughly 3 to 4 minutes reading and 5 to 6 on questions
- Sort stems into fast, medium and slow
- Flag and guess after about a minute; never leave blanks
- Read thesis, conclusion and transitions closely
- Skim lists of examples once the point is clear
Try a practice question
What can be concluded about Maya's progress and plan?
- She is on schedule and will have review time left
- She is three minutes ahead of her plan
- She has spent exactly ten minutes on each passage
- She is three minutes behind, and her plan already leaves no review time
Show the answer
D. Her plan uses four plus six, or ten, minutes for nine passages, which is all ninety minutes, so no review time exists. At thirty-three minutes for three passages she is three minutes behind that plan.
Common questions
What does this chapter cover?
Mixed Timed Drill covers The 10-Minute Passage Budget, Question Triage, Skimming vs Deep Reading.
What should I know first?
Budget about 10 minutes per passage over 9 passages Split roughly 3 to 4 minutes reading and 5 to 6 on questions Sort stems into fast, medium and slow
19 original practice questions accompany this chapter in the app. Spaced review brings missed ideas back at the right time; it helps memory but cannot promise you will not miss an idea again.