Bell Work

1. Bell Work Let’s get reading for the PSATs! Directions: Take the notes on the back CHAIR and answer the following the question. 1. What strategies do you use to study and take tests?

2. Objectives • I will be able to identify and describe test taking strategies • I will apply the test taking strategies to a practice test

3. Where to Start? • Determine what kind of test you are taking • Knowledge Test = that assess how well you remember/know something • Skills Test = that assess how well you are at doing something • How to prepare? • Knowledge Test = study and internalize the materialthat is the most important • Skills Test = prepare by practicing the skill

4. How to Think • One of the MOST important factors for any test is… ATTITUDE! • BE POSITIVE! =) • Tests are an opportunity so show both a teacher and yourself how much you rock at something • Tests are NOT tools to trick you! (You have to take them in many forms for the rest of your life, so be positive!)

5. What to Know • “It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles” – Sun Tzu • Study Your Enemy • Every test may be different, but you’ll see familiar patterns across all different types of tests • You’ll find even more similarities in tests made by the same source (*cough* collegeboard *cough*)

6. What to Do? • Have a game plan for every question! • Ask: what is the question really asking? • Predict the answer (before looking at answer choices) • Select the best-matching answer. • If nothing closely matches prediction, use process of elimination. • Double check – every right answer has a sufficient explanation behind it. • Identify the correct in-text (parenthetical) citation for this source: Tannen, Deborah. The Argument Culture. Toranot: Random House, 1998. • A. (Tannen 7) B. (7) C. (The Argument Culture 7) D. (Tannen, p.7)

7. Question Types • All tests are different, especially when they are made by different people, BUT look for patterns in every test you take • Pro Tip: Think like a test maker. • Ask yourself this question: “If I were writing a test, I would use this type of question to test students’ knowledge/skills of __________”

8. Answer Choices • Here are some wrong answer archetypes taken from collegeboard’s own SAT • Opposite • Not always a literal opposite, but an idea that fundamentally conflicts with the correct answer on a basic level. • Pro Tip: What conclusion can you reach when you notice two answer choices that fundamentally conflict with one another? • Misused Detail • Tricky. These answer choices cite a true detail from the text and attempt to apply it to something that just doesn’t fit.

9. Answer Choices Continued • Out of Scope • These answer choices inject something into the text that wasn’t there to begin with. They usually seem quite plausible, but are never right. • Extreme • Extra tricky. These take the idea behind the correct answer and go too far with it. Look for extreme words like “always”, “best”, or “never.” • Distortion • These answer types warp the logic behind an existing detail/statement in a text.

10. 1) In the passage, “celebrated” most nearly means A- praised B- renowned C- partied D- criticized E- respected 2) The author views the misleading categorization of Alcott as a children’s novelist to be most likely the result of A- her use of a pseudonym B- the respect she gained in the children’s literature community C- the fact that her children’s novels were better-written than her other short stories D- the popularity of her tamer works E- the melodrama present in some of her works Let’s Try Some Out! The following passage and questions are adapted from a previous SAT (another collegeboard test) While nineteenth-century author Louisa May Alcott has long been celebrated as a children’s novelist, a few critics are increasingly focusing on a number of her lesser known works that complicate such categorization. During a period from the 1840s to the 1860s, Alcott first gained success with a series of lucrative short stories that were actually quite lurid. Often featuring hard women driven by revenge, these melodramatic works are filled with mercenaries, ghosts, and debauched circumstances. While the disconnect between these works and Alcott’s reputation can be partially attributed to her use of a pseudonym, it is more likely that the immense fame of her tamer works has simply overshadowed this period.

11. Let’s Try Some Out! 1) In the passage, “celebrated” most nearly means A- praised (Correct) B- renowned (Distortion) C- partied (Distortion) D- criticized (Opposite) E- respected (Distortion) 2) The author views the misleading categorization of Alcott as a children’s novelist to be most likely the result of A- her use of a pseudonym (Misused Detail) B- the respect she gained in the children’s literature community (Out of Scope) C- the fact that her children’s novels were better-written than her other short stories (Extreme) D- the popularity of her tamer works (Correct) E- the melodrama present in some of her works (Misused Detail)

12. Practice 1) According to the passage, Marshall’s appointment to the Supreme Court was “especially fitting” because A- his own grandfather had been enslaved B- he spent his entire life fighting racial injustice C- he defended a fellow African American in court against an institution that had discriminated against him prior D- he had a long career devoted to combating racism E- African Americans deserved to have more representation in the justice system 2) The author most likely notes that Marshall’s grandfather had been enslaved in order to A- strengthen the reader’s understanding of Marshall’s link to racism B- make the reader empathize with Marshall’s hardship C- show how little time had passed between Marshall’s appointment and slavery D- show that Marshall cared deeply for his family E- enhance the reader’s understand of the horrors of slavery The following passage and questions are adapted from a previous SAT (another collegeboard test) Thurgood Marshall’s appointment as the first African American justice on the United States Supreme Court, was not only historic, but also an especially fitting recognition of a career long devoted to fighting racial injustice. In particular, Marshall’s profound sensitivity to racism- his own grandfather had been enslaved- was brought to the fore in 1930, when he was denied admission to the University of Maryland Law School specifically because of his skin color. Although haunted by this event for years, Marshall did not have to wait long for a chance at retribution. Three years later, just out of school, Marshall successfully represented another black applicant

13. Practice 1) According to the passage, Marshall’s appointment to the Supreme Court was “especially fitting” because A- his own grandfather had been enslaved (Misused Detail) B- he spent his entire life fighting racial injustice (Extreme) C- he defended a fellow African American in court against an institution that had discriminated against him prior (Misuse Detail) D- he had a long career devoted to combating racism (Correct) E- African Americans deserved to have more representation in the justice system (Out of Scope) 2) The author most likely notes that Marshall’s grandfather had been enslaved in order to A- strengthen the reader’s understanding of Marshall’s link to racism (Correct) B- make the reader empathize with Marshall’s hardship (Distortion) C- show how little time had passed between Marshall’s appointment and slavery (Distortion) D- show that Marshall cared deeply for his family (Distortion) E- enhance the reader’s understand of the horrors of slavery (Distortion)

14. Try some more out! • Try the rest of the questions on the quiz by yourself using the strategies!

15. Homework Reminder • PROJECT PRESENTATIONS ARE ON MONDAY! =) • Bring in any Greek themed food for Greek Festival (run it by me to be approved before making or bringing in anything)