OGT Reading
Steps to Success
Why Are You Here?
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Standardized tests don’t ONLY test what
you know
Standardized tests MOSTLY test how well
you take standardized tests
ARE YOU A GOOD TEST-TAKER?
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Most of you probably said “No”
Even if you’re good at taking tests in
school, you may not be good at taking the
OGT
WHY? School tests usually ONLY test what
you know (what the teacher knows s/he
taught you!), but the OGT tests your testtaking skills
TEST-TAKING SKILLS
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You need a test-taking strategy
You need to know the answers to the
questions are not always easy to find
You need to know that the test-writers write
the answers to fool you into choosing the
WRONG answers
QUICK NOTE
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You don’t have to answer all of the
questions in order!
Skip the harder questions and come back
to them later
Make sure you BUBBLE the right question
number!
(Also, make sure your bubbles are complete!)
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Multiple Choice:
How to Attack the Passages and
Multiple Choice Questions
QUICK NOTE
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You do not need to read the passage
before you read the question
Step 1
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Read the question carefully and
completely
Make sure you understand the question
BEFORE you look for the answer
Translate the question into a question that
makes more sense to you
QUICK NOTE
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You SHOULD NOT read the answer
choices before you know the answer
GO TO THE PASSAGE BEFORE YOU
READ THE ANSWERS!
Step 2
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Go to the passage and look for the answer
to the question
Read carefully and look for MEANING not
just words
Try and put what the passage says in your
own words
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Pretend you’re summarizing the passage to tell a
5 year-old.
Step 3
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Read each answer carefully and
completely
Cross out the answers you KNOW are
wrong
QUICK NOTE
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In Reading and Writing, the BEST answer
is the “Correct” answer
This means that sometimes you have more
than one “right” answer- BUT one of the
“right” answers is BETTER than the other
Don’t choose an answer until you have
read all of the answers!!
Step 4
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Compare your remaining answer choices
Ask yourself:
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How are these answers different?
What words are different?
How are their meanings different?
Go BACK to the passage and see which
answer agrees with what is written
QUICK NOTE
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WATCH OUT!
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Sometimes wrong answered are disguised by
using words taken from the passage rearranged
to mean something the passage didn’t say!
Step 5
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Choose the answer you think BEST
answers the question and agrees with the
passage
QUICK NOTE
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Make sure the answer you choose
ACTUALLY answers the question
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Sometimes an answer choice will contain
information that is TRUE and can be found in the
passage, BUT the answer choice doesn’t actually
ANSWER THE QUESTION being asked
Short Answer:
How to Attack the Short Answer
Questions
How Much Should You Write?
2 Point Questions
 Write at least 2
COMPLETE
sentences
4 Point Question
 Write at least 4
COMPLETE
sentences
Step 1
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Read the question carefully and
completely
Make sure you understand the question
BEFORE you start writing
Translate the question into a question that
makes more sense to you
Step 2
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Think of your own answer or go to the
passage to find the answer
Write the answer to the question
Step 3
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Go back to the passage to find QUOTES to
support your answer
Use quotation marks ( “ ” ) to show the
reader you have provided proof
Step 4
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Explain how your QUOTES support your
answer to the question
4 Point Questions
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If they ask for 3 examples, make sure you
include 3 SEPARATE QUOTES
How are they usually scored?
It depends on the question:
 If a question asks for an explanation, you
can earn a point for a CLEAR explanation
 If the question asks for an explanation,
you must provide the explanation to earn
all (or sometimes ANY) of the points
How are they usually scored? (cont’d)
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If a question asks for one or more
examples/reasons/ideas/ways/etc.
from the text, you can earn a point for
each SEPARATE example from the
text
Examples from the text should be in
“QUOTATION MARKS” and copied
word for word from the test
How are they usually scored? (cont’d)
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If they ask for 1 example, you can only earn
1 point no matter how many examples you
give
If the question asks for 4 examples, you
must give 4 separate examples to earn all 4
points
QUICK NOTE
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If you explain what you’re thinking, you
have a better chance of proving to the
reader that your answer ACTUALLY
ANSWERS the question
DO NOT assume the reader can read your
mind and know what you mean!
WHAT NOW?
Practice, Practice, Practice,
Practice, Practice, Practice,
Practice, Practice........
PRACTICE
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How do you improve a skill such as playing
the guitar or basketball?
How much would you have to practice
those to get good at them?
Is test-taking a skill or something you just
know?
How much should you practice testtaking?
How Should You PRACTICE?
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Do some practice OGT questions or take a
practice OGT test
Review the questions
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Think about why you missed the ones you
missed
Think about why you got the ones you got
If you saw another question like that on the
test, would you answer it correctly?
QUICK NOTE
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If the test changes every year, then how
can doing practice problems help? You
won’t see those problems on the real test!
YES, BUT...
What Does STANDARDIZED mean?
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Standardized means that tests are always
built the same way- to meet certain
STANDARDS
The questions are different but structured
the same way
What they ask changes, HOW they ask it
stays the same
If They Ask the Same TYPES of
Questions...
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You can get good at answering those
TYPES of questions
You can get used to the language of the
test
You can get good at understanding and
translating what the questions mean
AND...
YOU CAN SPOT THE TRAPS
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What do you mean TRAPS???
TRAPS =
WRONG answers that sound RIGHT
The test writers do this on purpose!
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They are trying to make the test harder
They TRAP you into choosing the wrong answer
Think About It This Way...
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If you know there has been freezing rain,
then you look out for and try to avoid the
ice patches!
If you know there will be traps, then you
look out for and try to avoid choosing the
answers that are traps!
Final Words
You CAN Pass This Test!!!
Know Your Rights
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If you have an IEP, KNOW what
accommodations you should have and
make sure you have them
If EXTRA TIME is one of your
accommodations, TELL the proctor you
want more time after the normal time is
called
Take Your Time
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Don’t rush through the questions!
Take the time to think about the questions
and answers
Take the time to try to understand the
questions and answers
Take the time to answer as many questions
correctly as possible
Stay Calm
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Don’t let the test frustrate you
If you’re not sure of an answer, skip it and
come back to it late
Double check your work
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Make sure your answers ACTUALLY ANSWER
the questions
Look for mis-bubbled answers
Look for incomplete bubbles
Stay Positive
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Keep a positive attitude
Try your best
YOU CAN DO IT!!!
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Career Technology Center
May only be duplicated for nonprofit
educational purposes.