Upward BoundUpward BoundACT PrepACT Prep

ACT Reading TestACT Reading Test

Copyright 2000 mjt

What type?

What is it?

Number of questions

Percentage of test

Prose/Fiction

Novel, short story

10

25%

Humanities Art, music, dance, architecture,

theatre, philosophy

10

25%

Social Science

Sociology, psychology, economics, political science, anthropology

10

25%

Natural Science

Biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, space science

10

25%

Reading Statistics

Each passage contains about 750 words...

Of the 40 questions, 14 are referring and 26 are reasoning questions.

The Key to ACT ReadingThe Key to ACT Reading

Read quickly, but actively...Read quickly, but actively...Think ahead...Think ahead...Look for a general outline...Look for a general outline...Don’t worry about details...Don’t worry about details...Look for key words...Look for key words...

Know Where You Are Going...Know Where You Are Going...For example:For example:

1. I can’t believe my good luck! The one time I buy a lottery ticket, I _______________.

2. As their habitat is destroyed, wild animals _____________.

Look for structural clues:Look for structural clues:

• Indicating a contrast: but, however, on the other hand, neverthless.

• Indicating a contribution with a similar or complementary thought: moreover, furthermore, ; (semicolon).

• Indicating a conclusion: therefore, thus.

• Indicating reasons for a conclusion: since, because of, due to.

• Indicating an example of illustration: for instance, for example.

Three Step Reading ApproachThree Step Reading Approach

1. Preread the passage1. Preread the passage::

• Quickly work through the passage.Quickly work through the passage.

• Anticipate how the parts of the passage will fit Anticipate how the parts of the passage will fit together.together.

• Understand the main idea.Understand the main idea.

• Underline key points, jot down note, or label each Underline key points, jot down note, or label each paragraph.paragraph.

• DON’T READ SLOWLY.DON’T READ SLOWLY.• DON’T GET BOGGED DOWNDON’T GET BOGGED DOWN WITH DETAILSWITH DETAILS.

2. Consider the question stem.2. Consider the question stem.♦ Don’t let the answer choices direct your thinking.Don’t let the answer choices direct your thinking.

♦Think about the question stem without looking at the Think about the question stem without looking at the choices.choices.

3. Refer to the passage.3. Refer to the passage.♦ Don’t trust your memoryDon’t trust your memory

♦ Don’t confine yourself to the EXACT words used in the Don’t confine yourself to the EXACT words used in the passage.passage.

♦ Your answer should match the passage - not exact Your answer should match the passage - not exact vocabulary.vocabulary.

Types of ACT PassagesTypes of ACT Passages

1. Prose Fiction:♦ Not a well-structured essay.

♦ Won’t break down into an orderly outline.

♦ Pay attention to the story and characters.

♦ Answer these questions:

♦ Who are these people? (What are they like?)

♦ What is their state of mind?

♦ What is going on?

2. Nonfiction:2. Nonfiction:

Social Science - Natural Science - HumanitiesSocial Science - Natural Science - Humanities

♦ Illustrations, graphs, tables may be included.Illustrations, graphs, tables may be included.

♦ Read to understand the ideas rather than Read to understand the ideas rather than analyzing experiments and data.analyzing experiments and data.

♦ Don’t panic with unfamiliar vocabulary.Don’t panic with unfamiliar vocabulary.

♦ Don’t get lost in complex details - read for Don’t get lost in complex details - read for the main idea.the main idea.

Types of QuestionsTypes of Questions

1. Specific detail questions.1. Specific detail questions.♦ When given a specific line, ALWAYS read When given a specific line, ALWAYS read the few lines before and after it.the few lines before and after it.

22. Inference Questions.. Inference Questions.♦ Something that’s not stated explicitly in the Something that’s not stated explicitly in the passage, but is definitely said implicitly.passage, but is definitely said implicitly.

♦ Key words: Key words: suggest, infer, inference, imply.suggest, infer, inference, imply.

♦ ““Read between the lines”.Read between the lines”.

3. Big Picture Questions:3. Big Picture Questions:

♦ Main pointsMain points♦ Author’s attitude or toneAuthor’s attitude or tone♦ Logic underlying the author’s argumentLogic underlying the author’s argument♦ How ideas in different parts of the passage relate How ideas in different parts of the passage relate to each otherto each other♦ Difference between fact and opinion.Difference between fact and opinion.

Running Out of Time?Running Out of Time?

♦ Don’t spend time re-reading the passage…Don’t spend time re-reading the passage…

♦ Scan the questions without reading the Scan the questions without reading the passage and look first for the ones that mention passage and look first for the ones that mention line numbers or specific paragraphs. Do these line numbers or specific paragraphs. Do these first, then the others.first, then the others.