What triage is, in plain English
Passage triage means classifying each text as easy, medium, or hard before you start answering. You estimate cost and return on time, then choose the best order. Friction words are rare terms that slow you. Referencing density is how often the writer uses pronouns like it or they and phrases like this trend or such claims. ROT is return on time, the score you earn per minute. Anchor means a name, date, or term that lets you find answers fast.

Why triage raises your score
Reading scores drop when you start with a hard text, burn minutes, and rush the rest. Triage protects accuracy by front-loading wins and parking low-ROT work for later. It also lowers stress because you follow a plan instead of reacting.

The Easy–Medium–Hard Picker (5 signals)
Score each signal 1 to 3, then add them and label the passage.

1. Vocabulary friction

• 1: mostly general words, few technical terms.
• 2: some terms with definitions nearby.
• 3: frequent rare words with no help.

1. Sentence architecture

• 1: short or mid-length sentences, clear topic sentences.
• 2: a mix, some relative clauses.
• 3: long sentences with multiple clauses and embedded quotes.

1. Referencing density

• 1: clear nouns repeated, minimal pronoun chains.
• 2: alternating pronouns and nouns.
• 3: many bare this or they that require back-tracking.

1. Names, dates, and anchors

• 1: names, years, and capitalised terms in nearly every paragraph.
• 2: a few per page.
• 3: few anchors, heavy abstract language.

1. Question mix

• 1: Headings plus TF/NG or Y/N/NG in order.
• 2: a matching set or a summary with a box of words.
• 3: Matching Information or People out of order plus a tricky summary.

Label rule

• Total 5–7 = easy
• Total 8–11 = medium
• Total 12–15 = hard
  Use this to pick order: easy first, medium second, hard last. If two tie, choose the one with more anchors first.

Two-minute triage routine

• Skim titles and first lines of each paragraph.
• Circle names, dates, and quoted terms.
• Mark contrast words like however, yet, in contrast.
• Glance at the question types and count sets.
• Score the 5 signals, write E, M, or H at the top of each passage, and decide your order.

Order of attack

1. Solve Headings while your gist is fresh.
2. Do TF/NG or Y/N/NG using the NG proof rule: only choose Not Given when you can find no sentence that would make the claim True or False.
3. Use anchors for Matching or Summary sets.
4. Leave any out-of-order matching set on the hard passage for last.

Example 1 — Label an easy passage

You skim a history text on early bicycles. Words are familiar, topic sentences are clear, and dates pop up in most paragraphs. Questions are Headings and TF/NG in order. Signals: friction 1, sentences 1, referencing 1, anchors 1, mix 1. Total 5 → easy. Solve first for fast points, then carry momentum into the next passage.

Example 2 — Label a hard passage

You see a psychology article with long sentences, bare this and that, and few dates. The set includes Matching Information where items are phrases like “an unexpected side effect” and a summary with similar distractors. Signals: friction 3, sentences 3, referencing 3, anchors 3, mix 3. Total 15 → hard. Park it. Finish the other two passages first, then return with 6 to 7 minutes left.

Mini case — Nabila from Dhaka

Problem: Nabila started with the first passage every time and often ran out of time midway through the third.
Change: She adopted the 5-signal picker and wrote E, M, H at the top of each passage before answering anything. She also logged ROT by counting answers per minute.
Result: Over eight practice papers her average order switched to M → E → H, accuracy rose from 27 to 33 of 40, and she finished inside time on six of eight tests.

Measurable drills

• Triage sprint: open any three-article page. In 120 seconds label each E, M, or H with the 5 signals. Target 100 percent completion in time.
• ROT log: record answers per minute per passage for one week. Aim to improve ROT by 10 percent on your hardest type.
• Anchor hunt: time 60 seconds to circle all names and dates in one passage. Target at least 8 anchor marks on popular science texts, 5 on humanities.

Common mistakes

• Solving while triaging. Skim first, answer later.
• Picking by topic interest rather than ROT.
• Underestimating referencing density. Bare this without a label often signals hard.
• Treating all matching sets as equal. Matching Information is slower than Matching Headings.
• Refusing to park a question. Dot it and move.

Edge cases and safe choices

• Short but dense passage: still label hard if sentences are long and chains are thick.
• Passage with many names but all from one paragraph: anchors are useful only if spread out.
• Question order broken: accept that Matching Information rarely follows paragraph order; rely on your anchor map.
• Two mediums: do the one with Headings first because gist mode is fresh.

Tips and tricks

• Read the heading options before skimming so your brain looks for lenses like limitation, mechanism, or comparison.
• Use a simple mark set: circle names and dates, box unique terms, underline contrast words.
• If you feel lost, re-read first and last sentences of the target paragraph rather than scanning randomly.
• When torn between two Headings, pick the narrower one that still covers most lines.

To avoid

• Keyword echo. Match the paragraph’s gist, not a single word.
• Over-reading hedges like may and often as certainty in TF or Y/N.
• Staying on one stubborn item for more than 45 seconds during a marathon.
• Changing your passage order mid test without evidence from your triage scores.

Glossary
Friction words: rare or technical vocabulary that slows reading.
Referencing density: how often the writer uses pronouns or demonstratives instead of repeating nouns.
Anchor: a name, date, or unique term that helps you locate answers.
ROT: return on time, your answers per minute.
Gist: the central message of a paragraph.
Distractor: a tempting option that fits a sentence, not the whole paragraph.

Next steps
Print one past paper. Spend 2 minutes triaging with the 5 signals and write E, M, H at the top of each passage. Do the easy one first, the medium next, and park the hard one for last. Log ROT and the time left when you start the last passage. Repeat tomorrow and aim to improve ROT on your slowest question type by 10 percent.

1. Actionable closing — Q&A

Q1. Should I always do the shortest passage first
No. Short can still be hard if sentences are dense and pronoun chains are heavy. Use the 5 signals, not page length.

Q2. What if I mislabel a passage and get stuck
Park it after 45 seconds of no progress. Switch to the next passage. One bad bet should not sink your ROT.

Q3. Does interest matter
A little, but ROT matters more. Save your favourite topic for later if it scores fewer points per minute.

Q4. How do I train for Matching Information
Build anchor maps. Circle names and dates during the skim, then scan by anchor rather than reading every line.

Q5. How much time for triage in the real test
About 2 minutes for all three passages. The time you save later is worth it.

CTA: Run a triage sprint on one test now. Label E, M, H with the 5 signals, choose your order, and log ROT per passage. Repeat twice this week and raise ROT on your weakest question type by 10 percent.