Reading PSAT

Reading PSAT

• 1 passage Fiction
• 1-2 passages Social Science
• 1-2 passages Natural Science
• 1 passage/passage set Historical Documents
• 1 paired passage set (science or social science)
• GRAPHICS

This isn't a typical reading test. The focus is on moving beyond what the text says to understanding how the text says it.

*Rhetoric Reading*
Reading to understand an author's argument as well as the rhetorical role or function that information plays in creating that argument

Skills tested:

• drawing relationships between specific and abstract
• distinguishing between main ideas and supporting details
• understand how text elements (like diction and syntax) convey meaning/tone

Skills tested:

• keeping track of multiple viewpoints
• understanding/inferring relationships between arguments and perspectives
• recognizing that it is possible for an author to agree with some ideas and reject others

Question types

• Big picture (passage as a whole)
• Literal comprehension (directly stated in the passage)
• Inference (indirectly stated/suggested)
• Supporting evidence (finding specific evidence)
• Function/purpose (rhetorical roles)

More Question Types

• Vocab in context (alternate meanings of common words)
• Rhetorical strategy/passage organization (effects and structure)
• Tone/attitude (how words/phrases contribute to tone)
• Supporting/understanding claims (info that supports/contradicts an idea in the passage)

EVEN MORE Question Types

• Analogy (identifying parallels between situations)
• Paired Passages (comparing texts/points of view)
• Information Graphic (interpreting graphs/tables and how they support a passage

Reading Order

• Chronological
• Most to least interesting
• Easiest to hardest

If there's a type of passage you consistently have trouble with, leave it for last
At least then you can console yourself knowing the section is almost over.

Remember that it is okay to skip around with both the passages and the questions. Dedicate your time to where you know you will do well.

The answer isn't always *in* the passage

The information necessary to answer the questions is always provided in the passage, but not necessarily the answer itself.

There is always a specific reason --supported by the passage-- that wrong answers are wrong.
Often, they describe a situation that -could- by true but that the passage does not explicitly indicate -is- true.

Incorrect answers are typically:

• Off-topic
• Too broad (one scientist vs multiple)
• Too extreme (passage is neutral; answer is extreme +/-)
• Half-right, half-wrong (right information, wrong point of view)

Incorrect answers are typically:

• Could be true, but needs more information
• True for the passage, not for the specific lines
• Factually true, but not stated in the passage

Line References

• A line reference simply tells you where a particular word or phrase is located - it does not tell you that the answer will be in that line/set of lines.
• The most important places in the passage (the ones you need to pay the most attention to) are not necessarily the ones indicated by the questions.
• The longer a line reference, the lower the chance that all of it will be important.

Strategies

The questions are typically arranged in a rough chronological order (although answers to "supporting evidence" questions may be found -after- the line reference in the following question.

Infographic questions are typically not in chronological order

Big Picture questions can be found in the beginning, middle, or end of a question set -and- may not provide line references.

There are two major ways to read passages. Regardless of which strategy you choose, you should read the passage as quickly as you can while still absorbing content.

Do your best to focus on the parts you understand. Avoid spending time puzzling over confusing details or repeatedly re-reading sections you do not grasp immediately.

Option 1

Read the whole passage with the goal of understanding the big picture then answering the questions.
This works best for those with awesome comprehension and focus

Read slowly (at first).
Once you figure out the point (usually at the end of the introduction) underline it.

Then, focus on the first (topic) and last sentence of the paragraph carefully, skimming through the rest of the paragraph. Circle major transitions/strong language.

Finally, read the conclusion carefully. Pay close attention to the last sentence or two (because the main point is often restated). Underline the main point.

Read slow? Use this method, but skip the skimming part. Focus on intro/conclusion and first/last sentences of body paragraphs.

Have awesome comprehension? Once you've figured out a paragraph, skip the rest and move to the next one.

Remember, you can always look at the passage later when you are working through the question set.

Option 2

Read the passage in sections, answering the straight-forward questions as you go. *Remember, they are usually in a rough chronological order.*
When you start a passage, start by -skimming- the questions.

If you see a line reference question, mark it in the passage so you don't forget.
*Bracketing is faster than underlining*
**Just remember that some questions aren't always answered in those lines**

If you struggle with focus on reading tests, this is a great approach. Chunking the text gives you less to focus on and makes it seem more manageable.

NOTE:
If you choose this option, you have to be careful with supporting evidence questions.
They come in two types: one where the the 1st question contains a line reference and one where they don't.

When the 1st question contains a line reference, you can probably answer both questions as you read.
When the 1st question does NOT, don't waste time trying to answer both questions as you read.

Option 1 is better than option 2.
BUT. Do what you gotta do.

Why not just skip the reading and jump to the questions? Because it sucks.
That's not what the PSAT is testing. You need context to understand the relationship between ideas, not just details.

Skimming

Skimming effectively means knowing what to focus on.
Brute speed is awesome, but efficiency matters more.

The worst mistake you could make would be reading each sentence as if each sentence is of equal importance.
Don't waste time rereading sentences over and over and over and over and over and over.

Skimming does not mean reading everything -faster-
Skimming means reading selectively.
This means some things are skipped, some things are read slowly, some things are glanced at

Authors are typically pretty clear about the parts they want you to pay attention to. They often do this through punctuation and transitions.
When you see these words, circle them.

Examples

• Making a point (the point is, goal, intention, important, central, etc)
• Transitions (however, therefore, in fact, etc)
• "Unusual" punctuation ( dashes, italics, colons)
• Strong language (always, never, only, most)
• "Explanation" words (answer, explain, reason)

All of these are code for
PAY ATTENTION
*if one of these elements appear in or around the lines you're given to read, the answer is typically around that spot.

This doesn't mean search and circle every "but" or "and" you find.
That's a waste of time.
You don't have time for that.

Questions without Line References

If you happen to remember the answer from the passage, you're in luck. If you don't remember, however, you have to know how to find the information in a way that will not involve staring at the passage and aimlessly (and nervously) skimming random parts of it.

Step one:
Identify and underline the key word(s)/phrase in the question.
*This is the topic and often follows the words: indicates/conveys or suggests/implies.

Step two:
Go back to the passage to skim for that word/phrase.
*drag your finger down the page as you scan*
*pay close attention to the first (topic) sentence and last sentence of each paragraph

Each time the word/phrase appears, stop and read a sentence or two above and below for context.
*doesn't answer the question? Move on; check the rest of the passage.

Your goal is to avoid falling into a loop of reading and re-reading a section, searching for information that isn't there.

Questions with Line References*

Steps

• Read the question -slowly-
• Re-read the lines in the question (sometimes the sentence or two above/below) ---Purpose/function questions often require more context (so more reading outside the line numbers) ---Sometimes the necessary information isn't even in those lines #thebastards

A long line reference is, paradoxically, a signal that you -don't- need to read all of the lines.

3: If it's a tough question (or you're really struggling), answer the question in your own words. Then, compare your answer to the choices. *DO NOT SPEND FOREVER*

4: Read answers carefully. In order.
5: Cross out answers that are absolutely wrong
*You should never cross out an answer because you are confused or haven't considered what it is saying.

Stuck between 2 answers?

• Look for major transitions/strong language in passage
• Correct answer usually contains a synonum for a key word in passage.
• Pick one specific word/phrase in an answer to check when you go back in the passage.

Remember: the more information an answer choice contains, the greater the chance that some of that information will be wrong.

Still stuck?
Educated guess.
Then
SKIP IT.

test-prep wisdom:

If you're not in the habit of reading things written for educated adults, start. Now. Yesterday.

The SAT isn't really about the SAT.

Read exactly what's on the page, in order, from left to right.

Be as literal as you possibly can.

Answering SAT Reading questions is a process.

Draw a line through the entire answer, not just the letter.

Always work in pencil.

Flexibility is key.

The path to a perfect score is not linear.

Don't rush.

Every passage has two authors--the author of the passage and the author(s) of the test--and you need to be able to read both of them.

Be willing to consider that the test might break its own "rules."

Fit the answer to the passage, not the passage to the answer.

Every word in the answer choice counts.

Just because information is in the passage doesn't mean it's important.

Don't get -stuck-

If something confuses you, ignore it and focus on what you do understand.

SAT Reading is not a guessing game.

Don't assume you'll always recognize the right answer when you see it.

There are no trick questions.

Go back to the passage and read.

Don't ever read just half a sentence.

If the answer isn't in the lines you've been given, it must be somewhere else.

When in doubt, reread the end of the conclusion.

Writing things down is not a sign of weakness.
(neither is using your finger)

The order in which you read the passages and do the questions doesn't really matter.

Don't fight the test.

BUT, always remember:
-Strategy is not a substitute for skill-

Vocab in Context

Among the most common types of questions; every passage will contain at least one.
Compared to other question types, vocab is relatively straightforward and less dependent on understanding of the passage as a whole.

Two Types

• Alternate meanings of common words
• First meanings of more challenging, less common words. *sometimes you are asked to identify the meaning of short phrases that contain words used in non-literal ways (e.g. "in its wake" means "as a consequence").

Context determines meaning

On the SAT, words can be used to mean whatever an author wants them to mean.

It doesn't matter if you know the definition of the word being tested, as long as you 1) can use context clues to understand the word in question, and 2) can figure out the definitions of the words in the answer choices.

A common word will not be used to mean what it most commonly means.
(spill =/= "knock over")

If you see the usual definition of a word among the answer choices, you should start by assuming that it's wrong and only reevaluate if nothing else works.

You can think of:
"In line 14, -want- most nearly means..."
AS:
"In line 14, -____- most nearly means..."

Strategies

• Plug in your own word and find the answer choice that matches.
• Plug each answer choice into the sentence.
• Play positive/negative, then plug it in.

***********
Remember, sometimes you have to look at more than just the sentence where the word is found.