Q2

[valjohnson948]

I got this question right, but it took me a while to find the answer (since Earth's mantle was mentioned in line 28 and line 40, but the answer was found in line 40). I have a general question on how to speed up the process of finding the correct answer. It feels like every time I approach a question, I have to refer to the text and then answer the question...but that would take about 2 minutes (which obviously adds up if I'm taking the same amount of time on all the questions). I have considered answering questions based on memory, but that seems a bit risky...


Any advice is appreciated on how to get through the questions quickly and accurately!!

[maryadkins]

It's a combination of tactics. Sometimes you must and should refer back to the passage.

But if you are able to eliminate wrong answer choices based on memory and are left with 2 (or even 3) that you must evaluate by returning to the passage, you will save time.

Likewise, to the extent that you can answer "global" questions--questions about the passage as a whole--based on memory, the better. For example, if you had a question about the author's overall attitude, you'd want to answer it without looking back at the passage, and you'd want to do so quickly. A question like that should take you 20 seconds or less. The more time you can add to the bank on questions like these, the more time you'll have for harder ones.

In this case, you are correct that answer choice (A) is supported by lines 40-41.

(B) is unsupported. There's no mention of this in relation to the Earth's lower mantle.
(C) is contradicted by lines 26-28.
(D) unsupported like (B).
(E) is too extreme. Nowhere are we told that it is "uniformly" lower density, just that it becomes less dense from the core's heat.