ACTIVE READING STRATEGIES FOR THE ACT
1) SKIM the PASSAGE TAKING NOTES OR CREATING A PASSAGE/TEXT MAP. This is sometimes called Skim and Scribble. Make notes in the margins that point to main idea.
2) EXAMINE THE QUESTION STEMS, looking for clues. DO NOT LOOK AT CHOICES.
3) PREDICT IN YOUR OWN WORDS what you think the correct answer will be.
NOTE: ACTIVE READING means doing something, i.e., asking yourself questions: What’s the writer’s purpose? Look for structural clues. Is it chronological? Is it outlined?
GUIDE TO ACTIVE READING
1) Note purpose of paragraph
2) Pay close attention to first and last paragraphs
3) Notice phrasing that tells you if a DETAIL is given or a principle which illustrates the MAIN IDEA.
4) Read for CONTRAST differences and contradictions.
Look for key words that indicate contrasting transitions: but, despite, even though, however, in spite of, on the other hand, though, yet, etc.
5) Read for COMPARISON
Notice when the writer points out similarities between two things.
Notice where and when the writer makes an argument.
Notice TRIGGER WORDS such as:
- As a consequence
- As a result
- Because
- Consequently
- Resulting in
- Therefore
- Thus
NOTE: Although you should read the question stems before reading the questions, NEVER READ THE ANSWER CHOICES UNTIL AFTER YOU HAVE READ THE PASSAGE.
Tips:
- Make a note in the margin when a question stem contains a line reference
- Attempt to put questions in your own words to increase your understanding of what’s being asked.
- Now, move to the MAIN IDEA of the passage, focusing on these three elements:
SCOPE – What aspect of the topic does the passage focus on?
PURPOSE – Why did the author write the passage? What’s his/her intent?
BEST PRACTICE FOR READING SECTION
1) Skim the passage but don’t set out to read the entire piece. Let the questions direct you to the answers.
* PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH – look here for topic, author’s point-of-view, clues as to what the author intends to prove. Read the entire beginning most carefully. Get a sense of what the writer is trying to do.
* On first read-through, LOOK FOR TIME-RELATED WORDS, PHRASES, KEY WORDS including words that express contrast and logic.
* Look for REPETITION of key words and ideas in the opening of the passage.
* Try to determine the subtopic of each paragraph
* Focus on the GENERAL CONTENT of each paragraph and look for clues as to tone.
KEEP MOVING: the first sentence is not always the topic sentence.
PARAPHRASE question stems. What are they really asking?
PREDICT the answer to the questions
- If you recognize one of your predictions, choose it.
NOTE: Beware of answer choices that are HALF-GOOD AND HALF BAD. If it is half bad, it’s all bad. Partly true is false. NOTE: If in your answer choices, two choices feature opposite ideas, one of those opposing or contradictory ideas is usually right.