How to Answer these Questions
The narrator indicates that Lymie finally closes the
history book because
What is Cause/Effect
What to do:
1) Look for signal words (either cause words or Effect words).
2) The words that follow your cause words or effect tells you which one
3) If there are no signal words, then you must infer by asking the “Why” (Cause) and “What” (Effect).
As used in line 85, “boost” most nearly means
The narrator indicates that Lymie finally closes the
history book
What are Supporting Details
1. Scan the passage for the word or idea that is presented in the question
stem.
2. Go Back to the Passage. Once you've found it in the text, read the surrounding sentences. Straightforward question about a fact or example from the text, your answer will likely appear in the same sentence in which the word or phrase appears -- or in the sentence before or after that sentence.
3. Choose the response that is the closest match to the text.
4. Distracters to watch out for: those that contradict the text and distracters
that require you to make an inference
In the figure, which category of news has an
artificially up-voted mean score of 2.5?
What is Analyzing quantitative information
Data Question
At the end of the second paragraph, the comparisons
of abstract qualities to a lynx and a snake mainly
have the effect of
The main idea of the last paragraph is that Mr. Peters
What is Main Idea
2WS Who+ What)
Looking at The Answer Choices: General vs Specific Words
General terms refer to groups (Main Idea)
specific terms refer to individuals Specific words provide precise, sensory, or concrete details. (Supporting Details)
According to the passage, a significant attribute of
conventional agriculture is its ability to
The primary impression created by the narrator’s
description of Mr. Peters in lines 74-79 is that he is
A) healthy and fit.
B) angry and menacing.
C) nervous and hesitant.
D) aging and shriveled.
What is Tone/Point of View
1. First of all, determine if the author is negative, positive, or neutral about
the topic. (For example, if the author is positive, then you can reject all
distracters that are negative.)
2. Look at the level of intensity of feeling in the passage. Is it strong (like
passionate, bitterly critical, or revengeful)? Or is it mild (like ambiguous or
uncertain or undecided?)
What is Grimké’s central claim
Beecher would most likely have reacted to lines 65-68
(“Now... woman”) of Passage 2 with
A) sympathy, because she feels that human beings
owe each other a debt to work together in the
world.
B) agreement, because she feels that human
responsibilities are a natural product of human
rights.
C) dismay, because she feels that women actually
have a more difficult role to play in society than
men do.
D) disagreement, because she feels that the natures
of men and women are fundamentally different.
As used in line 93, “becoming” most nearly means
What is Vocabulary
1. Use the Context (Read the sentence right before the sentenced used with the word. Then read The sentence after the used word).
2. Determine the Tone (Look at the words used to determine + - N and look at the connotation.
3. Pull the answer choices into the sentence, replacing the word to see if it makes sense.
Which of the following claims is supported by
figure 2?
What is Analyzing quantitative information=
Data Questions
The main purpose of the first paragraph is to
What is Author's Purpose
Steps to answering: Think PIED (Remember other words for Persuade/Inform/Entertain/Describe)
• Read the question carefully.
Which type is it?
What piece of text is the question asking about?
Where in the passage can you find it?
• Read the section of text that contains that portion.
• Read the sentences before and after the specific section if that helps with understanding.
• Figure out why you think the author included the portion.
• Read the answer choices carefully. Pay close attention to any verbs used, such as to explain or to summarize.
• Match your idea to one of the answer choices. Then go back and eliminate the other choices to check.
Which choice best reflects the perspective of the
“environmentalists” (line 27) on conventional
agriculture?
Which choice best summarizes the passage?
The author of the passage suggests that crowds may
be more effective at
What is Inference
• Look for keywords that identify the question as an inference question.
• Identify the most important substantive word(s) in the question. In addition to the keyword(s), you will want to identify the word or phrase that will guide you toward then answer as you read the passage.
• Consider each of the answer choices and look for evidence to either support it or reject it in these areas
Beecher would most likely have reacted to lines 65-68
(“Now... woman”) of Passage 2 with
Which statement is best supported by the
information provided in figure 1?
What is Analyzing quantitative information
Data question
1) Go to the Graphic
2) Read The Title-Rephrase in your own words
3) The Key-Determine Symbols/Info Used
4) Read the X and Y Axis Info
5) POE To eliminate wrong answer choices
The passage indicates that, after a long day of
work, the narrator sometimes found his living
quarters to be
Which choice provides the best evidence for the
the answer to the previous question?
A) Lines 3-4 (“Certain... Net”)
B) Lines 23-25 (“But... smarter”)
C) Lines 25-29 (“Ina... ability”)
D) Lines 29-31 (“She... others”)
Which choice provides the best evidence for the
answer to the previous question?
What is Citing Textual Evidence
**(Paired Questions-2 Types)
• I. Specific Paired Steps (Supporting Details Question)
1) Answer Question One First. Same Steps as supporting detail questions
2) Underline the answer directly found.
3) Then, because you already have the best evidence, underlined—Go to question 2 and find your line reference answer choices.
• II. General Paired Sets (Parallel POE)
1) Read both questions first, then Start with the second question FIRST.
2) Go to the line Reference and then use POE.
3) Then answer Question 1.
Based on the passages, both authors would agree
with which of the following claims?
Which statement best expresses a relationship
between organic farming and conventional farming
that is presented in the passage?
A) Both are equally sustainable, but they differ
dramatically in the amount of land they require
to produce equivalent yields.
B) Both rely on artificial chemicals for pest control,
but organic farmers use the chemicals sparingly
in conjunction with natural remedies.
C) Both use nitrogen to encourage plant growth,
but the nitrogen used in conventional farming
comes from synthetic sources.
D) Both create a substantial amount of nitrogen
runoff, but only the type of nitrogen found in
fertilizers used in conventional farming can be
dangerous.
What is Compare/Contrast?
• The question will contain cue words or phrases that indicate it’s a comparison question,
Signal words:Compare
Compare, Too, both , accordingly, resemble, similar to, also, likewise, same as, in the same way
Over the course of the passage, the main focus shifts
from a discussion of an experiment and its results to
A) an explanation of the practical applications of
the results.
B) a consideration of the questions prompted by the
results.
C) an analysis of the defects undermining the
results.
D) a conversation with a scientist who disputes the
results.
The first paragraph serves mainly to
A) explain how a scientific device is used.
B) note a common misconception about an event.
C) describe a natural phenomenon and address its
importance.
D) present a recent study and summarize its
findings