ACT Reading

Day 1  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 –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 Do #3, 5,7,9 together Victory - Rank and order Practice test p. 502 Homework: Finish Main Idea exercise on p 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. 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. 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 Homework: If these were difficult finish other exercises on p Finish Practice Reading test (last three passages) from p. 502 in Victory. In class exercise: Big Book - p p. 289 #4-6, p. 291 #1-2, p. 293 #9-10 p. 295 #7-11, p. 298 #1-2

Day 3   Roman Numeral questions   Timing Strategies   Trial Run

Format of Roman Numeral Questions   Waterford is: – –I. A small community – –II. A growing village – –III. A place with industry – –IV. A dying area A. A.I & IVC. I only B. B.II & IVD. 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