Test Taking & Study Skills Workshop (student Version)

Test-Taking & Study Skills Workshop (Student Version) 1-877-REV-PREP www.revolutionprep.com

THE TEST ZONE Success on the PSAT is as much about HEART and ATTITUDE as INTELLIGENCE It doesn’t matter how much you know if you are not mentally and physically prepared to take the test. Being prepared is about being in the Test Zone. The TEST ZONE is a state in which you are in complete control of yourself and the exam, and the challenge of the test works in your favor instead of against you. TEST ZONE PROBLEMS

ENDURANCE

FOCUS

INTENSITY

Halfway through the exam, you just stop caring

Your mind starts wandering

You fall into careless and easy traps

You start thinking about what you’re going to do after the exam

You fill in your first answer because you don’t want to spend the time to check for a trap

You start feeling sleepy or lethargic toward the end of the exam

You can’t get a song lyric out of your head

You don’t try questions you don’t immediately know how to solve

TEST ZONE PROBLEM CAUSES

Your Surroundings

Your State of Mind

the location

mental distractions

other test takers

mental endurance

the proctor

nervousness

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MULTIPLE CHOICE – ELIMINATION & PROBLEM SOLVING ELIMINATION

B

C

A

D

1 If the square above has an area of 16, what is the area of the shaded region? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

16 12 16 – 4π 16 – π 4π

Are any of the answer choices above obviously wrong? What information must be in the correct answer? If you focus on eliminating answers that are clearly wrong, you will improve your chances of choosing the right answer and decrease your stress level. PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGY STEP #1: IDENTIFY The most important step in getting the answer is sizing up your opponent. ALWAYS begin by determining the type of question you’re dealing with. Look for specific terms/phrases you remember from class. What do you remember about them? STEP #2: SET UP Based on the question type, determine which information you will need to use. Write down everything about the problem that you know is true. STEP #3: MAKE SURE Make sure you’re doing it right. What is the SPECIFIC answer they are asking for? STEP #4: EXECUTE Get the answer. Carefully work through all steps required to solve the problem. After you’ve got an answer, make sure it makes sense.

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ESTIMATION, BACKSOLVING, AND INTIMIDATING QUESTIONS ESTIMATION 2 Approximately how many feet is it from Los Angeles to San Francisco? (1 mile = 5280 ft) (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

400 40,000 2,000,000 35,000,000 52,800,000

BACKSOLVING Backsolving is the process of starting with the answer choices instead of the question. 3 Shane is eight years older than Wayne. In three years, Shane will be twice as old as Wayne. How old is Shane now? (A) 5

(B) 7

(C) 13

(D) 16

(E) 20

INTIMIDATING QUESTIONS Although there will be a few tough questions on every exam, most of them just seem tough. Stay confident, and give it a shot. You’ll be amazed by how many “hard” questions you can do. 4 The first term of a sequence of numbers is –3. Each term after the first is obtained by multiplying the preceding term by –1 and then subtracting 1. What is the 75th term of the sequence? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

–73 –3 2 4 73 **GIVE IT A SHOT**

If ever you feel lost, let your pencil show the way: Write Down What You Know Is True

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“NOT” QUESTIONS “NOT” QUESTIONS Test writers love to use the words “not” and “except” because it’s a confusing way to phrase a question. Here’s an example from an AP history exam: 5 Which of the following empires DID NOT collapse as a result of World War I? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

The The The The The

Russian British German Austro-Hungarian Ottoman Turk

One strategy that often works for “not” questions is to attack the answer choices as if the capitalized word were not there. Which empires DID collapse after WWI? This question is from an AP English exam: EIGHT O’CLOCK A. E. Housman (1859-1936) He stood, and heard the steeple Sprinkle the quarters on the morning town. One, two, three, four, to market-place and people It tossed them down.

6 This poem is about all of the following EXCEPT? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

time. a hanging. mortality. injustice. fate.

Strapped, noosed, nighing his hour, He stood and counted them and cursed his luck; And then the clock collected in the tower Its strength, and struck. For math “not” questions, a strategy that often works is to figure out the opposite of the situation described in the question: 7 How many different two-digit numbers DO NOT contain a 9 ? (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

70 72 81 89 90

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READING – THE 2-TRACK MIND Have you ever read something – like, you know you read all the words on the page – got to the end, and then realized... “I have absolutely NO CLUE what I just read”? What is that about? THE 2-TRACK MIND Whenever you read anything, there are 2 parts of your brain at work: 1. The part of your brain that reads the words on the page 2. The part of your brain that thinks about stuff The “stuff” the second part thinks about is NOT automatically what the first part is reading – the 2 “tracks” of your mind do NOT automatically work together. As you read, you must MAKE the 2 tracks of your mind work together – while the 1st track reads and moves through the passage, you must focus the 2nd track on what the passage is saying – by asking yourself questions about the passage. SAMPLE 2-TRACK MIND QUESTIONS SENTENCE-LEVEL • “What is the point of this sentence?” • “How does this sentence advance the main idea?” • “Does this sentence introduce a new idea?” PARAGRAPH-LEVEL • “What is the main idea of this paragraph?” • “How does this paragraph fit into the author’s overall argument?” • “What does this paragraph do differently from the one before it?” PASSAGE-LEVEL • “What is this passage about?” • “What kind of person is the author?” • “What is the overall tone of the passage?” THE MAIN IDEA – “WHAT IT’S ABOUT” VS. “WHAT HAPPENS” Getting the reading – understanding the big picture, how all the facts and ideas fit together – makes everything easier. Spend a little more time getting the reading, save tons of time with assignments and tests. Asking the questions that help you get the main ideas will also help you get your 2-track mind back on track.

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SAMPLE READING PASSAGE The following passage, first published in 1960, is adapted from an essay in which the author, an anthropologist, discusses his recent visit to a lake. Line Not long ago I visited a New England lake (5) that has been preempted and civilized by human beings. All day long in the vacation season highspeed (10) motorboats, driven with the reckless abandon common to the young of our society, speed back and forth. The shores echo to the roar of powerful (15) motors and the delighted screams of young people with uncounted horsepower surging under their hands. If I had had some desire to swim or to (20) canoe in the older ways of the great forest that once lay about this region, either notion would have been (25) folly. I would have been gaily chopped to ribbons by young people whose eyes were always immutably fixed on the far horizons of space, or on (30) the dials which indicated the speed of their passing. There was another world, I was to discover, along the lake shallows and under the boat dock, (35) where the motors could not come. As I sat there one sunny morning when the water was peculiarly translucent, I saw a dark (40) shape moving swiftly over the bottom. It was the first sign of life I had seen in this lake, whose shores (45) seemed to yield little but washed-in beer cans. By and by the gliding shadow ceased to scurry from stone to stone over the bottom. Unexpectedly, it headed almost directly for me. A furry nose

(50)

(55)

(60)

(65)

(70)

(75)

On this pleasant shore a war existed and would go on until nothing remained but human beings. Yet this creature with the gray, appealing face wanted very little: a strip of shore to coast up and down, sunlight and moonlight, some weeds from the deep water. He was an edge-of-the-world dweller, caught between a vanishing forest and a deep lake preempted by unpredictable machines full of chopping blades. He eyed me nearsightedly, a green leaf poised in his mouth. Plainly he had come with some poorly instructed memory about the lion and the lamb.* “You had better run away now,” I said softly, making no movement in the shafts of light. “You are in the wrong universe and must not make this mistake again. I am really a very terrible and cunning beast. I can throw stones.” With this I dropped a little pebble at his feet. He looked at me half blindly, with eyes much better adjusted to the wavering shadows of his lake bottom than to sight in the open air. He made almost as if to take the pebble up into his forepaws. Then a thought seemed to cross his mind: perhaps after all this was not Eden. His nose twitched carefully; he edged toward the water. As he vanished in an oncoming wave, there went with him a natural world, distinct from the world of young people and motorboats. It was a world of sunlight he had taken down into the water weeds. It hovered there, waiting for my 7 disappearance.

SAMPLE READING QUESTIONS

8 The passage as a whole can best be described as an expression of (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

amusement at the behavior of muskrats regret at the impact of humans on the lake scorn for the people who use the lake optimism about the future of the lake irritation at the modern obsession with speed

9 The underlying sentiment in the sentence beginning “If I had” (lines 9-12) is the author’s (A) nostalgia for experiences that are no longer possible (B) grudging admiration for young people (C) regret for something he had failed to do (D) amusement at his own foolishness (E) feeling of moral paralysis

10 The phrase “dared to” in line 45 emphasizes the author’s belief that (A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

the muskrat was dangerous the muskrat was insolent humans will eventually destroy all life in the lake the neighbor’s behavior was uncalled for the author felt intimidated by his neighbor

**KEY POINT** Eliminate wrong answers by identifying the specific words that make them wrong.

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ESSAY BASICS An essay is a short written composition that discusses a single subject. Every essay must clearly contain fiveOVERVIEW elements—three structural elements and WRITING SECTION & THE ESSAY two content elements:

STRUCTURAL ELEMENT #1 – INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH ● Always the first paragraph of an essay ● Usually about 3-5 sentences long ● Often begins with a “hook” intended to capture the reader’s attention ● Must include a clear statement of the “thesis”—the point of view that will be argued in the rest of the essay ● The thesis is often the last sentence of the intro paragraph CONTENT ELEMENT #1 – THE THESIS ● A single sentence that clearly states the point of view that will be argued in the body of the essay ● Must directly respond to the essay prompt STRUCTURAL ELEMENT #2 – BODY PARAGRAPHS ● All the paragraphs between the intro and the conclusion ● Usually more than one paragraph ● Each body paragraph must begin with a “topic sentence”—a clear introduction of the specific point that the rest of the paragraph will discuss ● Each body paragraph should present a different point that clearly supports the essay’s thesis CONTENT ELEMENT #2 – THE SUPPORTING EVIDENCE ● Facts, illustrations, and observations that support the main idea of each body paragraph ● The more specific the details of your supporting evidence, the better ● Must directly support the essay’s thesis STRUCTURAL ELEMENT #3 – CONCLUSION PARAGRAPH ● Must restate the thesis ● Must summarize the supporting evidence

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ESSAY DOS AND DON’TS Some basic guidelines to follow for any essay: DO DO write neatly DO use logical structure DO use specific examples DO finish strong DON’T DON’T use vocabulary you don’t know DON’T use examples that are controversial or too pop culturey DON’T begin sentences with “I believe”/“In my opinion”/“I feel”/etc. DON’T use the passive voice DON’T jump all over the place ALWAYS ALWAYS put yourself in the grader’s pants

**KEY POINT** The most important things about the essay are CLARITY and SPECIFICITY.

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ESSAY STRATEGY THE ESSAY STRATEGY Before you write anything, you must spend time preparing. 1)

Read the essay prompt – This is the question you must address in your essay. If it is a yes/no question, make sure you clearly take one side or the other that you will defend with specific examples.

2)

Write an I-B-C – This is your brief outline. It need only make sense to you. I: Introduction – Jot down a phrase or two about how you plan to respond to the question. This is your thesis. B: Body – This is the meat of your essay. Jot down one or two examples that clearly support your thesis, plus a few notes about HOW they support your thesis. C: Conclusion – A brief wrap-up. Jot down a phrase that ties everything together.

3)

Write your essay – Let your I-B-C notes be your guide. Follow traditional essay structure:

INTRO • a HOOK (quote, story, rhetorical question, etc.) • a THESIS

BODY • SUPPORTING EVIDENCE • use SEPARATE PARAGRAPHS for different examples • begin paragraphs with TOPIC SENTENCES

CONCLUSION • a RESTATEMENT of your thesis • a SUMMARY of your supporting evidence

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STUDY SKILLS STUDY SKILLS – IN-CLASS EFFICIENCY

WRITING SECTION & THE ESSAY OVERVIEW

● Confusion from not understanding what the teacher is talking about makes class go SLOWER. Taking notes and participating – because you know what’s up – makes class go FASTER. ● A little participation – simply asking before class about something from the reading – goes a long way toward getting teachers on your side. ● Only take notes on things that you know aren’t covered in the reading.

STUDY SKILLS – ASSIGNMENTS & HOMEWORK EFFICIENCY ● Whenever the teacher goes over stuff on the assignment in class, do that part of the assignment during class – then spend less time on it at home. ● Don’t do extra work – before starting, figure out exactly what you need to do. ● Don’t make work harder – figure out exactly what concepts you need to know and don’t start working until you understand them. ● Do “hard” assignments first while you’ve got the energy – let “easy” assignments be your reward. STUDY SKILLS – READING EFFICIENCY ● Easier to focus = quicker reading – establish a well-lit “reading spot” where you won’t be distracted. ● Don’t read tired – it takes way longer than reading while rested. ● Read with a dictionary – look up meanings of unfamiliar words the first time so they don’t slow you down every time they show up. ● Break reading into chunks – 30 pages in 1 night is much more work than 10 pages per night spread out over 3 nights. STUDY SKILLS – TEST PREP EFFICIENCY ● Don’t do extra work – figure out exactly what the test will cover. ● Don’t waste time – recognize when you are “finished” by treating test preparation as an assignment with a “done” point. ● Use tools – flash cards, mnemonic phrases, etc. – to make work easier – same as using a calculator for math homework. ● Don’t study everything – something you already know is not something you can “know better” – only review the stuff you need to “know better.”

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