ACT Preparation

1. ACT Preparation Science

2. Philosophy • Think of it as an open book test. ALL of the information you need to know is presented. • Don’t study your biology, chemistry, or physics notes. • Practice similar types of problems. Sparknotes.com may be good

3. Big Stuff • Time • Keep track of the time in order to use smart guessing. • Format • Knowing the format will save you time. • Know the instructions • You won’t need to spend time reading them the day of the test.

4. Time – Wear a watch!!!!! (no cell phones) • 40 questions in 35 minutes • 53 seconds per question. • Have a plan!!!!! • Process of elimination first. • Then, pick a favorite letter like ‘B’. Don’t jump around with your guesses. • Pace yourself, slow down, and think!!!

5. Format – Seven passages • Three types of problems • Data Representation • Three sets • 5 questions in each set = 15 questions • Research Summaries • Three sets • 6 questions in each set = 18 questions • Conflicting Viewpoints • One of these (2 views on an issue) • 7 questions only

6. Two rules for choosing easier passages: • Data analysis passagesare easier than compare/contrast passages (conflicting viewpoints). You'll only have one compare/contrast passage on the test. Save it for last. • Passages with one table or figureare easier thanpassages with two or more tables or figures since you only have to look up information in one place. Similarly, passages with two tables are easier than those with three.

7. Two rules for choosing easierquestions: • Do first - lookup and spotting trends questions Do next - inference and scientific method questions Do last - compare/contrast questions • If a question gives you trouble, move on. A prime strategy as a successful test taker is to move on from questions that bog you down. If a question seems too hard, or if it takes more than a minute to answer, guess at it and move to the next question.

8. Helpful tips • Don’t read everything. • Skim for content and move on to the questions. Look for what info is given. • Use POE • Use Process of Elimination • Look over questions to determine difficulty. • Answer the easy questions and let time determine if you will answer the hard ones (POE followed by favorite letter)

9. It’s good to know that • No calculators allowed (or needed) • You can and should write in the question booklet.

10. ACT Instructions

11. Data Representationexample question • This section has 3 parts with 5 questions each. • Look for trends and labels. • Are the graphs always increasing or decreasing? • Look at the axes to find out what type of information you are given. • Don’t read the introduction for this section unless you need more info.

13. 1.According to this table, in what range are the prolactin concentrations in untreated female rats? • Between 25 and 50 ng/ml • Between 30 and 35 ng/ml • Between 20 and 50 ng/ml • Between 15 and 20 ng/ml

14. 1. Answer: D

15. 2.Is the statement “The sound of 10 pups causes a more rapid increase in prolactin secretion than does the sight of 10 pups,” supported by the information in the table? • Yes, prolactin concentrations are greater 10 minutes following the sound of 10 pups than following the sight of 10 pups. • Yes, prolactin concentrations are greater 30 minutes following the sound of 10 pups than following the sight of 10 pups. • No, after 30 minutes, prolactin concentrations are greater following the sight of 10 pups than following the sound of 10 pups. J. No, both stimuli increased prolactin concentrations equally after 10 minutes.

16. 2. Answer: F

17. 3. What is the relationship between the strength of the pup odor and prolactin secretion after 10 minutes’ exposure? • The greater the number of pups providing the odor, the smaller the prolactin response. • The smaller the number of pups providing the odor, the greater the prolactin response. • The greater the number of pups providing the odor, the greater the prolactin response. • The odor of the pups was unrelated to the prolactin release.

18. 3. Answer: C

19. 4.If additional measurement had been taken after 60 minutes of exposure to the combined sight and odor of 10 pups, what would the prolactin concentrations most likely have been? • The prolactin concentrations would have been higher at 60 minutes than at 30 minutes. • The prolactin concentrations would have been the same at 60 minutes as at 10 minutes. • The prolactin concentrations would have been greater at 60 minutes than at 10 or 30 minutes. J. The prolactin concentrations would have been smaller at 60 minutes than at 10 or 30 minutes.

20. 4. Answer: J

21. The sound of the pups is the least potent stimulus for initiation of prolactin secretion. • The sound and odor of the pups induce more prolactin secretion when presented together that when presented individually. • The sight of the pups induces a more rapid increase in prolactin secretion than does the sound of the pups. • Prolactin secretion increases above and then returns to control levels during 30 minutes of exposure to the sight of the pups. 5.Which of the following conclusions is consistent with the data presented in the table?

22. 5. Answer: B

23. Research Summaryexample section • Three types of research • 6 questions each = 18 questions • Look for trends and labels. • Are the graphs always increasing or decreasing? • Look at the axes for type of information. • Don’t read the introduction for this section unless you need more info.

25. According to the information provided in the table, the concentration of which of the following ions and dissolved gases is constant for sediment depths of 10 cm or more? • Sulfide (S2-) • Carbon dioxide (CO2) • Ferric iron (Fe3+) • Oxygen (O2)

27. Answer: Question #1 • Look at depth of 10cm or more on the chart. Out of all the options only oxygen has consistent numbers. The answer is “D”.

28. 2. The graph below best represents the relationship between concentration and sediment depth for which of the following ions and dissolved gases? • Ferrous iron (Fe2+) • Oxygen (O2) • Carbon dioxide (CO2) Sulfate (SO42-) J.

30. Answer: Question #2 2. According to the figure, concentration of the key quantity is 1.0 ppm both at 0 and 20 cm. F.Ferrous iron (Fe2+) Incorrect. Ferrous iron's concentration is 0.5 ppm at 0 depth and 4.0 ppm at 20 cm. G.Oxygen (O2) Incorrect. Oxygen's concentration is 2.0 ppm at 0 depth and 0.0 ppm at 20 cm. H.Carbon dioxide (CO2) Correct. Carbon dioxide's concentration increases from 1 ppm at 0 depth to 3 ppm at 15 cm, then decreases to 1 ppm at 20 cm. J.Sulfate (SO4 2–) Incorrect. Sulfate's concentration is 7.0 ppm at 0 depth and 3.0 ppm at 20 cm.

31. 3. If the trends indicated in the table were to continue, one would predict the pH of the sediments at a depth of 35 cm to be: • 1.5 • 3.5 • 4.5 • 6.0

33. Answer: Question #3 3.The best answer is B. According to the table, pH decreases linearly at the rate of 0.5 units for every 5 cm decrease in depth. A.1.5. Incorrect. Given that pH decreases linearly at the rate of 0.5 units for every 0.5 cm decrease in depth, a depth of 55 cm would be required before the pH was 1.5. B.3.5. Correct. At 20 cm, pH = 5.0; 35 cm is three 5-cm increments below 20 cm. At 35 cm, pH would be 5.0 – (3 0.5) = 5.0 – 1.5 = 3.5. C.4.5. Incorrect. Given that pH decreases linearly at the rate of 0.5 units for every 0.5 cm decrease in depth, a depth of 25 cm—not 35 cm—would have a pH of 4.5. D.6.0. Incorrect. At a depth of 10 cm, the pH is 6. Given that pH decreases as depth increases, at a depth of 35 cm the pH would be less than 6.

34. 4. A certain type of bottom-dwelling microorganism thrives under the following environmental conditions: low concentrations of Fe2+, high concentrations of O2, and a neutral pH. Based on the table, at which of the following sediment depths would one most likely find this microorganism? • 0 cm • 5 cm • 10 cm 15 cm J.

36. Answer: Question #4 4.The best answer is F. By inspection, one can see that, at a depth of 0, the concentration of Fe 2+ is lowest (0.5 ppm), the concentration of O2 is highest (2.0), and pH is neutral (7.0). F.0 cm Correct. By inspection, one can see that the concentration of Fe 2+ is the lowest available (0.5 ppm), the concentration of O2 is the highest available (2.0), and pH is neutral (7.0) at a depth of 0. G.5 cm Incorrect. The concentration of Fe 2+ (1.5 ppm) is higher than at 0 depth, the concentration of O2 (1.0 ppm) is lower than at 0 depth, and pH (6.5) is below neutral. H.10 cm Incorrect. Oxygen level at this depth (0.0 ppm) is clearly the least favorable of all the choices, and iron level is significantly higher than at 0. J.15 cm Incorrect. Oxygen level at this depth (0.0 ppm) is clearly the least favorable of the choices, iron is close to its maximum listed level, and pH is distinctly acidic.

37. 5. A researcher wants to determine whether an unidentified sediment sample was drawn from a depth of 15 cm or 20 cm. Based on the information in the table, which of the following would NOT confirm the depth of the sample? • O2 concentration • Fe3+ concentration • S2- concentration • pH

39. Answer: Question #5 5. The best answer is A. The quantity tested must have different values at 15 cm and 20 cm to confirm; thus, the answer will have the same value at 15 cm and 20 cm. A.O2 concentration Correct. O2 levels are the same at 15 cm and 20 cm, so the oxygen test could NOT be used for confirmation. B.Fe3+ concentration Incorrect. Fe3+ levels are different at 15 cm (0.8 ppm) and 20 cm (0.5 ppm), so the ferric iron test COULD be used for confirmation. C.S2– concentration Incorrect. S 2– levels are different at 15 cm (3.8 ppm) and 20 cm (4.0 ppm), so the sulfide test COULD be used for confirmation. D.pH Incorrect. pH levels are different at 15 cm (5.5) and 20 cm (5.0), so the pH test COULD be used for confirmation.

40. Research Summary 2nd Section

42. 1.In Experiment 3, data from the passage indicate the duration was greatest for secondary jocularities produced by gastiles of what duration? • 1.0 seconds • 2.5 seconds • 5.0 seconds • 12.0 seconds

43. 1. Answer: B

44. 2. According to Experiment 2, a primary jocularity of 90 decibels would be most likely be produced by a gastile of: • less than 1.0 second. • between 1.0 and 2.0 seconds. • between 12.0 and 19.0 seconds. • greater than 5.0 seconds.

45. 2. Answer: H

46. the temperature of aerosanizen affects the chemical’s ability to neutralize malodorzane. • the volume of malodorzane varies with the chemical composition of the protocrud. • the closed system produces a greater volume of malodorzane than aerosanizen. • the temperature of the protocrud affects the rate of malodorzane production. 3. The data in Table 1 would be most useful in determining whether:

47. 3. Answer: D

48. 4.Based on Experiment 3, Gastiles with a duration of 13.0 seconds would probably produce primary jocularities of a duration: • between 3 and 7 seconds. • between 7 and 13 seconds. • between 13 and 25 seconds. J. greater than 51 seconds.

49. 4. Answer: J

50. Conflicting View PointExample • In this section, there is a topic of research with 7 questions about that topic. • Do readthe introductions for this section. The instructions are the section before the two theories. The instructions introduce the research topic.