1) What micro-timing ladders are and why they work

A ladder is a repeatable set of time rungs you climb inside each passage and question. You do not rely on vague pacing like go faster. You run a script that assigns seconds to preview, proof, decision, and transfer. The ladder deliberately creates small pauses that prevent drift and force decisions. Three benefits are immediate:

1. Predictable pace
   Each rung keeps you from sinking extra minutes into one stubborn item.
2. Stable accuracy
   Micro checks for scope and polarity happen on cue rather than when you remember.
3. Calm corrections
   The ladder has built-in rescue rungs that let you reset when a paragraph or item turns messy.

Think of timing not as a big clock but as a stack of tiny, purposeful clocks.

2) The global timing frame for the section

• Total time: 60 minutes
• Target splits: Passage 1 for 18 minutes, Passage 2 for 20 minutes, Passage 3 for 22 minutes
• Safety buffers: 2 minutes hidden inside each passage for transfer and quick rescans
• Overtime guardrails: checks at 18, 36, and 54 minutes

You can bend these by one or two minutes when a passage is unusually dense, but only after you activate a rescue rung described later.

3) The non-negotiables that power every ladder

• No anchor, no answer
  If you cannot underline a clause that proves your choice, mark L for low confidence and move. Guessing from vibe wastes time and hurts accuracy.
• 90 second wall per hard item
  At 90 seconds without a proof line, you tag the item, write a tiny reminder like para 3 contrast, and move.
• Two-pass triage
  Pass 1 harvests the high probability items. Pass 2 spends saved time on tricky ones. You do not spend golden minutes early on low-yield items.
• Scope first, then detail
  Confirm all, most, many, some, none before you check a number. Most errors come from polarity or scope rather than figures.
• Hand marks
  Put a dot next to any answer you changed. In review you only touch dotted items if you gain a new anchor.

4) The warm start: First 60 seconds of every passage

Use the same micro-script to prevent cold starts.

• 0 to 15 seconds: read the title and predict the main job of the passage, such as define, compare, argue, describe, propose. Write a two to five word purpose on the margin.
• 15 to 40 seconds: read the first two lines and the last two lines of the passage.
• 40 to 60 seconds: skim first sentences of the remaining paragraphs, adding a one word function tag to each margin: background, method, result, problem, solution, contrast, example, future.

This 60 second map pays back for every type, especially Locating Information and global MCQ.

5) Ladder A: Locating Information rungs

This task maps given statements to paragraphs.

Use when: the set appears early or together. It warms your eyes.

Rungs per item

• 0 to 15 seconds: classify the target sentence by function. Is it a claim, contrast, definition, process step, or example
• 15 to 30 seconds: shortlist one or two paragraphs by the margin tags you wrote
• 30 to 45 seconds: find the anchor clause that states the same relation. If two paragraphs touch the idea, pick the one that states it first or most generally
• 45 to 55 seconds: mark the letter. If you have no anchor, tag L and skip

Why this works: function matching is faster than word hunting and resists synonym traps.

6) Ladder B: TF NG and Y N NG rungs

True False Not Given checks facts. Yes No Not Given checks the writer’s view. Your process is similar but you must respect the difference in owner of the claim.

Rungs per item

• 0 to 10 seconds: box small words in the statement. Look for not, only, except, most, many, some, at least
• 10 to 25 seconds: locate NKP, meaning one Name, one Key term, or one Phrase in the passage that lines up with the statement
• 25 to 45 seconds: compare scope and polarity. If both match, this leans True or Yes. If polarity flips or scope is ruled out, it leans False or No
• 45 to 60 seconds: if owner is unclear, check who speaks. For Yes No Not Given it must be the writer’s stance, not a quoted source
• 60 to 75 seconds: if NKP cannot be found, choose Not Given and move. Do not fish beyond 90 seconds

Two reminders

• NG is absence of proof in the passage, not in real life
• Yes No uses the author’s view. TF uses printed facts only

7) Ladder C: MCQ rungs

MCQ often eats time because options sound right. Fix that by repairing options before testing them.

Rungs per item

• 0 to 15 seconds: rewrite each option as a verb relation in five words. Examples: X causes Y, X prevents Y, X correlates with Y in cities
• 15 to 30 seconds: underline signals in the stem like according to the writer, mainly, except, most
• 30 to 60 seconds: read two lines before and after the likely anchor. Match subject, verb, object, and any threshold like at least or up to
• 60 to 75 seconds: reject overreach options that turn may into always or add a second unproven claim
• 75 to 90 seconds: pick the option with the cleanest clause level proof and move

When MCQ asks global purpose: choose the option that matches the majority of your margin tags, not the loudest example paragraph.

8) Item type micro-splits you can memorize

Keep these in your head. They stop you from stretching an item.

• Locating Information: 45 to 55 seconds
• TF NG or Y N NG: 60 to 75 seconds
• MCQ retrieval: 75 to 90 seconds
• MCQ global purpose: 60 to 75 seconds after your paragraph map
• Matching Headings: 60 to 90 seconds per paragraph, but do only after skimming whole passage
• Matching features or names: 60 to 90 seconds for the first two, then speed rises as your map sharpens

If an item pushes beyond its split without a proof line, tag L and move.

9) Passage ladders: choreograph the whole block

Passage 1 ladder 18 minutes

• 0 to 1 minute: warm start mapping
• 1 to 3 minutes: quick Locating set or two easy retrieval items if present
• 3 to 14 minutes: main run using item micro-splits. Keep a running count. Example: finished 7 of 13
• 14 to 16 minutes: sweep L tags from easiest types first
• 16 to 18 minutes: transfer check and polarity scan on TF NG or Y N NG

Passage 2 ladder 20 minutes

• 0 to 1 minute: warm start mapping
• 1 to 4 minutes: do any Locating or Headings because your map is fresh
• 4 to 16 minutes: main run. If MCQ cluster exists, treat it as a mini block and finish it to avoid context reloading
• 16 to 18 minutes: sweep L tags
• 18 to 20 minutes: transfer and triad check for spelling, hyphen, number forms

Passage 3 ladder 22 minutes

• 0 to 1 minute: warm start mapping with extra care because density rises
• 1 to 4 minutes: do global MCQ or Headings while the skeleton is in mind
• 4 to 18 minutes: main run. Enforce the 90 second wall for hard items. This is where minutes disappear
• 18 to 22 minutes: rescue rungs and transfer. If time is tight, prioritize polarity checks on TF NG and owner checks on Y N NG

10) Rescue ladders for overtime

Scenario A: Overtime at the 18 minute mark

You spent 21 minutes on Passage 1

• Immediate action: shave 1 minute from your sweep and 2 minutes from Passage 2 buffer
• Apply triage: move any remaining L tags to the very end of the test unless they are one step from proof

Scenario B: Overtime at the 36 minute mark

You reach Passage 3 with 22 minutes left or less

• Convert to a two-zone plan: 14 minutes for core harvest, 8 minutes for sweep
• Core harvest focuses on item types with highest time to accuracy ratio for you. Many candidates get faster returns from TF NG and Locating than from dense MCQ
• Mark one boundary at 50 minutes. If you are still in the core harvest at that point, jump to transfer of answered items to secure marks

Scenario C: Overtime at the 54 minute mark

Six minutes remain

• Do not chase hard items. Run the quick win protocol
  • Polarity pass on TF NG and Y N NG items you already touched
  • Headings or Locating guesses guided by paragraph function tags
  • Transfer hygiene: spelling, hyphen, numbers
• Last 90 seconds: pick a single hard cluster only if a proof line is one sentence away

11) Page layout that makes ladders natural

• Timing bar: draw three small ticks on your answer sheet at 18, 36, 54 minutes
• Margin tags: one or two function labels per paragraph
• Anchor marks: underline only the clause you need. Long highlights waste time later
• Triage marks: H M L for high, medium, low confidence answers
• Rescue symbols: a small triangle for exceptions, a boxed N for negatives, and a dot for any changed answer

12) Proof discipline in three seconds

Before you lock a choice, run a micro mantra:

• Scope match
• Polarity match
• Owner match for Y N NG
• Clause level anchor present

If any item fails the mantra, tag L and move.

13) Mini timeline with decisions you can imitate

Below is a realistic 60 minute run using ladders. Times are example stamps on your watch.

00:00 to 01:00
Title, purpose, first and last lines, paragraph tags.

01:00 to 03:30
Two Locating items at 50 seconds each plus one TF item. Count 3 answers.

03:30 to 14:30
Main run. 8 items in 11 minutes using splits. Count 11 total. One MCQ flagged L at 90 seconds.

14:30 to 16:00
Sweep. You flip one M to H with a clean clause. The L MCQ still lacks proof, so you leave it.

16:00 to 18:00
Transfer and polarity scan. You spot an only in a TF statement and correct from True to False.

18:00 to 19:00
Passage 2 warm map.

19:00 to 23:00
Headings done while structure is fresh. 5 matches in 4 minutes.

23:00 to 35:00
Main run. Two MCQ clusters handled as a mini block at 75 to 90 seconds each. Count 12 items this passage.

35:00 to 37:00
Sweep and transfer. A number form error fixed.

37:00 to 38:00
Passage 3 warm map.

38:00 to 42:00
Global MCQ and one Locating. Count 4 items.

42:00 to 58:00
Main run. Enforce 90 second wall. You tag two Y N NG as L. Count 12 items.

58:00 to 60:00
Rescue and transfer. Polarity scan catches a not. Owner check confirms a quoted expert, so you change a Yes to Not Given.

Result: you finished within time with targeted reviews rather than frantic fishing.

14) Drills that harden speed without losing proof

Drill 1: 7 by 45 Locating
Seven locating items in 7 minutes. Each capped at 45 to 55 seconds. Fail if you cross the cap. Purpose is function-first matching.

Drill 2: NKP sprints for TF NG
Fifteen statements in 15 minutes. For each, find Name, Key term, or Phrase in 25 seconds. If none, mark NG and move.

Drill 3: Option repair for MCQ
Pick 10 options and convert to verb relations in 2 minutes. Then time yourself at 75 to 90 seconds per item to prove or reject.

Drill 4: Polarity wall
Create 12 statement pairs that differ only by not, only, except, at least, more than. Decide in 10 seconds each. This trains small-word awareness.

Drill 5: 90 second wall practice
Choose five hard items. Force the wall. At 90 seconds you must mark L and move. Return later and measure conversion rate on second pass.

Drill 6: Headings with anchors
For 6 paragraphs, write a 3 word function tag and one clause that proves your heading. Cap at 60 to 80 seconds per paragraph.

15) Error map with immediate fixes

• Fishing: you kept scanning without NKP. Fix by applying the 90 second wall and NKP rule.
• Scope creep: you turned many into most or all. Fix by circling quantifiers first.
• Polarity miss: you ignored not, only, except. Fix by boxing them in both stem and anchor.
• Owner swap: you credited a quote to the author. Fix by marking speaker shifts and checking attribution verbs like argues, claims, reports.
• MCQ overreach: you chose an option that added a second unproven clause. Fix by rejecting bundles unless both parts have proof.
• Review chaos: you changed H answers without new anchors. Fix by dotting changed answers and demanding a new clause to justify any flip.

16) Measuring progress with the Timing Scoreboard

After each session, log:

• Passage time used vs target split
• Items solved on Pass 1 and Pass 2
• Average seconds per type: Locating, TF NG, Y N NG, MCQ
• Drift count: times you crossed 90 seconds without a proof line
• NG discipline: number of Not Given choices made with NKP missing vs present
• Review flips: changes that improved or hurt accuracy

Aim for a week-over-week drop in drift and a rise in Pass 1 harvest.

17) Special ladders for tricky configurations

Dense MCQ at the start

• Do the warm map
• Repair options into relations for the first four items
• Resolve the cluster in one block so you do not reload context later

Headings placed last

• Still do the warm map
• Solve two easy retrieval items to earn confidence
• Return to Headings while the map is fresh
• If overtime arrives, prioritize paragraph pairs you already tagged as contrast or method because they are easier to match quickly

Split locating items across the set

• Keep your paragraph tags visible
• When a scattered locating item appears, run the 45 second ladder without rereading the whole passage

18) Two rescue scripts to memorize

Rescue script 30 seconds

• Scan the stem for a small word that might flip polarity
• Peek one line above and below your current anchor
• If polarity does not line up, pick the flipped option
• If still blank, tag L and move

Rescue script 60 seconds

• Re-label the paragraph function in one word
• Test a different option relation for MCQ
• For TF NG, ask if the missing piece is a number or owner. Missing equals NG unless contradicted elsewhere

Use these instead of re-reading paragraphs from scratch.

19) The 14 day micro-timing training plan

Day 1
Learn ladders A to C. Practice the warm start on three short passages without answering questions. Time: 20 minutes.

Day 2
Drill 1 and Drill 2. Then one full Passage 1 ladder at 18 minutes. Log drift and pass counts.

Day 3
Drill 3 and Drill 4. Then a mixed set of 12 items in 15 minutes.

Day 4
Full Passage 2 ladder at 20 minutes. Enforce 90 second wall. Review flips only with new anchors.

Day 5
Headings and Locating focus. Two sets, 12 minutes each. Add rescue script practice at the end.

Day 6
MCQ cluster day. Two clusters with option repair. Aim for 75 to 90 seconds per item.

Day 7
Light day. Recopy margin tag list and small-word checklist from memory.

Day 8
Full Passage 3 ladder at 22 minutes. Measure overtime control at the 54 minute equivalent mark.

Day 9
Mixed 20 item block at 25 minutes. Apply Marathon checkpoints at 8, 16, 24 minutes.

Day 10
Simulated test 60 minutes. Use timing bar. Record all metrics on the scoreboard.

Day 11
Autopsy. Sort errors into fishing, scope, polarity, owner, overreach, review chaos. Pick two to fix.

Day 12
Targeted drills for the two top errors. Short 15 minute run to test fixes.

Day 13
Speed stretch. 10 item block in 10 minutes, then 12 item block in 12 minutes. Maintain proof discipline.

Day 14
Final simulation. Compare to Day 10. Keep any habit that reduced drift or raised Pass 1 harvest. Remove any flourish that added time without points.

Targets by Day 14

• Finish within 59 to 60 minutes
• Drift two or fewer per passage
• Locating average under 55 seconds
• TF NG average 65 to 80 seconds with polarity errors near zero
• MCQ average 75 to 90 seconds with bundle traps avoided
• Pass 1 harvest at or above 65 percent of total items

20) Quick reference checklists

Warm start 60 seconds

• Title and purpose
• First and last lines
• First sentence per paragraph
• Function tags in margins

Locating 45 to 55 seconds

• Classify the idea
• Shortlist paragraphs by function
• Anchor one clause
• Decide and move

TF NG or Y N NG 60 to 75 seconds

• Box small words
• Find NKP
• Align scope, polarity, owner
• Decide and move

MCQ 75 to 90 seconds

• Repair options into relations
• Read the anchor and match relation
• Reject overreach
• Decide and move

Rescues

• 30 second polarity peek
• 60 second function reset

21) Worked micro-set to test your ladders

Passage
Cities that trialled free off-peak public transport recorded higher ridership after 8 pm. However, retail sales along lines did not rise uniformly. Districts with later closing hours saw modest gains, while office corridors showed little change. The transport office plans to pair off-peak discounts with extended evening services on two routes.

Tasks

1. Locating: The sentence that presents uneven commercial impact
2. MCQ: What is the main purpose of the next policy step
   A reduce operating costs
   B match service timing with likely demand
   C discourage car use at peak
   D shorten opening hours in office districts
3. TF NG: The trial increased sales in all districts
4. Y N NG: The writer believes discounts alone will not lift evening business everywhere

Answers with ladder logic

1. The paragraph sentence about districts and later closing hours. Function tag is contrast or variation.
2. B. The office plans to pair discounts with extended evening services. Relation is match timing with demand.
3. False. Not uniformly signals uneven results.
4. Yes. The contrast shows discounts did not lift sales everywhere, and the plan adds service timing to address the gap.

Time targets: Locating under 50 seconds, MCQ 80 seconds, TF 60 seconds, YN 70 seconds.

22) Final routine card for test day

• Draw the timing bar and paragraph tags
• Run the warm start for every passage
• Use item micro-splits and the 90 second wall
• Keep two passes: harvest then sweep
• Apply rescue scripts at 30 and 60 seconds when stuck
• Transfer with a polarity scan and dot any changed answers
• No anchor, no answer

When your minutes have rungs, overtime disappears. Ladders turn speed into a method rather than a wish. Train the rungs until they feel automatic. Your accuracy will hold, your pace will rise, and your score will show it.