SAT Prep - Critical-Reading

The passages may share a common subject or a common theme; they might present opposing sides of an issue or look at a problem from different angles.
 

The passages will be followed by 4 questions. 

Some of the questions will be specific to one passage or the other, while some of the questions will ask about similarities and differences between the two. 

Since the passages are so short, and since most of the questions will deal with how they relate to each other, you want to begin by reading both passages carefully and closely. 

As you read, summarize for yourself what the main idea of each passage is about. 
Think about how they are similar and how they are different. 
You can jot down a note or two in the margins of each passage if that will help you remember which each was about, but writing a note isn't necessary if you can remember the information.

After you have read the two passages, answer the questions in order. 

Always paraphrase the question in your own words so that you know exactly what you are being asked, and try to predict the answer before you look at the answer choices. 
You can refer back to the passage to make sure that you are choosing the correct point-of-view for the question, or to make sure you are finding support in both passages for answers to questions that ask about the similarities or differences between the two passages. 
Since the passage is so short, if a question is specific (refers to a specific line number) you should only need to read one line above and one line below that line number to get enough context to answer the question.