1. Jefferson Academy 2011
ACT Reading Test

2. Understanding the Test
Total of 40 questions in 35 minutes
4 passages, each w/ 10 questions
Average = 8 ½ minutes per passage & question set

3. Four Types of Passages Prose fiction Humanities Social Science
Natural Science

4. Types of Questions Main idea questions Referring questions
Paraphrases
“According to the passage…”
“The best title for the passage would be…”
Find logical relationships (cause/effect, comparison/contrast, chron. sequence)
Inferring questions
“From the passage, we can infer that…”
Author’s or character’s voice, attitude, etc.
Vocabulary

5. Reading Strategies
Read & use the introductory information at top of passage
Read the questions first, but skip those with references to line numbers
Underline key words & phrases in the questions
Read passage one paragraph at a time, noting main idea of each

6. Basic Strategies Pace yourself & wear a watch
Begin with passages that are easiest
Don’t waste time deliberating—make your first choice and move on
Don’t leave any questions blank!

7. How to Prepare READ! READ! READ! Take several practice tests (see me)
Time yourself & do drills
Begin with longer time (e.g., 12 minutes per passage and question set)
Try to get your time down to 8 ½ minutes
Review incorrect answers
Know the format of the test
Have a test strategy (know your strengths and exploit them)

8. Good Luck!

9. Prose Fiction Passages
Only fiction on the test
Excerpts from novels or short stories
Passages usually have a plot & characters
Keep track of the actions—who does what? Where was it done? When, and why?
Keep track of characters & their conflicts (internal & external)
Keep track of tone—who is narrating? What’s their attitude?

10. Social Science Passages
Expository writing on variety of subjects, such as anthropology, biography, history, political science, psychology, etc.
Passages focus on analysis
Common organizational patterns:
Cause/effect
Chronological
Comparison/contrast
Keep track of these & note main idea

11. Humanities Passages
Excerpts from memoirs, personal essays, non-fiction prose in art, music, philosophy, and media
Expository, focused on appreciation of arts or human life

12. Natural Science Passages
Scientific writings that focus on concepts, details, generalizations, & theories
Contain many details which are related to larger ideas
Common org. patterns:
Enumeration & sequence (first, second, third, etc.)
Classificaction
Comparison/contrast