The TOEFL and SAT Tests - the Key to Academic Success (стр. 2 )

- Synthesize the information and discuss how the reading and listening materials relate. Explain how the ideas expressed are similar, how one idea expands upon another, or how the ideas are different or contradict each other.

Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing involves restating something from the source material in one’s own words. On the TOEFL iBT, test takers receive a score of zero if all they do is copy words from the reading passage. Practice paraphrasing words, phrases, sentences, and entire paragraphs

frequently using the following tips:

Learn to find synonyms with ease. Pick 10 to 15 words or phrases in a reading passage and quickly think of synonyms without looking them up in a dictionary or thesaurus.

Write a paraphrase of a reading passage using only your notes. If you haven’t taken notes, write the paraphrase without looking at the original text. Then check the paraphrase with the original passage to make sure that it is factually accurate and that you have used different words and grammatical structures.

Independent Writing Tasks

Make a list of familiar topics and practice writing about them.

For each topic state an opinion or a preference and then support it with evidence.

Practice planning and writing at least one essay for each topic. Be sure to take 30 minutes to plan, write, and revise each essay.

Think about and list all ideas related to a topic or task before writing. This is also called “prewriting.”

Identify one main idea and some major points to support that idea, and plan how to communicate them (by creating, for example, an outline to organize ideas). Create a focused thesis statement and use it to develop the ideas presented in the essay.

Develop the essay by using appropriate explanation and detail.

All Writing Tasks

Increase vocabulary and knowledge of idiomatic speech so you can use it appropriately. Learn grammatical structures so well that you can use them naturally when writing. Learn the conventions of spelling, punctuation, and layout (e. g. paragraph creation). Express information in an organized manner, displaying unity of thought and coherence. Use signal words and phrases, such as “on the one hand” or “in conclusion,” to create a clear structure for your response.

SAT

The SAT is the nation's most widely used admissions test among colleges and universities. It tests students' knowledge of subjects that are necessary for college success: reading, writing, and mathematics. The SAT assesses the critical thinking skills students need for academic success in college—skills that students learned in high school.

The SAT is typically taken by high school juniors and seniors. It tells students how well they use the skills and knowledge they have attained in and outside of the classroom—including how they think, solve problems, and communicate. The SAT is an important resource for colleges. It's also one of the best predictors of how well students will do in college.

Each section of the SAT is scored on a scale of 200-800, with two writing subscores for multiple-choice questions and the essay.

SAT Question Types

The SAT includes several different question types, including: a student-produced essay, multiple-choice questions, and student-produced responses (grid-ins).

The Unscored Section

In addition to the nine scored sections of the SAT, there is one 25-minute section that is used to ensure that the SAT continues to be a fair and valid test. This section does not count towards students’ score. It may be a critical reading, mathematics, or writing multiple-choice section.

It is common test development to use an unscored section to try out new questions for future editions of the test. It also ensures that scores on new editions of the SAT are comparable to scores on earlier editions of the test. This helps to ensure the fairness of the SAT.

Test Order

The SAT is comprised of 10 total testing sections. The first section is always a 25-minute essay, and the last section is always a 10-minute multiple-choice writing section. Sections two through seven are 25-minute sections. Sections eight and nine are 20-minute sections. Test-takers sitting next to each other in the same session may have test books with entirely different content orders for sections two through nine (mathematics, critical reading, and writing).

SAT Essay Section

Introduction:

Writing well, though not easy, is a skill that may be reduced into understandable parts.  Too often, students make the false assumption that one has to be born with a gift to write.  Though this may be true if one is pursuing creative writing, this is not the case for academic writing, and certainly not the case for scoring big on the SAT essay. 

Here are the facts:

The multiple-choice section of the exam influences 70% of your score, leaving 30% of your score to the essay. Students have 25 minutes in order to read the prompt and complete the essay. The top possible score to earn is a 6 (from one reader).  Top possible score from two readers is a 12.  To establish fairness, two readers score the essay according to a rubric that is posted by the College Board. Readers are trained to grade holistically; this is a fancy way of saying that a few mistakes cannot omit a student from a high score.  The essay is the first section on the exam. Typical writing prompts stem from either one or two quotes, building a question that asks students to evaluate the claim(s) and develop a point of view, i. e., argument using various means of evidence for support. 

Quick Strategies for test-takers:

Consider these ideas for building muscle on your essay score:

Read the College Board’s rubric for the characteristics of each score.  Also, carefully read sample essays for each score (1-6) to get a feel for the game you are playing. 

Pacing:  Remember, with only 25 minutes from start to finish, you really need to have a game plan before you write.  Students often make the fatal mistake of jumping into the essay immediately - what they jump into is the unlikely situation of ever scoring beyond a 3.  Take time to read the SAT test prompt.  There is nothing worse than great examples and writing that completely miss their target since the student does NOT answer the question correctly.  It does not matter which side you take, but rather how you develop your support.  Always sketch out your ideas with prewriting. Take the precious time of at least 2 to 3 minutes building your blueprint.  This blueprint should contain an organized map that is simple. 

Position:___________________________________

Why I’m right #1?____________________________

Why I’m right #2?____________________________

Why I’m right #3?____________________________

Use a map and follow it.  Organization, as we will examine later, is a key ingredient for scoring big.  Given the minute for reading the prompt and the 2-3 minutes to build the plan, there will be approximately 20 minutes for writing and editing. Though we will see that the 6 essay certainly has a particular length, students make the mistake of thinking more writing automatically equates to more points - this is not true!  The last advice on pacing is to leave some time, perhaps 2-3 minutes, for editing.  You should never finish the last sentence and submit at the 25th minute. 

Presentation: Students often forget that the way their SAT essay looks does count for points. Though there is no official rule for healthy penmanship or the cleanliness of the page, the SAT essay is no time for sloppiness. Excessive use of crossed-out words and arrows that squeeze in forgotten words force review of the sentence- sometimes a few times before the grader gets the idea. The presentation does not have to be perfect but constant carelessness prevents the SAT grader from reading through the essay smoothly.

Audience: Good writers must always consider their audience before they write; this axiom is particularly true when writing for an academic audience. Your audience on the SAT yearns for clarity and smoothness. Your essay must move forward with few to no obstacles and hurdles along the way. In fact, the more hurdles in grammar, organization, and clarity, the less likely you will score big. Essay graders look for clear purpose and proper development of evidence, marked by stylistic language that accentuates the writer’s purpose, and the more readily you manifest these traits in your writer, the more likely you will score a 5 or 6.

The College Board reports that less than 3% of all SAT essays must be sent to a third grader for a final score; this situation occurs when two graders miss each other by more than one point. For example, if two graders report a 5 and 4 for a single essay, then this is suitable and the score will be a 9. However, two graders, who score a single essay as a 5 and a 3, must be sent to a third grader for a third opinion.

Writing Well: Key Ingredients of a Strong Essay

No Thesis, No Points: In all writing prompts, the College Board asks students to develop a “point of view.” The words really mean to develop an argument using a thesis statement that clearly reflects their position. Thus, the opening paragraph has one purpose: establish a clear position on the topic. It must contain a thesis, a clear position that depends upon evidence to measure its strength. The clearer the position and the stronger the support, the more likelihood to get a high score.

Developing a thesis is an easy task to practice. Find a book of quotations or look up quotes on the Internet and ask yourself whether or not you agree with the claim. Take a stand and think about a number of ways you could support your argument. In essence, you will be practicing thesis writing. We will need to explore what constitutes strong support and mediocre support in a later section. So again, a clear position is the only way to a big score. Once again, no thesis, no points!

Paragraphs and Sentences for the Greater Good: There is nothing more distracting and annoying then unwanted sentences and paragraphs. In paragraph writing, English instructors characterize well-written paragraphs using two main terms: unity and coherence.  Each topic sentence that you create sets parameters and boundaries for your discussion.  Every sentence that you write must develop and add muscle to the initial idea.  Any time a sentence strays or is loosely connected to the topic sentence the momentum of the discussion is compromised.  Students often feel compelled to say so much at once that they let their ideas fly without concern for placement.  Some students are so concerned about making insightful statements that they forget how to group them into a common neighborhood. 

Also, students seem to believe the myth that the more examples they use the better.  This is just not true!  It is the selection of which example and how it is developed that scores big points.  Playing too many ideas at once is the wrong move since the author should have chosen his strongest examples and developed them with the most strength possible.  A jack-of-all-trades-and master-of-none approach leaves an essay shallow, committed to generalizations and summary rather than strong critical thinking and digging deep, reaffirming the importance and necessity of the example.

A paragraph with unity and coherence is a paragraph whereby all sentence support the topic sentence and the sentences follow a logical order that   accentuates the power of the topic.  Additionally, all paragraphs essentially serve the same role as your supporting sentences for your topic sentence - only think of your thesis as the topic sentence and all successive paragraphs as your development. 

Provide Concrete Examples: Avoid Generalizations: Students often speak in generalizations.  In other words, when given a task, students would rather repeat the same idea rather than add depth by adding a solid example.  Building your argument with solid, tangible evidence is essential for a big score.  In fact, the College Board wants students to use examples from history, literature, current events, personal experiences, etc.  An unwritten law in the SAT essay, when shooting for the 5 or 6, is to use examples that showcase the extent of students’ education.  Personal experience may do this - but the experience must be insightful enough, tapping into the real essence of human experience to wow the grader.  A more practical approach for the wow factor is to use scholastic examples that add what we might call academic muscle to the essay; it certainly is the safe play for bigger points. 

Use Clincher Sentences to Conclude Ideas: Avoid a Full Conclusion: There is no need to develop a conclusion in the course of 25 minutes.  In fact, it would be an unwise use of time to sum up your ideas into a 4 to 5 sentence package that merely restates your thesis but is dressed in new language.  Conclusions work best in longer papers since often the reader needs to have the loose ends tied up at the end.  Your introductory paragraph for the SAT essay should be solid enough to leave no mystery about the clarity of your position.  Rather think of use clincher sentences to be your final battle cry. 

Length: The Measure of Success:  The number of words has a strong influence on your SAT score. The correlation between high scores and words simply reflects that extent of a writer’s development.  Not to say that a low number of words cannot do justice to a topic, but the College Board expects you to fill your page with enough development that manifests your critical thinking ability. The grader is looking for 350-400 words of solid composition that do not leave him guessing.  Reading the essay must be a smooth ride ALL the way through - EVERY word, EVERY sentence, Every paragraph counts.

Not the Luck of the Draw: Think Universal Examples: The SAT prompt suggests that students may develop their ideas through use of their “reading, studies, experience, or observations.”  It is possible to score a 5 and 6 using experience, yet the experience must be insightful such as a moment of dramatic change or a period of adversity. SAT Graders love anecdotes that mark incessant struggle with the finish line of victory or learning something new about yourself since these experiences demonstrate critical thinking and insight.  More importantly, if the experience is dressed in lucid language, the essay has all the traits for success.  But, if students do not have a wealth of experience to choose from, they may always count on universal examples to fill the void. Universal examples are a distinction of students’ learning - it simply showcases how well read they may be, and at some point graders look for this showcase to justify higher scores. Students should develop their own arsenal and make sure these examples are waiting in their dugout, ready to use given ANY writing prompt.  This method, however, entails that they have some level of expertise with the example.  Simply forcing the example into the essay without development or sentences that manifest their knowledge will earn no points.

Last Thoughts for the SAT Essay:

You need at least two large examples or three smaller examples to fulfill the 350-450 words. Never begin the introduction of your essay by immediately answering the question such as “Yes, I do agree with the quote.”  There is nothing more annoying or indicative of an essay that will never hit the 5 and 6.  Avoid dead language such as “I think that,” or “In my opinion,” or “I feel that.”  There is nothing more cliché and hence more mediocre.  Using language like this seriously commits you to NEVER earning above a 4.  The smooth ride is the best ride.  Fulfill your purpose and move on.  Do not feel compelled to ornament your essay with nonsense.  Remember your audience - the SAT grader wants to read your essay as quickly as possible to move on to the next one.  Let him find your 5 and 6 traits quickly and clearly.

Test-Taking Approaches

§ Answer easy questions first. The easier questions are usually at the start of the section, and the harder ones are at the end. The exception is in the critical reading section, where questions are ordered according to the logic and organization of each passage.

§ Make educated guesses. Only if students can rule out one or more answer choices for multiple-choice questions, are they to risk guessing the right answer.

§ Skip questions that you really can't answer. No points are deducted if an answer is left blank.

§ Limit your time on any one question. All questions are worth the same number of points. If you need a lot of time to answer a question, go on to the next one. Later, you may have time to return to the question you skipped.

§ Keep track of time. Don't spend too much time on any group of questions within a section.

§ Use your test booklet as scratch paper.

§ Mark the questions in your booklet that you skipped and want to return to.

§ Check your answer sheet to make sure you are answering the right question.

§ Make sure you use a No. 2 pencil. It is very important that you fill in the entire circle on the answer sheet darkly and completely. If you change your response, erase it as completely as possible. Back to top

The Critical Reading Section

Overview

Time	Content	Item Types	Score
70 min. (two 25-min. sections and one 20-min. section)	Critical reading and sentence-level reading	Reading comprehension, sentence completions, and paragraph-length critical reading	200-800

The critical reading section, formerly known as the verbal section, includes short as well as long reading passages. Questions can be based on one, or sometimes two, reading passages. Some questions are not based on reading passages, but ask you to complete sentences.

Approaches to the Critical Reading Section

§ Work on sentence completion questions first. They take less time to answer than the passage-based reading questions.

§ The difficulty of sentence completion questions increases as you answer them in order.

§ Reading questions do not increase in difficulty from easy to hard. Instead, they follow the logic of the passage.

§ The information you need to answer each reading question is always in the passage(s). Reading carefully is the key to finding the correct answer. Don't be misled by an answer that looks correct but is not supported by the actual text of the passage(s).

§ Reading questions often include line numbers to help direct you to the relevant part(s) of the passage. If one word or more is quoted exactly from the passage, the line number(s) where that quotation can be found will appear in the test question. You may have to read some of the passage before or after the quoted word(s), however, in order to find support for the best answer to the question.

§ Do not jump from passage to passage. Stay with a passage until you have answered as many questions as you can before you proceed to the next passage.

§ If you don't know what a word means in a sentence completion or reading passage, consider related words, familiar sayings and phrases, roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Have you ever heard or seen a word that may be related to it?

§ In your test booklet, mark each question you don't answer so that you can easily go back to it later if you have time.

§ Remember that all questions are worth the same number of points regardless of the type or difficulty.

Sentence Completion questions measure your:

§ knowledge of the meanings of words

§ ability to understand how the different parts of a sentence fit logically together

It is certainly one of the places on the SAT Critical Reading section that are more predictable, where students may rely on preparation for stronger accuracy on questions.  Preparation is especially important for the sentence completion section since the development of students’ vocabulary plays a fundamental role for scoring well.  Here’s the painful truth: in order to score higher on this SAT section, students need to focus on building their arsenal of vocabulary words even though making great gains in vocabulary may only yield a few more questions correct on the exam.  Simply put, they have to give a lot to gain a little. Additionally, the methods for pacing and keeping themselves mentally unshaken are two elements that can make a huge difference in their score. 

Here are the facts SAT sentence completion section:

There are 19 sentence completion questions split among three sections.  The questions are served on a plate of 8, 5, and 6 respectively.  The plate of 8 and 5 questions is served in 25 minute sections; whereas, the last set, а set of 6, is served in a 20 minute section.  The selection of words for use in the answer choices is NOT a random set of words; instead, practice shows it that certain words tend to pop up over and over again. The sequence of question is extremely important; each set is always sequenced from the easiest question to the hardest question. There are both single word choice blanks and double word choice blanks. There is a ¼ point deduction for incorrect answers to prevent guessing. Questions are measured by difficulty from 1 to 5.  1 as the easiest and 5 as the toughest. 

What follows is a set of strategies that will prepare students to build vocabulary muscle and accuracy on these questions.  Remember that a strong focus on creating an SAT arsenal of words is key. 

1.1. Follow the sequence: One characteristic of the SAT sentence completion section that students may always rely on is the sequence of difficulty.  Recognizing this sequence may truly help them to refine their process of elimination skills.  Here’s the scoop: The SAT test maker will always give you the easiest questions first.  The questions receive an “easy” based on the (a) difficulty of clue words left in the sentence and (b) answer choices. Go with the word that fits the bill, even if it is a simple word; do not choose unknown words.

Do not be fooled by this. The last questions in an 8 question sequence and the last question in a 5 or 6 question sequence are always the most difficult questions to beat.  However, there is one trick that you may keep in mind to help with process of elimination, namely, if you find an easy word, it is often there as a trap since the word will have, at best, a small connection to the passage.  The great news about this word, i. e., the easy word in the last questions, is that it’s a trap to avoid.  Just because you know the word, does not mean you ought to pick it. Simply put, simple question, simple answer; hard question, hard answer. 

1.2. Positive and negative:  This technique may be the most useful for eliminating answer choices that are incorrect, and it’s a rather simple idea.  It is no mystery that the SAT test maker, especially within questions ranked 1 to 3, leaves clues behind for the suitable word that will fit into the blank. First, the underlying assumption is that your vocabulary is strong enough to reduce words to positive and negative.  Second, the more difficult questions are what I call “neutral” questions, or questions that do not have enough clues to simplify into a positive or negative.  In this case, you will have to search each answer choice quickly to check the accuracy.  However, for many of the SAT questions that you will receive, you will find that reducing language to positive and negative in order to help with process of elimination is a really useful technique

1.3. How to build vocabulary: Building vocabulary is an obvious key for doing well on the SAT sentence completion questions. At some level, a raw ability to define words is critical for eliminating answer choices and exposing the correct answer choice.  Building vocabulary by studying a long list of words a week or two weeks before the exam is NOT the answer.  Our minds are just not built for soaking up that information and more importantly retaining that information. Research tells us that the human mind needs up to 11 experiences with one new word before we master it.  I know, as a veteran high school English teacher, that a short study of SAT related words is not the answer to doing well.  In fact, those students who typically score well are those who read.  They read the newspaper; they read novels; they read articles online; they read and read, so it is not unusual to find that their experience with words in general is strong.  Progressing slowly but surely is the best approach, which you may achieve in two ways (a) study from SAT related words lists but only give yourself twenty at a time; do not approach these from an alphabetical sequence; instead pick a few here and there until the list is complete; (b) discipline yourself to stop at unrelated words and study them in context; create your own sentence after defining the word and keep a notebook filled with these finds.  A newspaper is a great way to build words since you may read short articles that allow you to practice this approach.  Above all, be patient with your vocabulary growth.  It will not come overnight and you cannot expect it to. 

When students score well on the sentence completion section, there is an immense pride that goes with it since these students train just like an athlete who trains for years to win one race. 

1.4. Looking for the breadcrumbs: For many of the SAT sentence completion questions, a keen ability to spot clues is essential.  Test makers leave behind breadcrumbs to help you find the correct answer choice. Highlight these words, and reduce them to positive and negative since these words are your key for unlocking the correct answer.  Look for key adjectives and verbs that determine the direction of the question.  Remember for most questions, ones that are not neutral, there will be identifiable words to help you locate the correct answer.