<p>I took my first ACT practice test ever today. This was my score E: 34 M: 34 R: 26 S: 33. This makes my composite a 32. My goal is a 35. I know very well that all of my mistakes were stupid in E, M, and S. However, I can't do reading at all. I tried my strategy that I use on the SAT, which is read 1 paragraph answer questions about it, but the fact that the questions are not in order and the time per passage is 8-9 minutes is throwing me off. How exactly do you all tackle reading?</p>
<p>I’ve found that’s easier to glance over the questions before you start reading, then skim the entire passage before answering the questions. As you skim the passage, try to spot any answers to questions you remember.</p>
<p>^Don’t glance over the questions. You don’t have time. It’s best to just read it fast enough to where you can still understand what’s going on and then do the questions. You want to aim at reading each passage in 3-4 minutes.</p>
<p>I found the best way to pace myself on reading tests of any kind is to just skim the questions and look for ones that ask about specific line(s). I then quickly go to the story and make brackets for those certain lines/underline certain words. When I read the story I know when to stop and answer questions because of the brackets/underlines. When I’m done with the story I can answer the other questions. Before when I took the ACT I just kinda read then did questions and went back whenever I needed but I would run out of time. Now I finish like 5-8 minutes early. It helped me a ton for AP English exams too. I’m pretty sure I found that tip on a test taking thread here.</p>
<p>After reading each paragraph of the passage, write two or three words summarizing the paragraph. What this accomplishes is 1) Forces you to recollect on the key points of the paragraph 2) Naturally assimilates thoughts into a cohesive idea and 3) Actually saves you time because rereading is rarely required. I must also say that almost ALL inference questions on the passage (1-2 per passage) will become the easiest questions out of the set because your two word summaries will usually suffice for you to recognize the right answer.</p>
<p>Trust me on this one. I got a 27 on my reading in December. I then asked my brother on how he used to do it (He got a 36 and 1600 on SAT). He told me this method. Guess what? I raised my score to a 35! I don’t think you see jumps like that very often in such a short period of time.</p>
<p>Anyway, sorry for the long post and hope my method helps you.</p>
<p>EDIT: forgot to mention my 35 reading was in February.</p>
<p>^Yes, that is one of the best methods for many people. I would recommend using that method as well.</p>
<p>@mtv22 I can read the passages under 4 minutes easily, but I have difficult answering the questions in the next 4 minutes.</p>
<p>@Porcelain What I noticed on the ACT (compared to the SAT) there are not that many line reference questions. There were like 1-2 per passage in the one I took. Anyway, it’s the others that throw me off because I have difficulty locating the reference in the text.</p>
<p>@cooldude987 I will try that.</p>
<p>Hmm… Maybe I’m in the minority in that I feel like my Reading score is sometimes the only thing keeping my composite up. </p>
<p>Anyway, the tendency seems to be to overthink some of the questions in my experience. Some questions are pretty obviously found somewhere in the text. I mean, you just have to search around the part that discusses them. Even though I’ve never used that method of writing words down, that definitely seems as though it would help. </p>
<p>For example on the April test: There was some question that asked about the aunt’s calligraphy being better than the dad’s. I looked at the part that told about the family in general. When I didn’t find the answer there, I looked in the part that discussed each family member’s chores. Sure enough, that’s where it was. It seems obvious, but you save a lot of time when you think in terms of connections. </p>
<p>Another thing: (This was important for the electric fish section on the April test.) I HAVE YET TO SEE ANYTHING COMPARABLE TO A TRICK QUESTION ON THE READING SECTION. Really, if you’re split between two or more answers on one section, I say, go with the one that seems more, well, simple-minded lol. It’s nothing to do with your inferences from the question so much as it is what the passage gives you. Don’t overthink it! </p>
<p>For example: I remember one practice test I took that asked what “things necessary for the survival of early humans” most likely meant in the passage. Two of the answers were “technology” and “clothing, weapons, traps” (or something like that). I SAW in the section that “clothing, weapons and traps” were mentioned. It was right there in front of me…and I still put “technology” because I was trying to sum it up–to be more intelligent than I had to be. Dumb. Don’t do that.</p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>Edit: Oh yea, I got a 34 Reading on the April ACT (Not sure if you were shooting for better but hopefully this helps.)</p>
<p>I definitely think the questions are much more straightforward than the SAT, and the answers can be always be found in the passage; don’t try to infer something that may or may not be true. </p>
<p>A strategy that worked for me was skipping around sections - the four passages are always the same genre, and I tackled them in Social Science, Natural Science, Humanities, and Prose Fiction. I prefer factual passages over more biased/fictional ones, but you can choose any order you want. What was important for me was to get through everything with enough time, because on the practice tests I often completely ran out of time. By choosing the easier passages first, I could avoid silly mistakes on easy questions and hopefully have enough time at the end to take on the fiction passage’s questions. </p>
<p>I’m a terrible critical reader (especially on the SAT), but I managed to cobble a 36 on the most recent Reading section. Hope this helps :)</p>
<p>So I noticed the trend that I only miss 1-2 on the middle passages, whereas I miss 4ish on the 1st and 4th. Would it be recommended that I start with the middle ones and then go to the outer passages or start in the outer and then to the inner?</p>
<p>I got nearly your same score. E 35, M 34,R 26, S 32. The reading is easy I just ran out of time and had to blindly guess most of the last passage.</p>
<p>Well that’s why it is hard.</p>