All information in this PowerPoint is taken from
http://www.actstudent.org/.
 First, you read for comprehension.
 Second, you had to think of words/phrases, which
calls for both their passive and active vocabulary
stocks.
 Third, you also had to practice your spelling.
 Fourth, you absolutely had to use your grammar
knowledge since you needed to know the parts of
speech to guess the words.
 Fifth, you practiced speaking and listening while you
were discussing in pairs; you also had the
opportunity to learn the different ways that others
reason things.
 Business and employees face rising requirements
for reading and math skills in today's workplaces.
 An American Management Association survey in
2000 of midsized and larger businesses found that
38% of job applicants taking employeradministered tests lacked the reading and math
skills needed in the jobs for which they applied.
 The Reading Test is a 40-question, 35-minute
test that measures your reading
comprehension. You're asked to read four
passages and answer questions that show
your understanding of:
 what is directly stated
 statements with implied meanings
 determine main ideas
 locate and interpret significant details
 understand sequences of events
 make comparisons
 comprehend cause-effect relationships
 determine the meaning of context-dependent
words, phrases, and statements
 draw generalizations
 analyze the author's or narrator's voice and
method
 The Reading Test is based on four types of reading selections: social studies,
natural sciences, prose fiction, and humanities. The Social Studies/Sciences
subscore is based on the questions on the social studies and natural sciences
passages, and the Arts/Literature subscore is based on the questions on the prose
fiction and humanities passages.
 Social Studies (25%). Questions in this category are based on passages in the
content areas of anthropology, archaeology, biography, business, economics,
education, geography, history, political science, psychology, and sociology.
 Natural Sciences (25%). Questions in this category are based on passages in the
content areas of anatomy, astronomy, biology, botany, chemistry, ecology,
geology, medicine, meteorology, microbiology, natural history, physiology,
physics, technology, and zoology.
 Prose Fiction (25%). Questions in this category are based on intact short stories
or excerpts from short stories or novels.
 Humanities (25%). Questions in this category are based on passages from
memoirs and personal essays and in the content areas of architecture, art, dance,
ethics, film, language, literary criticism, music, philosophy, radio, television, and
theater.
 The test comprises four prose passages that are
representative of the level and kind of reading
required in first-year college courses; passages on
topics in social studies, natural sciences, prose
fiction, and the humanities are included.
 Each passage is accompanied by a set of multiple-
choice test questions. These questions do not test
the rote recall of facts from outside the passage,
isolated vocabulary items, or rules of formal logic.
Instead, the test focuses on the complementary and
supportive skills that readers must use in studying
written materials across a range of subject areas.
 Carefully read the instructions on the cover of the test booklet.
 Read the directions for each test carefully.
 Read each question carefully.
 Pace yourself—don't spend too much time on a single passage or question.
 Pay attention to the announcement of five minutes remaining on each test.
 Use a soft lead No. 2 pencil with a good eraser; do not use a mechanical
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pencil or ink pen.
Answer the easy questions first, then go back and answer the more difficult
ones if you have time remaining on that test.
On difficult questions, eliminate as many incorrect answers as you can, then
make an educated guess among those remaining.
Answer every question. Your scores on the multiple-choice tests are based
on the number of questions you answer correctly. There is no penalty for
guessing.
If you complete a test before time is called, recheck your work on that test.
Mark your answers properly. Erase any mark completely and cleanly without
smudging.
Do not mark or alter any ovals on a test or continue writing the essay after
time has been called. If you do, you will be dismissed and your answer
document will not be scored.