Sure, reading at bedtime is a great way to wind down and ease yourself into restful slumber — but this is test time, which is a completely different story. Stifle that yawn and get ready to power through the GRE reading passages with this two-part strategy:

1. Skim the questions first, marking words that give you a clue about what to look for when you read the passage.

2. Read the passage actively, marking main points and other items you feel are important, such as conclusions, names, definitions, places, and/or numbers. Make only a few marks per paragraph. Remember, these marks are to help you understand the passage.