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ACT Reading Section Strategies

Jul 10, 2024

ACT Reading Section Lecture Notes

Common Complaints About the ACT Reading Section

  • Passages are too long
  • Dislike for reading in general
  • Running out of time
  • Boring content
  • Confusing questions
  • Hard to comprehend
  • Feeling tired

Lecture Objective

  • Learn how to tackle the ACT Reading Section efficiently
  • Tips to answer questions with minimal reading
  • Strategies to save time and comprehend better

ACT Reading Section Overview

  • Structure: 4 passages, 40 questions, 35 minutes
  • Average: 10 questions per passage
  • Time management is crucial; the section is designed to be time-pressured
  • Types of passages:
    • Literary Narrative/Prose Fiction
    • Social Sciences
    • Humanities
    • Natural Science

Fiction vs. Nonfiction

  • Fiction: Fake stories (e.g., Harry Potter, Hunger Games)
  • Nonfiction: Real stories (e.g., Biographies, Textbooks)
  • Essays are considered nonfiction

Open Book Test Strategy

  • You are graded on your answers, not memory or comprehension of entire passages
  • Focus on answering questions correctly

Skimming Techniques

Nonfiction

  1. Read the Blurb: Located above the passage
  2. Find the Thesis Statement: Usually the last sentence in the first paragraph
  3. Highlight Key Words in the thesis that summarize the passage

Fiction

  1. Read the Blurb: Identifies type of passage
  2. Find Proper Nouns: Look for capital letters (names, places)
  3. Look for Dialogue: Quotation marks indicate conversation, giving context

Answering Questions: Easy to Hard Order

  • Easiest: Questions about one word (e.g., meanings in a specific line)
  • Next Easiest: Questions about one phrase or sentence
  • Medium: Questions about a whole paragraph
  • Hardest: Questions about the entire passage or critical thinking (e.g., author's tone, implied meanings)
  • Tip: Use "spot of the day" for difficult questions

Trap Answers

  • Avoid choices without direct support from the text
  • Example: The statement must be directly evident from the passage

Correct Answer Puzzle Fit

  • Answer easy questions first to gain insight into the passage
  • Use these answers to help with answering more complex questions

Summary

  • You don't need to read the entire passage
  • Be intentional in your reading and time management
  • Understand key themes with minimal reading
  • Follow the skimming methods for both fiction and nonfiction to save time
  • Use easy questions to build up understanding for tougher ones

Final Tips

  • Manage your time effectively
  • Don’t waste time reading unnecessary parts
  • Focus on what’s needed to answer the questions
  • Accept that it may be boring, but it’s just 35 minutes

This concludes the lecture on the ACT Reading Section.

Full transcript