4,620
edits
mNo edit summary |
|||
(18 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
'''SAT Reading section techniques and strategies''' | '''SAT Reading section techniques and strategies''' | ||
{{New SAT test disclaimer}} | |||
* see also: | * see also: | ||
Line 12: | Line 10: | ||
* here for videos [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyC6Fj2OdXlrS_2vRYBHtzPwu2WOLSCVQ modeling some of these techniques and correcting student errors on SAT Reading section practice tests (by Michael Bromley)] | * here for videos [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyC6Fj2OdXlrS_2vRYBHtzPwu2WOLSCVQ modeling some of these techniques and correcting student errors on SAT Reading section practice tests (by Michael Bromley)] | ||
== Reading Practice == | |||
* SAT reading section engages students in difficult and unfamiliar text | |||
** in science, social studies, fiction, and journalism | |||
* many teachers and prep tutors recommend that students engage in general reading in preparation | |||
** this is fine advice, but it's too general to be useful | |||
* instead, we recommend that students become constant readers of fiction and non-fiction across multiple disciplines | |||
* more specifically, since the SAT Reading section uses excerpts, | |||
** identify the sources of released and practice tests | |||
** search titles or text extracts on academic databases (J-STOR, etc.) | |||
** engage difficult short stories from | |||
*** Sake, Virginia Woolf, James Joyce or Henry James | |||
*** learn the historical context of these stories as well<br /> | |||
== Overview == | == Overview == | ||
* SAT Reading Section Test Directions: | * SAT Reading Section Test Directions: | ||
Line 23: | Line 33: | ||
*** = average 13:00 min per reading passage | *** = average 13:00 min per reading passage | ||
*** note: two readings contain 11 questions so may take longer | *** note: two readings contain 11 questions so may take longer | ||
==Quick start guide for Reading Section Strategies & Approaches== | |||
* Reading section is EVIDENCE based | |||
** = stick to the text and don't "over-infer" | |||
** many wrong possible answers are built upon incorrect assumptions or inferences that go beyond the textual evidence | |||
* '''read titles''' & Introductory information! | |||
** for academic passages the title usually states the thesis | |||
* carefully read the '''final''' paragraph or final sentences | |||
** that's where the authors present a thesis, conclusion, summary or statement of purpose/relevancy | |||
** especially for main point questions, but focusing on final sentences can be useful for other questions, as well | |||
** first few paragraphs build the article, middle paragraphs develop ideas, and the final paragraph draws a conclusion | |||
* for paired evidence questions, usually 2 of the possible answers from the evidence source question don't address the prior question itself, so eliminate | |||
* focus on '''information in questions''' | |||
** every question contains information: identify it! | |||
*** ex. the question, ''Why is the sky blue?'' tells us that the "sky" is "blue" | |||
** identify exactly what the question is asking for | |||
** pay attention to important question qualifiers such as ''most often'', ''usually, some times, generally,'' etc. | |||
** if there are '''two parts''' to a question, possible answers or in comparison questions | |||
*** ''you only need to eliminate ONE of the parts for the answer to be wrong'' | |||
* '''eliminate for errors''' instead of jumping on what you think is the correct answer | |||
** unless you see the correct answer directly in the text! | |||
** maintain an adversarial relationship w/ the possible answers: | |||
*** three of them are there to fool you -- DON'T TRUST THEM! ('''i.e. eliminate for errors''') | |||
* while reading passages pay attention to: | |||
** transition words (especially sentences starting with "But..." | |||
** parenthetical information or info set aside by dashes or colons | |||
** pronoun or definite article references (such as "that idea..." or "the scientist..." | |||
* focus on "'''perspective shifts'''": | |||
** in fiction: what does character A think character B thinks about character A or C? | |||
** in science or academic: what does observation or experiment B tell us about experiment/observation A and how does that inform experiment/observation C.. etc. | |||
* in expository / comparison passages: | |||
** pay attention to rhetorical questions | |||
** look for straw man arguments (statements that put words in the mouths of opponents | |||
== BIG IDEAS == | == BIG IDEAS == | ||
Line 90: | Line 138: | ||
** simplifying means isolating the core elements of a sentence or paragraph | ** simplifying means isolating the core elements of a sentence or paragraph | ||
* simplify by eliminating unnecessary sentence parts and modifiers and modifying phrases | * simplify by eliminating unnecessary sentence parts and modifiers and modifying phrases | ||
>> ex. | >> ex. from Official Practice Test 3, Question 4: | ||
Certain of her | |||
acquaintances were wont to give her plentiful | |||
admonition as to the undesirability of interfering on | |||
behalf of a distressed animal, such interference being | |||
“none of her business.” | |||
* "remove the noise" from the text by ignoring words you do not fully comprehend<br /> | |||
Certain of her | |||
[somebodies] were [something] to give her plentiful | |||
[something] as to the undesirability of interfering on | |||
behalf of a [something] animal, such interference being | |||
“none of her business.” | |||
* simplify to: | |||
Certain [people] give her plentiful [something] about | |||
interfering on behalf of an animal, bc that interference | |||
is “none of her business.” | |||
=== Timed test === | === Timed test === | ||
Line 239: | Line 305: | ||
** note that the 2nd question frequently appears on the next page, so when you preview questions mark the 1st question to remind you to look at the 2nd first | ** note that the 2nd question frequently appears on the next page, so when you preview questions mark the 1st question to remind you to look at the 2nd first | ||
* there are two approaches to paired questions: | * there are two approaches to paired questions: | ||
# '''Strategy 1''': assess and test out the evidence in the second question first | |||
* | #* start by converting the question in the first question into a statement so as to clarify what evidence to look for | ||
** as you read through the possible sources of evidence, | #** as you read through the possible sources of evidence, repeat the statement from the 1st question so as to stay focused on the question: | ||
** | #*** that is, “what am I looking for?" | ||
** the evidence must be in the identified lines | #*** do not look at the possible answers in the first question, which will may confuse you | ||
** do not use evidence before or after those lines! | #** the evidence must be in the identified lines | ||
*** the only exception is if the evidence source contains a pronoun reference from a prior or subsequent line which may define its accuracy | #** do not use evidence before or after those lines! | ||
** once you find the evidence from the 2nd question, now repeat that evidence to yourself while you eliminate the possible answers from the 1st question | #*** the only exception is if the evidence source contains a pronoun reference from a prior or subsequent line which may define its accuracy | ||
#* eliminate any evidence lines that DO NOT ADDRESS the prior question itself | |||
#** this way you don't have to waste time testing a wrong answer and risk getting fooled by the wrong answer mis-match that the questions are designed to fool you with | |||
#** the strategy will usually help to eliminate 1-2 (sometimes 3) possible evidence sources, so it saves time | |||
#** it may not work on all paired evidence questions, however | |||
#*** especially ones in which the 1st question is open-ended | |||
#**** (thus leaving us no information with which to eliminate the evidence). | |||
#* once you find the evidence from the 2nd question, now repeat that evidence to yourself while you eliminate the possible answers from the 1st question | |||
#* if you cannot eliminate down to one source of evidence in the 2nd question, test each possible source directly against the possible answers | |||
# '''Strategy 2''' (recommended by College Board): answer the first question first, then test the possible evidence from the second question | |||
#* you must be confident of the answer here (use aggressive elimination) | |||
* see what works for you: only practice will yield best strategies here | * see what works for you: only practice will yield best strategies here | ||
* we recommend Strategy no. 1 | * we recommend Strategy no. 1 | ||
click EXPAND to see an example of Strategy no. 1 applied to College Board Practice Test 10, Reading section, questions 27-27 | |||
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"> | |||
<pre>Q 26) Which conclusion is best supported by the findings of Olausson's 1993 experiment? | |||
Q 27) | |||
A) lines 22-26 | |||
B) lines 26-28 | |||
C) Lines 28-30 | |||
D) Lines 37-38</pre> | |||
# test if the evidence matches the question itself from 26 | |||
#* here we see in the text that Q27 evidence lines A, B, & C do address the 1993 experiment, so we cannot eliminate yet | |||
#* we do see that Q27 evidence D) lines 37-38 do not regard the 1993 experiment (it regards a 1999 experiment), so we eliminate D) | |||
#* now we read the evidence lines 22-30 more closely | |||
#** Q27 A) Lines 22-26 describe the techniques of the experiment but do not offer a "conclusion" to draw from it | |||
#*** so we eliminate A) without even testing out the possible answers to Q 26. | |||
#* Now we consider B & C, lines 26-30, and decide which of those two support Q 26 and "a conclusion" from the 1993 experiment. | |||
#** since both do address the 1993 experiment and we might be able to draw a "conclusion" from them, we have to test them against the possible answers to Q26 | |||
#* write B) and C) on either side of Q26 and eliminate separately | |||
#** we then see that the Q27 C) does not support any of the possible answers | |||
#** and Q27 B) does not support 3 possible answers, but it does support the correct answer Q26 C). | |||
</div> | |||
=== “Command of evidence” without a paired "evidence" question === | === “Command of evidence” without a paired "evidence" question === | ||
* usually to find evidence for an excerpt: | * usually to find evidence for an excerpt: | ||
Line 289: | Line 384: | ||
* if you do not know what "disparagement means," but the text does not have evidence for "amusement," then C) is wrong | * if you do not know what "disparagement means," but the text does not have evidence for "amusement," then C) is wrong | ||
* if you do not know what "deference" means, but the text shows evidence for "respect" then you cannot eliminate | * if you do not know what "deference" means, but the text shows evidence for "respect" then you cannot eliminate | ||
=== Skipping === | === Skipping === | ||
Line 350: | Line 444: | ||
* there will always be the following types of readings: | * there will always be the following types of readings: | ||
** Fiction | ** Fiction | ||
** Expository | ** Expository/Persuasive | ||
** Social Science (academic) | ** Social Science (academic or journalistic) | ||
** Scientific (academic) | ** Scientific (academic or journalistic) | ||
** Comparison | ** Comparison | ||
*** historical primary source | |||
*** journalistic or editorial | |||
*** persuasive | |||
=== Fiction === | === Fiction === | ||
Line 370: | Line 467: | ||
** identify when a narrator is describing the thoughts or ideas of a character | ** identify when a narrator is describing the thoughts or ideas of a character | ||
=== Expository === | === Expository or Persuasive === | ||
* = | * expository = descriptive, explanatory or otherwise reasoned but not purely academic | ||
* | ** may not have the hypothesis/thesis/observation pattern of an academic passage | ||
* | * persuasive = argumentative, opinionated, judgmental, or takes a position | ||
* usually engages specific literary techniques for persuasion and reinforcement of ideas | * expository/persuasive essays may come in the form of: | ||
** editorial, essay, political speech, private letter | |||
** are often an historical essay, letter or speech, late 18th to 21st centuries | |||
** may also be journalist in terms of describing some topic or event | |||
** will not usually state thesis statement in title or opening paragraph | |||
** usually engages specific literary techniques for persuasion and reinforcement of ideas | |||
* techniques: | * techniques: | ||
** identify author purpose and rhetorical techniques, including | ** identify author purpose and rhetorical techniques, including | ||
Line 432: | Line 534: | ||
** social media and other technological challenges to modern society | ** social media and other technological challenges to modern society | ||
** libraries, academics, and information technology | ** libraries, academics, and information technology | ||
== Vocabulary == | |||
* SAT Reading measures contextual vocabulary not strict vocabulary knowledge | |||
=== Contextual vocabulary approach & strategy === | |||
* read the surrounding paragraph/s for context | |||
** read more than just the immediate sentence | |||
** frequently, an answer is clarified by prior or subsequent sentences | |||
** see Practice Test 1, Reading question no. 12 | |||
*** to answer this question, the student must read two sentences ahead | |||
*** to identify the contextual meaning of "ambivalent," the student must identify that the "ambivalent feelings" result from both that "Many relish the opportunity" and ... "many dread the thought" | |||
**** notice, also, the transitional phrase, "At the same time": | |||
<pre> | |||
This frequent experience of gift-giving can engender [ambivalent] feelings in gift-givers. Many relish the opportunity to buy presents because gift-giving offers a powerful means to build stronger bonds with one’s closest peers. At the same time, many dread the thought of buying gifts; they worry that their purchases will disappoint rather than delight the intended recipients. | |||
</pre> | |||
* identify the part of speech of the vocabulary word | |||
** usually it is a noun, adjective, or verb | |||
* identify how that word interacts grammatically with the surrounding word/s: | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|+ | |||
!If it is a... | |||
! | |||
! | |||
! | |||
|- | |||
|noun | |||
|is it modified by an adjective? | |||
|is it the subject or object of a verb? | |||
is it the object of a non-finite verb (i.e., is it part of a participle or prepositional phrase)? | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
|verb | |||
|is it modified by an adverb? | |||
|what is its subject and object or other complement (i.e. what is the full predicate)? | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
|adjective | |||
|what is the noun it modifies? | |||
| | |||
| | |||
|} | |||
* if there is a similar word type in the sentence, use it to identify a parallel meaning | |||
** ex. from Test 9, Reading question no. 10 | |||
** the vocabular term "clean" must be similar in use to "pure" | |||
** both adjectives describe a "sound" that the narrator heard | |||
<pre> | |||
"And listen to this.” And I heard a sound as [clean] and pure as a small silver bell. “The high-pitched tone tells you that the soot is very fine, as smooth as the sliding banks of old rivers." | |||
A) complete. | |||
B) skillful. | |||
C) distinct. | |||
D) upright. | |||
</pre><blockquote>A) complete does not match "pure"; also, sounds are not "completed" | |||
B) skillful < sounds may be skillfully created, but the sound itself cannot be skillful | |||
C) distinct > correctly matches "pure" | |||
D) upright < sounds cannot be "upright"</blockquote> | |||
* next, identify the "type" or characteristic of the word: | |||
* is it used for... | |||
** people | |||
** ideas/ concepts | |||
** things | |||
** animals or plants | |||
* eliminate according to that "type" that it is (noun), does (verb) or is like (adjective) | |||
=== Useful vocabulary for SAT Reading section comprehension === | |||
* Vocabulary terms are essential not just for reading comprehension of passages but also of questions themselves. | |||
* Please see these entries on useful and important vocabulary for SAT verbal sections: | |||
** [[SAT verbal sections terms for effective test-taking]] | |||
** [[SAT Reading section historical timeline & themes#Historical%20terminology|SAT Reading section historical timeline & themes]] | |||
** Writing section skills & strategies category for more on | |||
*** [[Transition words translations|transition words]] | |||
*** [[SAT_Writing_section_techniques,_strategies_%26_approaches#Useful_vocabulary_words_for_SAT_Writing_section|Useful vocabulary words for SAT Writing section]] | |||
== Comprehending difficult text == | |||
=== reading skills practice === | |||
* break down complex sentences | |||
** identify main clause (subject- verb) | |||
** identify modifiers (relative clauses, prepositional phrases, etc. | |||
** identify parenthetical phrases | |||
** work on connecting multiple independent clauses and identifying the overall meaning of the sentence | |||
* identify perspective shifts: | |||
** when the author speaks for someone oneself | |||
*** to set up an opposing argument for refutation | |||
*** or to characterize an opponent's position | |||
* identify and practice building context around transition words | |||
** rhetorical questions | |||
*** author speaking to the audience | |||
*** challenging an opposite perspective/ claim/s | |||
*** supporting author claim/s | |||
* transition words | |||
** for contrast | |||
** for introduction of ideas | |||
** for drawing conclusion | |||
== Comprehending long or complex sentences == | |||
* long and complex sentences may intimidate or confuse students | |||
* key to comprehension of difficult text is to isolate sentence parts | |||
* once the student recognizes the distinct sentence parts, the difficulty of the sentence is reduced | |||
* of course, vocabulary may still present a challenge, but we can get around unknown words, as well | |||
=== identifying & isolating sentence elements === | |||
** every sentence has a core of a subject-verb main clause (or clauses) | |||
** additional information is added to the subject-verb core with | |||
** modifying elements that add to or qualify the main clause, including: | |||
*** subordinate or dependent clauses: | |||
**** "''If I study in the library'', I can stay focused" | |||
*** relative or adjective clauses: | |||
**** "I study in the library, ''which helps me stay focused''" | |||
*** prepositional phrases: | |||
**** "I study ''in the library'', ''which helps me stay focused''" | |||
**** "I stay focused ''by studying in the library''" | |||
*** parenthetical phrases | |||
**** "I study in the library ''(the one near my house)'', so I can stay focused" | |||
* see this Video by Michael Bromley on breaking down a complex sentence from College Board | |||
=== steps for sentence comprehension === | |||
# isolate modifying elements | |||
#* especially prepositional phrases (starting w/ "in, of, about", etc.) | |||
#* and relative clauses (usually being with "that" or "which") | |||
#identify main and any dependent clauses | |||
#* clauses contain a subject and verb | |||
#* subordinate clauses begin with a subordinating conjunction such as "if," "because", "since", etc. | |||
# identify pronoun references | |||
#* replace unfamiliar words with "something" in order to get past them | |||
# re-arrange the sentence by adding the modifying elements | |||
#* and you don't have to add them back in the original order: just make sense of them | |||
* click EXPAND for an example of this technique from an actual SAT test: | |||
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"> | |||
here for a complex sentence from a random College Board practice test on Khan Academy: | |||
<pre>The latter shows that while the conglomeration of “Plains culture” may have been a product of merging new ideas with old, combined with cultural interchange between groups, the details of what was accepted, rejected or elaborated in each case reflected pre- existing ideological biases.</pre> | |||
#. isolate modifying elements: | |||
#* "'''''The latter shows''' <strike>that while the conglomeration of “Plains culture” may have been a product of merging new ideas with old, combined with cultural interchange between groups,</strike> '''the details of what was accepted, rejected or elaborated''' <strike>in each case reflected pre- existing ideological biases.</strike>''" | |||
#. which helps to identify the main clause: | |||
#* "''The latter shows the details of what was accepted, rejected or elaborated''" | |||
# identify pronoun references: | |||
#* "''The latter'' = the second of two prior references | |||
#** as opposed to "the former" which is the first of two prior references | |||
#* in thise case, "''the latter''" = "moccasin decorations" | |||
#* so we have | |||
#** "''The latter [moccasin decorations] shows the details of what was accepted, rejected or elaborated''" | |||
# add back in modifying elements: | |||
#* "''while the conglomerate [something] of "Plains culture" may have been a product of new ideas with old''" | |||
#* "''combined with cultural interchange between groups''" | |||
#** and "''in each case [the details] reflected pre-existing ideological [something] biases''" | |||
#* now simplify and combine: | |||
#**# "''while the "Plains culture" may have been a product of new ideas with old''" | |||
#**# and "''combined with cultural interchange between groups''" | |||
#**# then "''The [moccasin decorations] show<strike>s</strike> the details of what was accepted, rejected or elaborated''" | |||
#**# and "''in each case [the details] reflected pre-existing ideological [something] biases''" | |||
</div> | |||
* see also: | |||
** video by Michael Bromley on simplifying a complex sentence from College Board Practice Test 10, Reading Section Question 15: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3M8G4SulCw&feature=youtu.be SAT Reading Prep breaking down a complex sentence Test 10, Q 15] | |||
[[Category:SAT verbal]] | |||
[[Category:SAT Reading]] | |||
[[Category:SAT exam prep]] |