<p>So in the I'm aiming for 2400 thread someone <em>cory-something</em> recommended reading intelligent, difficult books for preparation for the reading & writing section. Though this is obvious, I'm not sure how many people actually employ this strategy. It always seems to be about the blue book this & online prep that. So what do you think of just reading. I personally like the idea, as cory-something said, you'd be getting smarter instead of just prepping for, though I hate to admit it, an overated test.</p>
<p>Anyway sorry for the semi-lecture. All I really want from this thread is a recommendation of good, real books to read that you feel would make good prep for SATs, ACT, ...... I guess you can include those books that contain like 1000 real SAT words. I actually happen to like a few.</p>
<p>Well, let's be honest. A lot of words that appear on the SAT are either archaic or used extremely rarely. You must likely won't read them anywhere else except for in very literate books, which makes them harder to learn from pure memorization. However, I strongly believe in the strategy you mentioned, because, after seeing the same word 10 times in different contexts, you'll begin to understand what it means, and you'll know how to use it in a sentence, which is something you wouldn't necessarily be able to do after just memorizing. </p>
<p>This strategy also includes a few setbacks. It takes a lot of time before you start to see improvement in your vocabulary. I, myself, have been constantly reading books since grade 3, whether it be for school or for pleasure, and I fully attribute my CR and Writing scores to this. Obviously, you can't gain these benefits overnight, or even in a few weeks. It takes time, but if you make an effort, I'm sure it will work out for you.</p>
<p>You should read Lord of the Flies because the vocabulary is very rich, and the themes can be applied to a variety of possible essay topics. Apart from that, I would suggest reading any books from the 19th and early 20th centuries, because they're usually rich in vocabulary.</p>
<p>I would think it be the sort of thing great for a Freshman or someone who doesn't want to start hitting the prep books right away and has time for gradual increase in intellect. It's obviously not something that's going to help someone who's about to take the test next week as senior or something. I'm a rising junior and it's summer so I have free time. Reading probably be more prduoctiive than the amount of time I spend on College Confidential; not that you guys aren't great.I'm think that it also help one get used to proper grammer rules & such. I was actully hoping to make a list.</p>
<p>Just read anything, it's never too late. Just set aside some time everyday (1-2 hours) and read anything that fascinates you. Make sure it contains difficult words and themes to broaden your critical thinking skills. Don't give up though. I ,myself, have never been a serious reader until a few months ago when I first discovered how interesting reading really is. Even if you don't see a improvement, continuing the habit of reading will not only make you a smarter person but will also make life interesting. I just picked up "The Best American Science Nature Writing" by Brian Greene(He's a math/physics professor from Columbia University) . The book includes several periodcals from sources such as The Scientific American, The New York Times, and other valuable sources rich with words essential for buliding a strong vocabulary. On top of that, I actually find most of the periodicals REALLY interesting. Just read a lot and STICK TO IT and you will find yourself gradually enjoying it. Get off CC and read :)</p>
<p>Hey, I have a summer reading assignment for English but I also want to prepare for the SAT vocab. Here are the requirements for the book:</p>
<p>"Over the summer, read a book of your choice, fiction or biography. It cannot be a school-assigned book. The book must be on or above your independent reading level, i.e. no Young Adult selections."</p>
<p>Anybody got a good suggestion, preferably around 300-350 pages?</p>