READING COMPREHENSION Ac

1. AccuplacerStudy guide Academic learning center Lowry: West Quad, Rm. 106 (303) 340-7247 CentreTech: Classroom, Rm. C109 (303) 360-4742 READING COMPREHENSION Ac

2. Reading comprehension format READING COMPREHENSION • The ACCUPLACER placement test is broken into two main parts: Reading Comprehension and Sentence Skills. • The Reading Comprehension section measures your ability to understand what you read. • The Reading Comprehension section consists of 20 questions of two primary types: • The first type consists of reading either a short or long passage and answering a question based on the text. • The second type presents two sentences and asks you to answer a question about the relationship between the two sentences. • (“CollegeBoard ACCUPLACER”)

3. Reading comprehension Section Title Text 1ST TYPE: PASSAGE QUESTIONS The short or long passage questions ask you about explicit statements related to a main idea, explicit statements related to a secondary idea, application, and inference. DEFINITIONS: Explicit means fully developed and expressed. An explicit idea will be directly stated in the text. The main idea of a text is the focus. To find this, ask yourself what point the author is trying to make. In an essay, we call this the thesis statement. Any ideas that support the main idea are called secondary statements. Application has to do with applying what you have read to a specific question about the passage. Inference is an educated guess. When you infer, you come to a conclusion from evidence given and your own reasoning. (“CollegeBoard ACCUPLACER”)

4. Passage examples Section Title Text EXPLICIT STATEMENTS RELATED TO A MAIN IDEA EXAMPLE: The people most often hurt by stereotyping are women, minorities, older workers, and immigrants. However, many white men feel that they are also victims of stereotyping. Part of the AT&T Corporation Diversity Program is a workshop titled, “What About White Males? Are They the Invisible Diversity Segment?” This workshop was created after many white male employees complained that conventional diversity courses perpetuated stereotypes about their supposed wealth, power, and insensitivity. More than 1,000 AT&T workers have participated in the workshops aimed at dispelling myths about white men. In the above paragraph, the author emphasizes which of the following? The AT&T Corporation has numerous diversity training workshops Although most people claim to dislike stereotypes, they all too often apply them to others In addition to women and minorities, white men can also suffer from stereotyping More than 1,000 works at AT&T have gone to workshops about diversity training The correct answer is C. The main idea/emphasis of the passage is the author’s opinion that white men also suffer from stereotyping. EXPLICIT STATEMENTS REALTED TO A SECONDARY IDEA EXAMPLE: Samuel Morse, best known today as the inventor of Morse Code and one of the inventors of the telegraph, was originally a prominent painter. While he was always interested in technology and studied electrical engineering in college, Morse went to Paris to learn from famous artists of his day and later painted many pictures that now hang in museums, including a portrait of former President John Adams. In 1825, Morse was in Washington, D.C., painting a portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette when a messenger arrived on horseback to tell him that his wife was gravely ill back at his home in Connecticut. The message had taken several days to reach him because of the distance. Morse rushed to his home as fast as he could, but his wife had already passed away by the time he arrived. Grief-stricken, he gave up painting and devoted the rest of his life to finding ways to transmit messages over long distances faster. Morse left the art world and helped to invent the telegraph because he A. was tired of painting B. wanted to communicate with people far away C. experienced a personal tragedy in his life D. was fascinated by science The correct answer is C. This question relates to secondary information about Morse’s switch from painting to science.

5. Passage examples Section Title Text APPLICATION EXAMPLE: Paul Gauguin has always been credited with enormous artistic influence. Without a doubt, he is one of the trio of nineteenth-century painters, along with Vincent Van Gogh, and Paul Cezanne, most responsible for shaping the direction of modern art. The innovative colors and forms in his painting led directly to the development of Impressionism and influenced such great artists as Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. Gaugin’s gorgeous colors, distorted figures, and dreamlike scenes of an unspoiled, primitive paradise are still capable of inspiring not only an emotional reaction but also philosophical reflection. Uninterested in telling stories or providing answers, Gauguin used his work instead to ask the profound moral and intellectual questions that preoccupied him. The tone in the preceding paragraph could best be described as A. nonchalant B. admiring C. objective D. critical The correct answer is B. Although similar to inference, you are also applying what you know about tone to choose the best answer. INFERENCE • EXAMPLE: In the words of Thomas De Quincey, “It is notorious that the memory strengthens as you lay burdens upon it.” If, like most people, you have trouble recalling the names of those you have just met, try this: The next time you are introduced, plan to remember the names. Say to yourself, “I’ll listen carefully; I’ll repeat each person’s name to be sure I have it, and I will remember.” You’ll discover how effective this technique is and probably recall those names for the rest of your life. • The passage suggests that people remember names best when they • A. meet new people • B. are intelligent • C. decide to do so • D. are interested in people • The correct answer is C. In this passage, we had to infer the correct answer. We weren’t explicitly told that deciding to remember is the way to remember names. • (“CollegeBoard ACCUPLACER”)

6. Reading comprehension Section Title Text 2nd TYPE: SENTENCE RELATIONSHIP QUESTIONS The sentence relationship questions may ask you determine if the statement in the second sentence supports that in the first, if it contradicts it, or if it repeats the same information. It may also ask if the first sentence is the cause and the second the effect or if the second is an example of the first. DEFINITIONS: A supporting second sentence will agree with the first sentence but provide another reason the first is true. A contradicting second sentence will oppose the first and make it false. A second sentence that is the effect of something will show the results of the action or event described in the first sentence. (“CollegeBoard ACCUPLACER”)

7. Sentence relationship examples Section Title Text SECOND IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE FIRST EXAMPLE: While most people think of dogs as pets, some dogs are bred and trained specifically for certain types of work. The bloodhound’s acute sense of smell and willing personality make it ideal for tracking lost objects or people. What does the second sentence do? A. It makes a contrast. B. It restates an idea found in the first. C. It states an effect. D. It gives an example. The correct answer is D. The second sentence gives an example of a dog type bred and trained for certain types of work. REPEATES THE SAME INFORMATION • EXAMPLE: • Knowledge of another language fosters greater awareness of cultural diversity among the peoples of the world. • Individuals who have foreign language skills can appreciate more readily other peoples’ values and ways of life. • How are the two sentences related? • A. They contradict each other. • B. They present problems and solutions. • C. They establish a contrast. • D. They repeat the same idea. • The correct answer is D. Both sentences are saying that learning other languages increases your cultural sensitivity.

8. Sentence relationship examples Section Title Text CONTRADICTS THE FIRST EXAMPLE: Compared with the rest of the country, North Dakota has a thriving economy, making it a place where more people want to live. With temperatures in January ranging from 2 to 17 degrees Fahrenheit, winters in North Dakota are viewed by some prospective residents as inhospitable. What does the second sentence do? A. It reinforces the first. B. It explains what is stated in the first. C. It contradicts the first. D. It analyzes a statement made in the first. The correct answer is C. The first sentence says more people want to live in North Dakota. The second says that people do not want to live there. CONTRAST • EXAMPLE: • According to the American Sleep Disorders Association, the average teenager needs around 9.5 hours of sleep per night, possibly because critical growth hormones are released during sleep. • The average adult requires between six and eight hours of sleep per night for optimal health and productivity. • How do the two sentences relate? • A. They establish a contrast. • B. They contradict each other. • C. They reinforce each other. • D. They provide a problem and solution. • The correct answer is A. The second sentence does not contradict the first, but it does show a contrasting view on sleep requirements. • (“CollegeBoard ACCUPLACER”)

9. PRACTICE TIPS for at home study Section Title Text Find the Main Idea: Finding the main idea will help you understand the purpose of a piece of writing. The main idea is the focus of the piece. To find the main idea, ask yourself what the author is trying to say. The rest of the text will be secondary statements that support the main idea. The main idea of an essay is called the thesis statement. The thesis tells us what the paper is about. Focus on the First and Last Paragraph: Most often, the first and last paragraph of an essay or piece of writing will tell you the main idea of the piece. The first paragraph often tells you the main idea and the last paragraph often repeats it. Define Unknown Words/Expand Vocabulary: If you are reading on your own and not taking a test, you can improve your reading comprehension by circling or writing down unknown words and looking up their definitions. The larger your vocabulary is, the better your reading comprehension will be. Knowing the definitions of words will help you decipher a text’s meaning. Take Notes/Annotate: Write down questions or thoughts you have as you read. These notes should help you recall the meaning of what you read and remind you to look up ideas, words, or concepts you are unfamiliar with. If it is a print text, we call writing on the text annotating. If you are annotating, you can underline the main idea and circle unknown words. If it is an online text, take notes on a separate sheet of paper. Read Various Texts/Often: One of the best ways to improve your reading comprehension is to read often and from a variety of texts and genres. If you usually read short articles, try reading books. If you only read novels, try reading nonfiction, short stories, or poetry. Complete Practice Tests/Attend Workshops: Visit accuplacer.collegeboard.org to complete practice tests and learn more about the test. You can also attend one of the Accuplacer workshops that the Academic Learning Center at the Community College of Aurora provides. (“CollegeBoard ACCUPLACER”)

10. TEST TAKING STRATIGIES Section Title Text • Take Your Time: There is no time limit on the ACCUPLACER. Be sure to read slowly and reread passages if you need to. • Read the Question/Options First: By reading the question and answer options first, you will know what to look for when you read the passage. • Read All of the Answer Options: Some of the answers may be very similar to the correct answer. By reading all of the options, you may note the slight difference between the correct and incorrect answer. • Use Context to Define Unknown Words: Note where a word is placed in a sentence and define the words you do know. By doing this, you may be able to guess what the definition of an unknown word is and in turn, better grasp the text’s meaning. • Look for Telling Phrases: Phrases such as: as a result of, the cause of, or because of will help you locate the cause and effect in the passage. You could also look for phrases such as: I would argue or most importantly to locate the main idea of the passage. Other phrases such as: in contrast to, on the other hand, or others may believe can help you locate contrasting points of view. • (“Accuplacer Tips and Tricks…”)

11. Community college of aurora Testing Center Community college of aurora Testing Center Section Title Text • Test Info • The ACCUPLACER is an untimed multiple choice test. The test includes: • English • - Reading Comprehension (20 questions) • - Sentence Skills (20 questions) • Math • - Elementary Algebra (12 questions) • - Arithmetic (17 questions) • - College Level Math (20 questions; Optional) • Study Workbooks are available at the Centre Tech and Lowry campuses. • Cost • Full test (both English and Math sections) $10 • One individual section $5 • Retest Policy • Any section of the test can be taken twice in a 3 year period. • Scheduling • Testing requires an appointment made at least 24 hours in advance at https://www2.registerblast.com/centretech/Exam/List. • Testing is offered at both the Centre Tech and Lowry campuses. • CCA Testing Center • https://www.ccaurora.edu/getting-started/testing • Testing@ccaurora.edu • (303)360-4948 • CentreTech Campus • Administration Building • 16000 E. CentreTech Parkway, Room A205 • Aurora, CO, 80011 • Hours • Mon, Tues, Thur, Fri: 9 to 5 pm • Wed: 9 to 7 pm • Saturday (2nd of the month): 9-1 pm • Lowry Campus • West Quad, Building 903 • 710 Alton Way, Room 119 • Denver, CO, 80230 • Hours • Mon-Thur8:30— 5 pm • Fri 9—4:30 pm

12. REFRENCES Section Title Text “Accuplacer Tips and Tricks - Reading and English.” JWebCampus, n.d. https://gbcnv.instructure.com/courses/305910/assignments/1344979?module_item_id=295617 8. Accessed 24 March 2017. CollegeBoard ACCUPLACER. College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation, 2017, https://accuplacer.collegeboard.org/. Accessed 23 March 2017.