A. NO CHANGE B. While Maritza walked into the jewelry store, she dropped her necklace into the gutter. C. Maritza dropped her necklace into the gutter walking into the jewelry store. D. Dropping her necklace into the gutter, Martiza walked into the jewelry store. Reading Part II: Strategies for Specific Types of Questions & Passages
Lesson #1 Line Reference & Supporting Detail
Questions ✔ Lesson #2 Vocabulary in Context Questions Lesson #3 Inference Questions Lesson #4 Prose Fiction Passages Lesson #5 Dual Passages Lesson #2: Comprehension Questions – Words – In – Context A. Word Choice and the CLFU Method – As it is used in line 58, the word humor most nearly means… – As it is used in line 49, the word concentrated most nearly means B. Steps to the CLFU Method When you come across passage – based vocabulary in context question, complete the following four steps: First: Cover the answer choices and the word or phrase the question asks about. Second: Look for clue words, trigger (transition words). • note what connotation the missing word should have • read a line above and below the sentence with the underlined word. Third: Fill in the blank or replace the word with your own. Fourth: Uncover the answer choices to see which choice matches your prediction. a) Do any of the answer choices have a different connotation than the word you chose? b) Are any of the answer choices antonyms or disagree with the tone of the passage? COVER & PREDICT EXAMPLE PREDICTION
1. Since Jason usually lied about
everything, I expected his 1. What is the most likely story to be fallacious. meaning of the underlined word? false, a lie 1. Allie loves hiking so much because she can get away from the noisy city and relax 1. What is the most likely in the serene outdoors. You Try Solving! meaning of the underlined 1. Tania hadn’t slept in two word? quiet nights, which is why she seemed so lethargic at school; she was quiet and hardly 1. What is the most likely completed any of her meaning of the underlined classwork. word? Tired, sluggish Practice: Now that you have predictions from the previous page, compare your answer choice to the options given.
1. Since Jason usually lied
about everything, I expected his story to be fallacious. false, a lie = A. a fib A. a fib You Try Solving! B. exacerbated C. accurate D. humorous Practice: Now that you have predictions from the previous page, compare your answer choice to the options given.
2. Allie loves hiking so
much because she can get away from the noisy city and relax in the serene outdoors. serene = quiet = tranquil You Try Solving! F. precluded G.frightful H.tranquil J. great Practice: Now that you have predictions from the previous page, compare your answer choice to the options given.
3. Tania hadn’t slept in two
nights, which is why she What is the most likely meaning of the underlined word? Tired, seemed so lethargic at sluggish = lackadaisical school; she was quiet and hardly completed any of If you did not know the meaning her classwork. of lackadaisical, use POE: You Try Solving! A. energetic = opposite A. energetic B. cognizant (sounds like B. cognizant cognition) = aware C. angry C. angry = does not match, no D. lackadaisical evidence to support this choice The Common Mistake • Some students read the sentence quickly and then try each answer choice to find the best fit. If you do this, all answer choices will seem to “work.”
Let’s take a closer look at clue words and trigger
(transition words)... C. Using Trigger/Transition Words • Sentences have clues that can help you narrow down the correct answer choice. Underline them. • If you can’t find the clue, look for the subject of the sentence and then determine what is being said about the subject. Use Trigger (Transition Words) • Trigger words help to establish relationships between the clue and the blank. Same Direction Change Direction And, also, further, since, in addition, But, although, yet, rather, despite, because however
• “Same direction” triggers mean that the clue and the blank must agree.
• “Change direction” triggers mean that the blank and the clue must disagree. Use Trigger (Transition Words) Use the trigger words and clue words Example Problem(s) to find the meaning of the underlined word.
1. Because Judge Judy is Trigger words: BECAUSE
(same direction or cause & effect) impartial, the verdicts she delivers are evenhanded. Clue words: impartial = not biased, always A. cynical You Try Solving! B. equitable Likely meaning: fair C. biased D. controversial B. equitable Use Trigger (Transition Words) Use the trigger words and clue words Example Problem(s) to find the meaning of the underlined word. Trigger word: ALTHOUGH 2. Although the sculptors’ (different direction) works are typically aberrant, they have recently become Clue words: conventional = conventional. not unusual, typical F. Complacent You Try Solving! G. Palatial Likely meaning = opposite of H. Awful conventional, strange J. Eccentric J. eccentric Use Trigger (Transition Words) Use the trigger words and clue words Example Problem(s) to find the meaning of the underlined word. 3. Most of her comments Trigger symbol: ; were digressive; they (same direction) moved the discussion away from the topic of conversation. Clue words: “moved away from…discussion” A. Obtuse You Try Solving! B. Tangential Likely meaning of digressive = C. Pertinent off – topic D. Astute B. tangential Passage – Based Practice • Complete questions 1 – 3 on pg. 180. Passage – Based Practice Sections cut by the glaciers, displaying some of the internal framework of the Shasta range, show that comparatively long periods of _______ (2) intervened between many eruptions. During these periods of calm the cooling lavas ceased to flow, and took their places as permanent additions to the bulk of the growing mountain. Thus eruption succeeded eruption with alternating haste and _______ (1) , until Mount Shasta surpassed even its present sublime height.
Then followed a strange contrast. The _________ (3) came on. The sky that so often had been darkened with storms of cinders and ashes and lighted by the glare of volcanic fires was filled with snow, which, descending upon the cooling mountain, gave birth to glaciers that eventually formed one grand conical glacier — a creeping mantle of ice upon a fountain of smoldering fire, crushing, grinding, and remodeling the entire mountain from summit to base. Passage – Based Practice KEY 1.A. a slow, steady pace 2. J. dormant 3. C. to describe a particularly cold winter of long ago. Passage – Based Practice • Read the passage and answer questions 1 – 2 pg. 181. Passage – Based Practice Then, the ballots are sent out. According 1. As it is used in line 19, the phrase to Entertainment Weekly, "Voters are “follow their hearts” most likely asked to list up to five names, ranked in means: order of preference. The Academy F. Academy award winners should instructs voters to 'follow their hearts' continue their careers in film. because the voting process doesn’t G. directors and writers should make penalize for picking eccentric choices ... films that make them artistically Also, listing the same satisfied rather than films that will earn money in the box office. H. voting members of the Academy should nominate winners based on their true feelings and not popularity. J. award winners are encouraged to write acceptance speeches that reflect their true feelings. Passage – Based Practice Say Leonardo DiCaprio reaches the 2. In the context of the last magic number first for his paragraph (lines 35 – 36), the performance in The Revenant: the phrase “knocked out” means: ballots that named him as a first choice are then all set aside, and A. unconscious. there are now four spots left for the B. removed from the Best Actor category. The actor with running. the fewest first-place votes is automatically knocked out, and C. stripped of membership. those ballots are redistributed based D. banned from attending. on the voters' second place choices (though the actors still in the running retain their calculated votes from the first round). Part I: Usage & Mechanics (AKA Grammar) Lesson #1 Tips & Techniques Lesson #2 Parts of Speech Lesson #3 Sentence Basics Lesson #4 Sentence Construction & the “CHOP” Test Lesson #5 More about Punctuation Lesson #6 Nouns Lesson #7 Verbs Lesson #8 Pronouns Lesson #9 Word Choice Lesson #10 Prepositions & Idioms Lesson #11 Faulty Comparisons Lesson #12 Modifiers Lesson #10: Prepositions & Idioms • We talked briefly about prepositions earlier: – A preposition is a part of speech that indicates location or time.
• Sometimes the ACT will trick you and use the wrong preposition. Preposition use is often dictated by idioms.
• Some prepositional idiom mistakes are easy to spot
because we use them in everyday speech; however, the more difficult ones won’t necessarily “sound wrong.” Prepositions Example Problem(s) Model Response 1. I am resentful (of/for) her. 1. of
1. I am jealous (of/from) my 2. of sister.
1. I am worried (for/about) my daughter. You Try Solving 3. about (or for, depending on the context). 1. They argued (over/about) the election. 4. about (dispute over, argue about)
Try #s 5 – 9 with a partner!
Lesson #10: Prepositions Prepositions Example Problem(s) Model Response 5. You have a responsibility (to/for) 5. for your younger brother.
5. It is your responsibility (to/for) take
care of your younger brother. 6. to
5. The teacher was biased
(toward/towards/to) students that also participated in her mock trial 7. toward You Try Solving events.
5. Look out (to/for/against) idiom 8. for
errors on the ACT!
5. Jennifer looked surprised (by/at) the 9. by
outcome of the event.
Lesson #10: Prepositions
Preposition Usage Drill • Test your knowledge of prepositional use in phrases (idioms) by completing the questions on pg. 82. 5 minutes • You will have five minutes.
End Preposition Usage Drill 1. From 2. to 3. for 4. of 5. from 6. for 7. over 8. on 9. by Class #9 HOMEWORK • Using ACT Practice Test #1 Section 1, complete the following questions:
