SEVEN SHSAT READING STRATEGIES
Mark it up.
You can write in the test booklet, so use this to your advantage. Do not take a lot of notes, but do not leave the passage and
surrounding space blank! If you do not jot down notes and circle and underline anything, you are putting yourself at a
disadvantage. These passages are boring and difficult to remember. Make it easy to find the stuff you’ll need to answer the
questions.
1.
Focus on the first third of the passage.
You may find the passages boring. That’s just a fact of the test. However, while you cannot count on being entertained, you can
count on being presented with a well-organized passage. This means that the author is overwhelmingly likely to spell out most the
important stuff in the beginning of the passage. Odds are that you’ll be able to answer the main idea question based on the first
third of the passage.
2.
Look for the big idea.
All you really need to pick up is the gist of the passage (i.e., the main idea and the paragraph topics). Remember that you can
research the details as you need them as long as you have an idea of where to look.
3.
Use the paragraph topics.
The first two sentences of each paragraph should tell you what it’s about. The rest of the paragraph is likely to be more detail
heavy. Just as you should pay more attention to the beginning of the passage, you should also pay more attention to the beginning
of each paragraph.
4.
Don’t sweat the details.
Don’t waste time reading and rereading parts you don’t understand. As long as you have a general idea of where the details are,
you don’t really have to know what the details are. Remember, if you don’t get a question about a detail, you don’t have to know
it. This is another place where marking up the passage comes in handy. You can always circle or underline details that seem as
though they may be important. Furthermore, as long as you have made a note of the paragraph topic, you should be able to go back
and find the details. Details will always be consistent with the paragraph topics.
5.
Make it simple.
Sometimes you’ll come across difficult language and technical jargon in the passages. As much as possible, try not to get bogged
down by language you find confusing. The underlying topics are generally pretty straightforward. It can be very helpful to put
confusing-sounding language into your own words. You don’t have to understand every word in order to summarize or
paraphrase. All you need is a very general understanding.
6.
Keep moving.
Aim to spend no more than two to three minutes reading each passage. Remember, just reading the passage doesn’t get you points.
7.
