2. SAT I Verbal Review Alan Reinstein Wednesdays--Newton South—3:15-5:15 p.m. 1/29—Overall Intro + Critical Reading (mult. choice) 2/5—Writing Skills (multiple choice) 2/12—Essay section [2/19—no class—WINTER VACATION] 2/26—All together—Essay writing and more practice questions Alan Reinstein Wednesdays--Newton South—3:15-5:15 p.m. 1/29—Overall Intro + Critical Reading (mult. choice) 2/5—Writing Skills (multiple choice) 2/12—Essay section [2/19—no class—WINTER VACATION] 2/26—All together—Essay writing and more practice questions Text: The Official SAT Study Guide CollegeBoard SAT

3. Test Info  MARCH 8 MAY 3  deadlines to register:  Feb 7 April 4  Feb 24 > April 21   Go to: www.collegeboard.comwww.collegeboard.com  MARCH 8 MAY 3  deadlines to register:  Feb 7 April 4  Feb 24 > April 21   Go to: www.collegeboard.comwww.collegeboard.com

4. Goals for the Course  Students are are introduced to the format and length of the test  Students view the types of multiple choice questions on the test  Students practice the essay and to receive feedback on a sample essay  Students practice the timing of the test—to practice working swiftly—with some strategies for quick and effective test-taking  Students are are introduced to the format and length of the test  Students view the types of multiple choice questions on the test  Students practice the essay and to receive feedback on a sample essay  Students practice the timing of the test—to practice working swiftly—with some strategies for quick and effective test-taking

5. SAT Format: 10 Sections 1 25-min Essay (always first section) 2 25-min Critical Reading (24 Questions) 1 20-min Critical Reading (19 Questions) 1 25-min Writing Skills (35 Questions) 3 Mathematics Sections (2 25-min, 1 20-min) 1 25-min Experimental/Variable Section 1 10-min Writing Skills (14 Questions) 2 10-min Breaks (after Sections 3 & 6) (4 hours, 5 minutes)

6. Always first: The Essay—25 minutes  Decide your viewpoint on topic  Vary sentence structure  Use precise, clear vocabulary  Leave time to review  Decide your viewpoint on topic  Vary sentence structure  Use precise, clear vocabulary  Leave time to review

7. Scoring Overview  Two readers will grade your essay in about two minutes, judging it as a whole.  Each reader gives it a score of 1 to 6.  Your essay subscore is sum of these two scores (2 to 12)  Your essay subscore counts as one third of your total writing score.  Two readers will grade your essay in about two minutes, judging it as a whole.  Each reader gives it a score of 1 to 6.  Your essay subscore is sum of these two scores (2 to 12)  Your essay subscore counts as one third of your total writing score.

8. Critical Reading Sections  Two types of questions:  1. Sentence completion: (19 questions) arranged in order of difficulty  2. Reading comprehension: (48 questions) not in order of difficulty; follow organization of passage  Two types of questions:  1. Sentence completion: (19 questions) arranged in order of difficulty  2. Reading comprehension: (48 questions) not in order of difficulty; follow organization of passage

10. Writing Skills Sections  Three types of questions:  1. Improving sentences--(25 questions) find the error in the sentence  2. Identifying sentence errors--(18 questions) select the most effective version of a sentence  3. Improving paragraphs--(6 questions) correct the flaws in an essay  Three types of questions:  1. Improving sentences--(25 questions) find the error in the sentence  2. Identifying sentence errors--(18 questions) select the most effective version of a sentence  3. Improving paragraphs--(6 questions) correct the flaws in an essay

11. Writing Skills Sections

13. Tactics for the SAT  Setting Goals:  Take a test from prep book under true exam conditions & follow instructions to calculate your score  Setting Goals:  Take a test from prep book under true exam conditions & follow instructions to calculate your score

14. Tactics  Pacing Yourself  Know what you’re capable of (by doing practice tests)  Study the directions of all question types so you won’t have to read directions on day of test  Pacing Yourself  Know what you’re capable of (by doing practice tests)  Study the directions of all question types so you won’t have to read directions on day of test

15. Tactics  Should I guess on the SAT?  Guessing can increase your score  You get 1 point for every correct answer  You get.25 deducted for every wrong answer  Make educated guesses  Never guess wildly or without reading the question  Should I guess on the SAT?  Guessing can increase your score  You get 1 point for every correct answer  You get.25 deducted for every wrong answer  Make educated guesses  Never guess wildly or without reading the question

16. Whole Test-taking Tactics:  Keep careful track of time  Don’t read the directions or look at sample questions  Answer the easy questions first  In Crit. Reading & writing, read each choice before choosing answer  Keep careful track of time  Don’t read the directions or look at sample questions  Answer the easy questions first  In Crit. Reading & writing, read each choice before choosing answer

17. Whole Test-taking Tactics:  Fill in answers on your answer sheet in blocks (until the last 3 minutes of section)  You are allowed to write in test booklet  No stray marks on answer sheet  Fill in answers on your answer sheet in blocks (until the last 3 minutes of section)  You are allowed to write in test booklet  No stray marks on answer sheet

18. Whole Test-taking Tactics:  Don’t change answer on last minute hunches or whimsical feelings  Don’t get bogged down on any one question; don’t rush!  You don’t have to answer every question to do well.  Don’t change answer on last minute hunches or whimsical feelings  Don’t get bogged down on any one question; don’t rush!  You don’t have to answer every question to do well.

19. The Sentence Completion Question p. 31  All three Critical Reading sections start with sentence completions.  Easy to Hard  Get to know the Directions now so you don’t have to read them during the test  All three Critical Reading sections start with sentence completions.  Easy to Hard  Get to know the Directions now so you don’t have to read them during the test

20. Approaches to Sentence Completion Questions  Read the sentence carefully to get a feel for the meaning  Before you look at the choices, think of a word that makes sense  Be aware of contrast words  Read the sentence carefully to get a feel for the meaning  Before you look at the choices, think of a word that makes sense  Be aware of contrast words

21. Sent. Compl. Tactics  With two-blank questions, try eliminating using one blank  Watch for contrast, support & cause/effect signals although, despite, furthermore, likewise, thus, consequently  Look for words that signal the unexpected abnormal, anomalous, curious, illogical, incongruous, ironic, paradoxical  With two-blank questions, try eliminating using one blank  Watch for contrast, support & cause/effect signals although, despite, furthermore, likewise, thus, consequently  Look for words that signal the unexpected abnormal, anomalous, curious, illogical, incongruous, ironic, paradoxical

22. Sample Questions (p37)  Do #1-6 (in 3 minutes)

23. Practice Questions (p44)  1-15 (8 minutes)

24. Reading Comprehension: The Passage- based Question--p. 49 Tactics  Read the Introduction to acquaint yourself with text.  Use the line references & make sure you go back to the correct spot in passage.  When possible, read passages with familiar subjects before unfamiliar ones.  Read the Introduction to acquaint yourself with text.  Use the line references & make sure you go back to the correct spot in passage.  When possible, read passages with familiar subjects before unfamiliar ones.

25. Passage-based question Tactics  When faced with SHORT passages, read the questions first & see if you can answer the question by quickly skimming.  When faced with LONG passages, read passage first, then do questions.  When faced with SHORT passages, read the questions first & see if you can answer the question by quickly skimming.  When faced with LONG passages, read passage first, then do questions.

26. Passage-based question Tactics  Don’t get bogged down on one question; skip it & then come back to it.  Learn to spot the major reading question types:  Main idea  Specific details  Inferences  Tone/attitude  Vocab in context  technique  Don’t get bogged down on one question; skip it & then come back to it.  Learn to spot the major reading question types:  Main idea  Specific details  Inferences  Tone/attitude  Vocab in context  technique

27. Passage-based question Tactics  To find main idea, check the opening & summary sentences of each paragraph.  Familiarize yourself with important words in questions on technique or style: Abstract, analogy, antithesis, argumentative, assertion, cite, concrete, evidence, explanatory, expository, generalization, narrative, persuasive, rhetorical, thesis.  To find main idea, check the opening & summary sentences of each paragraph.  Familiarize yourself with important words in questions on technique or style: Abstract, analogy, antithesis, argumentative, assertion, cite, concrete, evidence, explanatory, expository, generalization, narrative, persuasive, rhetorical, thesis.

28. Passage-based question Tactics  When asked to choose a title, watch out for choices that are too specific or too general.  When asked about a specific detail in passage, spot key words in question and scan passage to find them.  When asked to choose a title, watch out for choices that are too specific or too general.  When asked about a specific detail in passage, spot key words in question and scan passage to find them.

29. Practice Exercises pgs. 57-59  Do Questions 1-8 in 8 min  [Do Questions 9-19 in 10 min]  Do Questions 1-8 in 8 min  [Do Questions 9-19 in 10 min]

30. Sample Test #1  Section 2 (p.390)  Let’s read the directions together  25 minutes-->24 questions  Section 2 (p.390)  Let’s read the directions together  25 minutes-->24 questions