SAT Reading section techniques, strategies & approaches: Difference between revisions

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*** = 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
make sure to review the final paragraph or sentences for main point questions, as that's where we get the thesis or summary (which can be useful for other questions, as well)
paired evidence questions: usually 2 of the possible answers from the evidence source question don't address the prior question itself, so eliminate
eliminate for errors instead of jumping on what you think is the correct answer (unless you see the correct answer directly in the text!)
in the reading passage itself, 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..."
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)
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)
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.


== BIG IDEAS ==
== BIG IDEAS ==