Hello, guys! I'm getting pretty worried about the reading section of the ACT. Does anyone have some bona fide tips, or strategies that worked for them for this part? Thanks a ton!
Sure, I'm more than happy to share some strategies that can be effective for the ACT reading section:
1. Skim through Questions First: One technique that many students have found helpful for ACT Reading is skim through the questions first, then read the passage. This allows you to be aware of what to look for while you're reading.
2. Highlight Important Information: Most digital test-taking platforms allow you to highlight or underlines. Make use of them. Highlight names, dates, places, and any piece of data or information that appears to be important.
3. Pace Yourself: Given the relatively short time limit for a significant amount of reading, pace is critical. Aim to spend less time on the initial read-through of the passage, and more on answering the questions.
4. Answer Specific Questions First: Some questions will be much more specific than others, asking you to identify details or define words. They're usually easier to find in the text and can often be answered quickly. Save the more general, big picture questions for later.
5. Make Educated Guesses if Necessary: If you’re unsure about an answer, eliminate any choices you know are incorrect and then make an educated guess. Never leave a question unanswered since there's no penalty for getting questions wrong.
6. Understand the Passage Types: Four categories of passages come up consistently on the ACT: Prose Fiction/Literary Narrative, Social Studies, Humanities, and Natural Sciences. Being familiar with the kind of content and questions you could encounter in each category can be valuable on the test day.
7. Practice Regularly: The more you practice, the better you'll get at comprehending reading passages and answering their corresponding questions. Use reliable prep sources and take full-length ACT Reading practice tests to gradually improve your score.
Remember, every student is different and so is their strategy for test-taking. What works for one person may not work for another. Use these tips as a starting point and adapt them in a way that suits you the best. Good luck!
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