SAT: CRITICAL READING

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SAT CRITICAL READING

• English 11

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Warm Up

• When you are faced with a multiple choice
  question (like on the SAT) what do you do? List
  all the apply.
• Re-read the question
• Read all of the choices A-D
• Insert the answers into the question to see if
  they fit
• Predict the answer before reading the choices
• Eliminate answers I know to be wrong
• Make an educated guess
• Add any strategies that are not
  already listed
• Which of these strategies works the BEST for you
  and why?

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CRITICAL READING

• One of the three sections scored on the SAT
• Scored through multiple choice questions
• Comprised of 2 major sections
• Sentence Completion
• Fill in the blank
• Emphasis on Vocabulary
• Passage-Based Reading
• Short and long reading passages with questions
• Emphasis on comprehension and context

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Todays Focus Sentence Completion

• 2 types of sentence completion questions
• Vocabulary in context
• Word relation questions (Logic Based)

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TYPE 1 VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT

• The sentence will act as a definition, example or
  a synonym of the correct answer

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TYPE 2 Word Relation Questions

• Also known as logic based questions
• The sentence requires that you understand which
  word best fits according to its relationship to
  the other words in the sentence.
• Compare and contrast
• Cause and effect

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What does this section look like?
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QUESTION STRUCTURE PREVIEW

• After all her effort, the writer was ________ to
  learn that her poem had been ________ for
  publication.
• a) elated...disallowed
• b) dismayed...approved
• c) troubled...recommended
• d) enthralled...refused
• e) distraught...rejected
• Note The words appear in the order in which they
  are intended to fit the sentence. They are not
  interchangeable

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Approaching Multiple Choice Questions

• General Strategies
• DO
• DONT

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Type 1Specific Strategies for Vocabulary in
Context

• Context Clues (definition hint)
• Synonyms
• Antonyms
• Word Parts
• Word Charge

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Type 1 Content Clues Example

• Directions Read the sentence and PREDICT the
  missing word based on surrounding words
• Known for their devotion to their masters, dogs
  were often used as symbols of ____ in medieval
  and Renaissance paintings.
• The definition of the missing blank can be
  replaced with _________ (a word from the
  sentence)

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Practice Applying Word Part Knowledge

• My neighbor is both ________ and ________ he
  keeps to himself and has great fear of anyone who
  isn't from our town.
• a) callous...predisposed
• b) misanthropic...tolerant
• c) insular...xenophobic
• d) ignorant...biased
• e) prejudicedobstinate

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WORD CHARGE

• Refers to a Positive () or a Negative (-)
  connotation
• of a word (can be inferred from word part)
• Insidious- vivacious-
• Diabolical- effervescent-
• Disconsolate
• What DO you know about this word?

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Lets Practice!

• Read sample questions A, B, and C
• Answer the NUMBERED questions
• Focus on STRATEGY

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CONTEXT CLUES

• ReviewType 1 Vocabulary in context
• Definition
• In other words
• Such as
• For example
• PracticeType 2 Logic Based Questions
• Contrast
• Cause and Effect

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Word Relation Questions (Logic Based)

• Contrast
• But
• Although
• Rather
• However
• Cause and Effect
• Because
• As a result
• Since
• Therefore

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CONTRAST

• The student spent no time planning his essay,
  resulting in a ______ of unconnected ideas,
  rather than a(n) _____ argument in support of a
  thesis.
• What words let you know a comparison is being
  made?
• What is the comparison that is being made?
• Note Focus on finding the COMPARISON in the
  sentence (strategy), rather than trying to fill
  in the blank.

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Lets Practice

• Read sample questions A and B
• Answer the NUMBERED questions
• Focus on STRATEGY

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CAUSE AND EFFECT

• If/then relationship
• If A is true, B is true
• We will face the idea of old age with____ as long
  as we believe that it invariably brings poverty,
  isolation, and illness.
• Where is your context clue illustrates the cause
  and effect relationship in this sentence?

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Lets Practice

• Read sample questions A and B
• Answer the NUMBERED questions
• Focus on STRATEGY

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QUESTIONS?
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Conclusion

• You do not have to know the meaning/definition of
  all of the options.
• You have to know what strategies to use
• OR
• You have to be able to find clues hidden in the
  question or in the answers

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Wrap Up

• 1. Are some of these strategies new to you?
• 2. Which ones do you find to be most
  helpful/useful?
• 3. Do you have any remaining questions about the
  content of this lesson?