Transcript ACT

ACT
Reading
Day 1
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Overview
5 Strategies
Rank ordering
Reading for Main Idea
 Total Score (36)
 Two Subscores
– Humanities and prose fiction
– Social studies and science
ACT Reading Section Structure
 Four passages of 700 words each
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Social studies
Science
Fiction (Prose)
Humanities
Each passage has 10 questions
– 40 questions total
– 35 minutes
– Therefore, about 8 and a half minutes for each passage
to read and answer questions
What Makes the Reading Difficult?
 No background given
 Can treat any subject
– Goal: test reading comprehension, not
subject knowledge
– Everything is there to answer the question
– Do not be intimidated by the passages
What Makes Reading Difficult?
 Passages are edited
 Purposely designed for the types of
questions asked
 Dense, highly packed text
 No titles or subtitles
Tricks of the Trade
• Answer Easy and Medium Difficulties:
Focus timing and strategy on correctly
answering those items that you are SURE
you are capable of answering correctly.
• Skip the questions that you do not know
the first time through.
Tricks of the Trade
• Every Item Is Earned
Each item requires a process to find the
correct answer, and when you try to avoid
this you are much more likely to get the
wrong answer; no answer can be found
cheaply.
Strategies
1. Rank order passages, from easiest to
most difficult.
– Quickly scan first sentence description and
number from 1-4 on top of each page.
– Look for subject matter, vocabulary load
– Read passages in order, from easiest to most
difficult
– Rationale: Get the maximum number correct
Strategies
 2. Read the first and last paragraph in
your easiest selection for:
– Main idea
– Structure of the selection (The BIG Picture)
 Question/answer
 Cause/effect
 Comparison/contrast
 Chronological
 Special listing
Strategies
 3. Skim the question stems before reading
the selection, but don’t waste time reading
the choices.
Rationale: Know what to look for
Strategies
 4. Mark the text
– Use a pencil to underline, circle, code in margin
– Goal: mark text to quickly locate information
during question answering
– Highlighters are not allowed
Stategies
 5. Answer all of the questions for the
selection
Read and consider all options
Justify your choice
Refer back to the passage frequently
Practice
In class exercise:
Big Book - Main Idea p. 283-285 Do
#3, 5,7,9 together
Victory - Rank and order Practice
test p. 502
Homework:
Finish Main Idea exercise on p. 538-540 if it
was difficult for you.
Read and answer questions for passage
you think will be easiest. Give
yourself 10 minutes.
Day 2
6 Strategies for Reading
Carefully and Comprehensively
 1. Main Idea Questions
– Which of the following is the author’s main
point?
– What is the unifying theme?
– What is the main theme of the third paragraph?
Main Idea Hints
 Answers are neither too general nor too
specific. It will summarize the main theme
of the selection.
 Main Idea is stated at the beginning or end
of the passage.
 Circle, underline, bracket
2. Determine outline used to Develop
Passage
-Identify the supporting ideas author has used
to confirm or strengthen the main idea.
Mark these!!!
-Identify the primary facts or arguments the
author uses to support the main theme.
Mark these also!!!
-Determine the order of ideas or information.
-Temporal – time ordered
-Sequential – smallest to largest
-Categorical – types of starts
-Geographical – east to west
-Logical – rational order
Emotional – saddest time to
happiest time
 3. Locate important specific details
– Look for signals the author is about to communicate
something he/she thinks is important. (importantly,
considerably, or critically, notably)
– Take special note whenever the author takes the time to
provide a definition of a word, phrase, or idea.
– Watch for similarity words. (comparable, similar, like, or
equal to)
– Contrast words that compare “prototype” and the
“model”
– Example words – “For example” or “for instance”
4. Analyze the Arguments or Persuasive Devices
Examples of the types of evidence and/or support
an author may use to prove his/her arguments
-Scientific data/research
-Statistics
-Historical Facts
-Quotations from prominent individuals
-Personal experiences
-Logic
-Statements or ideas from other experts
-Emotional statements or stories
5. Consider the Author’s Point of View
-Consider the author’s underlying intentions or assumptions.
What is he/she trying to say?
-Infer the implied or hidden reasons from the passage
6. Probe the Mood of the Passage
-Take into account the overall feeling or tone of the passage.
-Author’s mood will give you cues about the author’s intention in
writing the passage
Example moods: upbeat, sad, humorous, angry, depressed,
analytical, entertaining, confused, scholoarly.
Practice
In class exercise: Big Book - p. 289-298
p. 289 #4-6, p. 291 #1-2, p. 293 #9-10
p. 295 #7-11, p. 298 #1-2
Homework: If these were difficult finish
other exercises on p. 289-298.
Finish Practice Reading test (last three
passages) from p. 502 in Victory.
Day 3
 Roman Numeral questions
 Timing Strategies
 Trial Run
Format of Roman Numeral
Questions
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Waterford is:
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I. A small community
II. A growing village
III. A place with industry
IV. A dying area
A. I & IV
B. II & IV
C. I only
D. I, II, & III
Treat it as a TRUE/FALSE question
Timing Strategy
 Move quickly
 Spend only 9 minutes on each passage
 Don’t forget to MARK it up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 Spend the majority of your time answering
questions
Timing Strategy 2
 Don’t get bogged down
 Choose an answer and move on
 Unsure? Go back into the passage and find
the answer. Your marked text will help you
quickly locate the answer.
 Use the process of elimination
 Better to give up one point in the middle
than 10 points at the end.
Timing Strategy 3
 If you are running out of time….(less than 5
minutes left with a passage to read)
– Skip reading the passage
– Answer any detail or phrase in context
questions with a specific line number
– Answer as many questions as possible and
guess the same answer on the rest
Timing Strategy 4
 Answer all questions before moving on to
the next passage.
– By the time you get back to the question, the
passage will no longer be fresh in your mind
– NEVER leave an answer blank.
Practice
 In class exercises: Trial run Victory p. 562
Rank and order all 4
Preview question stems
Read and mark passage
8 ½ minutes per passage – I hope to get
through three