Test Prep - test 6

Think of the story of Cinderella. Compared to Cinderella, her stepsisters are more...

Cruel.

Underlining _____ will help you select the proper response in a multiple-choice question, thus avoiding _____, or incorrect responses.

key words, distractors

In a certain passage, there is an event that we will call Event X. Pick the question that asks you about the CAUSE of Event X:

'Event X is an effect of...'

Your scale score on the ACT Reading test will range from

1 to 36.

How many questions does each section of the ACT Reading Test have?

10

How many reading passages are on the ACT? (counting a pair of short passages as a 'passage')

4

What is the second step to reading comprehension?

Being able to respond to what you read.

Which of the following is the hardest passage type?

It depends on you.

PASSAGE 1 In 2011, Company X began harvesting lumber from the Shady Creek Forest. By 2012, operations had expanded to the nearby Pleasant Grove Forest, and by January 2014, Company X had merged with its competitor Company Y to become the largest lumber company in the tri-state area. PASSAGE 2 Company X has already been destroying forests in Shady Creek for a year, leaving huge patches of barren land and wiping out local ecosystems wherever it goes. Now it's coming for Pleasant Grove, too - the days when you can send your kids outside to play in the woods may be numbered! -Compared to the tone of Passage 2, the tone of Passage 1 is more...

Objective.

Which of the following is NOT a type of ACT Reading passage?

Poetry.

Which is a way to challenge yourself in finding the gist?

Practice the four steps with an unfamiliar subject.

Which of the following is NOT a strategy for improving reading comprehension?

Practicing your writing based on activities in your daily life.

No sooner had we walked into the cave than the rocks around the entrance collapsed, trapping us inside! Not even a single beam of sunshine could shine through - until we heard a click and saw Smith's face in the pale beam of his emergency flashlight. -In this excerpt, the word 'beam' most nearly means...

Ray of light.

A student finds herself constantly trying to figure out what the author meant when she reads sections of her textbook. Which of the following is NOT a way to improve her reading for the gist of the section?

Re-reading the article several times.

What is reading comprehension?

Reading comprehension is when you understand what you read.

What is the first step to reading comprehension?

Reading on your ability level.

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate -- we cannot consecrate -- we cannot hallow -- this ground ... It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. (adapted from the Gettysburg Address) -The author adds emphasis to this passage primarily by using...

Repetition.

When should you work on main idea questions, relative to the other questions in a passage?

Save them for last.

How should you approach the passages on the ACT reading test?

Skim them and go to the questions.

When taking a multiple choice test in literature, which of the following is NOT a way to increase comprehension of a piece when reading for a test?

Skimming through the text in order to get the general idea of a text to save time.

We laughed at Smith for hauling around full emergency gear to every road trip and music festival, and he put up with a lot of sarcastic nicknames until one day, a real emergency changed our minds for good. -In this excerpt, the 'nicknames' indicate that...

Smith's friends do not take him seriously.

You're obsessed with zebras. You look up zebra facts in your spare time, you spent all your pocket money on sponsoring a zebra baby in Africa, and you can recite the Wikipedia entry on zebras backwards, including all the footnotes. You get an ACT passage about zebras. What's the correct response?

That's nice, but you approach the passage and questions just like any other passage, and answer based on the passage, not your outside knowledge.

While Joe held the flashlight, Smith dug out his radio to call for help, and even passed around fresh water and energy bars to snack on while we waited for the search and rescue team. Thanks to all the emergency gear we'd made so much fun of, everyone made it out OK. We finally crawled out of the cave dusty and scared, but unharmed - and determined never to tease Smith for his 'useless' survival kits again! -In this excerpt, the quotation marks around 'useless' indicate that...

The author no longer thinks Smith's survival gear is useless.

What is the definition of 'gist'?

The main point or essence.

Which reading passage on the ACT should you do first?

The one you're best at.

Before lunch, we decided to poke around a rock formation near the fishing hole - a pile of huge boulders framing the entrance to a cave that extended further back into the rock than any of us had ever explored. We'd had a secret fort in that cave in elementary school, but we hadn't been there in years, and we were all feeling nostalgic. -The mention of 'elementary school' implies that...

The people in the excerpt have been friends from a young age.

What is the guessing penalty on the ACT Reading test?

There is none.

Joe, Smith, and I had driven out to a nearby state park for a picnic and an afternoon fishing trip with Joe's dog Skipper. As usual, we made fun of Smith for bringing his entire go bag to a campground almost as domesticated as the local mall. -In this excerpt, 'the mall' serves as an example of a place that is...

Unlikely to be the site of an emergency.

PASSAGE 1 'I know this is hard for you - starting an exercise program and getting in shape is hard for everyone. Just remember that I'm here to help you make it through the rough spots. If there's anything I can do, let me know.' PASSAGE 2 'Time to shape up and get real! No more excuses! It's going to be tough, but hey, you should have thought of that BEFORE you ate all those cupcakes! Let's go!' -Compared to the tone of Passage 1, the tone of Passage 2 is significantly LESS...

Sympathetic.

How many passages are on the ACT Reading test?

4.

Consider the following test question: ''In this story, the word 'safe' most likely means...'' Regardless of what story is being referenced, what kind of test question would this be classified as?

An analysis or interpretation question.

What is the final step in reading comprehension?

Being able to listen and discuss what you read with others.

On the ACT, you will get...

One Prose Fiction passage OR one Literary Narrative passage.

Joe is taking a literature test. He easily eliminates one answer choice. The remaining choices all seem very similar to him. Which of the following are ways for Joe to determine which one of the answers is correct?

Check any absolutes, eliminate any red flags, and conduct the true/false test with the remaining answer choices.

I am not a city planner. I'm not a transit expert, or a civil engineer, or even a government employee. But as an avid bike commuter and a father of three, I can tell you that this new protected bike lane will be a huge boost for our community. Right now, I'm afraid to let my girls bike to the beach on their own; with a protected bike lane, I'd have no worries. We'd have more community life, more freedom for our kids, and a more neighborhood feel to the area with the lane - and if cars have to slow down a little for that, it's worth it. -The tone of this passage could best be described as...

Conversational.

Joe gasped and clutched the railing of the boat. Harry looked like he was about to be sick. Mike actually was sick. Only Sean stood straight, poker-faced, gazing steadily into the approaching storm. -Unlike the other boys, Sean...

Does not react to the storm.

I can't believe you'd do that to me! This is ridiculous! -The tone of the speaker in this quotation could best be described as...

Emotionally charged.

As a clinician, I do not recommend Magic Berry Syrup as a cure for heart disease, diabetes, obesity, or anything else. This is borne out in scientific research. In one experiment, Magic Berry Syrup performed no better than a placebo in helping participants lose weight. In another, it actually worsened blood glucose control and caused 30% of participants to gain weight rather than losing it. -The author primarily supports her argument with...

Evidence from scientific experiments.

What are four very common types of multiple-choice questions used for literature?

Factual, drawing conclusions, analysis, and inference.

On the ACT reading passages, in which order should you approach the questions?

From details to general questions.

Which of the following is NOT a benefit of discussing what you've read for better reading comprehension?

Getting to know a reading partner better.

Before I went to the 43rd Street Grill, my idea of a fancy restaurant was a slice of lemon on the side of your fountain soda and cloth napkins instead of paper. But here, I looked around uselessly for a napkin at all - until the tuxedo-clad waiter reached over to settle it in my lap. I tried to hide my beat-up sneakers under the table, feeling supremely out of place. -Compared to other restaurants where the author has eaten, the 43rd Street Grill...

Has a more formal atmosphere.

Before I went to the 43rd Street Grill, my idea of a fancy restaurant was a slice of lemon on the side of your fountain soda and cloth napkins instead of paper. But here, I looked around uselessly for a napkin at all - until the tuxedo-clad waiter reached over to settle it in my lap. I tried to hide my beat-up sneakers under the table, feeling supremely out of place. -Why does the author feel 'supremely out of place?'

He is underdressed.

Which passage type on the ACT is hardest?

It varies from person to person; none of them are designed to be harder but you may have a personal preference.

You know from experience that you can answer 2 detail questions in the time it takes to answer 1 main idea question. You also know that you always run out of time on the Reading section. You get to a really tough main idea question. What should you do?

Mark a random answer and go on to the detail questions in the next passage.

You're working on a prose fiction passage and get to a question you can't answer. What should you do?

Mark a random answer and move on - come back to it if you have time.

I am not a city planner. I'm not a transit expert, or a civil engineer, or even a government employee. But as an avid bike commuter and a father of three, I can tell you that this new protected bike lane will be a huge boost for our community. Right now, I'm afraid to let my girls bike to the beach on their own; with a protected bike lane, I'd have no worries. We'd have more community life, more freedom for our kids, and a more neighborhood feel to the area with the lane - and if cars have to slow down a little for that, it's worth it. -The author of this passage is primarily arguing about...

The social benefits of a bike lane.

On an ACT Reading passage, where will you find main idea questions?

They may be anywhere in the list of questions.

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of learning to find the gist of a piece of text you are reading?

You can eventually begin to skip over parts of passages as you read and still figure out what's going on in the writing.

For each incorrectly answered question on the ACT Reading test...

You earn 0 points.