Strategies for Success with
Reading Exams
Tips for taking the reading portions
of ACT/Compass
A Few Test-taking Tips to Get Started
• Re-read to gain understanding of the
passage.
• Answer the question based only on the
information that is presented in the passage.
• Define a word as it is used in the passage.
• Locate the answers to the questions in the
passage.
• Eliminate incorrect choices.
Practice!!!
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Key Words
Key words are words
or phrases found in
the stems of
questions that
identify the type of
question being
asked.
Key Words
Questions are composed
of two parts:
 The first part is called
the stem.
 The second part
includes the distracters.
Key words identify what
the question is asking.
They typically refer to:
 Location words
 Main ideas
 Fact questions
 Vocabulary in context
 Inferences
 Special case questions
Location Words
Location words can be
used with any type of
question. They point to
the answer. Location
words may be found in
phrases like….
• According to the
passage….
• As used in the fourth
paragraph….
• In paragraph five….
• There is a saying in line
two….
• According to the first
paragraph…
Remember…..
Each paragraph contains different
information, which may lead to different
answers.
The main idea of every paragraph may differ
from the main idea of the entire passage.
A vocabulary word may appear more than
once in a passage with different meanings.
Tone can vary throughout a passage, and the
inference may change with it.
Main Idea
There are many ways that test-takers may be
asked to find the main idea:
The main idea of the passage is…
The central point of this writing is….
The passage is primarily concerned with…
The author’s central concern is…
The main objective of this passage is…
A good title for this passage might be…
How Can I find the Main Idea?
Try applying this formula:
Topic + Author’s Opinion =
Main Idea
Remember:
• The topic is usually one or
two words that express the
general subject of a
passage.
• The author’s opinion can be
determined by asking what
the author’s view or
attitude is about the subject
Fact Questions
Fact questions are based on
specific information that
can be found in the
passage.
Why?
What?
When?
Where?
How often?
These questions test your
ability to locate details and
facts.
Vocabulary in Context
The purpose of a
vocabulary in context
question is to
determine the meaning
of a word based on how
it’s use in a passage.
Vocabulary in Context



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Quick Tips
Locate the word in context. Next, read the
sentence before and after it.
BE CAREFUL! Many words have more than one
definition.
A comma or dash after an unfamiliar word often
signals a restatement. Many times the definition
of the word follows after these marks.
Remember, the answer choice should reflect the
way the word is used in the sentence.
Vocabulary in Context
• A synonym is a word that has the same or
similar meaning as another word.
• An antonym is a word that has the opposite or
contrasting meaning from the original word.
• When someone restates a word or an idea, he
or she says the same thing, but using different
language.
• The author may provide examples to clarify
the definition of a word.
Vocabulary in Context
• The mood or tone describes the major emotion
of a sentence and can provide a context for
understanding the meaning of a word.
• After predicting the meaning of a word based on
context, examine the answer choices and
eliminate incorrect choices. Plug in the most
likely choice and try it out.
• Knowing prefixes and suffixes helps figure the
meaning.
Inferences
•
•
•
•
We can conclude…
The author suggests….
One can infer that….
The author would most
likely agree with…
• The author implies that
the….
• The author probably
means that….
Sometimes the answer to
a question will NOT be
directly stated in the
passage, so the reader
must draw a conclusion.
Strategies for answering inference
questions
Try this formula:
Details + educated guess =
inference
• Systematically list the
information given in the
paragraph and make
connections
• To find the answer, go
back to the passage and
re-read information
related to the question.
• Beware of choices that
don’t make sense or go
too far.
Special Case Questions
Identify the choice that is NOT
stated in the passage.
This type of questions is
different from all the others
because it asks the testtaker to find the WRONG
answer.
Double-tiered questions
This question provides three
items listed as Roman
numerals, and asks the testtaker to choose the correct
items from the list.