SAT Strategy for Reading Comprehension
The SAT Critical Reading section has two types of passage-based questions--short and long passages. For both types of passage-based questions, the keys to scoring high is the ability to keep your concentration on the reading passage and then to understand what you have read. This SAT test-taking strategy focuses on these two keys.
Find What Type of Passage it is
Is the passage from a report? A short story? Is it opinionated or factual? Before the actual passage is always a sentence or two about where the passage is from or who it is written by. Don't skip this information. This sentence will give you a feel for what you are about to read.
Read Actively
Don't read the passage just for the sake of reading. Read actively. Ask yourself questions while you are reading such as:
- What is the author's main purpose?
- What is the passage's theme?
- What is the style of writing being used?
These are the types of questions that will be asked on the test, so you should be on the look out while you're reading. However, don't get caught up in the details. You can always refer back to the passage to answer detail-specific questions.
Take Notes While You Read
A common problem among students is that by the end of a passage they end up asking themselves, "What did I just read?" To help keep yourself focused on passages, take notes while you read. For starters, try writing a summary sentence after each paragraph.
Answering the Questions
The main thing to remember is that the answer to all reading comprehension questions are in the passage! Every correct answer has evidence in the passage to back it up. If a question refers to a line in the passage, go back to the passage and read a couple lines above and below that line, and most of the time you'll find the correct answer.
Remember it's not reading memorization. It's reading comprehension.