How do I ace the SAT Reading section?

I've been practicing for the SAT, but I'm not sure which skills and topics are most important for the Reading section. Does anyone have a breakdown or tips on what to focus on and how these skills are tested in the actual exam?

To excel in the SAT Reading section, focus on critical reading and comprehension skills. The section is less about prior knowledge and more about how you analyze, understand, and interpret texts. You'll face passages from U.S. and World Literature, History/Social Studies, and Sciences. These will test your ability to discern main ideas, analyze arguments, and understand word meanings in context.

Improving can be systematic: start by identifying the types of questions you miss most often. Practice active reading strategies, such as summarizing paragraphs in your own words and predicting what might come next in a passage. Familiarize yourself with the format of the passages and the frequent question types. Additionally, time management is essential. If a passage is particularly challenging, it's better to move on after a reasonable effort and return if time allows, rather than getting stuck and missing out on easier points later on. Practice tests from the College Board are the best way to get a feel for the real exam environment and question styles. Remember, it's not just about reading quickly, but reading smart—distinguishing between main ideas and details, understanding tone and purpose, and making inferences.