12 practice tests for the SAT 2015 2016

It's divided into ten sections: three Math, three Critical Reading, and two multiple-choice Writing sections, in addition to the essay and the experimental section.. Here is a breakdown

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Table of Contents

Practice Makes Perfect . . . . . . . vii

SAT Study Group Guide . .. .. .. xvii

Parents' Guide to Surviving the SAT xxi

Bonus: Kaplan's Guide to the SAT Change and Practice Questions . .. . . 1

Practice Tests and Explanations . . .. .. . .. . . 45

Practice Test One 5 1 Practice Test One Answers and Explanations 1 0 1 Practice Test Two 1 4 1 Practice Test Two Answers and Explanations 1 95 Practice Test Three 233

Practice Test Three Answers and Explanations 2 8 1 Practice Test Four . . .. . . .... . .. . . 3 1 9 Practice Test Four Answers and Explanations 369

Practice Test Five 407

Practice Test Five Answers and Explanations 463

Practice Test Six . 50 1 Practice Test Six Answers and Explanations 553

Practice Test Seven 593

Practice Test Seven Answers and Explanations 639

Practice Test Eight ... . . ... . 671

Practice Test Eight Answers and Explanations 723

Practice Test Nine 759

Practice Test Nine Answers and Explanations 809

Practice Test Ten . ... . . . . . 847

Practice Test Ten Answers and Explanations 895

Practice Test Eleven 929

Practice Test Eleven Answers and Explanations 977

Practice Test Twelve .. . .. .. . .. 1 0 1 3

Practice Test Twelve Answers and Explanations 1 065

1 2 Practice Tests for the SAT I vii

Practice Makes Perfect

Do not be scared of the SAT Why? Because we know what's on the exam, and we know exactly how

you should prepare for it Kaplan has been teaching kids how to succeed on the SAT for nearly 70

years-longer than anyone else, period

This book contains 1 2 practice exams that mirror the SAT you will face on Test Day-more SAT practice

than can be found between the covers of any other book Practice is one of the keys to mastery, and

these 12 exams give you plenty of practice to assess your strengths and weaknesses before you take

the actual exam

Just as important as taking practice tests is understanding why you got a question right or wrong when

you're done The detailed answers and explanations that follow each practice test tell you not only

the correct answers but why they are correct and why the wrong answers are not the best choices In

addition, every answer explanation lets you know the difficulty level of each question If you're missing

a lot of "Low" difficulty questions, you might need to do some extra review If you are acing many of

the "High" difficulty questions, you're on the right track And finally, every math answer explanation

includes "Strategic Advice," so you will start to learn some of the ways you can attack similar questions

on Test Day

Every practice question and answer explanation in this book is geared toward one thing-getting you

more points on the SAT So don't stress out over the SAT-Kaplan's got you covered

H OW TO US E TH I S BOO K

This book is filled with over 2,000 practice questions to help you master the SAT Follow these steps to

get the most out of these 1 2 practice tests:

1 Read about the SAT structure in the next section This way, you'll know what to expect-not only as

you work through the book but, more importantly, on Test Day

2 Begin your practice! Buying this book has given you an advantage-after you've worked your way

through the exams, the format and timing of the SAT will be second nature to you All you will have

to concentrate on is improving your skills in the areas that need work

3 Keep track Turn to the Score Tracker on page xvi, where you can track your score as you take each

exam Keep a record of your scores and watch how much you improve from test to test

5 Watch your scores improve! After you've made your way halfway through the book, compare your scores on Test 1 and Test 6 You've made progress, haven't you? See if your strengths and weaknesses have changed Then work your way through the remaining tests, building skills and SAT competency along the way

After making your way through these steps, we guarantee that you will have the test expertise and improved skills to tackle the SAT with confidence

HOW TH E SAT I S STRUCTURED The SAT is 3 hours and 45 minutes long It's primarily a multiple-choice exam, with a written essay and some grid-in math questions as the exceptions It's divided into ten sections: three Math, three Critical Reading, and two multiple-choice Writing sections, in addition to the essay and the experimental section The essay always comes first; the other sections can appear in any order on Test Day There are two 1 0-minute breaks

Here is a breakdown of the test:

Length Content

25 minutes Essay

25 minutes Multiple-choice Sentence Completion and multiple-choice Reading Comprehension

25 minutes Multiple-choice Math

25 minutes Multiple-choice Identifying Sentence Errors, Improving Sentences, and Improving

Paragraphs

25 minutes Multiple-choice Math and grid-ins (student-produced responses)

25 minutes Multiple-choice Sentence Completion and multiple-choice Reading Comprehension

7 Experimental Section* 25 minutes Math, Writing, or Critical Reading

8 Math 20 minutes Multiple-choice

9 Critical Reading 20 minutes Multiple-choice Sentence Completion and multiple-choice Reading Comprehension

1 0 Writing 1 0 minutes Multiple-choice Improving Sentences

*Note: The experimental section can come at any time after the essay

Section Total Time

Critical Reading 70 minutes

The Writing Section

Number of Questions per Type

48 Reading Comprehension questions

1 9 Sentence Completion questions

44 multiple-choice Math questions

1 0 grid-ins

25 Improving Sentences questions

1 8 Identifying Sentence Errors questions

6 Improving Paragraphs questions

1 Essay

1 2 Practice Tests for the SAT I ix

Total Questions per Section

67 questions

54 questions

49 questions, 1 essay

The Writing test has two parts: a multiple-choice section and a written essay The multiple-choice

questions test your ability to identify sentence errors and to make improvements in sentences and

paragraphs The essay section tests your writing ability and reasoning skills as you agree or disagree

with a statement, marshalling evidence from your reading, studies, and/or experience to make

your case

The Critical Reading Section

The Critical Reading section has Sentence Completion questions and Reading Comprehension

questions For Reading Comprehension, you will find short reading passages followed by sets of two to

four multiple-choice questions, as well as longer passages and question sets

Sentence Completion Questions

Sentence Completion questions are multiple-choice questions that test your ability to see how the

parts of a sentence relate About half of the Sentence Completion questions on the SAT have one

word missing from a sentence; the other half have two words missing Both types test vocabulary and

reasoning skills Sentence Completion questions are arranged by order of difficulty on the SAT The first

few questions in a set are meant to be fairly easy The middle few questions will be a little harder, and

the last few are the most difficult Keep this in mind as you work

Reading Comprehension Questions

These questions test your ability to understand a piece of writing The passages are short (about

1 00- 1 50 words) and long (about 400-850 words), and at least one item will contain a set of paired

passages on related topics Most Reading Comprehension questions test how well you understand

the passage, some ask you to draw conclusions, and some test your vocabulary After a short passage,

you can expect about two to four questions, depending on the length of the passage; after a short

paired passage, you can expect about four questions; after a long passage, you can expect about

1 2 questions; and after a long paired passage, you can expect about 1 3 questions

Reading Comprehension questions are not arranged by difficulty Whenever you find yourself spending too much time on a Reading Comprehension question, you should skip it and return to it later

The Math Section The questions in the SAT Math section cover the math usually taught in high school Algebra I I classes Most are straightforward multiple-choice math questions, with five answer choices The Math section also features grid-ins Grid-ins are not multiple-choice questions Instead of picking an answer choice, you write your response in a little grid Both question types cover the same math concepts Either one can ask you an arithmetic operations, geometry, algebra, or statistics question The only difference is that one asks you to write your answer, while the other asks you to fill in a bubble

Some of the concepts likely to be tested on the SAT include the following:

Basic Math

Remainders Averages Ratios Rates Percents Combinations Simultaneous equations Symbols

Special triangles Multiple and strange figures

The Experimental Section

Advanced Math

Sequences

Sets

Absolute value Rational equations and inequalities

Radical equations Integers and rational exponents Direct and inverse variation Function notation and evaluation

Domain and range Functions as models Linear functions-equations and graphs

Quadratic functions-equations and graphs

Geometric notation Problems in which trigonometry can be used as an alternative method of solution Properties of tangent lines Coordinate geometry Qualitative behavior of graphs and functions

Transformations and their effect

on graphs and functions Data interpretation, scatter plots, and matrices Geometric probability

Every SAT has an experimental section The experimental section is used by the testmakers to try new questions before they use them in upcoming SATs The experimental section does not count toward your score It can show up anywhere on the exam and will look just like a normal section Do not try to figure out which SAT section is experimental Treat all the sections as if they count

H OW TH E SAT I S SCORED The Writing multiple-choice section is scored on a scale of 200-800, as are the Math and Critical Reading sections So the composite scores on the test are 600-2400 The essay is scored on a scale of 1 -6, with 6 being the highest score Your total Writing section score is a combination of

l 2 Practice Tests for the SAT I xi

your multiple-choice raw score and your score on the essay converted into a standard score by the

testmaker The totals for the Writing, Critical Reading, and Math sections are added up to produce three

raw scores These raw scores are then converted into scaled scores, with 200 as the lowest score and

800 the highest

You gain one point for each correct answer on the SAT and lose one-quarter of a point for each wrong

answer You do not gain or lose any points for questions you leave blank The only exception is with

grid-ins, where you lose nothing for a wrong answer That's why you must always fill in an answer on

the grid-ins-you have nothing to lose and a potential point to gain

Remember

The SAT is divided into ten sections:

• Three Critical Reading sections

• Three Math sections

• Two Writing sections

• One experimental section

• One essay

Some sections (but not all) arrange their questions from easiest to hardest

You gain one point for every question you get right; you lose no points for leaving a blank

You lose one-quarter of a point for every question you get wrong (except for grid-ins)

Scoring information and conversion charts are found on pages xiii-xv

SAT TEST DATES

As a general rule, it's important to get one SAT score under your belt by the end of your junior year

This way, you know where you stand as you plan your college choices Plus, it's likely that you'll

improve your score by taking the exam again, because it will be familiar to you

The SAT is administered on select Saturdays during the school year Sunday testing is available for

students who cannot take the Saturday test because of religious observances The SAT exam is offered

in January, March, May, June, October, November, and December of each year Check the official

College Board website at www.collegeboard.com for the most up-to-date test dates

SAT R EG I STRATION Check the College Board website at www.collegeboard.com for complete information about registering for the SAT Here are some important highlights:

• To register for the SAT by mail, you'll need to get an SAT Paper Registration Guide from your high school guidance counselor

• You can register online at http://sat.collegeboard.com/register I mportant: Not all students are eligible to register online, so read the instructions and requirements carefully

• Register early to secure the time you want at the test center of your choice and to avoid late registration fees

• Students with disabilities can go to http://student.collegeboard.org/services-for-students-with­disabilities to read about how to apply for accommodations or call (609) 771 -71 37 (TTY:

(609) 882-4 1 1 8) for more information

• At press time, the basic fee is $52.50 in the United States This price includes reports for you, your high school, and up to four colleges and scholarship programs

• You will receive an admission ticket at least a week before the test The ticket confirms your registration on a specified date, at a specified test center Make sure to bring this, along with proper identification, to the test center Some acceptable forms of identification include photo

I Ds such as a driver's license, a school identification card, or a valid passport (Unacceptable forms of identification indude a Social Security card, credit card, or birth certificate.)

• Your SAT scores will be available online approximately three weeks after the test

• Remember to check with the College Board for all the latest information on the SAT Every effort has been made to keep the information in this book as up-to-date as possible, but changes may occur after the book is published

• Finally, bookmark the College Board's website: www.collegeboard.com

Start your practice!

ESSAY SCORI N G CHART

6 Clear and consistent

competence, though it may

2 Some incompetence, with

one or more weaknesses

1 Incompetence, with serious

flaws

Organization

Is well organized and fully developed, with supporting examples

Is generally organized and well developed, with appropriate examples

Is organized and adequately developed, with examples

Inadequate organization or development

Poor organization, thin development

Displays language facility, with syntactic variety and a range

of vocabulary Displays adequate but inconsistent language facility

Many errors in grammar or diction, little variety Frequent errors in grammar and diction, no variety

Severe grammar and diction

errors obscure meaning

CONVERT YO UR RAW SCO RE TO A SCALED SCORE For each subject area in the practice test, convert your raw score t o a scaled score using the table below

SCALED*

Writing Writing Writing Writing Writing Writing Writing (with (with (with (with (with (with (with essay essay essay essay essay essay essay Critical score score score score score score score Raw Reading Math of O) of 1) of 2) of 3) of 4) of 5) of 6)

Writing Writing (with (with essay essay

Raw Reading Math of O) of 1)

SCORE TRACKER After you take each test, refer to the scoring conversion chart on the page directly following each Answer Key Then translate your raw score into a scaled score of 200-800 for each section on page xiv Write your results in the chart below As you take more practice tests, watch as your scores in each section begin to go up!

Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Test 4 Test 5

Test 6 Test 7 Test 8 Test 9 Test 1 0 Test 1 1 Test 1 2

1 2 Practice Tests for the SAT I xvii

SAT Study Group Guide

We've all heard the expression, "Two heads are better than one'.' Well, that can also be true when

you're studying for the SAT!

You might feel that SAT prep should be done solo because when Test Day comes around, it'll just be

you, your calculator, and your No 2 pencils If this is the case, that's okay-your test prep should be

based on how you learn best

However, if you feel as if you'd benefit from preparing for the SAT with the help of a study group, then

keep reading The following section is designed to show you the benefits of group study, how to get

the most out of your study buddy or study group, and what pitfalls to avoid when studying in groups

STUDY G RO UPS CAN BE G REAT FO R SAT PREP

O n e o f the best reasons to get together with other people to prep for the SAT i s that

you'll have the opportunity to work with others who complement your strengths and

weaknesses Also, having someone available who can explain a difficult concept directly

to you can help you sort out the areas that are causing you the most confusion This

strategy works well with a buddy as well as in a larger study group

Study buddies can be helpful in lots of ways:

• Working with a study buddy or group will help keep you on track and force

you to stick to your study plan Good study buddies don't want to waste time

watching you goof off or send emails, so if you have a study buddy-or better

yet, a whole study group-you can keep procrastination to a minimum

• Study buddies are there to support you when you're struggling and can share in

your success when you make progress and reach your score goal

• Study buddies can help you vent your frustrations-because they are frustrated,

too! Get together, listen to each other talk about your SAT challenges, and

celebrate when you all reach your score goals

WHY STUDY WITH A BUDDY?

• If you're quite proficient with vocabulary but you're

wary of geometry, you can find a study buddy who can teach you the Pythagorean theorem after you drill him

on vocabulary flashcards

• If you're a math whiz but couldn't finish a crossword puzzle if it came with a million-dollar prize, prepare for the Critical Reading and Writing sections with a word nerd and let her benefit from your Math section genius

• Study groups are great for simulating real test conditions Get together with your group and

take practice sections or full-length tests under timed, testlike conditions Not only can the tick

of the clock simulate the pressure of Test Day, but so can having to concentrate in the same

room as other test takers

STUDY B UDDIES: TH E DAR K SIDE AND WHAT TO DO ABO UT IT

KAPLAN STUDY GROUP

STRATEGY

Try having each member

prepare a brief lesson on one

of his strengths, and take turns

sharing your lessons with the

rest of the group Make time for

questions and answers during

each mini tutorial This way, not

only do you reinforce something

you're already feeling confident

about, but you can also learn

from experts in the areas where

you can improve

Now that you're ready to call up every SAT taker in your area code and form your study group, let's talk about potential pitfalls so that you'll know how to avoid them If you've ever had to do a group project before, the dangers often found in group study situations are probably no secret to you Beware of the following:

More Chatty = Less Worky The biggest potential danger in a study group is, well, not studying If you get a group of your friends together, your first reaction might be to rehash all of the newsworthy events that happened during the day Doing this completely invalidates the whole study portion

of study group

What can you do to avoid it?

The best way may be the most shocking piece of advice in this whole chapter Are you sitting down? Ready? Don't pick your friends as study buddies

Consider looking for study buddies with whom you won't run the risk of excessive socializing Choose those who share a common goal : succeeding on the SAT Sure, your friends want you to do well on the SAT, too, but if you don't stick closely to your study schedule, they'll more than likely cut you some slack, which doesn't help you much If you have some friends who will keep you on task, then by all means make them your study buddies, but save your favorite procrastinators for blowing off steam after you've taken a practice test

No Time to Meet Does this sound familiar? You have soccer at 7 :00 AM Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; school until

3 :30 PM every day; and cello lessons on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school, but it takes 30 minutes

to get there, plus you have to eat dinner On Saturdays, you go to visit your grandmother, who lives an hour away, and every other Sunday in months ending in y you volunteer for the local free-range hamster rescue And now you have to work around someone else's schedule With everything else going on in your life, how can you and your study buddies make time to meet?

What can you do about it?

First, look for people who share a schedule similar to your own:

• Who else on your soccer team is taking the SAT this year?

• Maybe someone at the hamster rescue can meet with you on every other Sunday to take practice tests?

Often, students form study groups and then think about when everyone can get together, but Kaplan recommends choosing study groups based on schedules, particularly if your schedule is extremely full

1 2 Practice Tests for the SAT I xix

Treat your SAT study schedule as seriously as your soccer team or those cello lessons Remember, one

of the best reasons to study with others is that it keeps you from procrastinating or, even worse, failing

to study altogether You would never just skip a practice the day before your big soccer game because

you know your team is counting on you Your SAT team is counting on you just as much

Know-It-Alls and Slackers

The purpose of the study group is for everyone to benefit from each other Two personality types that

violate this covenant are know-it-alls and slackers:

• The know-it-all often dominates the teaching portion of the study session He has to be

right and will often fight about it If proven wrong, know-it-alls often sulk or become passive­

aggressive, wasting everyone's time and ruining your mood

• Slackers, if they even show up, often have nothing to contribute They'll probably just coast

along and let everyone else talk through tough problems without adding any insights Slackers

might be really fun to hang out with on the weekend, but if you have one in your study group,

you'll probably just end up feeling resentful that she is doing all taking and no giving

Although slackers and know-it-alls represent opposite ends of the spectrum, both can ruin a study

partnership or group

What can you do about it?

This is your study group Don't invite people who might end up being know-it-alls or slackers Just

because someone has a lot to contribute does not necessarily make him a know-it-all, so be willing to

listen to others talk about their areas of expertise Still, if all this expertise is getting in the way of you

actually preparing for the SAT, you might be in the presence of a know-it-all

We all might be prone to a little "slackerism," but your SAT group is there to keep you honest and

working hard At your first group meeting, have everyone agree to hold each other accountable for

doing what they say they will do One of the most unproductive types of groups is the one in which

no one holds anyone else accountable because everyone knows that they didn't do what they were

supposed to do either! Be on the lookout for signs of slackerism and be ready to stomp it out!

STUDY G ROUP BEST P RACTICES

Now that you know some of the things to avoid when forming your study group, we thought we'd

offer some of the best things TO DO

Pick Smart

Choose those who will complement your strengths and weaknesses, best match your schedule, and

keep you on track for SAT success Remember, you can always test-drive a study buddy If you think

you want to work with someone, but you think she might be a know-it-all, set up one study session If things go well, you can continue working with her If she turns out to be a know-it-all, then you can be glad you didn't commit to working with her until Test Day!

Assign Roles

If you want to have a study group rather than a study partner, assigning roles to group members is a good practice:

• One person can be the Scheduler and keep track of meeting times and locations

• Another person can be the Break Maker, making sure that there's some food to enjoy after a particularly challenging set of Critical Reading paired passages

• Another person can be the Lesson Planner, assigning who will present which section or which practice sections the group should do for timed, testlike practice

Many different roles are available, but making sure each group member has a stake in the overall success of the group is the important thing

Share Goals Aligning around each other's successes is the best way to have a strong study partnership or team If you don't feel comfortable at first sharing the fact that your Math score is a 380, you can always share that you want to raise your Math score 70 points You should always have measureable goals, and you should encourage your study buddies to have clear goals, too Checking in with your study partners along the way is a great way to support the group's success After taking a practice test, compare group members' results to their scores on the last one Celebrate each other's successes

STUDY G ROUPS-KEEP TH EM I N P E RS P ECTIVE Sure, you can succeed on the SAT without forming study partnerships, but for some students, study groups can be a great asset in preparation for Test Day In addition, the experience you get building and working with a team right now has far-reaching benefits for the future Now more than ever, the world functions in groups and teams As you go on to college and eventually embark upon your career, the opportunities to work in teams will abound, and quite often, teamwork will not be optional The ability to create and work in successful teams will serve you long after you've taken the SAT Plus, in the short term, it can be a highly effective tool for achieving your goal score

Whether you study on your own, with a buddy, or in a study group, best of luck on Test Day!

l 2 Practice Tests for the SAT I xxi

Parents' Guide to Surviving the SAT

For many parents, the SAT was a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away In particular, it was a galaxy

where you took the SAT once, got your score, and went to college Prepping for the SAT probably

involved sharpening your pencils the night before and brushing your teeth before leaving in the

morning

Today, the SAT is a bit more complicated, and the competition to get into a top college and get

financial aid to cover the steep costs is tougher than ever! The test now includes an essay The score

is out of 2400 And what about all those other exams you may have heard about? Your child can now

take the SAT, the PSAT, and SAT Subject Tests Are they the same? Different? Does your son or daughter

need to take all of them? What about the ACT? What does your child need to do to get into a good

college?

These questions, as well as many others, probably fill your mind, your child's mind, and possibly your

dinner table conversations and Internet searches as well Fear not-Kaplan is here to help your family

get through this important exam successfully

Use the following guide to learn everything you need to know about the SAT, discover ways you can

help your child prepare for this important exam, and manage your family's SAT stress

After reviewing this section, we recommend that you and your child visit the official College Board

website at www.collegeboard.com for additional SAT details and information It's a great way to get

involved and stay informed

FREQUE NTLY AS KED QUESTI O N S

Kaplan gets a lot of questions from parents about the SAT exam The following FAQs should help you

get up to speed on SAT basics:

Q: What is the SAT, and why should my child take it?

A: The SAT is a standardized test administered by the College Board and taken by millions of high

school students annually It measures students' critical thinking, math, and writing skills and is used by

college admissions officers to determine students' ability to do college-level work Many colleges look

at SAT scores in conjunction with grade point average (GPA) and extracurricular activities when making admissions decisions

Q: What is the SAT exam like?

A: The SAT is a 3-hour and 45-minute test broken into three sections: Critical Reading, Math, and Writing Most of the exam is composed of multiple-choice questions, although one-third of the Writing section score is based on the 25-minute essay students write in the first section of the exam

Q: When should my child take the SAT exam?

A: Most students take the SAT as juniors or seniors, and many take the exam more than once

Q: How is the SAT exam scored?

A: The highest score possible on the SAT is a 2400, computed from 800 in each section: Critical Reading, Math, and Writing

Q: How can my child register for the SATI A: Your child can register online or by mail Visit the official College Board website at www.collegeboard.com for complete registration rules and requirements

Q: How much does it cost to take the SAT exam?

A: At press time, the basic test fee is $52.50 Families who cannot afford this fee can request a fee waiver from their school counselor

Q: How is the SAT different from other college admissions exams?

A: The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) is also administered by the College Board in conjunction with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation The PSAT can help your child prepare for the SAT and enter the competition for a National Merit Scholarship-but taking the PSAT is not a requirement for taking the SAT

SAT Subject Tests are different from the SAT because they are subject-specific (literature, U.S history, French, etc.), whereas the SAT is a general-knowledge exam Some colleges may require these exams, but they are not required for all schools Before registering for these exams, check the admissions requirements of the schools your child is applying to

The ACT is a general-knowledge exam similar in scope to the SAT It includes an essay component; English, Reading, and Math sections; and a Science section as well Many schools throughout the country accept either the SAT or the ACT Because the tests are different, some students feel more comfortable taking one exam versus the other It really is a matter of personal preference and college admissions requirements

Common SAT Misconceptions

1 2 Practice Tests for the SAT I xxiii

-There's a lot of inaccurate information floating around about the SAT Let's clear up some common

sources of confusion:

1 The SAT is not curved

Theoretically, every student who takes the SAT on Test Day could get a 2400 Your child is not

"competing" against his classmates and friends to get his score The tests are scaled prior to Test Day

The scaled score is what colleges use to compare scores

2 There is a penalty for wrong answers

For each question a student answers correctly, the student gains one point For each question a

student misses on the test, the student loses one-quarter of a point If a student skips a question, no

points are gained or lost

3 Students who receive accommodations for a disability are not penalized

Parents sometimes fear that applying for accommodations for disabilities will cause their child to be

penalized-that their child's score reports will indicate the accommodation received, be it additional

time, computer assistance, extended breaks, etc Rest assured, your child will not be penalized for

having a documented disability If your child has a documented disability, contact your school's

guidance counselor or visit www.collegeboard.com for more information

4 When it comes to college admissions, the SAT isn't everything!

Yes, college admissions are becoming more and more competitive each year, but the SAT is just

one component of your child's full application Help your child-and yourself-by keeping the SAT in

perspective Your child's SAT score goals should align with her college choices Know the target score

range of the schools your child is applying to and set reasonable goals Having a defined goal will

help your child see what she's working toward, measure success along the way, and feel a strong

sense of accomplishment when she reaches that goal Remember: A 2400 is a great score, but NO

school requires a 2400 for admission!

H ELPI N G YO UR CH I LD S UCCEED ON TH E SAT

There are lots of SAT test-prep options available, from courses to self-study guides like this one Your

study choices should align with your child's needs and your resources Buying this book is a great option!

By giving your child access to Kaplan's expert resources, you are helping your child build an excellent

foundation for SAT success You can also assist your child by keeping the following things in mind:

Help Reduce Test Anxiety by Empathizing

Whether your child is the nonchalant "Mom, don't worry about it'' type or the up-until-midnight crammer,

he or she is probably nervous about the SAT It's an important exam, and if your child has already taken

the PSAT, he could be worried about whether his SAT score will be better Or maybe he's worried he

won't be able to do as well as he did on the PSAT and won't get into his dream school Perhaps you've

bought this book because your child has already taken the SAT and wants to do better than the first time

around Maybe your child has never taken the PSAT or the SAT before, and the fear of the unknown is

causing anxiety Whatever the case, for most people, just saying "SAT' will send shivers down their spines,

and for your child, the pressure is on One of the biggest ways you can help is by empathizing

If you didn't take the SAT yourself, you can remember some time when you had to prepare for an important event-a test, a presentation at work, or a job interview All of these events are daunting because, to some degree, they shape the course of our lives You might not remember what you got

on the SAT, but saying, "Oh, in 1 5 years, no one will care what you got on the SAT," WILL NOT H ELP This test matters to your child right now-a lot Recognize that, and make sure your child knows that you know how important this test is and that her anxiety isn't abnormal or strange

Most of all, talk to your child about this anxiety-gently Know when it's the right time to approach your child and start a casual discussion Try sharing over dinner a time when you were worried about a big life event Then let your child open up on his terms and share his thoughts and feelings Let him know you believe in succeeding at this together and, no matter what happens, life will continue after the SAT

Set Measurable Goals and Increase Your Child's Confidence

A good first step is to determine some target schools Offer to help your child with this, serving as a sounding board for her thoughts and offering helpful advice Keep in mind that your goals and hers might be completely different Even if you don't have a sense of where your child's SAT scores are right now, consider things such as school size, location, academic competitiveness, and academic majors Having a realistic list of schools will help the unmotivated student see the point of studying for the SATs and will help the super-motivated student keep things in perspective

By setting goals, you can reward steps along the way If your daughter learned 25 new vocabulary words this week, reward her-an iTunes download perhaps-even if she hasn't shown a 20-point increase on her practice test yet If your child continually sees how proud of her you are, she'll be more likely to be proud and confident herself on Test Day Successes along the way will make Test Day feel much less like a "make or break" event and more like an "I'm going to conquer this test'' opportunity

Lead by Example and Manage Your Own Stress

If you want your child to stick to his study schedule, lead the way Share some tricks that you use to help with time management and, most importantly, use them If you say you're going to be home at

5 :00 to drive him to hockey practice, be home at 5 :00, not 5 :30 If you say you're going to exercise three times per week, then exercise We've all had that boss who tells you to respond to his emails within 24 hours but who only responds to yours after three follow-up emails You know what you think when he says, "Please respond within 24 hours to all emails'.' You think, If you don't do i� then why should!? Your child thinks this, too

Also, manage your own stress about the SAT by keeping these things in mind:

• With commitment and dedication, it will all work out Your child's confidence may waver, and she may feel as if studying is a losing battle at times, but stay positive and believe that, in the future, it all works out

• Your child gets to focus on his SAT score; you get to focus on praising your child for effort and encouraging him to succeed in a healthy and positive way

• Stay calm and supportive, and your child will come to you for help

• By choosing Kaplan, you have a lot of resources to guide you through this process

Listen to Kaplan-the SAT Experts

1 2 Practice Tests for the SAT I xxv

You may not have all the answers for the SAT, but keep in mind that you and your child have a larger

support network than you might realize By choosing Kaplan, you get the benefit of nearly 70 years

of experience and the wisdom of Kaplan's SAT experts We asked a veteran Kaplan Premier Tutor for

some SAT advice for parents Here's what she had to say:

1 Keep everything in perspedive The SAT gets a lot of press nowadays, but you have

to keep in mind that the SAT is simply a piece of your child's college application-not the

whole story Keeping the SAT in perspective will help you and your child keep your cool while

preparing for Test Day

2 Don't get caught up on the "SAT treadmill:' I always encourage my students to set a

realistic score goal that they will be satisfied with on Test Day Sure, if they score higher than

that, great! However, you don't want them to be caught on the treadmill of "Oh, I only got a

630 in Math; why didn't I get a 650 or a 670?" I always tell my students, "Know what your goal

is and work toward it, and most of all, be happy when you reach it and proud that you tried !"

3 utilize the accommodations the College Board provides If your child has

a documented disability, he or she will not be stigmatized for it because the use of

accommodations is not indicated on SAT score reports Just make sure to start arranging for

accommodations several months before your child will actually take the SAT

4 Don't expert a miracle on Test Day I sometimes have students who will take a practice

test a week before Test Day and be 80 or 1 00 points shy of their score goal You can just

imagine how disheartening this can be Unless this is your child's last possible opportunity to

take the test, review the option of taking a later test with your child That way, your child can

study more and wait until his practice test scores are solidly in score goal range Remember,

even with the SAT's "Score Choice" option, you still send the scores from an ENTIRE test In

other words, you can't pick and choose the Math score from the October test, the Writing

score from the December test, and the Critical Reading score from the March test Know your

options and make the most of them!

5 Keep an optimistic eye on your child's future Remember, college is great Your child

just has to get through the SAT to get there No matter what your child's SAT score is, stay

positive and know that she will get into college and have a positive experience Everyone I

know loved college, but virtually no one I know loved the SAT Just help your child choose a

range of colleges, set a target score, and make a study plan-and be that positive motivating

force until Test Day Freshman move-in day will be here before you know it!

Best of luck and success!

USI N G TH I S BOOK FOR TH E PSAT You can use this book to practice for the PSAT The PSAT is an opportunity to improve your understanding of the PSAT and, therefore, the SAT This book will help you transition from classroom testing to the rigors of standardized testing

The PSAT can provide an accurate gauge of where your strengths and weaknesses lie, which is invaluable information for developing a course of study for the months to come

H OW TH E PSAT IS STRUCTURED The PSAT is 2 hours and 1 0 minutes long and is made up of mostly multiple-choice questions that test three subject areas: Critical Reading, Math, and Writing Skills These areas are broken down into five sections on the exam

Sections 1 and 3-Critical Reading ' "

"' ''• · ·· �·- '� !"; �

25 minutes each 1 3 Sentence Completion and 35 Reading

Comprehension multiple-choice questions (short and long passages)

'

25 minutes each 28 Math multiple-choice questions and

10 grid-in (student-produced responses) Section 5-Writing Skills ''· "·· - .i: '* -"

30 minutes 1 4 Identifying Sentence Errors, 20 Improving

Sentences, and 5 Improving Paragraphs questions

* You get a five-minute break between Sections 2 and 3 and a one-minute break between Sections 4 and 5

HOW TH E PSAT IS SCO RED

Here's how the PSAT is scored:

Incorrect answer to a multiple-choice question - 1/4 point

' ! �:

1 2 Practice Tests for the SAT / xxvii

You gain one point for each correct answer on the PSAT and lose a fraction of a point ( 1 /4) for every

wrong answer The exception is Math grid-ins, for which you lose nothing for a wrong answer You do

not lose any points for questions you leave blank This is important, so we'll repeat it: You do not lose

any points for questions you leave blank

Raw Scores

The totals for the Critical Reading, Math, and Writing Skills sections are added up to produce three

separate raw scores These raw scores equal the number you got right minus a fraction of the number

you got wrong

Raw score = number right - l /4 x the number wrong

Scaled Scores

Each of your raw scores is converted to a scaled score between 20 and 80 The exact formula for

how this is done is not made public In 2009, the average scaled score for a Grade 1 1 student on the

Critical Reading, Math, and Writing Skills components was approximately 47, 48, and 46, respectively

Selection Index

When you add the three scaled scores together, you get your Selection Index, which ranges from 60 to

240 The average Selection Index for a grade 1 1 student is approximately 1 4 1

Percentile

The PSAT also gives you a percentile, which allows you to compare your scores with those of other

juniors applying to college A student with a percentile of 63 has earned a score better than those of

63 of every l 00 college-bound juniors who took the test

PSAT TEST DATES AND TESTI NG S ITES

The PSAT is offered every year in mid-October It is administered at your high school, not at a testing

center Homeschooled students can sign up at the nearest local high school Most high schools

administer the exam on a Saturday; some offer it on a Tuesday

Some high schools recommend that their sophomores take the test for additional practice

Sophomores who take the PSAT are not eligible to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship unless

they are in an accelerated program and are preparing to graduate the following year However, some

schools will administer the test to their students only once, in the beginning of their junior year;

thus, students wanting to take it as sophomores would have to get permission from their guidance

counselors

WHY TAKE TH E PSAT The PSAT /NMSQT stands for the Preliminary SAT /National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test It has two main functions:

Function 1

The PSAT gives you practice for the SAT

Although shorter than the SAT (2 hours, 1 0 minutes compared with 3 hours, 4 5 minutes),

it contains the same types of Math, Reading, and Writing questions, except it does not have

a written essay, which the SAT has The PSAT also measures your score against those of your classmates and peers across the country, just as the SAT does

SCH O LARSH I PS OFFERED

Function 2

Taking the PSAT also gives you a chance to qualify for several scholarship programs, most notably the National Merit Scholarship Program Aside from the possibility of receiving tuition for college, recognition by the National Merit Scholarship program is an impressive addition

to your college applications

The top 50,000 scorers on the PSAT are recognized by the National Merit program and sent letters of commendation Over 1 0,000 of these students share more than $47 million in National Merit Scholarship money

The most well-known scholarship offered, of course, is the National Merit Scholarship As noted, only juniors who take the PSAT are eligible for National Merit Scholarships The top 1 6,000 scorers become semifinalists, and approximately 1 5,000 semifinalists become finalists Finally, almost 8,500 National Merit finalists actually receive National Merit Scholarships, with each award providing up to $2,500 a year toward a college education

Many high scorers who don't receive National Merit Scholarships may still be awarded merit scholarships from the schools to which they apply based on their high scores Whether you qualify as

a Commended Student, a Semi-Finalist, a Finalist, or a full-fledged National Merit Scholar, it's definitely worth noting this achievement on your college applications

Also, note that if you receive a letter of commendation but do not qualify to become a National Merit finalist, you could still be eligible for a Special Scholarship To be considered for Special Scholarships, students who meet a corporate or business sponsor's criteria must file entry forms directly with that organization, which then forwards the entry forms back to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) A list of corporate organizations that sponsor Special Scholarships is given in the PSAT/ NMSQT Student Bulletin The NMSC subsequently contacts high-scoring candidates through their high schools, and the students and their school officials then submit detailed scholarship applications Finally, these applications are evaluated, and approximately 1 ,300 students are awarded Special Scholarships

For more information on the National Merit Scholarships and Special Scholarships, visit

www.nationalmerit.org or write to:

National Merit Scholarship Corporation

1 560 Sherman Avenue, Suite 200

Evanston, IL 6020 1 -4897

1 2 Practice Tests for the SAT I xxix

BO N U S KAPLAN'S GU I DE TO

TH E SAT CHANG E

AN D PRACTICE

QU ESTIONS

Ka pla n's G u ide to

Practice Questions

O V E RV I E W O F C H A N G E S

The SAT is changing, but no need to worry; Kaplan's here to help! We're here to g u ide you

through the changes and explain what you need to know about the new SAT

T I M I N G

The 201 6 SAT wi l l be 3 hours long, or 3 hours and 50 min utes long if you choose to complete

the essay portion The cu rrent SAT, being offered through 201 5, is 3 hours and 45 m i nutes,

a n d includes an essay for a l l students

201 6 SAT Overview

Writing and Language 35 m i n utes 44 questions

2 3 0 m i n utes (w/essay) 1 54 (w/essay)

S CO R I N G

The 201 6 SAT wi l l have n o wrong-answer penalty, as past tests have had I t will be scored

on a 1 600-point sca le, comprised of 800 possible poi nts for Math and 800 possible poi nts

for Evidence-Based Read ing and Writing There are many different kinds of scores you'll

receive after ta king the 201 6 SAT The Col lege Board has not released deta iled scoring

i nformation for the PSAT

C O M P O S I T E S C O R E

The Com posite Score i s com prised of the sum of you r Evidence-Based Reading and Writ­

ing score and Math score, each of which is out of 800 poi nts Each section has 200 poi nts

a utomatica lly awa rded The Com posite Score wi l l ra nge from 400 to 1 600 poi nts

3

You w i l l receive two Area, o r domain, Scores o n the new SAT: a n Evidence-Based Reading

a n d Writing score and a Math score Each score wi l l range from 200 to 800 poi nts The Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Area score is the sum of the Reading Test score a n d the Writing a n d La n g uage Test score

T E S T S C O R E S

There wi l l b e th ree Test Scores, each ra nging from 1 0 to 40, associated with the 201 6 redesign

of the SAT: a Reading Test score, a Writing and La nguage Test score, a n d a Math Test score

C R O S S -T E S T S C O R E S

Two Cross-Test Scores wil l be incl uded i n the 201 6 SAT score report: Ana lysis i n H istory/ Social Studies a n d Ana lysis i n Science These two scores, each on a sca le of 1 0 to 40, wil l be based on specific q uestions across the SAT Evidence-Based Read ing and Writing and SAT Math sections related to these fields

S U B S C O R E S

Each new SAT test wi l l have its own set of Su bscores Each Su bscore i s scored o n a sca le

of l to l S

E VIDENCE-BA SED REA DING AND WRI TING TES T SUBSCORES

The Evidence-Based Reading and Writi ng Test wi l l have a Command of Evidence su bscore

a n d a Releva nt Words i n Context su bscore The Writing and La nguage Test wi l l have two additional su bscores of Expression of Ideas a n d Standard English Conventions

MA TH TES T SUBSCORES

The 201 6 SAT Math Test wi l l have three su bscores corresponding to the three major con­tent a reas on the revised exa m: Heart of Algebra, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, a n d Passport t o Advanced Math

E S S AY

The SO-m i n ute-long essay portion of the 201 6 SAT wi l l be optional and scored separately from the 1 600-poi nt Math/Evidence-Based Reading a n d Writing tests You will be asked to analyze a sou rce document and write an essay i n which you explai n how the a uthor builds his or her a rg u ment The Essay wi l l be g raded based on you r a b i l ities to read, analyze, a n d write Each o f these components (Readi ng, Ana lysis, Writing) will b e scored on a sca le o f 1

to 4, for a c u m u lative Essay score of 3 to 1 2

F o r more deta i led information about t h e Essay, please see t h e Essay Test section

M AT H

K A P L A N ' S G U I D E T O T H E S AT C H A N G E A N D P R A C T I C E Q U E S T I O N S 5

The 201 6 SAT Math Test has an increased emphasis on algebraic reason ing, problem-solving,

and data ana lysis q uestions that describe rea l-world situations Questions may i nvolve ana­

lyzi ng sets or data, and i nterpreting cha rts and g raphs

I n addition to the m u ltiple-choice and student-produced response (g rid-in) questions that

have been carried over from the existi ng SAT, the 201 6 exa m incl udes a new q uestion type:

the extended-thi n king question These questions involve m u ltiple steps and necessitate mak­

ing con n ections between a va riety of topics They a re also each worth 4 points on the exa m

T h e 201 6 Math test is scored between 2 0 0 and 800 It is broken down i nto a ca lculator a n d

a no-ca lculator section as shown i n t h e table below

Calculator vs No-Calculator Math Sections .)

For more detai led i nformation about the ca lcu lator and no-calculator Math sections, please

see the Math Test section

R E A D I N G A N D W R I T I N G

The cu rrent Critical Read ing and Writing sections a re being combined i nto a n Evidence­

Based Reading and Writi ng test on the 201 6 SAT Rather than Sentence Com pletions that

test obscure vocabulary, the new SAT will test "rea l world" voca bulary-i n-context and you r

a b i l ity t o revise and edit passages, which wi l l span Literature, Social Stu dies, and Science

One passage on every exa m will be an excerpt from a primary sou rce from U nited States

a nd/or World History (e.g., Thomas Paine's "Common Sense") The Evidence-Based Reading

and Writing section will be scored on a sca le of 200 to 800

For more detai led i nformation about the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section,

please see the Evidence-Based Read ing and Writing Test section

Sta rt t h i n king a bout standard ized tests! Depending on whether or not you're applying to you r first-choice school for early decision or early action, you have until mid-Fa l l to ta ke either the SAT or ACT You wil l NOT be affected by the SAT change To fig u re out whether you should ta ke the SAT or ACT, try ta king a Practice Test of each, or one of o u r Tu rbo Tests Then consider which test was better for you overa ll, and on which exam you scored in a

h igher percenti le Attend one of our free online practice tests, which we offer for both SAT

a n d ACT Remem ber: the SAT a n d ACT a re scored on different scales, so pay attention to you r percentile, not just the sca led score

W H AT TO D O I F YO U ' R E I N T H E C L A S S O F 2 0 1 6

The new PSAT that wi l l be a d m i n istered i n the Fa l l of 201 5 and the new SAT that will be administered in the Spring of 201 6 wi l l NOT affect you ! By the time these new tests a re administered, you wi l l have a l ready ta ken the PSAT and SAT or ACT a n d wi l l be wel l i nto the col lege appl ication process

What you ca n do now, however, is sta rt studying for the PSAT, which you will take in the

Fa l l of 201 4 A high score on the PSAT can lead to a National Merit Scholarshi p, which can help you pay for col lege Check out our free online PSAT events

Also, start looking i nto a ny Adva nced Placement or col lege-level cou rses you r h i g h school offers A wel l-rou nded cou rse of study and strong GPA a re top col lege adm issions factors Scoring wel l on AP tests can earn you col lege cred it, a l lowi ng you to g raduate early or place out of i ntroductory-level classes

If you a re a member of the Class of 201 7, you may have a n option to take the cu rrent version

of the 2400-point SAT if you ta ke the test when it is offered i n N ovember 201 5, December

201 5, or January 201 6 We do not recommend ta king the SAT before the PSAT i n October

201 5 If you want to see if the 2400-point SAT is rig ht for you, check out one of our free online practice tests After January 201 6, this version of the SAT will no longer be offered The new SAT wil l fi rst be g iven i n March 201 6 March is usua l ly the fi rst time j u n iors ta ke the test Make sure if you are ta king the test i n or after March 201 6 you prep using resou rces designed for the new test Materia ls for the old 2400-point test wil l no longer apply

K A P L A N ' S G U I D E TO T H E S AT C H A N G E A N D P R A C T I C E Q U E S T I O N S 7

Even though the SAT is changi ng, you wil l sti l l be able to access many test preparation tools

Sta rt by down loading you r own copy of our Ka pMap, which outli nes what you should be

doing to prepare for col lege, sta rting at the beg i n n i n g of you r freshman yea r of h i g h schoo l

U N D E R STA N D I N G P R AC T I C E T E ST S CO R E S

There a re three different scores associated with college admissions standard ized tests For

the cu rrent SAT, the raw score is the n u m ber of questions you answered correctly, m i n u s

one-fou rth o f a point for each q uestion you answered incorrectly T h e raw score for the

ACT is just a sum of the n u m ber of questions you answered correctly

Each test has its own form ula to convert a raw score i nto a scaled score On the cu rrent SAT,

you r tota l sca led score is out of 2400 (800 each for Math, Critical Reading, a n d Writing) On

the ACT, you r tota l scaled score is calculated by averaging you r fou r subject tests (Engl ish,

Math, Reading, Science), each scored on a sca le of 0 to 36 If you choose to ta ke the optional

ACT Writing test (a 30-minute essay), you wi l l receive a sepa rate Combi ned English/Writing

score that sums you r English test score (out of 36) and you r essay score (out of 1 2)

Percentile is the n u m ber that compares you r score to others who took the test For exa m ple,

if you score i n the 75th percenti le, you achieved a higher score than 75% of those who took

the same test you did

For more i nformation about col lege admissions, check out Kapla n's 201 3 Col lege Adm issions

Officers Su rvey, a n a n n ua l su rvey of admissions officers from the top national and regional

col l eges and u niversities i n the U.S to gauge trends i n the college adm issions process

,

Structure of the New SAT

Evidence-Based Reading Test 4 single passages and 1 paired 65 m i n utes

from U.S and World Literatu re,

H i story/Socia l Stud ies, and Science Two passages will include one or two i nforma- tional g ra p h ics

Writi ng and 4 passages of 400-450 words 35 m i n utes Language Test each (1 700 words tota l) Each

passage will d raw from one

of fou r content a reas: ca reers,

h istory/social studies, h u m a n i ties, or science 1 -2 passages will be arg u mentative, 1 -2 passages w i l l be informative/

-explanatory, and 1 passage will be a nonfiction na rrative

Math Calculator Questions are d rawn from the 55 m i n utes

Section Heart of Algebra, Problem

Solving and Data Ana lysis, Passport to Adva nced Math, and Add itional Topics i n Math content areas

No-Calculator Questions a re d rawn from the 25 m i n utes Section Heart of Algebra, Passport to

Adva nced Math and tional Topics i n Math content

Addi-a reAddi-as No Problem Solving or Data Ana lysis questions

The Essay (optional) You will be asked to ana lyze a 50 m i n utes

650-750 word document and

d raft a n essay This essay q u tion tests rea d i ng, ana lysis, and writi ng skil ls, and req u i res you to ana lyze a sou rce docu- ment and explain how the author builds a n a rg u ment

es-Questions

52 m u ltiple-choice

q u estions (1 0-1 1 per passage or passage set)

44 m u lti ple-choice

q u estions (1 1 q u estions per passage)

30 m u ltiple-choice

q u estions + 6 prod uced response

student-q u estions + 1 extended thinking q u estion = 37 tota l q u estions

15 m u lti ple-choice

q u estions + 5 prod u ced response

student-q u estions = 20 tota l

q u estions

1 p ro m pt

K A P L A N ' S G U I D E TO T H E S AT C H A N G E A N D P R A C T I C E Q U E S T I O N S 9

E V I D E N C E - BA S E D R E A D I N G A N D W R I T I N G S E C T I O N

The Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section of the redesigned SAT wi l l be broken i nto

two sections: the Reading Test (65 m i n utes, 52 m u ltiple-choice q uestions) and the Writing

and Language Test (35 m i n utes, 44 m u ltiple-choice questions)

You r scores from each of these two tests wi l l ra nge from 10 to 40 These scores wi l l be

sum med and then scaled to a 200-800 ra nge score

The Reading Test will focus on you r comprehension and reasoning ski l l s when faced with

cha l lenging prose passages ra nging i n text complexity across a range of content areas

The Writing and Language Test will focus on you r ability to revise and edit when presented

with extended prose passages, a lso across a ra nge of content a reas

T H E R E A D I N G T E S T

OV E RV I E W

SAT Reading Test Overview

PA S S A G E S

Passages wi l l d raw from U.S and world literature, history/social studies, a n d science One

set of h istory/social stu dies or science passages wil l be a pai r of shorter passages instead

of one long passage H istory/social stud ies and science passages can a lso be accompan ied

by g ra p hical representations of data such as charts, g raphs, ta bles, etc All passages wi l l be

ta ken from previously-publ ished sources Graph ics accompanying passages can be ta ken

from published sou rces as wel l but can a lso, at times, be created for a n exa m

SAT Reading Test Passage Distribution U.S and World Literatu re 1 passage; 1 0-1 1 questions

H istory/Social Studies 2 passages OR 1 passage and 1 paired

pas-sage set; 1 0-1 1 questions each

pas-sage set; 1 0-1 1 questions each

that portray i nformation related to the content of the passage You wi l l be asked to i nterpret this data and combine it with the i nformation presented in the text

Passages wi l l also ra nge in text complexity, meaning that the read ing material on the SAT ranges i n difficu lty level from h i g h school to col lege-level texts

Q U E S T I O N S

The m u ltiple-choice q uestions for each passage will be arra nged i n order from the more general to the more specific so you can actively engage with the entire passage before answeri ng questions about deta i ls

WORDS IN CON TEXT Q UESTIONS

Some m u lti ple-choice q u estio n s will a s k about relevant words i n context These q u estions will test you r comprehension of how a word or phrase is used i n the context of a 500-750 word prose passage in a ny of the aforementioned subjects These words wi l l be neither particu larly obscure nor specific to a certa i n field of study Rather, you wi l l be asked to fig u re out the word's or p h rase's mea n i n g based on the context i n which it is used

COMMA ND OF E VIDENCE Q UESTIONS

Other m u ltiple-choice q uestions wi l l test you r command of evidence These q u estions w i l l

be secondary t o conclusions you reach i n preced ing q u estions; they wi l l ask you t o fi nd the best su pport for you r i nterpretation of the passage by citi ng the most releva nt textu a l evidence listed i n the answer choices Questions that measure you r command o f evidence wil l be phrased along the l i nes of "Which choice best supports the a nswer to the previous

q u estion?"

A NALYSIS OF HISTORY/SOCIA L S TUDIES OR SCIENCE

The remaining questions wi l l be strict analysis of History/Social Stud ies or Science pas­sages These questions test a va riety of ski l ls

Reading Test Questions Information and Ideas Close reading (determ i n i ng explicit/i m p l icit

mea n i ngs and using ana logical reasoni ng); citi ng textual evi dence; determ i n i n g main

ideas and themes

words and phrases i n context

text structu re; assessing pa rt-whole shi ps; ana lyzi ng point of view; determ i n i n g

relation-pu rpose; ana lyzi ng a rg u ments (claims and cou nterclai ms, reasoning, evidence)

Synthesis Ana lyzi ng m u ltiple texts (i e., pa i red

pas-sages); ana lyzi ng qua ntitative i nformation