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ACT Reading Test Strategies

ACT Reading Test Strategies. Mr. Brashear College Reading. Strategies and Techniques. Slow down; focus on two or three of the passages. Guess on the remaining questions. Why? National Average on the ACT Reading Test is 21.

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ACT Reading Test Strategies

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  1. ACT Reading Test Strategies Mr. Brashear College Reading

  2. Strategies and Techniques • Slow down; focus on two or three of the passages. • Guess on the remaining questions. Why? • National Average on the ACT Reading Test is 21. • This means that a person will answer correctly approximately HALF of the questions.

  3. Techniques (cont’d) • By guessing on the last portion, statistically there are four options, leaving you with a 25% chance of getting it correct. • Guessing on 20 could yield 5 correct answers.

  4. “Sacrificing” a Reading Passage • Most students will not have time to complete the passage. • Choose a passage or two that will be “sacrificed” for Time Management. How? • Look at the subject matter. • Which passage gives you the most trouble? • Let practice tests taken help you decide

  5. General Strategies • Don’t read the passage, but read loosely and only dwell on information you are sure is important… • Don’t use context clues the first time you skim through a passage. • But how do you suggest we do that?

  6. Read Question Stems • Read stems first. • These contain useful information referring to specific names or terms, and line numbers. • Be careful to focus energy on parts that lead to correct answers. • DO NOT read answer choices.

  7. Read Stems (cont’d) • When you see a line reference, locate those lines and MAKE A NOTE in the margin. • Write the question number next to the parentheses.

  8. Determine the Main Idea • Topic—What is the passage about? • Scope—What aspect of the topic does the passage focus on? • Purpose—Why did the author write the passage? • The introductory paragraph often indicates the topic or topics discussed. • Read carefully here.

  9. Paraphrase Question Stems • Find the information that answers the question. • Answer the question in your mind first to determine the correct direction. • DON’T read answers; they were created to confuse. • “So what they are really saying is…”

  10. Read and Answer Questions • Some questions ask to draw conclusions; answer these based on information. • Read a little before and a little after the lines referenced in order to get all necessary information—at least the entire sentence of the line referenced. • DON’T assume the answer is correct if you don’t understand it! • Refer to passage often.

  11. Process of Elimination • It is reliable, but SLOW. • Last-ditch effort strategy IF you cannot predict an answer or it is not listed.

  12. Question Types • Main Idea—Topic, Scope, and Purpose • Specific Detail—Refer to the passage—line or paragraph mentioned. • Conclusion Inference—Find strong evidence, • Extrapolation—Questions ask to go beyond passage and find answers that are true based on what was read. Be sensitive to tone or attitude. • Vocabulary in Context--read the answer choices and pay attention to the line reference. Read entire sentence at least to determine the meaning in context.

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