TRAP
READ SMARTER, NOT HARDER
WRITING & EDITING
MINDSET & PACING
TECH TOOLS & PRACTICAL TIPS
100
THE FIRST STEP OF TRAP, WHICH PREVENTS YOU FROM ANSWERING THE WRONG THING
WHAT IS TAG (THE QUESTION)?
100
USE THIS TOOL WHILE READING TO REDUCE EYE STRAIN
WHAT IS THE LINE READER?
100
“THE LONG SHADOW ACROSS THE EMPTY HALLWAY, THE FLICKER OF FLUORESCENT LIGHTS IN THE DISTANCE, THE FAINT RUSTLE OF PAPERS NEAR THE OPEN CLASSROOM DOOR.”
THAT SENTENCE IS A FRAGMENT BECAUSE IT IS MISSING THESE
WHAT ARE VERBS?
100
THE FIRST THING YOU DO WHEN THE PROCTOR SAYS "YOU MAY NOW BEGIN THE TEST."
WHAT IS YOUR FOLDABLE?
100
DON'T GET STUCK ON ONE QUESTION -- JUST DO THIS AND COME BACK TO IT LATER!
200
THE STEP WHERE YOU SLOW DOWN AND EXAMINE THE PASSAGE BEFORE LOOKING AT ANSWER CHOICES
WHAT IS “READ THE STIMULI”?
200
DO THIS WHILE READING TO PREVENT CONFUSION -- NO MORE GETTING TO THE END SAYING "WHAT DID I JUST READ?"
WHAT IS ANNOTATION? (AND MAYBE A LITTLE HIGHLIGHTING!)
200
THE MAIN QUESTION YOU SHOULD ASK WHEN WRITING AN ECR: “DOES THIS SUPPORT MY ___________?"
WHAT IS THESIS?
200
IT'S HOW LONG YOU HAVE TO FINISH YOUR TEST
WHAT IS ALL DAY?
200
USE THIS TO MARK THROUGH WRONG ANSWER CHOICES!
WHAT IS THE STRIKETHROUGH TOOL?
300
THIS STEP MAKES YOU SAY, “WHAT DO THEY REALLY WANT ME TO FIND?”
WHAT IS “ASK WHAT THE QUESTION IS ASKING”?
300
HOW MANY TEXTS YOU SHOULD FULLY UNDERSTAND BEFORE TRYING TO COMPARE THEM
WHAT IS TWO?
300
RESTATES THE THESIS IN A FRESH WAY THAT ILLUSTRATES NEW UNDERSTANDING... AND IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR ECR SCORE!
WHAT IS A CONCLUSION?
300
SCIENCE PROVES THAT IT DOESN'T RECHARGE YOU DURING A TEST -- INSTEAD, IT SHUTS YOUR BRAIN DOWN!
WHAT IS NAPPING DURING THE TEST?
300
MAKE A NOTE FOR A PARTICULAR QUESTION WITH THIS TOOL
WHAT IS STICKY NOTE?
400
USE TEXT EVIDENCE AND ELIMINATE DISTRACTORS IN THIS STEP
WHAT IS “PROVE IT”?
400
THIS KIND OF WRONG ANSWER SOUNDS DEEP, DRAMATIC, SMART, OR LONG, BUT IT ISN’T SUPPORTED BY THE TEXT!
WHAT IS A DISTRACTOR?
400
PUT THESE INTO YOUR WRITING TO MAKE IT FLOW, SO THE GRADER KNOWS HOW SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS RELATE TO EACH OTHER
WHAT ARE TRANSITION WORDS?
400
A SCORE OF THIS GUARANTEES YOU'LL NEVER HAVE TO TAKE THIS TEST AGAIN
WHAT IS 50%?
400
YOU HAVE A PAPER ONE OF THESE AND A DIGITAL ONE -- USE BOTH!
WHAT IS DICTIONARY?
500
THE TRAP STEP STUDENTS SKIP MOST OFTEN — AND THE ONE THAT CAUSES THE MOST MISSED QUESTIONS.
WHAT IS READ?
500
YOU CAN TAKE NOTES ON THIS OR YOUR SCRATCH PAPER TO ORGANIZE YOUR THOUGHTS AS YOU TEST
WHAT IS A NOTEPAD?
500
THE FIRST SENTENCE OF YOUR ECR
WHAT IS YOUR THESIS?
500
DOING THIS WHILE "READING" GUARANTEES YOU'LL BE FOOLED BY EVERY QUESTION
WHAT IS SKIMMING?
500
THE TWO THINGS YOU WILL NEED BEFORE YOU GO INTO ANY BIG TEST FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE
WHAT ARE SLEEP AND FOOD?