Description
The Reading Comprehension sections of the
SAT
consist of two types of questions:
-
Sentence Completion Questions
are based on vocabulary words. Sentence Completion questions will have either one or two blanks.
It is your job to fill in the blank or blanks with the most appropriate words.
-
Critical Reading Questions:
There are nine reading passages on the SAT that vary in length from a few paragraphs (~15 lines)
to a page (~100 lines). These questions will test your understanding of the readings.
Approach
Although there are a few different types of questions on Reading Comprehension sections, there are
several general pointers that will always help.
-
Make up your own answer before you look at the choices.
For Sentence Completions, this means filling the blank with your own word. For Critical Reading
Questions, this means coming up with your own answer before you look at the answer options.
-
ELIMINATE!
Try to get rid of two or three bad answers before you look for the good stuff. It's always
easier to see horrible answers than it is to find the one good one.
-
Find the proof.
These questions are not open to interpretation. There must be evidence for the right answer.
Evidence for Sentence Completion answers is in the dictionary definition of the vocab words.
Evidence for Critical Reading answers is the proof within the passage.
1) A Sample Sentence Completion Question
Fill in the blank in the following question with the best choice from the answers.
Although some of the stories in the athlete's biography are _______, much of the tale will
surprise even his most ardent fans.
-
inconsequential
-
familiar
-
circumstantial
-
morbid
-
shocking
2) A Sample Critical Reading Question
The following is a brief excerpt from a Critical Reading passage:
"...For a number of reasons the work dragged. It took one year to complete the first
forty miles. The lack of rail connections east of Omaha was a very serious occasion of
expense and delay. The work was new, those in charge were not at that time experienced,
funds were scarce, and the credit of the Company was not yet established. As a result the
average rate of progress during the first twelve months was but a mile a week..."
Which is the following is NOT identified as a reason why the work was slow?
-
The company lacked money
-
The weather was horrible
-
The work was new and different
-
The people in charge were inexperienced
-
The company did not have credit
