1. Overview of the Writing and Language Passage Types
Adapted from Kaplan
SAT Premier 2017
Chapter 19

2. Writing and Language Passage Types
1-2 Argumentative Texts
Author stands behind a point, idea or proposal
1-2 Informative Texts
Author explains, describes or analyzes a topic in order to deliver information without taking a position about that topic
1 Nonfiction Narrative Text
Author uses a story-like approach to convey information or ideas

3. Passage Example
As if malpractice suits and unnecessary bankruptcies were not enough of a problem, lawyers have chosen to increase the burden that they place on society by engineering an excess of increasingly ridiculous product warnings. Why else would a box of sleeping pills be marketed with the cautionary note that consumers may experience drowsiness? Or a cup of coffee be emblazoned with a notice that “THIS PRODUCT MAY BE HOT”? Anyone with common sense will not need to be warned about these possibilities, and anyone WITHOUT common sense is probably not going to be stopped from undertaking a foolish course of action by a warning label anyway. So honestly, in the long run, the only ones who benefit from these warnings are the lawyers who are paid hundreds of dollars an hour to compose them.

4. Questions to ask yourself…
What is the general tone of the passage? What specific words/phrases indicate this?
What is the author’s purpose of writing this passage? How can you tell?

5. Strategic Thinking
The phrases “ridiculous product warnings,” “anyone with common sense,” and “foolish course of action,” in addition to the rhetorical questions in the passage, indicate that the tone of the passage is incredulous, cynical and mocking.
The author is mocking the “excess of increasingly ridiculous product warnings.”
The author states that “the only ones who benefit from these warnings are the lawyers who are paid hundreds of dollars an hour to compose them.”
The text type of this passage excerpt is…
ARGUMENTATIVE

6. Passage Example
It is amazing how little the structure of the American public school system has changed since its inception. Students still change classes according to bells, even though the bell system originated during the days of factories. School is still not in session during the summer, although most students will not use that time to work on farms. Although class and school sizes have varied widely and the curriculum has certainly become varied, the actual system remains surprisingly similar to the way it once was. Despite these idiosyncrasies, however, the American public school system continues to educate the children of this country in a fair and equitable fashion. Without the established structure, the chaotic nature of school would severely inhibit learning.

7. Questions to ask yourself…
What is the topic of this passage? How do you know?
What are some key words in this passage? What do they indicate?
What is the author’s purpose for this passage?

8. Strategic Thinking
In the first sentence of the passage, the author establishes the topic of the passage.
The keywords “although” and “despite” later in the passage suggest that the author is reporting on various aspects of the public school system.
The text type of this passage excerpt is …
INFORMATIVE/EXPLANATORY

9. Passage Example
I still remember the magic of walking home under the cold, brittle blue sky, watching the sun strike the glittering blanket laid down by that first snowfall. The world dripped with frosting, and everything was pure and silent. I breathed deeply, enjoying the sting of the icy air in my nostrils, and set off through the trees, listening to the muffled crunch of my footsteps and the chirps of the waking birds. Later, the cars and school children and mundane lives would turn the wonderland back into dingy slush; the hush would be interrupted by horns and shouts.. Indeed for now, the sparkling, cloistered would was mine alone. I smiled, and for a moment, my mind was still.

10. Questions to ask yourself…
What makes this passage different from the two others? What words/passages indicate this?
What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage? How do you know?

11. Strategic Thinking
This passage is explicitly different from the previous two passages because it is written in the first person, as evidenced by the author’s use of personal pronouns such as “I.”
The text type of this passage is …
NONFICTION NARRATIVE

12. Kaplan Method for Writing & Language
Step 1: Read the passage and identify the issue.
If there is an infographic, apply the Kaplan Method for Infographics
Step 2: Eliminate answer choices that don’t address the issue.
Step 3: Plug in the remaining answer choices and select the most correct, concise and relevant one.

13. Step 1: Read and Identify
Answer questions as you read because they are in the text. No need to read the entire passage.
Stop when you see a number and look at the question. If you have enough information to answer the question, do it then, or keep reading until you have enough information.

14. Step 2: Eliminate Eliminate answers that don’t address the issue.
This increases your odds of answering correctly.

15. Step 3: Select Choose the most correct, concise, and relevant answer.
Makes sense when read with the correction
Is as short as possible while retaining the information in the text
Relates well to the passage overall

16. Answer Choices Should Not…
change the intended meaning of the original sentence, paragraph, or passage.
introduce new grammatical errors.
Go to page 441 of the text and review the example passage and questions with your teacher.

17. Kaplan Method for Infographics

18. Writing & Language: Infographics
One or more passages will have an infographic (graph, chart, etc.).
There are three steps for addressing infographic questions:
Step 1: Read the question
Step 2: Examine the Infographic
Step 3: Predict and answer

19. Read the Question Analyze the question stem.
Find information that will help you focus on specific information on the infographic.

20. Examine the Infographic
Identify units of measurement, labels, and titles.
Circle parts of the infographic that relate directly to the question.
Make note of any trends or relationships in the infographics.

21. Predict and Answer
Predict an answer before you look at the answer selections.
Remember that the infographics either represent data described in the passage or present new data that expand upon the passage.

22. Practice

23. Go to pages of the text.
Review the techniques from this presentation to answer the questions.
Discuss the process and answers with your teacher.
Complete the exercises on pages as if it is Test Day.
Review the answers with your teacher.