1. Distracters on the ACT Reading Test – part 1 Weasel and Shift
You will do great!

2. Understand Distracters
Distracters = the “other” answer choices
Distracters are THINKING CHALLENGES designed to make wrong answers seem correct
Prey upon your tendency to rush
They are supposed to DISTRACT YOU
Inference Questions: seek opinions from facts
The answers are not directly stated in the reading
Read your “road map” differently
ACT constantly tries to make distracters more distracting
Practice with them!

3. The FOUR Types of Distracters
The Weasel
The Shift
The Enticer
The Extreme
Today we will look at the first two – the Weasel and the Shift

4. Distracter #1: The Weasel
Definition
Any attempt to change or misrepresent the author’s words or author’s meaning…regardless of how small. The answer can not be verified by the passage.
Adds words
Takes out words
Flips words

5. Example of the Weasel Partial Text from a passage Question
”Men gradually agreed to extend property rights to women, because property in a wife’s name could save a man from his creditors. They accepted coeducation, because universities needed students and society needed trained teachers. But the vote was something else. To give women the vote would mean recognizing them as individuals with their own rights and interests.”
11. The passage indicates that women’s demand for property rights was agreed to primarily because men realized that: A. Women were indeed individuals deserving of their own rights. B. If they gave in on the property rights issue, they’d be able to hold firm on suffrage. C. Conceding the right would provide men with a way to protect themselves from creditors. D. Women had unique interests and were needed as students in universities and teachers in schools.

6. Which answer is a Weasel?
11. The passage indicates that women’s demand for property rights was agreed to primarily because men realized that: A. Women were indeed individuals deserving of their own rights. B. If they gave in on the property rights issue, they’d be able to hold firm on suffrage. C. Conceding the right would provide men with a way to protect themselves from creditors. D. Women had unique interests and were needed as students in universities and teachers in schools.
”Men gradually agreed to extend property rights to women, because property in a wife’s name could save a man from his creditors. They accepted coeducation, because universities needed students and society needed trained teachers. But the vote was something else. To give women the vote would mean recognizing them as individuals with their own rights and interests” This idea is nowhere in the passage! “Suffrage” is not a MAIN idea here! How men can be saved from creditors BY women is the main point!

7. Distracter #2: The Shift
Definition
The answer answers another question about the passage but does not answer this one.
Answer choices may actually appear in the text
Watch out for choices that look like statements in the passage …even direct quotes
Remember, this is not a matching test! You must understand meanings, not just words!

8. Example of the Shift Partial Text from a passage Question
”Men gradually agreed to extend property rights to women, because property in a wife’s name could save a man from his creditors. They accepted coeducation, because universities needed students and society needed trained teachers. But the vote was something else. To give women the vote would mean recognizing them as individuals with their own rights and interests.”
11. The passage indicates that women’s demand for property rights was agreed to primarily because men realized that: A. Women were indeed individuals deserving of their own rights. B. If they gave in on the property rights issue, they’d be able to hold firm on suffrage. C. Conceding the right would provide men with a way to protect themselves from creditors. D. Women had unique interests and were needed as students in universities and teachers in schools.

9. Which answer is a Shift?
”Men gradually agreed to extend property rights to women, because property in a wife’s name could save a man from his creditors. They accepted coeducation, because universities needed students and society needed trained teachers. But the vote was something else. To give women the vote would mean recognizing them as individuals with their own rights and interests.” This is why men agreed to coeducation, but NOT property rights! READ and REREAD QUESTIONS!
11. The passage indicates that women’s demand for property rights was agreed to primarily because men realized that: A. Women were indeed individuals deserving of their own rights. B. If they gave in on the property rights issue, they’d be able to hold firm on suffrage. C. Conceding the right would provide men with a way to protect themselves from creditors. D. Women had unique interests and were needed as students in universities and teachers in schools.