Seton English Department PSAT Review PSAT Reading Strategies

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Seton English Department PSAT Review

Seton English Department PSAT Review

PSAT Reading Strategies Adapted from the Princeton Review

PSAT Reading Strategies Adapted from the Princeton Review

�This is the section that provides a passage from a text, usually a boring

�This is the section that provides a passage from a text, usually a boring one, and then requires that you answer questions about the passage. What is the critical reading section?

60 minutes READING TEST – 47 Questions 35 minutes WRITING AND LANGUAGE TEST– 44

60 minutes READING TEST – 47 Questions 35 minutes WRITING AND LANGUAGE TEST– 44 Questions

General Tips üAll the information needed to answer each question is contained in the

General Tips üAll the information needed to answer each question is contained in the passage. üWith each answer, you should be able to point to specific evidence in the text. üDon’t fear science passages; they often contain a lot of fact / objective questions. üWhen reading an entire passage, mark key words in topic sentences and final sentences in paragraphs, words that represent tone or attitude, main ideas, an organizational pattern[time, place, idea].

DIRECTIONS You Don’t Need to Read Directions During the Exam! Time— 60 Minutes, 47

DIRECTIONS You Don’t Need to Read Directions During the Exam! Time— 60 Minutes, 47 Questions Each passage or pair of passages below is followed by a number of questions. After reading each passage or pair, choose the best answer to each question based on what is stated or implied in the passage or passages and in any accompanying graphics (such as a table or graph).

A little game of TRUE or FALSE

A little game of TRUE or FALSE

�You should never read the passage. FALSE!!! True or False

�You should never read the passage. FALSE!!! True or False

�You should annotate each passage thoroughly. FALSE!!! True or False

�You should annotate each passage thoroughly. FALSE!!! True or False

�Reread the whole passage so you can learn the material. FALSE!!! True or False

�Reread the whole passage so you can learn the material. FALSE!!! True or False

� Skim the passage for purpose and central idea first opening paragraph, topic sentences,

� Skim the passage for purpose and central idea first opening paragraph, topic sentences, concluding sentences � KNOW ◦ What is the purpose? ◦ Tell a story, argument, or analysis and ◦ What is the point? ◦ Paraphrase it in 5 words or less � Think ◦ What is the relationship between paired passages? Contrast, Similarity, etc. General Reading Strategy 1

Purpose, Central idea General Structure Read each passage with these questions in your mind:

Purpose, Central idea General Structure Read each passage with these questions in your mind:

�Purpose ◦ Examine a topic objectively ◦ Prove a point ◦ Tell a story

�Purpose ◦ Examine a topic objectively ◦ Prove a point ◦ Tell a story �Central idea ◦ Single idea that provides focus �General Structure ◦ Way the paragraphs work together to convey a central idea Annotate these ideas

�Don’t read the questions first. Read the PASSAGE first (including introduction), but read ACTIVELY

�Don’t read the questions first. Read the PASSAGE first (including introduction), but read ACTIVELY and BRISKLY to answer the three key questions. �Get the BIG PICTURE Put the Horse before the Cart – and the Passage before the Questions

�SAT Questions are OBJECTIVE not SUBJECTIVE �Answer what the passage literally means and logically

�SAT Questions are OBJECTIVE not SUBJECTIVE �Answer what the passage literally means and logically implies, not what it might suggest. Subjective VS. Objective

� About 20 – 30% of CR questions are “purpose” questions � Ask why

� About 20 – 30% of CR questions are “purpose” questions � Ask why the author wrote the passage or used a particular word, phrase, or reference. � Look for KEY WORDS that trigger purpose ◦ Analysis key words: examine, analyze, scientific, historical, explore ◦ Argument key words: comment, argue, opinion, perspective, point of view, position ◦ Narrative key words: biography, story, autobiography, memoir, novel, fiction, account � Focus on the overall purpose as you read ◦ Ask yourself, “is the passage an analysis, an argument, or a narrative? ◦ Is its purpose to inform to persuade, or to inform? ◦ Look for clues about purpose in the Introduction. Find the Purpose

� First question is usually a “central idea” question ◦ Analysis focuses on a

� First question is usually a “central idea” question ◦ Analysis focuses on a question that might interest a college professor. It might answer a question: i. e. , “What were the social conditions of women in the 19 th century England? ” ◦ Every argument focuses on a thesis – the POINT the author is making. – It argues AGAINST something substantial. ◦ Every narrative focuses on conflict – There is no story without conflict - Order is introduction of conflict – development of conflict – resolution of conflict � Once you discover the purpose of the passage, CIRCLE IT or WRITE IT DOWN in the margin. � When given a “paired passage”, it is particularly important to know how their central ideas compare and contrast. Finding the Central Idea

�Many CR question are structure questions: i. e. , “what is the relationship between

�Many CR question are structure questions: i. e. , “what is the relationship between the 3 rd and 4 th paragraph? ” �Ask yourself, “What does each paragraph or section do to support the central idea? �Basic unit of structure = a paragraph Finding Patterns in the Structure of the Passage

� 3 basic parts: introduction, development, and conclusion. ◦ Intro – shows why the

� 3 basic parts: introduction, development, and conclusion. ◦ Intro – shows why the topic is worth exploring; describes the phenomenon, theory, or concept �Focus on the role each paragraph is playing and what devices the author uses to support the central idea. Find the Structure of the Passage

�Pay attention to the rhetorical devices ◦ Narrative story told for pathos – i.

�Pay attention to the rhetorical devices ◦ Narrative story told for pathos – i. e. , tragic story ◦ Compare/contrast ◦ Statistics ◦ Refer to a study that proves the point ◦ Ask questions like “Are these examples strong? Is the reasoning sound? ” to keep yourself ACTIVE The Structure of an Argument

�Conflict driven – intro, development, resolution �Ask questions like “How does this dialogue or

�Conflict driven – intro, development, resolution �Ask questions like “How does this dialogue or description introduce, explain, develop or resolve the conflict? The Structure of the Narrative

�Avoid being a CD burner �PARAPHRASE (summarize paragraphs in a couple of words) �Jot

�Avoid being a CD burner �PARAPHRASE (summarize paragraphs in a couple of words) �Jot down the gist of each paragraph in the margin in 5 words or less. Simplify the Passage

�Avoid test taking tricks that force you to oversimplify the SAT CR questions. ◦

�Avoid test taking tricks that force you to oversimplify the SAT CR questions. ◦ AVOID the “Chunk the extremes” trick and the “don’t dis the minorities” trick ◦ In other words, you need to actually read the passage. �Break downs in understanding occur when you make assumptions about the questions before you read the passage. Simplify, but don’t Oversimplify

◦ Visualization increases your brain’s ability to absorb information. ◦ When reading an analysis,

◦ Visualization increases your brain’s ability to absorb information. ◦ When reading an analysis, visualize the subject matter as best you can. (i. e. , quasars = pulsing stars) �When you read an argument, visualize a battle with the author’s thesis on one side battling the opposing thesis. Imagine it set up as a literal battlefield, debate round or a court room. Simplify by Visualizing

�Answer LINE REFERENCE QUESTIONS 1 st � 50 -60% of the Reading Test =

�Answer LINE REFERENCE QUESTIONS 1 st � 50 -60% of the Reading Test = 23 -28 Questions �Read above and below the line to discover the best answer. ◦ Often a phrase following the word or group of words referenced will provide a definition or answer to the question. �These are the EASY questions General Reading Strategy 2

sample (15) Clotel, a novel written in 1853 by William Wells Brown, is an

sample (15) Clotel, a novel written in 1853 by William Wells Brown, is an early example from this romantic tradition. Clotel’s heroes are idealized, fighting slavery through superhuman action, and are used to convey a complex political message. It can be inferred from the passage that by describing the characters in Brown’s Clotel as “idealized” (line 14), the author means that they (A) Believe themselves to be more virtuous than they actually are (B) Are not particularly realistic but represent attitudes admired by Brown (C) Represent the kind of person Brown would have liked to be (D) Are as close to being perfectly described as fictional characters can be (E) Are blind to the real problems that prevent them from succeeding answer

sample Clotel, a novel written in 1853 by William Wells Brown, is an early

sample Clotel, a novel written in 1853 by William Wells Brown, is an early example from this romantic tradition. Clotel’s heroes are idealized, fighting slavery through superhuman action, and are used to convey a complex political message. It can be inferred from the passage that by describing the characters in Brown’s Clotel as “idealized” (line 14), the author means that they (A) Believe themselves to be more virtuous than they actually are (B) Are not particularly realistic but represent attitudes admired by Brown (C) Represent the kind of person Brown would have liked to be (D) Are as close to being perfectly described as fictional characters can be (E) Are blind to the real problems that prevent them from succeeding

***** NOTE: DON’T SKIP FROM PASSAGE TO PASSAGE**** SAVE non-line reference passages General Reading

***** NOTE: DON’T SKIP FROM PASSAGE TO PASSAGE**** SAVE non-line reference passages General Reading Strategy #3

~a negative answer about any minority group or service profession; ~a true statement that

~a negative answer about any minority group or service profession; ~a true statement that doesn’t answer the question; ~a statement that contradicts the passage or question; ~an irrelevant but aptly written answer; ~a statement that contradicts the tone of the question; ~an answer that uses absolute or extreme diction: every, always, only, entirely, never, every, totally. General Reading Strategy #4 Elimination Strategies

Main idea questions / facts / specific information ü Stem words: main idea is.

Main idea questions / facts / specific information ü Stem words: main idea is. . . , best title is. . . , primary purpose is. . . the author is primarily concerned with. . . best summarized by. . . according to the passage eliminate an an answer that a) b) c) is too narrow; is too broad; contains exact wording from the passage but is not a main idea; SAMPLE

sample Questions 16 -20 are based on the following passage. The following passage is

sample Questions 16 -20 are based on the following passage. The following passage is about Black American fiction and the Romantic literary tradition. The Romance novel is a literary form that took shape during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Different from the sentimental, escapist writing often described as romantic, Romance novels focus on the heroic dimensions of life, using symbolism to express abstract ideas. Which of the following titles best summarizes the content of the passage? (A) A Return to Romance: The Contemporary Revival of a Nineteenth. Century Tradition (B) The Role of Plot and Character in the Black American Literary Tradition (C) Oral narrative and Religion in the Romantic Fiction of Black American Novelists (D) Moral conflict in Literature: Slavery and the Black American Novelist (E) History and the Romantic Tradition in Black American Fiction answer

sample Which of the following titles best summarizes the content of the passage? (A)

sample Which of the following titles best summarizes the content of the passage? (A) A Return to Romance: The Contemporary Revival of a Nineteenth-Century Tradition [incomplete—too narrow] (B) The Role of Plot and Character in the Black American Literary Tradition [answer too narrow] (C) Oral narrative and Religion in the Romantic Fiction of Black American Novelists [incorrect information but answer looks fancy] (D) Moral conflict in Literature: Slavery and the Black American Novelist [not relevant] (E) History and the Romantic Tradition in Black American Fiction

Detail of fact question ü Stem words: according to the passage…according the author…passage is

Detail of fact question ü Stem words: according to the passage…according the author…passage is primarily concerned with the subject of… Both passages are primarily concerned with the subject of (A) Shocking special effects (B) Varied dramatic styles (C) Visual elements in dramatic performances (D) Audience resistance to theatrical performances (E) Nostalgia for earlier forms of entertainment

Attitude / Tone questions üRemember that specific details, diction, and imagery—and how these items

Attitude / Tone questions üRemember that specific details, diction, and imagery—and how these items are either repeated or contrasted in a passage—indicate tone and attitude. üAlmost all passages will have a positive, neutral, or moderate and restrained tone: impersonal, practical, informative, analytical, objective, admiring, reverential, optimistic, sanguine, praising, laudatory—NOT argumentative, passionately, harsh, vituperative, belittling, ridiculing, sarcastic, denigrating, lampooning, sardonic. üStem words: the author believes. . . which best describes the author’s attitude toward. . . the author views the. . the passage as a whole suggests that the author disagrees with. . . reflects the point of view of. . .

sample Even without the shadow that partially obscures the child’s face, it would be

sample Even without the shadow that partially obscures the child’s face, it would be difficult to read much into its full anonymous curves. The sun is directly overhead, so that the cap’s brim shadows most of his face. The opening two sentences introduce a sense of (A) Mystery (B) Malice (C) Intense emotion (D) Disillusionment (E) Youthful innocence answer

sample Even without the shadow that partially obscures the child’s face, it would be

sample Even without the shadow that partially obscures the child’s face, it would be difficult to read much into its full anonymous curves. The sun is directly overhead, so that the cap’s brim shadows most of his face. [words in black produce the atmosphere of mystery] The opening two sentences introduce a sense of (A) Mystery (B) Malice (C) Intense emotion (D) Disillusionment (E) Youthful innocence

Vocab in context ü SAT TRICK: the common usage of the word defined is

Vocab in context ü SAT TRICK: the common usage of the word defined is often NOT the correct answer. You need to read the sentences around the word to grasp its context. ü Before looking at the answers, guess a word that might replace it in the sentence, then check the answers to see if you guessed correctly. SAMPLE

sample Line (5) Gerald Feinberg, the Columbia University physicist, once went so far as

sample Line (5) Gerald Feinberg, the Columbia University physicist, once went so far as to declare that “everything possible will eventually be accomplished. ” He didn’t even think it would take very long for this to happen: “I am inclined to put two hundred years as an upper limit for the accomplishment of any possibility that we can imagine today. ” As used in line 5, the word “inclined” most nearly means (A) Headed upward (B) Deviated (C) Oblique (D) Prejudiced (E) Disposed answer

sample As used inline 5, the word “inclined” most nearly means (A) Headed upward

sample As used inline 5, the word “inclined” most nearly means (A) Headed upward [trick answer because it’s a common definition of the word inclined] (B) Deviated (C) Oblique (D) Prejudiced [choice too negative] (E) Disposed

General Reading Strategy #5 Learn the Anchor Words

General Reading Strategy #5 Learn the Anchor Words

 Shift / Contrast although but for despite however in spite of on the

Shift / Contrast although but for despite however in spite of on the other hand or contrary Unfortunately Cause-Effect Because Since As a result therefore Elaboration Either / or Moreover In fact So Time Words now then before earlier Direction Changers

General Reading Strategy #6 Understand Punctuation

General Reading Strategy #6 Understand Punctuation

�Semicolon [ ; ] joins two independent clauses; examine the second sentence, which is

�Semicolon [ ; ] joins two independent clauses; examine the second sentence, which is often more descriptive. �Colon [: ] the information to the right of the colon is often a definition or illustration of what’s on the left. �Comma [, ] often used to bracket descriptive or definition type material—appositives, adjective clauses, absolute phrases. Look inside for clues. Punctuation

General Reading Strategy #7 Tone

General Reading Strategy #7 Tone

�Anticipate the correct tone [positive or negative] of the word; eliminate answers with the

�Anticipate the correct tone [positive or negative] of the word; eliminate answers with the incorrect tone.

sample Lines 50 -56 Artic ecosystems are different—they are far more vulnerable ecologically to

sample Lines 50 -56 Artic ecosystems are different—they are far more vulnerable ecologically to attempts to “accommodate both sides. ” Of concern in the North, then, is the impatience with which reconciliation and compromise are now being sought. Which of the following would the author most likely believe about the process of “reconciliation and compromise” (line 55) in the Arctic? (A) It will probably be too expensive to be practical. (B) It is undesirable if pursued according to Temperate Zone customs [correct. Consistent with the tone of the passage] (C) It has been the direct cause of past environmental problems. (D) It will be effective only if implemented immediately. [only— indicates an extreme or absolute] (E) It provides an opportunity to avoid mistakes made in the Temperate Zone. [the tone of the passage is not positive]

�Open the Green Side of the PSAT booklet to p. 10 -12 �Annotate for

�Open the Green Side of the PSAT booklet to p. 10 -12 �Annotate for purpose, central idea, and structure of the passages in questions 1 - 9. �Try to answer the questions. �Read the defense for the correct answer choice and the reasons given to refute all other answer choices. Now Practice