Passage Based Reading for the Sat

Passage-based Reading You do not need to know the subject you are answering about, you simply need to know how to find the information. Passages are about 100-850 words long. They cover humanities, social studies, natural sciences, and literary fiction.

Passage-Based Reading Approaches to Reading the Passages - Mark the passages or make short notes. - Use your knowledge and experience carefully. - Read actively. - If you are having a hard time with a passage, read the question before you finish the passage.

Mark the passages or make short notes. Be careful you don’t mark too much, you want to be able to find the answer. Try to scribble a short note in the margin that summarizes what the paragraph is about.

Use your knowledge and experience carefully. No matter what you know you cannot change what the writer has said. You must distinguish between what the writer actually said and what you think the writer should have said.

Read Actively Ask yourself questions as you read. Make sure you are thinking about what you are reading.

If you are having a hard time with a passage, read the questions before you finish the passage. This will help you know what to look for. But don’t waste time by reading all of the questions first…. You may want to try both methods.

Types of Questions Extended Reasoning Questions Vocabulary in-context Literal Comprehension

Extended Reasoning Questions These questions ask you to draw conclusions from or evaluate information from the passage. Ask about the overall theme or meaning of a passage. Often include words like: probably, apparently, seems, suggests, it can be inferred, or the author implies. For these types of questions you need to be an especially careful reader.

… be sure to… Determine the main idea of the passage. Figure out what the information presents and what the author’s opinion is. Determine the author’s tone or attitude.

Facts, Assumptions & Inferences Facts: statements known to be true are facts Assumptions: these are suppositions or propositions that writers make to reach their conclusion. Ex-Let’s have a picnic tomorrow. The speaker would like to spend time with the person he/she is talking to. Picnics are fun.

Inferences: these are conclusions you reach based on what has been said. Arrive at a conclusion through reasoning.

Logic, style, & tone Some questions will ask you to consider the tone or the attitude of the author. In well written work, the writer uses both style and tone to express what the has to say and to influence the reader.

Vocabulary in-Context questions Some passage based reading questions ask about the meaning of the word as it is used in the passage. Even if you do not know the word sometimes you can figure out the meaning. The Context is the particular situation that a word is used, including information in neighboring sentences.

Remember One word can have several meanings. Questions asking for the meaning of a word mean the meaning as it is used in the passage. It helps to go back to the passage and reread the surrounding area.

Literal Comprehension Questions This type asks about material directly from the passage. This measures a skill you will be using a lot in college. Go back and look in the passage for the answer. Cross out answers that you know are wrong.

Questions involving Paired passages and Paragraphs There will be at least one long and one paragraph reading selection in pairs. When a question asks you to compare two passages, don’t try to remember everything. Take one choice at a time.

Approaches Remember all answers are in the passage. Read the questions and answers carefully. Don’t forget that an answer choice can be both true and wrong. Try eliminating choices. Double check other choices. Don’t jump from passage to passage.