Importance of/improving vocab??

[ddddddddd]

I'm pretty sure someone has already asked the question 'how important is vocab when it comes to essays' or something along those lines, but what I'd like to know is how does one go about improving ones vocabulary? Specifically in time for those end of year exams?

I know that the aforementioned thread was met with many differing views, but I still think that at least in literature, the difference between say a 48, 49 and 50 seems to be vocab(-as well as speed. But vocab allows you to express ideas more concisely and thus allowing you to churn out more content overall?!)

I've been doing a lot of reading of late (not for the purpose of enlarging my vocab  but just for subject preparation) and obviously I've found this to be beneficial, I guess I'd like to see what other people think about this. Do you think vocab is something developed over a long period of time? Can it just be improved upon in a year or within a pre-planned designated time frame by reading widely and continuously!? Would this be the right way to go about it?
Ultimately, in lit I'd like to achieve the highest score possible (I'm depending on it!), I'm aiming high-say 48, but I've been reading 48, 49 and 50 essays and I've just been completely overwhelmed by how much content these people can fit in, and I'm starting to worry that at the 48-50 range it's imperative to have that calibre of vocab.

So (sorry about the length of my spiel), does anyone agree, disagree, have advice or want to make a general comment? Anyone feel like they're in the same position (I mean my vocabulary isn't terrible, but it's just not at that level that seems to correspond to those high scorers)?   

[EvangelionZeta]

"Vocab" isn't really the difference between 48, 49 and 50 - I'd say it's more like the difference between a low 40s mark and 45+.  More than any of the other Englishes, Literature really rewards controlled, effective and fluid writing.  This includes vocab of course, but it also involves one's mastery of the English language as a whole.  The best literature essays will often have flashy phrases and very powerful endings/openings, and really, you want to writing as if you were writing for a university audience, and not "just" a VCE examiner.

With that said, it's definitely possible to get to a high 40s standard within just a year.  Work hard, get your essays marked, and you'll be fine - that's what I did, anyway.