The Ultimate In: Word Power and Comprehension for the "New" S.A.T.®

By GFS

Word Power and Comprehension for the S.A.T. provides teachers and students
with a variety of exercises and multi-skilled activities intended to improve vocabulary,
comprehension and retention specifi cally for the S.A.T.
Over 300 vocabulary words found frequently on the Scholastic Aptitude Test
Vocabulary is taught through Sentence Completion, Reading Comprehension
Questions, Word Scramble, Essays and Matching
Words are taught in context, demonstrating how the S.A.T. exam poses questions
through contextualized reading
Active and Passive vocabulary learning
Essays presented in S.A.T. format, requiring examples from literature, studies,
personal experience and observation
Vocabulary Challenge encouraging the student to interact with newly learned
words as part of the essay
Clustering of words by similar meaning and subject matter as a strategy for
learning and retention
Glossaries are included at the end of each exercise for easy and immediate
access
Strategic approaches for Reading Comprehension and Sentence Completions
Identifying the Four Types of Sentence Completion questions
Identifying the Three Types of Reading Comprehension questions posed on the
Scholastic Aptitude Test
Strategic approaches used when Teaching for Comprehension
Correction Strategies for the reader
Appendix on Root Words, Prefi xes and Suffi xes
Appendix defining Literary Terms often used on the S.A.T.
Answers and Explanations to all the drills in each exercise
Special Test Taking Tips at the end of each exercise

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 8, 2013
• ISBN: 9781479785261

GFS

Mr. Francisco is a product of New York City's West Side. Gil Francisco has been involved in education for thirty-seven years, as teacher, coach and administrator. His educational background includes a B.A. from Kansas Wesleyan University, Masters of Education from Wichita State University, Administrative Certifi cation From Columbia University Teacher's College and a he was a Doctoral Program Candidate ABD at New York University

Book preview

The ULTIMATE in: WORD POWER and COMPREHENSION for the NEW S.A.T.®

By GFS

Copyright © 2013 by GFS.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013901816

ISBN: Softcover     978-1-4797-8525-4

           eBook           978-1-4797-8526-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

S.A.T. is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board. The College Examination Board is not associated with and does not endorse this book.

Rev. date: 04/21/2016

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

598910

CONTENTS

Introduction

Part I Reading—Comprehension—Word Power

Exercise 1:   Narrative   Orphaned at a very young age . . .

Exercise 2:   Art   . . . the kaleidoscope of genius . . .

Exercise 3:   Fiction   Employing the Reaper

Exercise 4:   Dual History   . . . his magnetic personality . . .

Exercise 5:   Music   Corner Pocket

Exercise 6:   Dance   Talent Fame and Conceit

Exercise 7:   Political   . . . good governance, strong and visionary

Exercise 8:   Education   . . . kindness from the unkind . . .

Exercise 9:   Narrative   The Shutters of My Mind

Exercise 10:   Science   I made one great mistake in my life . . .

Exercise 11:   Philosophy   The unexamined life . . .

Exercise 12:   Pacifism   The content of their character

Part II Grammar and Usage Frequent Mistakes

Grammar and Usage—Frequent Mistakes

Sample Writing Paragraphs

Appendix A   Root Words . . . Prefixes . . . Suffixes

Appendix B   Literary Terms for the S A T

Appendix C   Answers and Explanation

Appendix D   Learning and Teaching Styles and The S.A.T.

References

Dedication

To all the students who have allowed me the honor and privilege of serving as their guide on such a significant endeavor as preparing for the S.A.T.

INTRODUCTION

I. Purpose:

To provide both student and instructor the "Ultimate Guide for building vocabulary power and reading comprehension, specifically for The Scholastic Aptitude Test."

II. Vocabulary Word Power:

This guide is divided into twelve exercises that allow the reader the opportunity for increasing Word Power and Comprehension through Active and Passive participation. The level of reading difficulty increases with each passage and exercise. Included are over 300 vocabulary words that have appeared most frequently on The Scholastic Aptitude Test (S.A.T.) since 2007. The database of S.A.T. level words appear in drills modeled after S.A.T. questions as they appear on the exam. In keeping with the objectives of improving comprehension and improving vocabulary, all drills relate specifically to the passage in the exercise.

•  Reading Comprehension

•  Sentence Completion

•  Word Scramble

•  Matching

•  Essay

Word Scrambling and Matching Columns are designed to enhance memory, speed and attention. They provide the opportunity for Active and Passive vocabulary learning.

Reading passages for each exercise are written in S.A.T. format allowing the reader the opportunity to encounter S.A.T. Level words in context.

Essays are also presented in S.A.T. format, Quote and Assignment, emphasizing the need for examples taken from readings, studies, experience or observation. A Challenge is also included encouraging the writer to compose the essay using as many vocabulary words as possible taken from the exercise. The Challenge allows the student to interact with the newly learned words, thus increasing retention.

Each exercise contains a Glossary. The words included in the glossaries are Clustered whenever possible. Grouping words of similar meaning or subject matter is an effective strategy for learning and retaining vocabulary.

Strategic Approaches for Sentence Completions

Guessing—Should one guess on the S.A.T.? The scoring system used strongly suggests Educated Guessing, as the respondent is not penalized for an incorrect response. The respondent is awarded 1 point for every correct answer, penalized ¼ point for every incorrect answer and penalized 0 points for every blank answer.

Educated Guessing—Should you reduce your possibilities to 2 choices, then you should definitely guess. The Law of Probability is now in your favor. Instead of 1 in 4, your odds are increased to 1 in 2. The exam scoring system now works in your favor with this approach.

Direct Transitional Words—These are words and phrases that indicate a direct flow in the sentence. (and because furthermore likewise since so since thus therefore in addition to)

Contrast Transitional Words—These words and phrases indicate a contrast or contradiction, thus changing the flow of the sentence. (but however although nevertheless instead despite "even though")

Punctuation—Commas, colons and semicolons can often serve as cues on Sentence Completions. Punctuation is often used to divide the sentence. If the blank appears in the first half of the sentence, there is usually a defining word or phrase in the second half and the opposite holds true.

Decoding—Use methods of decoding such as underlining or circling to identify key words, transitional words and phrases that may help define the word.

III. Reading Comprehension

The Reading Comprehension passages include a variety of themes often appearing on the S.A.T. Themes such as Narrative, Dual History, Art, Fiction and Science are presented in a fashion modeled after the S.A.T. In order to do well on the Reading Comprehension segment of the test, one must;

•  learn the types of questions that are posed

•  learn where in the passage the information is found

•  learn to identify key and transitional words in the question

•  (key words address the heart of the subject matter, very often synonyms and antonyms)

•  learn to identify key and transitional words found in the passage

•  (transitional words change the flow of the sentence Ex. but, however)

The Three types of Reading Comprehension Questions

Posed on the S.A.T.

Main Idea—these questions deal with the overall theme and purpose of the story. Main Idea questions also deal with the author’s tone and mood. Main Idea information is usually found in the opening and closing sentences of each paragraph. Example Main Idea Questions—The passage as a whole is best characterized as . . . Passage 1 and Passage 2 share an overall tone of . . .

Specific Information—these questions deal with specific details, examples and descriptions. The exam will usually refer you to a specifically numbered line, word or paragraph. Example Specific Information Questions—"In line 45, husband most nearly means. In lines 22-29, the primary asset of the new arena is that . . ."

Insinuated Questions—these questions are designed to determine whether or not the reader can draw a conclusion from what is suggested in the text. Insinuated questions include such words as implies, suggests or phrases such as seems to indicate. Example Insinuated Questions—In lines 29-30, the author suggests that . . . OR The author’s statement in Passage 1 seems to imply that men are . . .

Previous Evidence Questions— These are questions that require the respondent to select the answer which best supports the previous question.

Strategic Approaches for Reading Comprehension

There is a difference of opinion among those who prepare students for the S.A.T. as to whether a student should, read the questions first and the passage after or read the passage first and answer the questions after. Having taught reading comprehension for over twenty years, this author maintains the strategy is determined by how the student "perceives and processes information." The question should always be asked. Some students must, in fact, have a general idea concerning the passage in order to retrieve detailed or implied information. On the other hand, there are others who achieve comprehension by addressing the questions first. These students prefer having detailed information to better comprehend the overall theme. A short learning style inventory or perceiving and processing inventory should prove helpful. (see Appendix D) Do you need the picture or the manual in order to assemble the bookcase? Do you need both?

Educators who prepare students for the S.A.T. must "Teach for Comprehension". Strategies include:

•  Sensory Images—create images during and after reading

•  Visualization—see what is being read or written

•  Personalization—identify with one of the characters

•  Identification—determine what is important in the text

•  Draw Inferences—use information from the text to draw conclusions

•  Inference—use prior knowledge and information to draw interpretations

•