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SAT
Preparation Course
2011-2012
Session IV
Advanced Critical Reading / Essay Strategies
Sponsored by the ACBA
(908) 809-2520
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1. ANTON CHEKOV WAS A UKRANIAN WRITER, HE IS NOTED FOR HIS COMPLEX PLAYS,
AND HE will be remembered as one of the masters of the modern short story.
a) Anton Chekov was a Ukranian writer, he is noted for his complex plays, and he
b) Anton Chekov was a Ukranian writer noted for his complex plays, he
c) Anton Chekov, a Ukranian writer, and because he is noted for his complex plays, he
d) Although Anton Chekov is a Ukranian writer, he is noted for his complex plays, and he
e) Anton Chekov, a Ukranian writer noted for his complex plays,
2. LOOKING UP from the center of the floor of the Sistine Chapel, the ceiling looked intricate from far
away, so the student was sure it was even more inspiring up close.
a) Looking up
b) While looking up
c) Viewed
d) Viewing
e) By looking up
3. (1) Advertisements are present wherever we go. (2) They enter our houses in newspapers, magazines,
and on our television screens. (3) Television advertisements are used not only to sell products but, more
importantly, to sell ideas. (4) It is in selling ideas that ads have the most significant impact. (5) They
interrupt most television programs every few minutes. (6) Many ads imply that if we buy specific
products then we will be happy. (7) An example of this strategy is an ad in which a woman is shown
driving her family in a new car. (8) She has a smile on her face, a new car will bring people happiness.
Sentence 5 would make the most sense if placed after
a) Sentence 1
b) Sentence 2
c) Sentence 8
d) Sentence 6
e) Sentence 7
4. Suzie was awarded the medal not for her grade point average or her skill on the volleyball court, but for
her BEING A PARTICIPANT IN CHOIR.
a) but for her being a participant in choir
b) but for her participation in choir
c) the reason being for her participation in choir
d) the reason was her participating in choir
e) but for her being participation-willing in choir
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5. ASPIRING actors and their directors sometimes hold sessions OF WHICH they explore and portray,
both OVERT AND SUBTLE, a broad RANGE OF human emotions and motivations. Where is the error?
If there is isn't an error, choose letter E.
a) Aspiring
b) of which
c) overt and subtle
d) range of
e) No error
6. UNDERESTIMATING ITS VALUE, EXERCISE IS A MAJOR PART OF A HEALTHY
LIFESTYLE MANY PEOPLE SKIP.
a) Underestimating its value, exercise is a major part of a healthy lifestyle
many people skip.
b) Exercise, a major part of a healthy lifestyle, is skipped by many people
underestimating its value.
c) Many people, underestimating the value of exercise as a major part of a healthy
lifestyle, and skipping it.
d) Many people skip exercise as a major part of a healthy lifestyle because
they underestimate its value.
e) A major part of a healthy lifestyle is skipped by many people is exercise
because they underestimate its value.
7. Dr. Cramer's fellow physicians considered him not only a great surgeon, but also BEING AN
INSPIRING TEACHER OF new and exciting surgical techniques.
a) being an inspiring teacher of
b) having inspired the teaching of
c) with inspiration teaching
d) he was inspiring in his teaching of
e) an aspiring teacher of
8. (1) In the last fifty years, computers in many forms have become increasingly accessible. (2) For
example, today the calculator is regarded as an essential tool for basic calculations by students and
business people. (3) Word processing is considered indispensable by most writers, researchers, and office
workers. (4) In addition, many families use computers to organize information, to balance budgets, and to
provide entertainment. Which of the following would be the most suitable sentence to insert immediately
after sentence 1?
a) The race is on to produce the "ultimate" computer.
b) I have found the computer somewhat difficult to learn to operate.
c) Many people are understandably intimidated by computers.
d) They are now so common that they have a profound effect on daily life.
e) Modern telephones belong to the family of computers.
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9. After the music recital, Kara ENJOYED LISTENING to her friend Josh's insightful interpretation,
WHICH SHE thought was MORE SOPHISTICATED than THE OTHER PERFORMERS. Where is the
error? If there is isn't an error, choose letter E.
a) enjoyed listening
b) which she
c) more sophisticated
d) the other performers
e) No error
10. Jeremy wanted to conduct RESEARCH IN genetics after graduation, but on occasion, he
SOMETIMES CONSIDERED taking a JOB IN the science department of his local high school. Where is
the error? If there is isn't an error, choose letter E.
a) research in
b) sometimes
c) considered
d) job in
e) No error
11. The horrors of mental insanity and the experiences of a U.S. Marshal trying to solve the mysterious
disappearance of an insane woman JUST AFTER WORLD WAR II, WHICH ARE STIRRINGLY
CHRONICLED in Dennis LeHane's novel, Shutter Island.
a) just after World War II, which are stirringly chronicled
b) just after World War II are stirringly chronicled
c) during a stirring chronicle of World War II
d) just after World War II, that appear in a stirring chronicle
e) during a chronicle of World War II that stirs the emotions
12. Better known for the Twilight Series, OTHER WORKS OF STEPHENIE MEYER, SUCH AS THE
HOST, were of equal quality, even though they were less famous.
a) other works of Stephenie Meyer, such as The Host,
b) other works by Stephenie Meyer, such as The Host,
c) Stephenie Meyer also created other works, such as The Host, that
d) Stephenie Meyer's other works, such as The Host,
e) Stephenie Meyer wrote other stories, like The Host, that
13. Richard Allen, an American CLERGYMAN, was the founder OF THE African Methodist Episcopal
Church, DESPITE HIS tragic upbringing AS A slave in Philadelphia. Where is the error? If there is isn't
an error, choose letter E.
a) clergyman
b) of the
c) despite his
d) as a
e) No error
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14. CONTRARY TO popular belief, EVEN WITH a college degree, one must HAVE a strong work ethic
and well-developed communication skills if YOU EXPECT to have a successful career. Where is the
error? If there is isn't an error, choose letter E.
a) Contrary
b) even with
c) have
d) you expect
e) no error
15. Chuck's chaps look pretty silly, SEEING AS HOW HE LIVES IN NEW YORK CITY.
a) seeing as how he lives in New York City.
b) since he lives in New York City.
c) considering him living in New York City.
d) seeing that he lives in New York City.
e) after all he doesn’t live in the West.
16. OF A prosperous and distinguished family, Theodore Roosevelt WAS EDUCATED by private tutors,
traveled WIDELY, AND MADE HISTORY. Where is the error? If there is isn't an error, choose letter E.
a) Of an
b) was educated
c) widely
d) made history
e) No error
17. Certain caves have a particular fascination for those people WHICH HAVE A BELIEF IN FINDING
THE TREASURE IN THEM.
a) which have a belief in finding the treasure in them.
b) that belief there is treasure to be found in them
c) who believe they hold treasure and that they can find it
d) who believe that there is treasure to be found in them
e) who believe about treasure to be found in them
18. The girl's younger brother daringly crept inside his older sister's treehouse, an act that the girl viewed
AS a violation of her space.
a) as
b) as if it was
c) to be
d) that it was
e) for
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19. Although the scholarship committee considered itself THOROUGH, it awarded prizes based on
neither the QUALITY OF the applicants' work NOR ON the sincerity of each applicant's
COMMITMENT TO community service. Where is the error? If there isn't one, choose letter E.
a) thorough
b) quality of
c) nor on
d) commitment to
e) No error
20. Egg beaters range in style from the practical to the whimsical, but in the
end ITS PURPOSE IS STILL THE SAME: to beat eggs into a froth.
a) its purpose is still the same
b) their purpose being the same
c) the purpose is the same for every one of them
d) they all share the same purpose
e) the purpose is the same for all of them
SAT tips
Your SAT score can range anywhere from a 600 on the very lowest end, to a 2400 on the very highest end
since each SAT section (Critical Reading, Writing, and Mathematics) is worth between 200 and 800
points a piece.
The average overall score (50th percentile) in the United States for 2010 was a 1509:
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Critical Reading: 501
Math: 516
Writing: 492
If you want to get into one of the top-ranking schools in the U.S., you’ll need to score around the 90th
percentile, which would mean a score of 2100 or above. That sounds high, but since all universities look
at things like your extracurricular activities, GPA, and school involvement in addition to your scores,
getting into college isn’t as difficult as it may seem.
Plus, starting in 2010, students who take the test multiple times can actually choose which scores are
reported to the universities with an option called Score Choice, so they’ll have the ability to knock out the
scores that didn’t make the cut.
Some vocabulary exercises:
abominable: The abominable condition of the makeshift medical facility posed a threat to the
soldiers’ lives.
boisterous: The guards attempted to quiet the boisterous crowd, but their efforts failed.
corollary: Louis received a terrible report card. This was a corollary to neglecting his homework.
elucidate: The speaker was not an expert on world affairs, but he attempted to elucidate the situation
for his audience.
frugal: The chef was very frugal when shopping for ingredients, but his dish tasted very expensive.
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hyperbole: It was difficult to sort the facts from the hyperbole in the mayor’s speech.
lament: John is certain to lament the loss of his friend and regret the argument.
meticulous: Upon conducting a meticulous search for her homework, Bethany finally found her book
report in the doghouse.
placid: We enjoyed the placid scenery as we drove through miles of wilderness.
quagmire: Mr. Smith trudged through the quagmire of paperwork to finish his taxes.
Some confusing words:
Many experienced writers have to pause for a second and think when they are about to type certain words.
Some words are so close to others in spelling or meaning that they cause confusion, time after time. For
this reason, it's a good idea to study the most common word mix-up's, to avoid problems that vex writers
everywhere.
Here are some frequent offender words.
affect/effect: To affect is to produce an effect. Still confused? Affect is usually a verb meaning "to
impact or influence." It might help to remember that "a" is for action and "e" is for result.
accept/except: Accept is a verb, meaning to take willingly. Except is a preposition, meaning
"other than." Remember the phrase "I will accept any food except spinach." The words "accept"
and "except" are in alphabetical order in that sentence. Hey, it's silly but it might work.
conscience/conscious: Have you ever been present when somebody fainted? It's scary, because
nobody knows which word to use. It's that bad. Seriously, many well-educated people stumble
over this one! "Conscious" is an adjective, meaning "aware," "awake," or sometimes "on
purpose." Use this one if somebody faints. It might help to think of other "state of mind" words
that have the same ending, like "serious," or "delirious." "Conscience" is your sense of right and
wrong. It rhymes with "sense."
fewer/less: If you can get this one right, you'll be ahead of most of the English-speaking
population. You'll hear this mix-up all over the media! Few and fewer refer to objects that can be
numbered. Less refers to a quantity of something non-specific. It might help to think of "less" as a
"lump" word. Examples: I have "fewer" dimes and "less" money than you.
it's/its: The apostrophe in "it's" poses a real problem for some people. Many people think of
possession when they see it. But it's is a contraction, meaning "it is" or "it has." It might be
helpful to think of the possessive pronoun its in a group with "hers" or "his." No apostrophe!
to/too: This is probably the most common problem pair, but once you get the difference, it seems
so simple! To is a preposition that indicates location or direction, but it also can be used in front
of a verb to make an infinitive, like "to eat" or "to swim." That sounds more difficult than it is.
Too is an adverb meaning "excessively" or "additionally." Either way, this word indicates "an
extra amount." Just think of the extra "o" in too!
whose/who's: Again, the apostrophe in who's creates confusion, because it tricks people into
thinking it indicates possession. It doesn't! Who's is the contraction for "who is" while whose is
the possessive form of who. Examples: Whose turn is it to feed the dog? Who's going to do it?
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If you can learn to use all these problem words correctly, you'll certainly make a greater impression on
your teacher. Your papers will stand out and look so much more professional when you avoid common
mix-up's like "to" and "too."
Finding main idea of the passage
Finding the main idea of a paragraph along with making an inference or understanding vocab words in
context is one of the reading skills you'll need to master before taking the reading comprehension section
on any standardized test.
What is the main idea?
The main idea of a paragraph is the point of the passage, minus all the details. It's the big picture - the
Solar System vs. the planets. The football game vs. the fans, cheerleaders, quarterback, and uniforms. The
Oscars vs. actors, the red carpet, designer gowns, and films.
How to Find the Main Idea
Summarize the Passage
After you've read the passage, summarize it in one sentence that includes the gist of ever idea from the
paragraph. A good way to do this is to pretend you have just ten words to tell someone what the passage
was about. You'd have to think broadly, so you could included every detail in just a short statement.
Look for Repetition of Ideas
If you read through a paragraph and you have no idea how to summarize it because there is so much
information, start looking for repeated words, phrases, ideas or similar ideas. Read this example
paragraph:
A new hearing device uses a magnet to hold the detachable sound-processing portion in place. Like other
aids, it converts sound into vibrations. But it is unique in that it can transmit the vibrations directly to the
magnet and then to the inner ear. This produces a clearer sound. The new device will not help all
hearing-impaired people - only those with a hearing loss caused by infection or some other problem in
the middle ear. It will probably help no more than 20 percent of all people with hearing problems. Those
people who have persistent ear infections, however, should find relief and restored hearing with the new
device.
What idea does this paragraph consistently repeat? A new hearing device. What's the point about this
idea? A new hearing device is now available for some hearing-impaired people. And there is the main
idea.
Understanding Vocabulary Words In Context
Reading comprehension is one of the most difficult things to master on a standardized test, especially if
English is your second language. The test-makers evaluate whether you can find the main idea, make
inferences, differentiate between fact and opinion, and understand vocabulary words, some of which you
may have never been introduced to before.
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The good news? You can understand vocabulary words based on the context of the passage - the words,
clauses and phrases around the unknown vocabulary word. You don’t have to memorize all the
vocabulary words in the dictionary!
For example, you might not understand the word, acerbity, by itself, but this sentence, “The acerbity of
the lemon caused the little girl to spit out the bite she had just taken. ” makes you understand that the
general meaning of acerbity must be “bitter or sour”. The context clues "lemon" and "spitting out the
bite", which provide more information in the sentence, help you understand what the vocabulary word
means.
A question on a standardized test may look something like this:
After the first day on the job, the bank’s new manager realized he would be busier than he had been led to
believe. Not only was he assisting the bank tellers with their work, but his new boss had decided to
inundate him with other tasks like creating security systems, managing the bank’s deposits and refunds,
securing loans, and maintaining the daily operations. The new manager was exhausted as he locked the
bank up for the night.
The word “inundate” from the passage is closest in meaning to
1.
2.
3.
4.
overload
provide
assault
underwhelm
Hint: A way to figure out if your choice is correct is by putting the answer choice in the sentence in place
of the vocabulary word. Which one fits the intended meaning the best?
Understanding Vocabulary Words in Context Exercise
Try to determine the meanings of the following italicized vocabulary words, based on the context clues in
the sentences.
1. Pablo always showed animosity toward his teachers by throwing spitballs and mouthing off, but
his sister Mary was kind and sweet.
2. The little girl was showing signs of ocular problems - she squinted to read the blackboard and
complained of headaches after working on the computer for too long.
3. The crowd rewarded the singer with plaudits, or extreme praise, by clapping and cheering during
a standing ovation.
4. Elena’s repudiation of Jerry’s bad table manners was obvious to everyone at dinner as she
dropped her napkin and left the table.
5. From the far past to the present day, the moon has been thought to cause lunacy. Some studies
have shown that this momentary insanity does have some association to the moon's phases.
6. The old man’s hair was sparse rather than thick and full like it was when he was young.
7. Janie was as devout as the Pope himself.
8. My sister Kimmy shows a great abhorrence for crowds, whereas my little brother Michael loves
to be the center of attention.
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9. When you admonish someone, you point out his or her errors; an example would be scolding a
child for misbehaving.
10. The sorcerer’s minions, or devoted followers, were willing to perform any sorcery he could
conjure.
11. Forty-seven pairs is a superfluous amount of shoes.
12. The spy was hung at the gallows of his homeland for his perfidious deeds.
13. “Busy as a bee” and “quiet as a mouse” are hackneyed phrases – they’re used all the time.
14. Amelia was as pretentious as a princess when she arrived to the party. She tossed her coat to the
hostess and grabbed a drink out of a nearby guest’s hand.
15. We always listen to my great-aunt because she is venerable, but we ignore my niece’s advice
because she’s only six.
SAT reading comprehension
Example 1 (7 questions)
The extract is taken from a book written sixty years ago by a British scientist in which he considers the
relationship between science and society.
The pioneers of the teaching of science imagined that its
introduction into education would remove the conventionality,
artificiality, and backward-lookingness which were characteristic;
of classical studies, but they were gravely disappointed. So, too, in
5 their time had the humanists thought that the study of the classical
authors in the original would banish at once the dull pedantry and
superstition of mediaeval scholasticism. The professional
schoolmaster was a match for both of them, and has almost
managed to make the understanding of chemical reactions as dull
10 and as dogmatic an affair as the reading of Virgil's Aeneid.
The chief claim for the use of science in education is that it
teaches a child something about the actual universe in which he is
living, in making him acquainted with the results of scientific
15 discovery, and at the same time teaches him how to think logically
and inductively by studying scientific method. A certain limited
success has been reached in the first of these aims, but practically
none at all in the second. Those privileged members of the
community who have been through a secondary or public school
20 education may be expected to know something about the
elementary physics and chemistry of a hundred years ago, but they
probably know hardly more than any bright boy can pick up from
an interest in wireless or scientific hobbies out of school hours.
As to the learning of scientific method, the whole thing is palpably
25 a farce. Actually, for the convenience of teachers and the
requirements of the examination system, it is necessary that the
pupils not only do not learn scientific method but learn precisely
the reverse, that is, to believe exactly what they are told and to
reproduce it when asked, whether it seems nonsense to them or
30 not. The way in which educated people respond to such quackeries
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as spiritualism or astrology, not to say more dangerous ones such
as racial theories or currency myths, shows that fifty years of
education in the method of science in Britain or Germany has
produced no visible effect whatever. The only way of learning the
35 method of science is the long and bitter way of personal
experience, and, until the educational or social systems are altered
to make this possible, the best we can expect is the production of a
minority of people who are able to acquire some of the techniques
of science and a still smaller minority who are able to use and
40 develop them.
Questions:
1. The author implies that the 'professional schoolmaster' (line 7) has
A. no interest in teaching science
B. thwarted attempts to enliven education
C. aided true learning
D. supported the humanists
E. been a pioneer in both science and humanities.
2. The author’s attitude to secondary and public school education in the sciences is
A. ambivalent
B. neutral
C. supportive
D. satirical
E. contemptuous
3. The word ‘palpably’ (line 24) most nearly means
A. empirically
B. obviously
C. tentatively
D. markedly
E. ridiculously
4. The author blames all of the following for the failure to impart scientific method through the education
system except
A. poor teaching
B. examination methods
C. lack of direct experience
D. the social and education systems
E. lack of interest on the part of students
5. If the author were to study current education in science to see how things have changed since he wrote
the piece, he would probably be most interested in the answer to which of the following questions?
A. Do students know more about the world about them?
B. Do students spend more time in laboratories?
C. Can students apply their knowledge logically?
D. Have textbooks improved?
E. Do they respect their teachers?
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6. Astrology (line 31) is mentioned as an example of
A. a science that needs to be better understood
B. a belief which no educated people hold
C. something unsupportable to those who have absorbed the methods of science
D. the gravest danger to society
E. an acknowledged failure of science
7. All of the following can be inferred from the text except
A. at the time of writing, not all children received a secondary school education
B. the author finds chemical reactions interesting
C. science teaching has imparted some knowledge of facts to some children
D. the author believes that many teachers are authoritarian
E. it is relatively easy to learn scientific method.
Example 2 (8 questions)
The passage is taken from a description of the life of certain Pacific Islanders written by a pioneering
sociologist.
By the time a child is six or seven she has all the essential
avoidances well enough by heart to be trusted with the care of a
younger child. And she also develops a number of simple
techniques. She learns to weave firm square balls from palm
5 leaves, to make pinwheels of palm leaves or frangipani blossoms,
to climb a coconut tree by walking up the trunk on flexible little
feet, to break open a coconut with one firm well-directed blow of
a knife as long as she is tall, to play a number of group games
and sing the songs which go with them, to tidy the house by
10 picking up the litter on the stony floor, to bring water from the
sea, to spread out the copra to dry and to help gather it in when
rain threatens, to go to a neighboring house and bring back a
lighted faggot for the chief's pipe or the cook-house fire.
But in the case of the little girls all these tasks are merely
15 supplementary to the main business of baby-tending. Very small
boys also have some care of the younger children, but at eight or
nine years of age they are usually relieved of it. Whatever rough
edges have not been smoothed off by this responsibility for
younger children are worn off by their contact with older boys.
20 For little boys are admitted to interesting and important activities
only so long as their behavior is circumspect and helpful. Where
small girls are brusquely pushed aside, small boys will be
patiently tolerated and they become adept at making themselves
useful. The four or five little boys who all wish to assist at the
25 important, business of helping a grown youth lasso reef eels,
organize themselves into a highly efficient working team; one boy
holds the bait, another holds an extra lasso, others poke
eagerly about in holes in the reef looking for prey, while still
another tucks the captured eels into his lavalava. The small girls,
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30 burdened with heavy babies or the care of little staggerers who are
too small to adventure on the reef, discouraged by the hostility
of the small boys and the scorn of the older ones, have
little opportunity for learning the more adventurous forms of work
and play. So while the little boys first undergo the
35 chastening effects of baby-tending and then have many
opportunities to learn effective cooperation under the supervision
of older boys, the girls' education is less comprehensive. They
have a high standard of individual responsibility, but the
community provides them with no lessons in cooperation with one
40 another. This is particularly apparent in the activities of young
people: the boys organize quickly; the girls waste hours in
bickering, innocent of any technique for quick and efficient
cooperation.
1. The primary purpose of the passage with reference to the society under discussion is to
A. explain some differences in the upbringing of girls and boys
B. criticize the deficiencies in the education of girls
C. give a comprehensive account of a day in the life of an average young girl
D. delineate the role of young girls
E. show that young girls are trained to be useful to adults
2. The word 'brusquely' (line 22) most nearly means
A. quickly
B. gently
C. nonchalantly
D. abruptly
E. callously
3. The list of techniques in paragraph one could best be described as
A. household duties
B. rudimentary physical skills
C. important responsibilities
D. useful social skills
E. monotonous tasks
4. It can be inferred that the 'high standard of individual responsibility' (line 38) is
A. developed mainly through child-care duties
B. only present in girls
C. taught to the girl before she is entrusted with babies
D. actually counterproductive
E. weakened as the girl grows older.
5. The expression 'innocent of' (line 42) is best taken to mean
A. not guilty of
B. unskilled in
C. unsuited for
D. uninvolved in
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6. It can be inferred that in the community under discussion all of the following are important except
A. domestic handicrafts
B. well-defined social structure
C. fishing skills
D. formal education
E. division of labor
7. Which of the following if true would weaken the author's contention about 'lessons in
cooperation' (line 39) ?
I Group games played by younger girls involve cooperation
II Girls can learn from watching boys cooperating
III Individual girls cooperate with their mothers in looking after babies
A. I only
B. II only
C. III only
D. I and II only
E. I, II and III
8. Which of the following is the best description of the author's technique in handling her material?
A. Both description and interpretation of observations.
B. Presentation of facts without comment.
C. Description of evidence to support a theory.
D. Generalization from a particular viewpoint.
E. Close examination of preconceptions.
Additional SAT Essay Information
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You'll have 25 minutes to write
You must write in pencil
You must write on the answer sheet provided
You must write your essay as a response to a given prompt.
SAT Essay Skills Tested:
Sure, the test is only 25 minutes, but in that time, you'll be expected to develop a substantial bit
of writing. Here are the skills in which your mastery will be tested:
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Developing a point of view based on a prompt
Supporting that point of view with examples from your personal reading, studies,
experience, or observations
Following standard English composition rules as you compose
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SAT Essay Scoring:
Your SAT essay will be graded by two trained readers, both of whom are either high school or
college teachers. They will each give you a score from 1 – 6, and those scores will be added to
give you an essay score of between 2 – 12. This score accounts for approximately 30 per cent of
your total SAT Writing score. If their scores differ by more than a point, a third reader will be
brought in to score your essay, too. On the College Board website, you can take a peek at essays
which have earned a range of points, so you'll know how yours might compare.
1. The essay must be over 400 words in length. Research has found that 90% of essays over
400 words in length receive the highest score of 12.
2. The sample SAT Essay must use scholarly examples. There should be two or three
examples with at least one from literature. Examples from history are also good. If an
essay uses primarily personal experiences it is not a good guide to helping you learn as
SAT graders don't score these as highly as essays that use content learned in school.
3. The essay must be organized into paragraphs. At the minimum there is an introductory
paragraph with at least a sentence or two. Then one paragraph to cover each example.
And often a short conclusion. If the essay has paragraphs that cover multiple examples it
won't score as well and won't serve as a good example for your learning.
4. The essay must make its points explicitly. If you are reading a sample SAT Essay that
you must read between the lines to get or re-read in order to understand it is not a good
sample for you to learn from.
5. The essay must come with a prompt so that you can see what it takes to follow the
prompt. If the essay is given as an example without this critical piece of information there
is little you can learn from it.
Sample Essay Prompt:
SAT Essay Prompt: Hateful Words
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
People say hateful things to each other all the time. Whether the words are racist, misogynistic,
bullying or just spiteful, hateful speech is apparent in all aspects of our lives. The Internet has
become a place where these hateful words abound. People use social networking sites, email and
chat rooms to spread hateful messages about others. Some legislators have tried to curb this
speech on the Internet with policies that punish hateful messages, while other activists have
launched campaigns to try to prevent it before it occurs, by proffering messages of peace, love
and understanding.
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Assignment:
Is hateful speech best diminished by prevention, or is legislation ultimately necessary to curb its
danger? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support
your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or
observations.
Sample Essay:
Time has a doomsday book, on whose pages he is continually recording illustrious names. But as
often as a new name is written there, an old one disappears. Only a few stand in illuminated
characters never to be effaced.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
ASSIGNMENT:
Are there some heroes who will be remembered forever? Or are all heroes doomed to be forgotten one
day? Plan your response, and then write an essay to explain your views on this issue. Be sure to support
your position with specific points and examples. (You may use personal examples or examples from your
reading, observations, or, knowledge of subjects such as history, literature, science.)
ESSAY:
One of the memorable images from Eisenstein’s classic silent film on the Russian Revolution is
the toppling of a statue. The destruction of the statue symbolizes the throwing out of the old
order along with its heroes and replacing it with a new. Considering this human tendency to ‘ring
out the old and ring in the new’ it is surprising that any heroic figures from the past survive in the
history books, but they do. There are some heroes who do not get erased from the pages.
One of my personal all-time heroes is Marie Curie, the first woman to win the Nobel Prize. At a
time when women were not allowed to enter the University of Warsaw, her home city, Marie
worked as a governess before getting the opportunity to enroll in the Sorbonne in Paris. She
graduated at the top of her class and became the first woman to take a degree in physics from the
Sorbonne.
But it is not simply for her breaking out of traditional molds that she is remembered. Her
scientific work on radiation led to her two Nobel Prizes: the first joint with her husband, the
second alone, after Pierre Curie’s death. She nearly did not get the second prize because of
rumors of ‘misconduct’ in her private life. But she bravely went to Stockholm, despite
opposition, and said that she believed that there was no connection between her private life and
her scientific work. She died of cancer caused by exposure to radium, one of the elements that
she discovered.
Many great people from the past have had their reputations destroyed by exposure of their
human frailties. But some, like Marie Curie, achieve such greatness that they will be
remembered for their achievements. She symbolizes the human quest for knowledge and the
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capacity to sacrifice self for a higher goal. Women everywhere will gain strength from seeing
one woman who could not he suppressed by outdated conventions.
We need our heroes for the inspiration they offer to us and to future generations. Names such as
Curie should not, and in fact cannot, be erased form the History books: they tell us so much
about the human capacity to strive for excellence.
FORMAT I - The one-example essay
Select one suitable illustrative example from your personal experience, or your reading, or
knowledge of current affairs, history, science etc. and use this as the basis for a discussion of the
topic. The example should be specific and ‘real’ rather than invented. It is best to avoid religion
or politics or anything controversial.
There is no word limit but a limited space is provided. The space you have to fill is
approximately one and a half sides of A4 paper. The space is sufficient to write a five-paragraph
essay. You will have to write in pencil.
Paragraph 1: Introduction
Try to create interest in the topic.
The introduction can be general but must include a thesis statement to point the reader in the
right direction.
Paragraph 2: Part I of the example
Describe the situation and cover about half the “example” here.
Paragraph 3: Part II of the example
Finish the “example”.
Paragraph 4: Discussion/analysis
Explain what your example shows. Extract the conclusions/moral lessons to show how it
supports your thesis.
Paragraph 5: General conclusion
Show how the example leads to more general conclusions about the topic. (If possible, relate to
material from the introduction to round the essay off.)
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FORMAT II - The two-example essay
Paragraph 1: Introduction
Explain, in your own words, what the issue is. Include a thesis statement, which is a clear
statement of your point of view.
Paragraph 2: Point one in support of your thesis
Explain the point you are making with the aid of a specific example.
Paragraph 3: Point two in support of your thesis
Explain the point you are making with the aid of a specific example
Paragraph 4: Qualification
Explain that, under certain circumstances, the opposite point of view might be correct. (This is to
show that you are aware of all aspects of the issue, even though you are 80-90% convinced of
your thesis.) [Sometimes this paragraph is replaced by another point and/or further discussion or
reasoning.]
Paragraph 5: Reinforcement of thesis
Show how your viewpoint, despite the qualification you have just made, is more persuasive
under the present circumstances.