Acing the Reading Section (SAT/ACT)

The Reading section of the test can be quite challenging, because it poses questions that are based on inference or subjective means in combination with complex vocabulary and such. That being said, it can actually transform into being one of the most engaging and interesting sections of the exam, because there is material to understand and digest, after which students answer questions on the material covered. To be able to do well on the Reading section of the exam, make use of the following strategies:

1) The number one most important factor to consider during any part of the test is time. However, especially on the Reading section, time is of the essence, because you have a limited amount of time to cover the readings provided, understand and notate them, and answer the respective questions that are attached to each reading. This means that you will have to have a cognizance of the clock throughout the section, and should ensure that you are well equipped in timing mechanisms regarding the exam.

2) The reading passages are structured based off of category. From fiction to social sciences, there are several types of passages covered within the exam, and each tests different types of skills. Make sure that you understand what types of passages are your greatest skills during your practice prior to the test day. Handling the passages in the order of your strongest to weakest will allow you to be able to maximize your point gain in the test. Since every question is worth the same point value towards your final reading score, it only makes sense to be able to perform on the test in the most effective way possible that gets you the largest gain in terms of point value.

3) Notate, notate, notate. Many tutors will encourage students to spend either an obscene amount of time writing notes in the margins of the passages, or spend too little of time on the passage and skip notations altogether. There is a happy medium that can and should be achieved. To be able to have the optimal performance on the section, a student should notate where needed to be able to understand key concepts of the passage itself. Ensure that you underline the thesis statement within the passage (where relevant), and highlight any key information provided, including dates and character introductions. These will provide you with both an ability to reference the passage quickly to answer questions, and keep yourself engaged with the text without getting bogged down in the details of the passages.

4) Skim through the entire section before you start your exam. Skim through each of the passages, spending approximately twenty seconds on each passage, glancing through them and identifying them as their respective category of reading, before you start the exam. This will give you a larger perspective on the test structure itself, as well as the cognizance to know which passages to complete first so that you maximize your point gain.

To be able to perform well on the Reading section, you need to ensure that you do not overthink the passages. They are intended to be for general comprehension, so make sure that you take the readings at face value!