BC Basics & Orientation
What three subject scores make up the new ACT composite score?
English, Math, and Reading.
What are the four qualities of the “Best Answer,” not just a correct answer?
Grammatically correct, consistent, clear, and concise.
What is the “Blitz” target time for the first 20 questions?
10 minutes.
What are the Four S’s of ACT Reading?
Skimming, Scanning, Support, Scope.
What is the first thing students should do when starting a science passage?
Read the graphs, charts, or figures for about 15 seconds.
How many minutes do students get for the English section?
35 minutes.
Name one example of when NOT to use a comma, based on Comma Boot Camp.
Don’t separate subjects from their verbs.
“Cherry Picking” is recommended for students aiming below which scale score?
Below a 24.
How much time should students spend on each passage?
9 minutes per passage.
What are the three types of ACT Science passages?
Data Representation, Research Summary, and Conflicting Viewpoints.
According to the slide deck, what percent of the science score comes from prior knowledge?
About 10%.
Which punctuation mark accounts for 20% of the English score?
The comma.
What is the strategy that encourages students to make a guess before moving on and then eliminate bad options?
Guess Twice As Well.
Why is Reading called an “open-book test” in the Boot Camp?
Because every answer is found directly in the passage.
What is the recommended time range for each science mini-test?
5–7 minutes.
Instructor pacing calls during English mini-tests help students practice which key strategy?
Time management and identifying when to skip/mark and return.
In the “Why Are All the Answers Right?” activity, students learn to look for what subtle difference among answer choices?
The best answer among several grammatically correct options.
What is one common calculator-related mistake that instructors must warn students about?
Incorrect use of the negative sign.
What is the biggest danger to avoid during the Reading test, especially in longer passages?
Brain drain (losing focus).
In Conflicting Viewpoints passages, what is the primary focus of questions?
Comparing and contrasting scientists’ positions.
Why is it important for students to “use every minute” on the ACT, as emphasized in the Orientation section?
Because every question is worth the same amount, and using all available time allows students to capture additional points.
Why is the ACT English test considered one of the most demanding sections in terms of time?
Because students must edit six passages and answer 50 questions in only 35 minutes.
In the new ACT format, each math question has how many answer choices instead of five?
Four answer choices.
In dual-passage questions, what must students pay special attention to when answering combined questions?
How the two passages relate in content, agreement, or contrast.
What is the key strategy for narrowing down answer choices in science based on figures?
Crossing out contradictions.