SAT reading -- specific question steps

This involves being able to identify what type of question you're dealing with and knowing what to do when you get the question type.

Words in context

You have to understand:

1. The words

2. The context of the passage

• usually the context is straightforward, as the words are the hard part.

Steps(if you don’t know the word):

1. Look at the connotation— tone of the passage as it could relate to the tone of the words.

2. Look at roots/stems formally; break apart the word and piece together a meaning

3. If it comes down to it, choose what word sounds like the right word?

When it asks for the main purpose of the text.

Text structure: main purpose
Steps:

1. Rewrite key ideas in your own words

2. Identify the best vocab

3. Boil summary down to 1 sentence

4. Check answer choices

“Which choice best describes the function of the __ sentence in the text?

Text Structure: Sentence in Context

Steps:

1. Rewrite key ideas in own words

2. Identify purpose of sentence based off of placement of key ideas

3. Check against answer choices

“Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?”

Overall text structure

Steps:

1. Summarize key ideas with a emphasis on verbs

2. match up with answer choices

When your asked to find connections between 2 passages

Cross-text connections

Steps:

1. Read through and restate both texts

2. Identify the main subject of both

3. Identify author’s viewpoint

4. Compare viewpoints

5. Compare with answer choices

“Which choice best states the main idea of the text/(a specific detail)”

Central ideas and detials:

Steps:

1. Summarize passage

2. understand relevant detail and apply summary

The main idea will incorporate the whole passage in the answer choices— not just a part of it.

“what choice most logically completes the text?”

Inferences

Steps:

1. Read the last sentence

2. see what terms you need to understand (if any)

3. read backwards if needed, focusing on finding key words

• Step 3 is where you need to summary

Given in data: you use something from the data to prove something from the passage that’s given.

Command of evidence— figures

Steps:

1. Skim passage, but specifically note the context of the passages conclusion

2. Use data that supports the question and the data

Also note that numbers from the data matter less in reading… It’s reading, not math.

Finding evidence in textual evidence in literary and scientific passages

Command of evidence — literary

Steps:

1. Identify the argument

2. evaluate answer choice in relationship to the passage

Analyzing notes that a student takes

Rhetorical synthesis:

Steps:

1. read what the student wants to do

2. find what fully matches with it in the answer choices

3. if you can’t fully commit to one answer, skim through notes to find needed information.

Note: “introduce __ to an audience already familiar with __ ” = don’t give information on __ in the answer choice.