Using the process of elimination 7 pot

Skim the passage or read the topic sentences to understand the general topic and the purpose of the passage.. The first category asks for a simple sentence or title that includes the mai

Organization Questions

Passages on the THEA are always organized logically

Studying that organization may give you some ideas on

how to organize your essay in the Writing portion of

the test You’ll learn about two types of organization

questions: structure and misplaced sentences

 S t r u c t u r e Q u e s t i o n s

Structure questions usually have stems like these:

■ Which of the following best represents the

arrangement of the passage?

■ Which of the following best describes the

organi-zation of the passage?

■ The sequence of the passage is best represented by

which of the following?

Where to Find Structure Answers

in the Passage

To answer structure questions, you need to skim the

passage carefully enough to discover the gist of each

sentence; that is, whether it is a statistic, an example, a

quote, an opinion, or something else

Practice Passage and Questions

Try the six steps on the structure questions that follow this passage

Many extended-time programs use heterogeneous grouping of multi-age and/or multi-ability students Mixed-ability grouping is based on the theory that lower-ability students benefit from working in small groups with their higher-achieving peers, and high-ability students reinforce their knowledge by sharing with their lower-achieving peers Researchers also have found that multi-age grouping benefits stu-dents’ mental health as well as academic achieve-ment and contributes to positive attitudes toward school

Because the voluntary nature of participation

in an extended-time program results in a range of student ages and skills, heterogeneous groups may result naturally Often, however, extended-time pro-gram planners arrange groups so that high- and low-ability students work together—with the expec-tation of cooperative rather than competitive learn-ing In Chicago’s ASPIRA program, students are selected for participation with a goal of mixing high achievers and at-risk participants—and these groups work together closely in all activities

– T H E A R E A D I N G R E V I E W –

Six Steps for Structure Questions

1 Skim the passage or read the topic sentences to understand the general topic and the purpose of the

passage

2 Notice the logical sequence of ideas that the author uses.

3 The description of sentences in the answers goes in the same order as the sentences in the passage, so

notice the first sentences Do they state a theory, introduce a topic, or quote a famous person?

4 Look at the answer choices If the first few sentences state a theory, then the first part of the correct

answer should say that the author states a theory, gives a hypothesis, or other words to that effect

Elimi-nate any answers that do not match

5 Apply steps 3 and 4 to the next few sentences in the passage.

1 Which of the following best describes the

struc-ture of the passage?

a The passage begins with a hypothesis, and

then gives an explanation and support for this

theory

b The passage starts with a main idea, gives an

example, and then draws a conclusion

c The passage opens with an introduction to the

topic, then gives a more detailed account of

the topic

d The passage begins with a statement, supports

that statement with research, and gives real life

examples

2 Which of the following would be the best outline

for the passage?

a. I Statement

II Facts

III Quotations

b. I Theory

II Practices

c. I Research

II Discussion

III Example

d. I Question

II Answer

III Support

Answers

Here is how you could use the six steps to answer

question 1

1 It seems as though the passage is about students

of different ages and abilities learning together

2 The first paragraph tells why and the second tells

how students come to be in groups of mixed

ability and age

3 The first sentence states a fact The other

sen-tences in the paragraph seem to cite research

The sentence beginning Researchers also found implies that research was involved in

the theories presented in the second sentence

4 Choices c and a are out The passage does not

give much introduction to the topic, and does not present a hypothesis

5 The next sentences support the topic sentence

with research The answer must be d.

6 For this question, you don’t need to use this hint.

If you use the same method to answer question 2,

you will quickly eliminate answer d on the basis of the first few sentences You eliminate choice a because there are no quotations You are left with choices b and c, which are very close Choice c contains a vague word,

discussion, which could be almost any kind of structure.

Choice b is more precise The first paragraph in the

pas-sage gives the theory, and the second gives the

applica-tion of the theory The correct answer is b.

 M i s p l a c e d S e n t e n c e s

You may be asked to find a sentence that does not log-ically flow, or that is not necessary to the purpose of the passage Such questions often start like this:

■ Which sentence, if omitted from the passage, would be least likely to interrupt the sequence of ideas?

■ Which of the following is least relevant to the main idea of the passage?

Where to Find Misplaced Sentences

In this type of question, you will usually be directed to

a particular paragraph If the first sentence states the main idea of the paragraph, it is unlikely to be the mis-placed sentence Check all others

Practice Passage and Question

Lymph nodes, which measure about 1 to 25

cen-timeters across, and small vessels called lymphatics

compose the lymphatic system The nodes are

located in various parts of the body and are

con-nected by the lymphatics The skin, the largest organ

of the human body, is also considered to be a part of

the immune system The nodes work with the body’s

immune system to fight off infectious agents like

bacteria and fungus

3 Which sentence in the first paragraph is least

rel-evant to the main idea of the paragraph?

a Lymph nodes, which measure about 1 to 25

centimeters across, and small vessels called

lymphatics compose the lymphatic system

b The nodes are located in various parts of the

body and are connected by the lymphatics

c The nodes work with the body’s immune

sys-tem to fight off infectious agents like bacteria

and fungus

d The skin, the largest organ of the human body,

is also considered to be a part of the immune

system

Answer

The passage describes the lymphatic system’s role in

fighting off infections The third sentence has nothing

to do with the lymphatic system; therefore, the answer

is choice d.

Finding the Main Idea

Main idea questions can be put in three categories The first category asks for a simple sentence or title that includes the main topic of the passage The second cat-egory asks questions about the author and what the author had in mind Then there are those questions that ask for a paraphrase of all the main ideas in the passage

Main Idea Questions

Simple main idea questions take a variety of forms:

■ What is the main idea of the passage?

■ The best title for this passage would be

■ What is the theme of the passage?

■ The central thought of the passage is

How to Find Main Idea Answers

in the Passage

To answer main idea questions, you sometimes do not have to read the whole passage Often the main idea is stated at the beginning or end of the passage Some-times you can identify the main idea by paying atten-tion to the topic sentences of each paragraph of the passage

Practice Passage and Question

Here is a passage that’s similar to one you already read

in this chapter

The immune system, which protects the body from infections, diseases, and other injuries, is composed

of the lymphatic system and the skin Lymph nodes, which measure about 1 to 25 centimeters across, and small vessels called lymphatics compose the lymphatic system The nodes are located in various parts of the body and are connected by the lym-phatics The nodes work with the body’s immune system to fight off infectious agents like bacteria and fungus When infected, the lymph nodes are often swollen and sensitive

– T H E A R E A D I N G R E V I E W –

Two Steps for

Misplaced Sentences

1 Read the passage to determine the main

idea

2 Suspect any sentence that has nothing to

do with the main idea

The skin, the largest organ of the human body,

is also considered to be a part of the immune system

Hundreds of small nerves in the skin send messages

to the brain to communicate pressure, pain, and

other sensations The skin encloses the organs to

prevent injuries and forms a protective barrier that

repels dirt and water and stops the entry of most

harmful chemicals Sweat glands in the skin help

regulate the body’s temperature, and other glands

release oils that can kill or impede the growth of

cer-tain bacteria Hair follicles in the skin also provide

protection, especially of the skull

4 Which of the following best describes the main

topic of the passage?

a The immune system is often analyzed and

praised by prominent scientists

b The skin and its glands are responsible for

preventing most infections

c The lymphatic system and the skin work

together to protect the body from infection

d Communication between the lymphatic

sys-tem and the brain is essential in preventing

and fighting infection

Answer

Use the seven steps to help you answer the question

1 The general topic seems to have to do with the

immune system

2 It looks as though choice a is off the topic

because the passage does not mention any prominent scientists

3 None of the choices seems too broad.

4 Choice d seems to be off of the topic of the

passage

5 Choice b is too specific because it only refers to

one sentence of a paragraph

You don’t have to use steps 6 and 7, because you

have one answer left; choice c is the only answer that is

the main idea of the passage

1 While reading the passage, notice the general topic.

2 Go through the answer choices Cross out any that are completely off the topic.

3 Cross out any that are too broad for a short passage

4 Eliminate an answer that is on the general topic but that is not the specific topic of the passage.

5 Cross out any answer choices that only deal with one sentence of a paragraph or one paragraph of a

longer passage

6 If you are still left with two answers that seem to fit most of the sentences in the passage, then choose

the one that is most specific

7 If you have crossed out all choices, check each one again Consider whether there is another meaning to

any of the answer choices If you’re still stumped, go back to the answer that was the most specific and seems to cover more of the passage than the others

Practice Passage and Question

Try another passage and main idea question

Ballet is an important art form that offers audiences

grace and beauty There are many classic ballets

that are still performed today Many people would

agree that Swan Lake is among the most popular

classic ballets Indeed, dance companies all over the

world still perform this graceful ballet Swan Lake is

a story about a beautiful young woman who is

transformed by a magician into a swan queen She

is allowed to resume her human form only at

mid-night, for one brief hour It is during this precious

hour that a handsome prince and his hunting

part-ners find her As the young woman pleads with the

prince not to kill the swans he is hunting, the prince

falls deeply in love with her The young woman,

Odette, and the prince perform magical dances

dur-ing this classic piece

5 Which of the following would be the best title for

the passage?

a The Importance of Ballet

b Swan Lake Is a Popular Classic Ballet

c Ballerinas Aspire to Perform the Role of

Odette in Swan Lake

d Anna Pavlova Performs as Odette in Swan

Lake

Answer

Apply the seven steps

1 The passage seems to be about the classic ballet

Swan Lake.

2 Choice d appears to be off the topic since Anna

Pavlova is not mentioned in the passage

3 Choice a is too broad.

4 Choice c is on the general topic of Swan Lake, but

not on the particular subject of the paragraph

5 Choice b summarizes the main idea of the

pas-sage Although the popularity and appeal of the

particular ballet Swan Lake is not mentioned

until the third sentence, the first two sentences create a broad topic that narrows to the specific, and main, idea Once again, you did not have to use steps 6 and 7

 P e r f e c t S u m m a r y

Paraphrase, or summary, questions are the most trou-blesome of all the main idea questions because the answer choices are so long Realize, however, that the test makers had to make three of the choices wrong in some way Your task is to discover the errors

– T H E A R E A D I N G R E V I E W –

Seven Steps for Summary Questions

1 Read or skim the passage, noting or underlining main ideas as they flow from one to the other.

2 Look for phrases that restate the main ideas you underlined.

3 Eliminate answers that contain phrases that contradict ideas in the passage.

4 Eliminate answers that are off the topic or only deal with part of the passage.

5 Eliminate answers that state one or more ideas that the author has not mentioned.

6 If you are left with two choices, choose the most complete one.

Summary questions tend to start out like this:

■ The best summary of the passage is

■ Which of the following best paraphrases the ideas

in the passage?

■ Which of the following is the best summation of

the ideas in the passage?

■ Which of the following best restates the main idea

of the passage?

How to Find Summary Answers

in the Passage

The main idea of the passage can be found in each of

the paragraphs, or in sections of the paragraphs If you

can follow the way the author has logically arranged the

passage, you are more likely to find the correct answer

to a summary question

Practice Passage and Question

Use the seven steps to answer the question following

this passage

Extended-time programs often feature innovative

scheduling, as program staff work to maintain

par-ticipation and respond to students’ and parents’

varied schedules and family or employment

com-mitments Offering students flexibility and some

choice regarding when they participate in extended

learning may be as simple as offering homework

sessions when children need them most—after

school and before dinner—as do Kids Crew and the

Omaha After-School Study Centers Or it may

mean keeping early and late hours to meet the child

care needs of parents who work more than one job

or support extended families, as does Yuk Yau Child

Development Center Similarly, the Florida Summer

Institute for At-Risk Migrant Students is a

residen-tial program so that students’ participation does not

disrupt their migrant families’ travels

6 Which of the following paraphrases best

summa-rizes the passage above?

a After-school programs should help children

finish their homework after school

b Kids Crew and other programs meet the needs

of children

c There are several ways to schedule programs

outside school time to meet the needs of stu-dents and families

d Extended-time programs can be innovative,

and Yuk Yau Child Development Center is an example of this

Answer

Go through the seven steps

1 The flow goes like this: innovative scheduling—

family needs—examples: after school, early and late care, residential

2 Choices a, c, and d have words and ideas noted in

step 1

3 None of the choices is contrary to the passage.

(That tactic is usually used with persuasive passages.)

4 The answers are all on topic, but a and b only

deal with part of the paragraph

5 All the ideas are in the passage.

6 You are left with choices c and d Choice d only

mentions one example and the passage gives

three Choice c does not mention any examples

specifically, but is broad enough to include all the examples as well as the main idea of the

para-graph You can conclude that the answer is c, and

you don’t have to use step 7