Data Representation, Research Summaries, or Conflicting Viewpoints
General ACT Tips
Frequently Used Words DEFINE THE WORD
100
What is one main component of Data representation problems?
Graphs and charts
100
According to Figure 1, the regions of several ocean zones
overlap as one moves down the ocean floor. Which of the
following parts of the topography of the ocean floor share
part of a common depth range?
A. The slope is both bathypelagic and epipelagic.
B. The slope is both mesopelagic and bathypelagic.
C. The rise is both epipelagic and mesopelagic.
D. The abyssal plain is both benthopelagic and mespelagic.
B. The slope is both mesopelagic and bathypelagic
100
Read the passage, but don't spend all your time on it. The CHARTS are the main focus of the questions in this section.
Data Representation
100
True or False: Answer ALL questions on the ACT, even if you have to guess.
True. You are much better off guessing than leaving an answer blank because there is no penalty for wrong answers on the ACT.
100
COMPARE
Show how things are the same
200
How much time do you have to read 7 passages and answer 40 questions?
35 minutes?
200
According to Figure 1, an oceanographic temperature reading
taken from the abyssopelagic zone will likely have which of
the following depths?
F. 1000 m
G. 2000 m
H. 3000 m
J. 5000 m
F. 1000 m
200
You will have to read and understand 2 or 3 experiments and their results. The questions in this section will ask you to compare data across the experiments.
Research Summaries
200
How long is too long to spend on any one question on the ACT?
A minute and a half. If you have spent that long on one question and still don't have an answer, move on.
200
INFER
think beyond the information given in a text and make links with 'unstated' ideas or information
300
Name 2 of the 3 types of passages on the Science Reasoning Test
Data Representation, Research Summaries, Conflicting Viewpoints
300
According to Figure 2, a sonographic measurement of
temperature would be unable to distinguish the difference
between tropical and temperate oceans at which of the
following depths?
A. 10 m
B. 250 m
C. 500 m
D. 1000 m
A. 10 m
300
You should approach this passage the same way you would approach a Reading Test passage.
Conflicting Viewpoints
300
True or False: If a question looks complicated, it probably is. Don't even waste time skimming the material.
False. Some complicated questions ARE complicated, but many just LOOK complicated.
300
CONVEY
to make something known; to pass on information
400
Name one ACT Science Strategy
Answer every question, track your timing, skip hard questions and move on, Skim passages, read questions first then passage, not all difficult looking questions are difficult, etc
400
According to Table 1, the relationship between depth and
ocean temperature is best described by which of the following
statements?
F. The water temperature increased with increasing depth in
Region 1 only.
G. The water temperature decreased with increasing depth
in Region 1 only.
H. The water temperature increased with increasing depth in
Region 2 only.
J. The water temperature decreased with increasing depth
in Region 1 only.
H. The water temperature increased with increasing depth in
Region 2 only.
400
The types of questions you will answer in this category are unlike in the other 2 categories. The types of questions you will answer are Detail, Inference, and Comparison.
Conflicting Viewpoints
400
When you are unsure of how to answer a question, you may want to use the _______________ method, where you look at the answer choices and get rid of wrong answers until there is only one answer left.
elimination
400
IDENTIFY
to give the name or identifying characteristics of something
500
True or False: You'll probably need a calculator to answer some of the questions on this portion of the test (but you won't have access to one)
False: You will not need a calculator to answer any of the questions on this portion of the test.
500
According to Table 1, if water temperature
measurements were taken at a depth of 600 m, the total
pressure at that depth would most likely:
A. decrease to less than 101 kPa.
B. remain consistent at 600 kPa.
C. increase to approximately 700 kPa.
D. increase to approximately 1000 kPa.
C. increase to approximately 700 kPa.
500
These tend to be the most straightforward, least complicated passages on the Science Reasoning Test.
Data Representation
500
____________ guessing means you work to eliminate answers, always getting rid of two choices for each question. You then guesses between the remaining choices and have a 50 percent chance of getting the correct answer.