• Bebe
• Izgradnja Obitelj
• djeca
• General Roditeljstvo
• Novorođenčad
• tinejdžeri
• Mala djeca
• trudnoća

SAT razumijevanje čitanja:osnovna načela

Stranica 1

SAT čitanje s razumijevanjem:osnovna načela Zašto vaše razumijevanje poboljšava što manje čitate odlomak
Tri dijela SAT testa čitanja počinju pitanjima za dovršavanje rečenice prije čitanja odlomaka; jedan dio se sastoji od pitanja za čitanje. Kako bismo vam dali bolju ideju o rasporedu odlomaka unutar SAT testa čitanja, pogledajmo još jednom njegova tri odjeljka:

• 25-minutni dio:8 dovršetaka rečenica i 16 pitanja za čitanje (2 uparena mala odlomka, 1 dugi odlomak)
• 25-minutni dio:5 dovršetaka rečenica i 19 pitanja za čitanje (2 mala odlomka, 2 srednje do duga odlomka)
• 20-minutni dio:6 dovršenih rečenica i 13 pitanja za čitanje (1 par srednje do dugih odlomaka)

Opet, možda postoje neke varijacije od testa do testa, ali možete očekivati ​​ovaj osnovni izgled.

Ovi odlomci su prvenstveno dokumentarna literatura i pokrivaju širok raspon tema. SAT-ovi su uključivali različite odlomke poput lova na kitove, žena na radnom mjestu, vjerskih sloboda, pa čak i profesionalnog hrvanja. Osim vokabulara, pitanja za čitanje ne zahtijevaju posebna znanja. Sve informacije koje su vam potrebne da odgovorite na pitanja nalaze se u odlomcima.

Odlomci obično izražavaju nečije stajalište u raspravi ili objašnjenju nečega. Za razliku od vrste beletristike koju čitate na satu engleskog, odlomci zahtijevaju malo ili nimalo "tumačenja". Umjesto toga, vaš je glavni posao jednostavno pratiti autorov argument ili objašnjenje ili bilo što drugo i odgovarati na pitanja o sadržaju ili implikacijama odlomka.

Evo uputa za čitanje odlomaka:

Nakon svakog odlomka u nastavku slijede pitanja o njegovom sadržaju. Odgovorite na pitanja na temelju onoga što je navedeno ili implicirano u svakom odlomku i u bilo kojem uvodnom materijalu koji se može pružiti.

Kao što možete vidjeti, ovi smjerovi su jednostavni. Neće se promijeniti, stoga nemojte gubiti vrijeme čitajući ove upute ponovno tijekom testa.

Kao što sam rekao, SAT čitanje je drugačije
Čini se da je čitanje vještina koju ste naučili davno, ali SAT čitanje se razlikuje od vrste obaveznog čitanja koje radite cijelo vrijeme u školi ili od vrste čitanja izvan škole iz užitka. Ako čitate SAT odlomak kao što čitate udžbenik ili roman za domaću zadaću, bit ćete u velikim, velikim problemima na testu!

Razmotrimo kako i što obično čitate. Jedan važan aspekt vašeg čitanja je da uvijek imate pozadinske informacije o temi ili barem kontekst u koji ih možete smjestiti. Kada čitate, to je ili predmet koji proučavate ili područje ili žanr od osobnog interesa. Ako je za nastavu, knjiga ili članak su iz predmeta koji vam je poznat, a vaš je učitelj vjerojatno raspravljao o glavnim točkama. Ako čitate iz vlastitog užitka, vjerojatno vam je prilično ugodno čak i s teškim materijalom.

Nemojte podcjenjivati ​​koliko sve ove pozadinske informacije utiru put onome što čitate. A ako zapnete na nečemu, nema problema - možete uzeti svoje vrijeme da to ponovno pročitate koliko god je puta potrebno. Nikako vam se ne žuri, pa možete razmisliti o onome što ste pročitali za dodatne uvide. Ako ste još uvijek zbunjeni, dodatne reference ili perspektive možete potražiti u drugim resursima ili na Internetu. Ukratko, za normalno čitanje vam je prilično lako.

Sada razmotrimo kako i što ćete čitati na SAT-u. U odlomku SAT-a, čitate ulomak u nepoznatom području, potpuno odvojen od konteksta koji bi vam pomogao razumjeti. Ako ste zbunjeni, nemate sreće:ne postoje bilješke za razred na koje bi se moglo pozvati za objašnjenje, ne postoji pojmovnik ili indeks, niti bilo koji drugi izvorni materijal za objašnjenje. Ako ne razumijete riječ – ups – nema rječnika ili internetske enciklopedije u kojoj biste je mogli potražiti. Zatim, naravno, postoji faktor vremenskog pritiska. Jedva imate dovoljno vremena da jednom pročitate odlomak i još uvijek odgovorite na pitanja, a još manje da ga pročitate drugi ili čak treći put, kao što biste mogli kod kuće.

A to je upravo ono s čime se morate nositi za prolaz. Ispravno čitanje izbora predstavlja vlastiti skup još težih izazova.

Kako ne čitati SAT odlomak
U redu, reci mi zvuči li vam nešto od sljedećeg poznato iz vašeg iskustva čitanja odlomka iz SAT-a.

Pažljivo ste pročitali prvi odlomak, ali na kraju prvog odlomka shvatite da ste pomalo zbunjeni. Neustrašivi, nastavljate dalje (pogreška br. 1). Savjesno prolazite kroz tekst, rečenicu po rečenicu, pokušavajući uzeti što više činjenica. Možda podcrtate ključne riječi ili izraze koji se čine važnima. Uporno se krećete kroz prolaz, odlučni da dobijete što detaljnije razumijevanje (pogreška br. 2).

Proveli ste dosta vremena na odlomku (pogreška br. 3), pa ste iznenađeni da kad stignete na kraj odlomka, ne razumijete puno teksta, a možete zapamtiti još manje. Ajme, ali sada vam nedostaje vremena – ne možete ponovno pročitati cijeli odlomak – pa žurite s pitanjima (pogreška br. 4).

Evo dogovora. Jednostavno nemate dovoljno vremena razumjeti i zapamtiti sve informacije čak ni u kratkom SAT prolazu. Kao što smo raspravljali u SAT-u:Kako dobiti (ili izgubiti) 30 IQ bodova — odmah!, vaše kratkoročno pamćenje ima vrlo ograničen kapacitet. Jednom kada se "ispuni" s pola tuceta činjenica ili ideja - što će se vjerojatno dogoditi neko vrijeme u prvom odlomku - vaše se kratkoročno pamćenje preopterećuje i vaš kapacitet razmišljanja pada na gotovo nulu. Ne samo da je detaljno razumijevanje prolaza nemoguće na tempiranom testu kao što je SAT, već će vas pokušaj da to učinite samo zbuniti. Štoviše, trebat će vam to vrijeme da potrošite na pitanja.

Budući da radite u ekstremno hitnim uvjetima, sve čemu se možete nadati je vrlo općenito razumijevanje prolaza. Na sreću, budući da vam test s višestrukim odgovorima daje sve odgovore, površno razumijevanje odlomka je sve što vam je potrebno da odgovorite na pitanja. Uostalom, ne morate smisliti odgovor na pitanje; samo morate prepoznati odgovor među izborima.

Možda ste čuli ili pročitali prijedlog da uopće ne pokušavate pročitati odlomak, nego prijeđite izravno na pitanja. Ovaj pristup je krajnje nepromišljen—osim ako vam ponestane vremena tijekom posljednjih nekoliko minuta dijela za čitanje.

Stranica 2 Pravi izazov odjeljka za čitanje su pitanja i izbori, a ne odlomci
Pomislili biste da poteškoće u odjeljku za čitanje proizlaze iz nerazumijevanja o čemu se u odlomcima radi. Zapravo, većina pogrešaka koje se mogu izbjeći proizlaze iz nerazumijevanja točno onoga što pitanje postavlja ili što je izbor.

To se može činiti izvanrednim. Uostalom, koliko teško može biti razumjeti jednostavno pitanje ili kratke izbore u usporedbi s razumijevanjem teškog i ponekad dugotrajnog odlomka? Razmislite o tome na sljedeći način:ako krivo pročitate ili pogrešno protumačite cijelu rečenicu u odlomku od 900 riječi, vaše cjelokupno razumijevanje cijelog odlomka vjerojatno neće biti ozbiljno pogođeno. Međutim, ako krivo pročitate čak i ključnu riječ u kratkom izboru pitanja ili odgovora, vrlo ćete vjerojatno pogrešno shvatiti pitanje.

Kao što smo ukratko raspravljali u The SAT:Kako vas vaš mozak može dovesti u nevolje i kako ćete otkriti iz prve ruke u sljedećoj vježbi, morate naučiti čitati što izbor zapravo govori, umjesto onoga što se čini da jest izreka!

Što je odlomak kraći — a neki SAT odlomci mogu biti kraći od 100 riječi — to ga morate pažljivije pročitati.

Pažljivo pročitajte Drill
Dio A: Kako bih pokazao koliko pažljivo morate čitati pojedinačne izbore, pripremio sam vam sljedeći odlomak od jedne rečenice. Ne pogađajte ovdje; stvarno pokušajte razraditi odgovor — nikad više nećete vidjeti ovako kratak odlomak! Uzmite si vremena, ali nemojte riskirati:koristite proces eliminacije kako biste bili sigurni da ste pronašli odgovor. Ako se više od jednog izbora čini ispravnim, nastavite raditi dok ne pronađete razlog za uklanjanje svakog izbora osim odgovora.

Posljednja supernova u našoj galaksiji vidljiva sa
Zemlje promatrana je samo pet godina prije nego što je
teleskop prvi put korišten za promatranje neba
1609.

1. Što se od sljedećeg može zaključiti iz gornjeg odlomka?

1. Teleskopi su prvi put korišteni za promatranje neba.
2. Otkad su astronomi počeli koristiti teleskope, nisu primijetili supernove u našoj galaksiji.
3. Posljednja supernova u našoj galaksiji dogodila se 1604.
4. Supernove se mogu vidjeti sa Zemlje golim okom.
5. Teleskop je izumljen pet godina prije nego što se dogodila posljednja vidljiva supernova.

Raspravu o ovoj vježbi naći ćete na sljedećoj stranici.

Stranica 3 Odgovori na pažljivo čitanje

Posljednja supernova u našoj galaksiji vidljiva sa
Zemlje promatrana je samo pet godina prije nego što je
teleskop prvi put korišten za promatranje neba
1609.

1. Što se od sljedećeg može zaključiti iz gornjeg odlomka?

1. Teleskopi su prvi put korišteni za promatranje neba.
2. Otkad su astronomi počeli koristiti teleskope, nisu primijetili supernove u našoj galaksiji.
3. Posljednja supernova u našoj galaksiji dogodila se 1604.
4. Supernove se mogu vidjeti sa Zemlje golim okom.
5. Teleskop je izumljen pet godina prije nego što se dogodila posljednja vidljiva supernova.

Rasprava: Ako ste odabrali izbor A – oprezno – pogrešno ste pročitali odlomak i niste uzeli u obzir sve izbore. Kaže da su teleskopi prvi put korišteni za promatranje neba 1609. godine; ne kaže da je ovo bila prva upotreba teleskopa.

Ako ste odabrali izbor B—pažljivo—pogrešno ste pročitali odlomak i niste uzeli u obzir sve izbore. Izbor kaže da nikakve supernove nisu bile vidljive sa Zemlje, ali su astronomi mogli promatrati supernove iz satelitskih teleskopa. Da niste razmotrili tu mogućnost, ipak ste se trebali probiti kroz druge izbore, jer je izbor D nedvojbeno odgovor bez potrebe za čitanjem između redaka.

Ako ste odabrali izbor C—pažljivo—pogrešno ste pročitali odlomak i niste uzeli u obzir sve izbore; možda ste također pogrešno pročitali izbor. Izbor se odnosi na to kada su se supernove dogodile, dok se odlomak odnosi na to kada su promatrane. Štoviše, za nas bi bilo nemoguće znati dovoljno o našoj galaksiji da bismo rekli kada se dogodila posljednja supernova.

Ako ste odabrali izbor D, ispravno ste koristili proces eliminacije i pronašli odgovor. Čestitamo, ovo je bilo varljivo teško pitanje. Ako je posljednja supernova promatrana pet godina prije nego što su teleskopi korišteni za istraživanje noćnog neba, tada su supernove bile jasno vidljive golim okom.

Ako ste odabrali izbor E – oprezno – pogrešno ste pročitali odlomak i izbor. U odlomku nije navedeno kada je teleskop izumljen, samo kada je prvi put korišten u astronomske svrhe. Vidi također raspravu o izboru C, slična pogreška. Primijetite također da se izbor odnosi na posljednju vidljivu supernovu, ali se odlomak odnosi na supernove u našoj galaksiji, što je vrlo velika razlika.

Stranica 4 Dio B: Da biste shvatili koliko je važno trošiti vrijeme na ispravno čitanje izbora, pogledajte pitanje u nastavku. Ovaj odlomak je duljina jednog od kraćih pasusa na stvarnom SAT-u.

Državni zdravstveni sustav zahtijeva stalnu
opskrbu darivatelja novom krvlju kako bi se popunile svoje
zalihe. Zamrzavanje krvi za dugotrajno skladištenje je
delikatan, skup i dugotrajan proces;
štoviše, mnogi liječnici vjeruju da je dobiveni
proizvod nepouzdan. Kada se pohranjuju u otopini
plazme i nutritivne dekstroze (šećera), svježa crvena
krvna zrnca mogu preživjeti i ostati održiva za
transfuziju samo šest tjedana.

2. Gornji odlomak sugerira što od sljedećeg?

1. Moraju se stvoriti dodatni objekti za pripremu i pohranu krvi za buduće transfuzije.
2. Bez posebnih postupaka skladištenja, crvene krvne stanice ne mogu dugo postojati izvan ljudskog tijela.
3. Javnost treba često podsjećati na potrebu davanja krvi, a ne samo apelirati na nju u vrijeme krize.
4. Nacionalne zalihe krvi opasno su male i potrebna im je hitna infuzija donacija.
5. Nacionalne zalihe krvi iscrpljuju se u prosjeku svakih šest tjedana.

Provjerite svoj odgovor na sljedećoj stranici.

Nemojte se obeshrabriti ako vam je ova vježba bila teška. Dizajnirao sam ga da naglasim kako je lako biti zavaravan prividnom jednostavnošću čak i od nekoliko riječi i da pokažem zašto morate usporiti s pitanjima, a ne s odlomkom.

Stranica 5 Stop. Nemojte čitati sljedeću raspravu dok ne dovršite pitanje u drugom odlomku.

Državni zdravstveni sustav zahtijeva stalnu
opskrbu darivatelja novom krvlju kako bi se popunile svoje
zalihe. Zamrzavanje krvi za dugotrajno skladištenje
je delikatan, skup i dugotrajan proces;
štoviše, mnogi liječnici vjeruju da je dobiveni
proizvod nepouzdan. Kada se pohranjuju u otopini
plazme i nutritivne dekstroze (šećera), svježa crvena
krvna zrnca mogu preživjeti i ostati održiva za
transfuziju samo šest tjedana.

2. Gornji odlomak sugerira što od sljedećeg?

1. Moraju se stvoriti dodatni objekti za pripremu i pohranu krvi za buduće transfuzije.
2. Bez posebnih postupaka skladištenja, crvene krvne stanice ne mogu dugo postojati izvan ljudskog tijela.
3. Javnost treba često podsjećati na potrebu davanja krvi, a ne samo apelirati na nju u vrijeme krize.
4. Nacionalne zalihe krvi opasno su male i potrebna im je hitna infuzija donacija.
5. Nacionalne zalihe krvi iscrpljuju se u prosjeku svakih šest tjedana.

Ako ste odabrali izbor A – oprezno – pogrešno ste pročitali odlomak i niste uzeli u obzir sve izbore. Ništa nije rečeno o potrebi za dodatnim skladišnim prostorima. Nove ustanove ne bi bile od male koristi da se zaliha krvi ne bi stalno obnavljala.

Ako ste odabrali izbor B—pažljivo—pogrešno ste pročitali izbor i niste uzeli u obzir sve izbore. Odlomak kaže da krv ne može dugo preživjeti; odlomak ne kaže da krv prestaje postojati. Doista, zdrav razum nam govori da krv postoji dugo vremena (zamislite krvnu mrlju), iako krv ne bi dugo bila održiva za transfuziju.

Ako ste odabrali izbor C, ispravno ste koristili proces eliminacije i pronašli odgovor. Čestitam, i ovo je bilo varljivo teško pitanje. Ako krv ostane održiva za transfuziju ograničeno vrijeme, tada javnost mora kontinuirano obnavljati zalihe krvi.

Ako ste odabrali izbor D—pažljivo—pogrešno ste pročitali odlomak. Prva rečenica kaže da je naciji potrebna stalna opskrba novom krvlju; odlomak ne kaže da je trenutna opskrba neadekvatna.

Ako ste odabrali izbor E – oprezno – pogrešno ste pročitali odlomak. Odlomak kaže da krv u otopini ostaje održiva samo šest tjedana. Zaliha krvi bila bi iscrpljena šest tjedana od danas samo ako nije darovana nova krv.

Stranica 6 Poboljšajte svoj rezultat odučavanjem starih navika i stjecanjem novih
Znate da za promjenu rezultata morate promijeniti način polaganja testa. Promijeniti način na koji pristupate čitanju odlomaka vjerojatno će biti teže nego promijeniti način na koji pristupate dovršavanju rečenica. Vaše navike čitanja stvorile su se tijekom posljednjih deset ili više godina i vjerojatno su vam dobro poslužile u školi. Te iste navike, međutim, nisu prikladne za zahtjeve SAT testa čitanja. Ipak, vježbajući korištenje novih tehnika u ovom i sljedećem poglavlju, možete razviti nove navike čitanja za SAT.

Ako već dajete visok rezultat na pitanjima čitanja – recimo, jednu ili dvije pogreške u čitanju u cijelom testu, pod vremenskim uvjetima – nemojte mijenjati svoj cjelokupni pristup; očito ti radi. Ipak, tehnike iz ovog članka mogu se dodati vašem repertoaru. Dakle, sve dok dosljedno ne postignete savršen ili gotovo savršen rezultat na pitanjima čitanja, trebali biste usvojiti ove nove tehnike.

Ponavljajte za mnom:brzo kroz prolaz, polako kroz pitanja
Većina učenika provodi daleko više vremena na odlomcima nego što bi trebalo, ne ostavljajući dovoljno vremena za pitanja. Ključno je proći kroz početno čitanje odlomka što je brže moguće kako biste imali dovoljno vremena da pažljivo proradite kroz pitanja. Dok odgovarate na pitanja, morat ćete svako toliko ponovno pročitati odlomak kako biste provjerili pojedinost ili razjasnili neku stvar, ali vaše početno čitanje odlomka trebalo bi biti brzo.

Vaš je cilj brzo pročitati odlomak za jednu ili dvije ključne ideje, a zatim vrlo, vrlo polako čitati pitanja i izbore! Ako vam je ostalo osam minuta za odlomak srednje duljine (500 riječi) nakon čega slijedi šest pitanja, trebali biste pokušati proći kroz odlomak za dvije minute ili manje, tako da ćete imati šest minuta za pitanja. U pravilu, tempoirajte se tako da imate u prosjeku barem minutu za svako pitanje. Ako vam općenito treba više vremena od toga da pročitate odlomak ili da analizirate i odgovorite na pitanja, morat ćete ostaviti neka prazna mjesta.

Kasnije ćemo razgovarati o ostavljanju praznina. Ovdje je ključna točka prepoznati važnost ubrzavanja prolaza i usporavanja pitanja.

Kao što sam ranije rekao, što je odlomak kraći to morate pažljivije čitati. Doista, paradoksalno, možda ćete morati potrošiti više vremena čitajući odlomak od 150 riječi i jednog odlomka nego da pročitate odlomak od 450 riječi i tri odlomka.

Naš pristup odlomcima ukratko
Budući da je vaš krajnji cilj odgovoriti na pitanja, htjet ćete što manje vremena potrošiti na odlomak, a što je više moguće na stvarna pitanja. Ovdje je ukratko naš opći pristup čitanju odlomka i odgovaranju na njegova pitanja:

1. korak: Čitajte odlomak polako dok ne dođete do njegove glavne ideje, a zatim trčite kroz ostatak odlomka što je brže moguće.

2. korak: Koliko god je to moguće, prisilite se da preletite određene činjenice i detalje.

3. korak: Odlomak može imati sporednu ideju, ali vaš je primarni cilj sada dobiti pregled organizacije odlomka (osnovni način na koji svaki odlomak razvija glavnu ideju).

4. korak: Dođite do pitanja što je brže moguće i prođite kroz izbore koristeći agresivan proces eliminacije. Skavenger se često vraća u prolaz kako bi provjerio detalje.

To je sve o tome. Morat ćemo malo izmijeniti ovaj pristup za određene vrste odlomaka, ali ta četiri koraka čine osnovu moćne metode za što brže i točnije odgovore na pitanja za čitanje.

Prije nego što vas bacim u dubinu dajući vam cijeli SAT odlomak i njegova pitanja, želio bih raspraviti prva dva koraka iznad.

Stranica 7 1. korak:čitajte polako dok ne prepoznate autorovu glavnu ideju
Nema sumnje, nemate dovoljno vremena na SAT-u da čitate odlomke ležernim tempom. Morat ćete se natjerati da pročitate odlomke brže nego što biste željeli.

Kad kažem da ćete morati brzo čitati, ne mislim da biste trebali pokušati preletjeti cijeli odlomak istim brzim tempom. Začudo, vješti čitatelji zapravo čitaju sporije od nevještih čitatelja nekoliko važnih ideja, a vješti čitatelji nadoknađuju izgubljeno vrijeme čitajući mnogo brže preko veće mase manje važnih detalja. To je pomalo poput vožnje trkaćeg automobila:znati kada morate usporiti na opasnim zavojima, a zatim pustiti automobil da se trgne na ravnoj cesti.

Posebno se usredotočite na četiri ključne rečenice svakog odlomka
Bez obzira na temu, glavna ideja SAT čitanja odlomaka gotovo se uvijek nalazi na jednom od četiri ključna mjesta. Vjerojatno ste upoznati s pojmom "tematskih rečenica", a ovaj koncept nam je također od pomoći. Prva i posljednja rečenica svakog odlomka nastoje sažeti sadržaj odlomka. Međutim, za odlomak u cjelini, gdje ćemo vjerojatno pronaći glavnu ideju?

Glavna ideja odlomka vjerojatno će se nalaziti u prvoj ili posljednjoj rečenici prvog odlomka, ili u prvoj rečenici drugog odlomka. Glavna ideja odlomka često se odražava u posljednjoj rečenici odlomka.

Drugim riječima, kad prođete kroz prvu rečenicu drugog odlomka, već biste trebali znati glavnu ideju odlomka i biti spremni dramatično ubrzati tempo čitanja.

Budite potpuno sigurni da razlikujete autorovo mišljenje od onoga što misle "drugi ljudi" - uobičajena mudrost
Jedna od opasnosti u pronalaženju autorove glavne ideje je da na SAT-u odlomci često ne počinju vjerovanjem autora, već onim što drugi ljudi misle, također poznatim kao konvencionalna mudrost. Mnogi odlomci na vašem SAT-u neće biti striktno činjenični odlomci, već prije odlomci "mišljenja". Autor obično iznosi svoje mišljenje o nekoj temi, a zatim ga podržava. Međutim, prije nego što autor iznese svoje gledište, on obično iznosi konvencionalnu mudrost ili "drugu stranu" problema.

Razmislite o tome:kada bi se autor složio s onim što su drugi ljudi mislili, koji bi bio smisao pisanja odlomka? Na SAT-u nikada nećete pronaći odlomak koji počinje rečenicom poput sljedeće:"Većina povjesničara tehnologije vjeruje da je mehanizam diferencijalnih zupčanika relativno moderan—i hej, mislim da su u pravu." Autor se ne mora nužno u potpunosti složiti s konvencionalnom mudrošću, ali će njegovo stajalište biti drugačije.

Morate pažljivo pročitati – osobito prvi odlomak – jer je lako zamijeniti konvencionalnu mudrost s autorovom perspektivom, pogotovo kada se autor kreće naprijed-natrag između njih kako odlomak napreduje.

Autor će drugu stranu obično predstaviti opširnom izjavom koja se pripisuje velikoj skupini (znanstvenici, povjesničari, kritičari, umjetnici, edukatori, filozofi, rock glazbenici). Evo ilustrativnih fraza koje upućuju na to da autor samo artikulira uobičajeno stajalište kojem će se suprotstaviti na neki način:široko mišljenje, uobičajeno vjerovanje, često tvrdnja, prethodno nagađanje, jedan pristup, neki osjećaj.

Opet, nemojte smatrati da morate zapamtiti ovaj popis. Uz malo vježbe moći ćete odmah prepoznati govori li autor za sebe ili "drugu stranu".

Zeznuto je to što autor može artikulirati konvencionalnu mudrost bez jasnog naznačavanja da to čini. Pažljivo pročitajte sljedeći odlomak i provjerite možete li odrediti u kojim rečenicama autor raspravlja o svom stavu, a u kojim rečenicama o drugoj strani:

Uobičajeno se pretpostavlja da ih državno
osiguranje bankovnih depozita čini sigurnijima. Ako
banka nekako propadne ulažući depozite klijenata
u rizične kredite koji se ne vraćaju,
vlada će nadoknaditi izgubljena sredstva. Tako
umirena, javnost se neće naći u
stisci financijske panike i stvarati "trke" na
banku tražeći natrag svoj novac kao što se
dogodilo tijekom Velikog Depresija 1930-ih.

Ironično, međutim, percepcija ove
"zaštitne mjere" tjera banke da daju daleko rizičnije
zajmove nego što bi inače, čime
povećavajući vjerojatnost katastrofalnih bankrot
a. U konačnoj analizi, osiguranje bankovnih depozita
može prije potkopati nego ojačati
povjerenje javnosti u naše financijske institucije.

1. Što je od sljedećeg glavna ideja ovog odlomka?

1. Državno osiguranje bankovnih depozita može imati neželjene posljedice.
2. Nije vjerojatno da će u budućnosti doći do financijske panike i bankovnih napada budući da su bankovni depoziti osigurani.
3. Da je vlada poduzela odgovarajuće korake, Velika depresija bi se mogla spriječiti.
4. Vlada bi trebala poduzeti veće korake za osiguranje depozita klijenata.
5. Banke ne bi trebale izlagati depozite klijenata riziku davanjem kredita koji se možda neće vratiti.

Rasprava: Izraz koji se obično pretpostavlja u prvoj rečenici upućuje nas na to da autor raspravlja o konvencionalnoj mudrosti. Druga i treća rečenica su elaboracije opće prihvaćenog stava, a ne iskazi autorova stajališta. Ono što autor zapravo govori u prve tri rečenice je sljedeće:

Uobičajeno se pretpostavlja da ih državno
osiguranje bankovnih depozita čini sigurnijima. Pretpostavlja se
da ako banka nekako propadne
ulažući depozite klijenata u rizične kredite koji
nisu otplaćeni, vlada će nadoknaditi izgubljena
sredstva. Pretpostavlja se da na taj način umirena,
javnost se neće naći u zahvatima financijske
panike i stvarati "nalet" na banku tražeći
povrat svog novca kao što se dogodilo tijekom Velike
depresije .

Umetnuo sam fraze (kurziv) kako bih pojasnio da autor artikulira što drugi ljudi misle. Tek u četvrtoj rečenici – trag je riječ međutim —da nam autor kaže što misli. Odgovor je izbor A.

Pa opet:čitajte polako i pažljivo dok ne zakucate autorovo stajalište. Ako vam nije jasno s kojom stranom – s autorovom ili s drugom – imate posla dok čitate odlomak, izgubit ćete tok autorove argumentacije.

Ako odlomak započne konvencionalnom mudrošću, autorova će se glavna ideja najvjerojatnije nalaziti ili u posljednjoj rečenici prvog odlomka ili u prvoj rečenici drugog odlomka. Rečenica će obično sadržavati riječ za promjenu smjera poput ali , iako , ili međutim .

Stranica 8 Prvi odlomak će se otvoriti na jedan od tri načina
Pomislili biste da bi SAT prolazi mogli imati stotine mogućih otvora. Amazingly, however, you can count on one of three variations for the first sentence of any SAT passage. In order of likelihood, here are the three possibilities for the first sentence of every SAT passage:

Opening Variation #1: The first sentence will set out the conventional wisdom. You already know that if this is the case, the main idea will almost certainly appear in the last sentence of the first paragraph or the first sentence of the second paragraph.

Opening Variation #2: The first sentence will be an introductory statement providing background for the topic. The main idea will occur anywhere in the first paragraph, probably in the last sentence. If a question is asked in the first paragraph, the main idea will be the answer to that question.

Opening Variation #3: The first sentence will articulate the author's main idea. The rest of the first paragraph will go on to elaborate on that idea. Sometimes the author then contrasts his main idea with the conventional wisdom before returning to develop his idea with details and examples.

Once you've "gotten a fix" on the opening paragraph and the author's main idea, you'll have a much easier time following the rest of the passage as it unfolds.

If You're Confused by the End of the First Paragraph—Stop!
Sometimes you'll come across a passage so difficult—or poorly written—that you're confused way before you even reach the second paragraph. You may think that if you continue reading, sooner or later the passage will begin to make sense. Unfortunately, what usually happens is that you become even more confused.

It's absolutely crucial that you come to grips with the main idea of the passage. Until you do, the details won't make much, if any, sense. Since the author frequently sums up his or her point in the last sentence or two of the passage, go directly to the last paragraph. By reading the last few lines carefully, you should get a much better grasp of the author's main idea.

If you don't understand the first paragraph, immediately skip down to the final paragraph and read the last sentence carefully. Once you've gotten a handle on the main idea, return to the first paragraph and proceed with the rest of the passage. Now the text should make a lot more sense.

Step 2:Once You've Identified the Main Idea, Speed Up and Force Yourself to Ignore the Details
No question about it, skimming a passage under time pressure is uncomfortable and sometimes quite scary. (Like many other things about taking the SAT, the best way is often the scariest if it weren't scary, many more students would be achieving outstanding scores, as we discussed in Knowing What to Do on the SAT—and Being Able to Do It).

So you have to train yourself not to pay attention to the details, because your natural inclination will be to try to absorb as much as possible, and probably underline the material you can't absorb.

Velika pogreška. As we've discussed at length, your short-term memory can handle only so much before it gets overwhelmed and short-circuits your ability to think. What's more, a typical passage on the SAT contains dozens if not hundreds of facts—and yet the number of factual questions on a passage will be at most eight. In other words, most of the facts in an SAT passage are completely unrelated to any questions you have to answer. Remember, too, that when you get to the questions, you can always look back to the passage to find any fact or detail you need to verify.

A helpful mindset to adopt is to think of reading an SAT passage in the same way you would listen to a long-winded friend who blathers on and on until you want to scream out in exasperation, "Could you please get to the point?!"

Important facts and secondary ideas are often found in sentences that contain direction reversal words. By far the most common such word on the SAT is but . Other words include although, despite, except, however, though, and yet . Whenever you see one of these words in a passage, circle the word—the sentence may come in handy when you reach the questions.

Underline as You Read Sparingly Only, If at All
You know you're getting lost in the details if you find yourself underlining every other phrase or sentence. These are precisely the things that clog up your short-term memory and clog your brain. If underlining helps you focus while you read, fine—but try to keep it to a minimum. And whatever you do, don't waste time wondering whether you should underline something or not. The clock's ticking. Underline it or not, but keep moving.

Take a Long Breath Now—I'm Throwing You into the Deep End
We'll examine our basic approach in more detail shortly. Before we do, I want you to complete the next drill. The following passage is typical of the subject matter and of the kinds of questions you can expect on the SAT. You'll have 12 minutes to read the passage and answer the questions. The passage is long, and of medium-to-hard difficulty. Longer passages on the SAT contain more details than do the shorter passages, but they rarely contain more ideas.

The longer SAT passages may be preceded by a brief italicized introduction. This two- or three-sentence preface contains background information about the author or the passage to place the excerpt in a context for you.

You may be tempted to skip a passage's introduction "to save time." Don't. No questions will be asked about the introduction, but you can scan it in a few seconds and the background it provides may offer you a useful insight.

Page 9 Sample Passage Drill:12 Minutes
To get the most out of this, it's important that you appreciate the difficulties of reading on the SAT. To experience these difficulties, you'll have to set aside some time and complete the following drill at a desk as you would on the actual exam. And no, it's not the same thing to do this drill reading comfortably on your bed while listening to some MP3 tunes you've downloaded.

This passage is slightly more difficult than average, though some of the questions are quite difficult. Do the best you can; you're just getting warmed up to the reading techniques.

Time yourself using OmniProctor.

The following excerpt is from a book by Umberto Eco, an internationally renowned scholar and prolific Italian author (nonfiction as well as bestselling fiction).

(5) I frequently feel irritated when I read essays on
the theory of translation that, even though brilliant
and perceptive, do not provide enough examples. I
think translation scholars should have had at least
one of the following experiences during their life:
(10) translating, checking and editing translations, or
being translated and working in close cooperation
with their translators. As an editor, I worked for
twenty years in a publishing house. As a translator,
I made only two translations of others works,
(15) which took me many years of reflection and hard
work. As an author, I have almost always
collaborated with my translators, an experience
that started with my early essays and became more
and more intense with my four novels. Irrespective
(20) of the fact that some philosophers or linguists
claim there are no rules for deciding whether one
translation is better than another, everyday activity
in a publishing house tells us that it is easy to
establish that a translation is wrong and deserves
(25) severe editing; maybe it is only a question of
common sense, but common sense must be respected.

Let us suppose that in a novel a character says,
"You're just pulling my leg." To render such an

(30) idiom in Italian by stai solo tirandomi la gamba or
tu stai menandomi per la gamba would be literally
correct, but misleading. In Italian, one should say
mi stai prendendo per il naso, thus substituting an
English leg with an Italian nose. If literally
(35) translated, the English expression, absolutely
unusual in Italian, would make the reader suppose
that the character (as well as the author) was
inventing a provocative rhetorical figure; which is
completely misleading, as in English the expression
(40) is simply an idiom. By choosing "nose" instead of
"leg," a translator puts the Italian reader in the
same situation as the original English one. Thus,
only by being literally unfaithful can a translator
succeed in being truly faithful to the source text.
(45) Which is like echoing Saint Jerome,* patron saint
of translators, that in translating one should not
translate verbum e verbo sed sensum exprimere de
sensu (sense for sense, and not word for word),
even though the notion of the right sense of a text
(50) can imply some ambiguities.

In the course of my experiences as a translated
author, I have always been torn between the need
to have a translation that respected my intentions
and the exciting discovery that my text could elicit

(55) unexpected interpretations and be in some way
improved when it was re-embodied in another
language. What I want to emphasize is that many
concepts circulating in translation studies (such as
adequacy, equivalence, faithfulness) can also be
(60) considered from the point of view of negotiation.
Negotiation is a process by virtue of which, in
order to get something, each party renounces
something else, and at the end everybody feels
satisfied since one cannot have everything.
(65) Between the purely theoretical argument that,
since languages are differently structured,
translation is impossible, and the commonsensical
acknowledgement that people, after all, do translate
and understand each other, it seems to me that the
(70) idea of translation as a process of negotiation
between author and text, between author and
readers, as well as between the structure of two
languages and the encyclopedias of two cultures is
the only one that matches our experience.

* A Catholic monk and scholar (342-420) who translated the Old Testament from the ancient Hebrew to the then-contemporary Latin

1. In lines 3–8 ("I think translation . . . translators."), the author expresses the opinion that translation scholars
1. should have practical experience in their field
2. should have open minds about the opinions of others
3. are brilliant and perceptive, if somewhat academic
4. should be less concerned with theories of translation
5. should have more than one degree, and ideally in different fields
2. In lines 8–15 ("As an editor . . . novels."), the author
1. displays the scope of his erudition on multiple topics
2. reveals conflicting attitudes about the work of translators
3. elaborates on the source of his irritation with theories of translation
4. summarizes the breadth of his background and perspectives on the subject
5. confesses that he lacks the academic qualifications of typical translation scholars
3. In lines 25–28 ("To render such . . . misleading."), the author says that it would be misleading to so translate the English statement because
1. in Italian there are two equally valid ways of translating the words
2. the word-for-word translation would not have the same sense
3. an English character would not speak in Italian
4. in Italian there is no equivalent idiom
5. the Italian translations use far more words than does the original version
4. In line 34, "figure" most nearly means
1. body
2. thought
3. picture
4. character
5. expression
5. In lines 38–40 ("Thus, only by . . . text."), the author
1. raises a question
2. employs an idiom
3. poses a paradox
4. proves a theory
5. introduces a metaphor
6. In referring to the "ambiguities" (line 46), the author
1. admits that two translators might very well differ regarding their determination of the sense of a text
2. points out that words can often have more than one meaning
3. criticizes translators who offer only one version of a work
4. rejects the commonsensical notion that literal translations are ineffective
5. anticipates the possible objection that translations cannot be as clear as the original work
7. What is the author's view of the concepts mentioned in lines 53–56?
1. These concepts are not useful in understanding the translation process
2. These concepts are theoretical, and refer to things that do not actually exist
3. These concepts do not adequately reflect the tradeoffs translators must weigh in practice
4. These concepts are outdated, and should be replaced by new ones
5. These concepts unnecessarily distort the meaning of translations
8. It can be inferred that the author mentions "encyclopedias" (line 69) rather than dictionaries because unlike dictionaries, encyclopedias
1. are revised frequently, making them more up-to-date
2. are compilations of contributions from individual experts in many fields
3. do not contain literal definitions of words, making them more reliable
4. contain cross-referenced indexes, affording translators easy comparisons
5. contain the cultural contexts and connotations of the original and the new language
9. Based on the passage as a whole, the author's approach towards translation, as contrasted with that of theoretical translation scholars, can best be characterized as
1. mercenary
2. untenable
3. literal
4. pragmatic
5. rhetorical

You'll find the answers to these questions on the next page.

Page 10 Answers to the Sample Passage Drill

1. In lines 3–8 ("I think translation . . . translators.") the author expresses the opinion that translation scholars
1. should have practical experience in their field
2. should have open minds about the opinions of others
3. are brilliant and perceptive, if somewhat academic
4. should be less concerned with theories of translation
5. should have more than one degree, and ideally in different fields

Discussion: This was an easy question. Some students select choice B. Of course everyone should have an open mind about the opinion of others; unfortunately, this is beside the point the author is making in these lines.

2. In lines 8–15 ("As an editor . . . novels."), the author
1. displays the scope of his erudition on multiple topics
2. reveals conflicting attitudes about the work of translators
3. elaborates on the source of his irritation with theories of translation
4. summarizes the breadth of his background and perspectives on the subject
5. confesses that he lacks the academic qualifications of typical translation scholars

Discussion: This was a relatively easy question. Some students select choice B, but the author does not say and does not imply that he has conflicting attitudes about translation. Consider why the author is mentioning his background. He begins the passage by teasing translation scholars for not having any practical experience in translating (the subject of question 1). He cites his own background, then, to demonstrate that he has plenty of experience translating.

3. In lines 25–28 ("To render such . . . misleading.") the author says that it would be misleading to so translate the English statement because
1. in Italian there are two equally valid ways of translating the words
2. the word-for-word translation would not have the same sense
3. an English character would not speak in Italian
4. in Italian there is no equivalent idiom
5. the Italian translations use far more words than does the original version

Discussion: This was a relatively easy question. Some students select choice A which is a true statement, but which does not answer the question!

4. In line 34, "figure" most nearly means
1. body
2. thought
3. picture
4. character
5. expression

Discussion: This was a medium question, although many students get snookered by choice C. If we convert the question into a sentence completion, with the word "figure" as the blank, the answer becomes fairly obvious. If we refer back to the passage—which you should do as often as necessary, especially on this type of question—we see that the author mentions "inventing . . . a figure." There's only one choice that can be invented:an expression.

5. In lines 38–40 ("Thus, only by . . . text."), the author
1. raises a question
2. employs an idiom
3. poses a paradox
4. proves a theory
5. introduces a metaphor

Discussion: This was an extremely difficult question. Some students select choice A, but the author does not raise any questions with this statement (though of course anything anyone says can raise a question in somebody's mind). Many students select choice D, but this choice is far too extreme. The author of any passage can make a case for his or her point of view, but he or she can't prove it. Even though the answer contains a moderately difficult word—paradox—students who use process of elimination rigorously are able to identify the answer even without knowing the meaning of the answer. (A paradox is a seemingly contradictory statement that may in fact be true; a self-contradictory yet possibly true statement.)

6. In referring to the "ambiguities" (line 46), the author
1. admits that two translators might very well differ regarding their determination of the sense of a text
2. points out that words can often have more than one meaning
3. criticizes translators who offer only one version of a work
4. rejects the commonsensical notion that literal translations are ineffective
5. anticipates the possible objection that translations cannot be as clear as the original work

Discussion: This was a difficult question. Some students select choice E but the author is not discussing whether or not translations can be as clear as the original works on which they are based. Many students select choice B, which does seem to answer the question. While ambiguous words do have more than one meaning, that is not why the author refers to ambiguities. If we refer back to the passage—which again we should do frequently—we see that the author first claims that translators should focus on the sense of the work's words rather than their literal meaning. The author then says that these senses might involve some ambiguities, not the words meanings.

7. What is the author's view of the concepts mentioned in lines 53–56?
1. These concepts are not useful in understanding the translation process
2. These concepts are theoretical, and refer to things that do not actually exist
3. These concepts do not adequately reflect the tradeoffs translators must weigh in practice
4. These concepts are outdated, and should be replaced by new ones
5. These concepts unnecessarily distort the meaning of translations

Discussion: This was a very difficult question. Many students were attracted to choices A and B. Choice A is too extreme. The author does not say that these choices are not useful; if he did, he would say that they should be scrapped altogether. Choice B is incorrect because although the concepts themselves are theoretical, they refer to aspects of the translation process that do exist.

8. It can be inferred that the author mentions "encyclopedias" (line 69) rather than dictionaries because unlike dictionaries, encyclopedias
1. are revised frequently, making them more up-to-date
2. are compilations of contributions from individual experts in many fields
3. do not contain literal definitions of words, making them more reliable
4. contain cross-referenced indexes, affording translators easy comparisons
5. contain the cultural contexts and connotations of the original and the new language

Discussion: This was a fairly difficult question. Some students select choice B, but while this choice is true, it does not answer the question! Many students choose choice C—perhaps because they are attracted to the word "literal" in this choice—but C is wrong on at least two counts. First, encyclopedias do contain literal definitions of words. Second, this choice misses the point of the passage, which is that translators need to consider numerous aspects of the original and new languages. Encyclopedias are more likely to contain different perspectives than are dictionaries, which are primarily confined to definitions.

9. Based on the passage as a whole, the author's approach towards translation, as contrasted with that of theoretical translation scholars, can best be characterized as
1. mercenary
2. untenable
3. literal
4. pragmatic
5. rhetorical

Discussion: The difficult vocabulary words in the choices made this a fairly difficult question. Choice C was probably the easiest of the choices to eliminate because the author was arguing against literal translations. If you weren't sure of the definitions of the other choices, you should still have guessed among them. Remember that every blank you leave lowers your potential maximum score by 10 points. The answer, pragmatic, is an important SAT word, and means practical. Mercenary means motivated by money (which, if you knew what it meant, you should have eliminated). Untenable means unjustified or hard to maintain (which, if you knew what it meant, you should have eliminated). Rhetorical means relating to the use of language, especially persuasive language (which, if you knew what it meant, you should have eliminated).

Summary: As I mentioned, this passage was slightly harder than average but some of the questions were extremely difficult. As a rough performance measure for this passage only use the following formula:

Reading Score =800 – 60 (blanks) – 70 (errors)

So someone who left two questions blank and got two wrong would lose 120 points for the blanks and 140 points for the errors, for a rough—very rough—score of 540.

Page 11 Step 3:Once You've Identified the Main Idea, Focus on How Each Subsequent Paragraph Develops That Main Idea
In the first step you identified the main idea of the passage. This should have occurred by the end of the first paragraph, or by first sentence of the second paragraph at the absolute latest.

In the second step you then picked up the pace, forcing yourself to ignore the details as much as possible. The passage might have a second major idea, but on the SAT such passages are rare. You're underlining very little if at all, but you re circling words like but, although, and however if you encounter them; sentences that contain those words often come in handy later.

Now, in the third step, your goal is to see what the main idea of each paragraph is; its function in the overall passage. Each paragraph will develop the author's main idea in some way, and the only thing you care about now—before you get to the questions—is how each paragraph as a whole fits in to the passage as a whole.

An SAT Passage Can Unfold in Only So Many Ways
Under the previous step we discussed the role of the opening paragraph of an SAT passage as either presenting the main idea itself or setting up the main idea, in which case the main idea would occur in the first sentence of the second paragraph.

After the passage states the main idea, the main idea will be elaborated or supported. The author can elaborate or support the main idea in various ways, including the following:

• defining a key term
• providing details
• offering examples
• comparing a related idea
• quoting an expert

As you're reading the passage, you shouldn't care about the specifics of an example, but rather simply that an example is being offered. As soon as you recognize that an example is being offered, you should race ahead in the passage—slowing down only when you get to the next example or the next definition or whatever other way the author is using to develop the main idea.

After the author supports the main idea, be alert for any opposing ideas or—especially—qualifications. An idea is qualified when its scope is limited, such as when exceptions to the idea are pointed out. Qualifications to the main idea will almost always be introduced with the direction reversal words we discussed earlier, "but" being the most common, followed by words like although, despite, except, however, though, and yet . Qualifications are also sometimes introduced with words and expressions like of course, admittedly, not the only, and so forth.

The passage will not always qualify the main idea of the passage, but it often does. So, after the passage states the main idea and supports it, and then possibly qualifies it, how else can the main idea be developed; where else can it go?

The final way the main idea may be developed is by extending or applying the idea into another area, to show the idea's significance or wider relevance. The main idea is applied when the author answers the further question, So what?

The basic format of all SAT passages, then, is simple:introduce the main idea (possibly with the conventional wisdom); elaborate and support the main idea with details and examples; and then possibly qualify the main idea or apply it.

Following the Development of a Passage:An Illustration
The next passage illustrates a wide range of development techniques. Before reading the discussion below the passage, try to determine how each sentence moves the passage forward.

In the past, how has one civilization conquered
another? Many historians have concentrated on
the technological superiority of one side over the
other's. Undoubtedly, technological advances such
as the development of metal weapons or gunpowder
or even the stirrup for horses enabled one
civilization to defeat another.

But the conquering side often had invisible
allies, too. Europeans took over the North
American continent from the native population as
much by introducing not always unwittingly—
microbes and viruses into a populace that had no
immunity to them, as by their muskets and other
technologically advanced weapons. A growing
acknowledgement among historians of the role of
this phenomenon will undoubtedly lead to a radical
reinterpretation of many historical events.

Discussion: The first sentence is a rhetorical question that is answered in the second sentence by the introductory statement. The third sentence supports the introductory statement with two examples (metal weapons and gunpowder). The fourth sentence contradicts the introductory statement with opposing idea (invisible allies). The fifth sentence qualifies the opposing idea by saying that both factors (technological superiority and invisible microbes) can answer the initial rhetorical question, and that many historians were not completely mistaken. The sixth and final sentence applies the main idea to the larger scope of history in general.

If You Can, Anticipate the Passage's Likely Development
One way to stay actively engaged in the passage is to anticipate how it is likely to develop. For example, if a question is asked in the passage, we would expect an answer to follow. A problem stated in one paragraph should be followed by a solution in the next paragraph. A general statement should be followed by an example.

You won't always anticipate the development correctly, but that doesn't matter. What's important is that you think as you read. Apart from thinking being a good idea on its own, thinking as you read prevents you from overloading your short-term memory with details because your brain is already occupied.

Page 12 Writing IM (Instant Message) Summaries to Yourself Can Be Helpful
You know you shouldn't underline details on the SAT as you read, but if you're used to writing margin notes in the books you read for school—an outstanding practice that I highly recommend—this next technique may appeal to you.

When you read the newspaper, most articles start off with a main headline that summarizes the entire article. Every few paragraphs you will often see a sub headline that summarizes the next few paragraphs. If you were to read only those headlines, you'd understand the gist of the entire article without getting swamped by all the details.

Unfortunately, SAT passages don't come with helpful titles or subtitles, but you can write them yourself. I call these IM Summaries to emphasize that you should keep them super-short, as if you were writing a text message to a friend.

Keep it brief. Your IM summaries don't need to be grammatically correct, and of course you should abbreviate as much as possible. Your IM summaries are for your benefit; it's not like anyone else will read them.

Creating these IM summaries is an active process that forces you to come to grips with the main idea of each paragraph. Many students find that this process helps them focus and helps them ignore the details (which won't help you write a summary).

If you have trouble summarizing a paragraph, you're reading the text too closely and getting lost in the details. In other words, read only enough of a paragraph to summarize its contents. As soon as you've read enough of a paragraph to write an IM summary, jump to the next paragraph and continue the process. Get to the questions; get to the questions.

IM Summary Drill
In the sample passage you just read, create IM summaries for each of the three paragraphs. Try to create your summaries without rereading the entire passage, which would defeat the point. You'll find my summaries on the last page of this article.

The Fourth and Final Step:Answering the Questions
The first three steps of our approach to the reading passages and questions are designed to let you extract the gist of the passage as quickly as possible so that you'll be prepared to spend most of your time on the questions.

After we finish discussing our process of elimination techniques, we'll discuss the minor modifications we need to make to our general method for special situations. Finally, we'll consider how to manage your time to maximize the number of questions you're able to answer correctly.

Take a Break from the Reading Section for Now
We've covered a lot of ground in this article so you've earned a breather. If you'd like to do more work today, I'd recommend switching to a different SAT subject—math, vocabulary, whatever—but give the basic reading concepts you've just learned a day or so to gel before you move on to the advanced reading concepts.

The reading method you've learned in this article can be applied to your everyday school reading as well. Try using this approach when you have lengthy nonfiction reading assignments—not fiction—and you'll be amazed at how much time you['ll save. The more you use these techniques, the more comfortable you'll be using them under pressure on the actual SAT.

Page 13 Answers to the IM Summary Drill
Here are my IM summaries for the three paragraphs from the sample passage. Keep in mind that yours may be quite different from mine; the important thing is to get the gist right.

Paragraph #1: translators need common sense Paragraph #2: Italian example, sense more important than words Paragraph #3: translation equals negotiation On the actual exam I would have used abbreviations, so actually my test booklet would have had margin notes more like the following:Paragraph #1: trans. need com. s. Paragraph #2: Ital. ex, sense> words Paragraph #3: trans. =neg.