Fast Learning

How to pass the GRE (320+) in 7 days

Rinco Yu

14 Sep 2024 • 5 min read

Overview

Two parts, verbal and math, combine the GRE. While both parts are equally important, for me, a smarter choice for such an extreme condition is to leave math alone and 24/7 memorizing vocab, to achieve at least 320+.

This article is written in both Chinese and English for better explanation.

Background

While I was applying for a certain master's program, GRE and TOEFL scores were explicitly required, and not much time and a sign-up slot left before the deadline, so I right away signed up for one, only had 7 days left for the exam. Given that most people prepare for this exam in 3-6 months on average, this was unbelievable for many people, even when I told my friends I did it.

How hard is it? When I was staying with five/six of my foreign friends, who were from Australia and the UK, I asked them about several problems from past exam papers. Many of them said: Really? I don't even know the meaning of these options... I have never seen these words.

My background? I am not bad at either math or English, given that I am engineer student who took math/engineer leturers in English so I am familiar with math terms.

Analytics

GRE, unlike any other language test that requires comprehensive abilities, to me, it is more like a "Brute-force" test that only requires vocabulary.

Implementations

Past Exam Paper

Just as always, 做一套往年试卷感受一下难度和题型。

两个字概括一个单词

Memorize Vocabulary within 3 seconds. Then move to the next.

This is not exaggerated. What's important is to memorize the vocabulary AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, no matter whether you can actually remember all of them or not at first. 当然，我们或许最多只有两遍过词汇的时间。所以一次性记牢最好。

How?

只用两个字概括新词的意思。就这么简单。极少数实在用俩字没法概括或者太复杂那就找三个字/俗语作为“平替”。总之，越简单越好，你甚至不需要加“的”来区别词性，语义为大。

My theory is that,

As human beings, we have similar actions and feelings, resulting in similar vocabularies. Though GRE words have so many words expressing about feelings with subtle differences, they can be replaced by one word. Just use one word to replace it, no matter in English or Chinese.

举个例子，

Exuberant - 形容极为高兴或充满活力，兴奋的状态。
Ecstatic - 表示极度高兴或兴奋，狂喜的状态。
Elated - 形容兴高采烈、情绪高昂。
Jubilant - 意味着欢欣鼓舞，因成功或胜利而喜悦。
Exhilarated - 指极为兴奋或高兴。
Blissful - 形容极度幸福的，充满喜悦的状态。
Euphoric - 指极度愉快或兴奋，常指短暂但强烈的兴奋。
Rapturous - 意思是狂喜的，极度愉快的。
Gleeful - 表示欢喜、快乐的，尤其是带着某种满足感。
Overjoyed - 极度高兴或喜悦。

这些都可以用“高兴”来代替。兴高采烈还是满足感还是幸福还是胜利。通通是高兴。

记住，我们的目标是，在填空题里，知道选项是什么意思，知道题干里生词的意义（知道题目的意思），然后填入对应的答案。不管所有的单词有多少差异。

同理，不管是难受还是失落还是失望还是怎样，你可以用一个最简单的词来概括。你可以选用你常用的词，或者干脆像我一样，用“不高兴”来代替。这两类情感就这样被概括了。

人类总的来说就只有那样多的情感。只要用最简单的词汇记住难的词就好。

注意，有人说只要记住词汇的色彩是positive或者negative就好。对此我持保留意见。人的情感没法二分类，总还是有细节，所以还是老实拿两个字来来概括吧。

连接单词和词义

GRE考试不需要拼写，所以重点不应该放在抄写，而是形近的单词不要搞混这一回事。

另外，长单词多，是gre考试词汇的特点之一。长单词往往意味着大多数都含有词根词缀。顺着vocabulary list往下背的过程中，会发现一些单词，开头或词中或词尾有相似的几个字母组合。这样看起来没有什么规律的字母组合很有可能是词根词缀。直接复制粘贴搜索一气呵成，往往就会解答这样的词演变自什么拉丁文的什么意思。或者拿不准的单词整个复制，“xxx 词根词缀”这样关键词搜索，很多时候出现好几个词根词缀在一个单词中。这样结合起来背诵就更不容易忘了。