1 Learning about the SAT (and ACT) Read each slide, take notes, and then press enter to proceed to the next comment or slide.

2 What is the SAT? Measure of verbal and math reasoning means of comparing students from different regions Provides 2 scores (verbal and math) Range is on verbal and math.

3 The SAT is NOT: An intelligence test a predictor of success in life a predictor of success in college

4 What does the SAT look like? 3 hours long - 7 sections 1 math or verbal equating section (which doesn’t count) 3 verbal sections 30 minutes 15 minutes 3 math sections 30 minutes 15 minutes

5 SAT Verbal Questions Analogies - 19 questions Sentence Completion- 19 questions Critical Reading- 40 questions

6 Should I take the SAT (or ACT)? Yes, if you plan to attend: –4 year colleges –Private Colleges –2 year colleges Yes if you plan to pursue: –Scholarships

7 SAT versus ACT SAT 50% Math more Vocabulary not all multiple choice scale to 1600 critical reading ACT has science section includes trig all multiple choice tests grammar scale to 36

8 ACT INFORMATION

9 TEST TAKING ATTITUDES CRAMMING-can’t prepare the night before AVOIDANCE-deal with it, don’t ignore it ANXIETY- it’s ok to be anxious SELF TALK- be positive

10 GENERAL NOTES BRING ID PENCIL,WATCH, CALCULATOR FOOD CAN CANCEL SCORES DARKEN ANSWERS, ERASE MARKS NIGHT BEFORE- get rest

11 GENERAL SAT STRATEGIES-the following slides all address the SAT KNOW THE TEST DIRECTIONS KNOW HOW TEST IS ARRANGED DON’T GET HUNG UP ON ONE PROBLEM SLOW DOWN AND SKIP THE DIFFICULT

12 guessing The SAT guessing penalty- it’s okay to guess if you can eliminate at least one answer

13 Process of elimination Look for the wrong answer-sometimes it helps to look for the answers you know are wrong and eliminate them first positive / negative- sometimes you can tell if the answer is going to be a positive or negative word

14 SAT questions are arranged by EASY, MEDIUM, DIFFICULT (not on reading comp) in the verbal section EASY QUESTIONS- FIRST THIRD MEDIUM QUESTIONS- MIDDLE THIRD DIFFICULT QUESTIONS- LAST THIRD

15 ANALOGIES EASY, MEDIUM, HARD MAKE A SENTENCE

16 ANALOGIES RELATIONSHIPS TYPE OF- ONE WORD IS A TYPE OF ANOTHER DEGREE-SENTENCE WILL MEAN “MEANS EXTREMELY” OR “MEANS VERY LITTLE” MEANS WITHOUT- ONE WORD MEANS THE LACK OF THE OTHER USED TO- ONE WORD DESCRIBES THE PURPOSE OF THE OTHER

17 ANALOGY STRATEGIES PLUG IN ANSWERS MAKE RELATIONSHIP MORE SPECIFIC PARTS OF SPEECH ARE CONSISTENT IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE MEANING OF A STEM WORD- MAKE SENTENCES WITH THE ANSWERS FIRST DON’T KNOW ANYTHING- REMEMBER MEDIUM EASY HARD ON HARD QUESTIONS PICK THE WEIRD ONE

18 ANALOGIES SUMMARY MAKE A SENTENCE WITH STEM WORDS MAKE SENTENCES MORE SPECIFIC CHECK EVERY ANSWER REMEMBER Easy, medium, hard

19 SENTENCE COMPLETION REMEMBER Easy, Medium, Hard COVER ANSWERS AND COME UP WITH A WORD

20 SENTENCE COMPLETION TRIGGER WORDS –BUT, ALTHOUGH, HOWEVER, YET, EVEN THOUGH –INDICATE THERE WILL BE CONTRASTING OR CONTRADICTORY SENTENCES –AND,BECAUSE- INDICATE MAINTAINING THE DIRECTION OF THE SENTENCE

21 2 BLANK SENTENCES DO ONE BLANK FIRST LOOK FOR SAME CLUES ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIP- POS/POS- NEG/NEG-POS/NEG

22 POSITIVE/NEGATIVE-try it here Ruskin’s vitriolic attack was the climax of the ______ heaped on paintings that today seem amazingly ______. –a) criticism…unpopular –B. ridicule….inoffensive –C. praise……amateurish –D. indifference… scandalous –E. acclaim…..creditable –Answer in next slide

23 The answer was B. First blank is a negative word, second blank is neither negative nor positive. Only B fits these two choices.

24 SENTENCE COMPLETION REMEMBER Easy, medium, hard ONE BLANK AT A TIME Remember positive/negative

25 CRITICAL READING DO NOT GO FROM EASY TO DIFFICULT POLITICAL CORRECTNESS- usually one politically correct example READ INTRO AND LAST SENTENCE FIRST QUESTIONS REFER TO BEGINNING OF READING SECTION, second to next part. Questions are in order with the reading

26 CRITICAL READING NEED TO KNOW –AUTHORS POINT –AUTHORS TONE –PASSAGE LAYOUT REMEMBER no easy, medium, hard COVER ANSWER AND FILL

27 CRITICAL READING TRANSLATE QUESTION ANSWER IN YOUR OWN WORDS WHEN THEY ASK FOR THE MEANING OF A WORD USE VOCABULARY IN CONTEST AND COVER ANSWERS

28 CRITICAL READING EXCEPT/LEAST/NOT QUESTIONS TAKE A LONG TIME-SAVE UNTIL LAST DON’T PICK EXTREME ANSWERS NARRATIVES-EXCERPTS FROM STORIES-USE TRIGGER WORDS DUAL PASSAGES- DO ONE AT A TIME SKIP READING IF YOU ARE STUCK

29 INTERNET SITES- SAT INFO free practice SAT

30 Congratulations! This ends the SAT/ACT Slideshow Now go back to the activity page and click on the SAT/ACT Activity.