Recall of facts not explicitly stated in the passageIt’s exam day, and you’ve successfully made it through English and Math. You’ve had a short drink-and-snack break, and now it’s back in your seat for the second half of the test.
For some students, ACT Reading triggers trepidation and dread. If reading isn’t easy for you, reading four 750-word passages can be daunting in and of itself, not to mention answering the accompanying questions. I’ve developed key strategies that will help you overcome this fear. If you’re a good reader, these strategies can help you gain a few points and score a 36.
Even if you wouldn’t describe yourself as a bookworm or a voracious reader, you can ace this section of the ACT if you know what to focus on. ACT Reading does not test the following:
Recall of facts not explicitly stated in the passage
Mastery of long vocabulary lists
Rules of formal logic
Unlike the SAT, the ACT doesn’t test your familiarity with isolated vocabulary words. It tests you only on vocabulary in context, making rote memorization of vocabulary lists unnecessary.
Breaking down ACT Reading
““The ACT Reading Test measures your reading comprehension. You are asked to read four passages and answer questions that show your understanding of what is directly stated as well as statements with implied meanings.”
—ACT.org
The ACT Reading section includes four passages, each of which is accompanied by ten questions. Each of the four passages is worth 25% of your total ACT Reading score and covers one of four categories of writing:
Social studies
This passage concerns a topic in anthropology, archaeology, biography, business, economics, education, geography, history, political science, psychology, or sociology.
Natural sciences
This passage concerns a topic in anatomy, biology, botany, chemistry, ecology, geology, medicine, meteorology, microbiology, natural history, physiology, physics, technology, or zoology.
Prose fiction
This passage is based on a short story or is an edited excerpt from a short story or novel.
Humanities
This passage is excerpted from a memoir or personal essay and concerns a topic in architecture, art, dance, ethics, film, language, literary criticism, music, philosophy, radio, television, or theater.
Before you complain that you’re not even sure what the difference between anthropology and sociology is, or that merely hearing the word “microbiology” makes your head hurt, don’t panic! You don’t have to know anything about any of the subjects in the lists above. You might be reading a passage about one of them, but you’ll only be asked questions that test your ability to understand what you read—not your knowledge of the entire subject.
Your strategies in tackling ACT Reading will be the same for the four types of passages listed above. As an additional aid, I’ve included a few subject-specific strategies at the end of the chapter.
Your ACT Reading score is a composite of two subscores, each worth 18 points. One subscore is the score on the social studies and natural sciences passages; the other is the score on the prose fiction and humanities passages. In the past, students have typically done equally well on the two sections, although you may have a personal preference for one or the other. Regardless, the two subscores are added to determine your final score.
Some experts advocate going straight to the questions (as you should in ACT Science), while others insist that you read and fully understand the entire passage before tackling the questions. I recommend that you quickly read the passage before answering the questions, and I’ll tell you why.
Let’s say you read the questions first—all 10 of them—and then read the passage with those questions in mind. By the time you start reading the passage, you have probably forgotten half the questions. You stumble across a line in the passage that you think might be related to one of the questions, but when you flip back to the question, you realize that you had the wrong line number. You continue flipping back and forth from the passage to the questions, never developing a sense of the main idea of the passage or understanding the flow of ideas. When it comes time to answer the main idea and voice/tone questions, you have to reread the entire passage. When you finally finish the first 10 questions, you sigh with relief, only to realize that you’ve spent 20 minutes on the first passage and you have only 15 minutes left for the remaining three passages … not a happy story!
As an alternative, let’s say you read the entire passage very carefully, making a mental note of each detail and example. You underline and make notes in the margin. When you’re not sure about a detail, you reread the sentence so that you can answer what you hope will be a question that refers to that sentence. Eight minutes later, you’ve carefully read through the first passage and you charge into the questions, only to realize that you’ve already spent all the time that you should have allotted to read the first passage and answer all 10 questions … another unhappy ending!
How about a happy story? I’ve said that the best way to approach ACT Reading is to quickly read the passage, then move on to the questions. Let’s say you start reading and finish the passage in three minutes. You set to work on the questions with a sense of the main idea of the passage, knowing that any specific details that you’re asked about are indicated by line numbers in the questions—you didn’t waste time trying to memorize details the first time around. You have plenty of time to finish answering all the questions, even after looking back to the passage a few times, and you flip to the next passage confidently and within your eight-minute passage limit.
This third method is the best approach to ACT Reading. If you read all of the questions first, as in the first method, you will end up reading most of them twice. If you read the passage too closely in the beginning, as in the second method, you will waste time trying to remember details that may not even be tested (and besides, if a question refers to a specific detail in the passage, it provides the line number for easy reference).
You should read quickly through the passage so you can answer all the “big idea” questions and only have to flip back to the passage to answer the specific questions. You can try this yourself: Go to ACT.org, which has a set of practice questions for each of four passages. Using the three strategies discussed above, complete three passages (timing yourself—eight minutes per passage) and see the difference for yourself.
You have only 35 minutes to read 360 lines of text (about 3,000 words!) and answer 40 questions, so managing your time well is of the utmost importance. A low score in ACT Reading often results from not having enough time to read all of the passages. To avoid this problem, you’ll need to follow the timing guidelines set out here:
Use a maximum of 8 minutes per passage.
Use up to 3½ minutes to read through each passage the first time.
Use the remaining time (4½-plus minutes) to answer the questions.
This strategy leaves 3 minutes of “cushion” at the end of the exam—in case you had to spend extra time on a particularly difficult passage, or to check that you’ve bubbled the answer sheet correctly.
Go to ACT.org and locate a Reading section practice passage. Read it from start to finish, timing yourself. If it takes you longer than 3½ minutes to read the passage, you need to increase your baseline reading speed. This may sound harsh, but if you can’t read a passage in 3½ minutes or less, there’s no way you’ll have enough time to answer the questions.
If you can read the passage in 3½ minutes, great! Skip the next section on increasing your reading speed.
If it takes you longer than 3½ minutes, read on.
The average reading speed in the United States is 200 words per minute; for a 750-word passage on the ACT, that’s 3½ to 4 minutes of reading. This is good news: in order to read fast enough to score a 36 in ACT Reading, you only need to be able to read slightly faster than the average American. Being a student gives you an advantage, since you’re used to reading textbooks, literature, and homework assignments.
Before you study the reading tips below, you should determine your reading speed, using one of several online reading speed tests (search on “reading speed test” and pick one). Once you know your baseline speed, check your progress by testing your speed about once a week, using the same online tool. The following tips and tricks will help you increase your speed.
Don’t subvocalize. “Subvocalization” means pronouncing each word out loud in your head as you read. Almost all readers are guilty of this to some degree, but subvocalization can markedly decrease your reading speed—it forces you to read as slowly as you would say the words out loud. As you read, listen for that voice in your head that is “saying” all the words out loud. If you can hear it, try to read the same passage without letting your mind “speak” the words. Keep practicing. Although it may take getting used to, eliminating subvocalization will help you improve your reading speed dramatically.
Read in chunks. Reading words one by one can really slow you down. Instead of reading and digesting each word as an independent unit, try to read the words as “chunks” that have meaning. Pay attention to your eye movement as you read a line. If you’re stopping at each word, try to stop every two words, then every three words. Reading in chunks of three to five words will help you increase your reading speed.
Don’t reread. One of the most common problems that plague slow readers is unintentional rereading of material. These readers jump back to read words or phrases that they’ve already read. Not only does this slow you down, it also hinders your ability to develop a sense of the flow of the passage. To correct this common reading error, use your finger or a pencil to maintain your place. Keep it moving smoothly across each line, and don’t jump back to something you’ve already read.
Stay focused. Concentrate on what’s being said in the passage. Don’t let your mind wander and be forced to reread several lines because you were thinking about something else.
These tips should help you achieve a reading speed of 200 to 250 words per minute, which will guarantee that you have enough time to read the passage and answer the questions in eight minutes. One of the most important keys to increasing your reading speed is practice—you have to read and read and read until you have mastered these tips and are using them automatically. If you’re still having trouble reading more than 200 words per minute, consider an online speed-reading course.
Be sure to practice one passage at a time and always time yourself, checking that you can read each passage and answer its ten questions in eight minutes.
The ACT Reading section tests very different skills than your high school English classes. If you use the same strategies that you’ve been using in the classroom, you won’t score very well on the ACT. The reason? The ACT is written to test, among other things, your ability to infer the answer by drawing conclusions from information in a passage. High school English tests, on the other hand, usually ask you to analyze a passage; in order to do that, you need to assume information about characters, plots, or the author’s writing style.
What’s the difference between inference and assumption? As tools for analyzing literature, inference requires that you draw a conclusion based directly on evidence in the text, while assumption requires that you draw a conclusion that isn’t based on evidence in the text. Never assume on the ACT Reading section. The assumption strategy may have helped you score high on English tests, but ACT exam writers are aware that many students do this, and they purposefully include incorrect answers to catch these students. Making the transition from assumption to inference is critical to scoring well in ACT Reading.
The ACT expects you to think both literally and critically.
With literal thinking, you find exact words or phrases in the passage that will help you answer a question. Think about a computer using a search function to find information online; there is no interpretation or complex thinking required. The ACT tests literal thinking, because being able to read literally is critical to reading well. If you don’t understand what a passage says literally, you won’t be able to progress to the interpretation and inference that characterizes more sophisticated readers and that you’ll need to ace ACT Reading. Having made it through most of high school, you should be able to think literally quite well. Thus, you should succeed on questions of detail and sequence, as well as on many comparison and main-idea questions—they test literal thinking.
Critical thinking goes beyond your ability to understand the words and phrases that you are reading; it is required to synthesize, compare, contrast, analyze, and infer, based on what you’ve read. You use critical thinking on questions of cause-and-effect, point of view, contextual vocabulary, and inference. You identify relationships among events and characters, and draw conclusions from the information in the passage.
According to the ACT, the Reading section measures your ability to perform the following tasks:
Locate and interpret significant events.
Determine the main idea.
Understand sequences of events.
Comprehend cause-and-effect relationships.
Determine the meaning of context-dependent words, phrases, and statements.
Make comparisons.
Analyze the author’s/narrator’s voice and stylistic approach.
Make generalizations.
Each question on the Reading section falls into one of eight categories, listed below in order of difficulty, using a scale of 1 to 5.
Details. You pick out details verbatim from the passage. These questions are the easiest. (DIFFICULTY = 1)
The main idea. You summarize the main point of a paragraph or passage in your own words. (DIFFICULTY = 2)
Sequence. You determine the sequence of several events in the passage. Little or no interpretation is required. (DIFFICULTY = 2)
Cause-and-effect. You identify cause-and-effect relationships among events in the passage. The level of difficulty depends on the proximity of the events in the passage and the subtlety of their relationship. (DIFFICULTY = 2, 3, or 4)
Contextual vocabulary. You determine the meaning of a specific word based on its context in the passage. The question, which directs you to a specific line, requires you to decide which of several meanings is most appropriate in the context. (DIFFICULTY = 3)
Comparison. You identify similarities or differences between parts of the passage. (DIFFICULTY = 3)
Point of view/character. You analyze the tone, voice, or identity of the author or character, based on evidence in the passage. This question, which relates to the passage as a whole, appears at the end of the question set. (DIFFICULTY = 4)
Inference. You draw conclusions based on information suggested—but not plainly stated—in the passage. These are the trickiest questions of all. (DIFFICULTY = 5)
A practice passage is presented below, interspersed with questions that test your skill in these categories. On the actual ACT exam, the passage is presented in its entirety, followed by the 10 questions. Read the passage, then answer the question.
1. From this passage it can reasonably be inferred that Charles Darwin would argue that the variability that he sees among individual domestic plants and animals:
A. has been enhanced by man’s efforts to select the optimal specimens to breed.
B. has decreased over time due to man’s interference.
C. arises because of God’s role in generating diverse specimens.
D. arises independently of man’s activity.
Nearly all of the inference questions in ACT Reading contain the word “infer,” alerting you to be prepared to extrapolate from the material in the passage. In this case, you’re asked to infer how Charles Darwin believes that the variability mentioned in the passage comes about.
This is a fairly straightforward inference question—you scan the passage quickly for the words “variable,” “variation,” and “variability” and determine what the passage says about variability. Lines 5–7 state, “The variability … is not directly produced by man.” This eliminates answer choices A and B, which mention man as having a role in the process, as well as choice C, which mentions God, who is not mentioned in the passage at all. If you had chosen C, you would have been making the assumption (oh no!) that because man didn’t create the variability, then God must have. This dangerous, incorrect assumption illustrates why you need to stick closely to the text and not draw conclusions without proper evidence.
Having ruled out choices A, B, and C, you are left with choice D, which closely matches the sentiment expressed by Darwin about the negligible impact of man on variability.
2. Which of the following is NOT given as an example of the effects of natural selection?
F. Green-colored insects that eat leaves
G. Grey-colored insects that feed on bark
H. White birds that live on snowy mountaintops
J. Birds whose feathers turn white in the winter
Because the question includes the word “NOT,” you must identify the answer choice that is not supported by the passage. Lines 20–23 refer to “leaf-eating insects green, and bark-feeders mottled-grey; the alpine ptarmigan white in winter, the red-grouse the colour of heather.” Green insects that eat leaves are mentioned, so choice F is ruled out. Grey, bark-feeding insects are mentioned, so choice G is eliminated. Only choices H and J remain. Ask yourself: Is Darwin saying that the ptarmigan is always white or that it turns white in winter? Line 22 notes the “ptarmigan white in winter,” implying that this is not always the case. Thus, choice J is eliminated, and choice H is correct—which makes sense: the fact that the ptarmigan lives in the mountains has little to do with why Darwin includes it in his argument for natural selection.
3. Which of the following is NOT implied by the illustration of natural selection given in the fifth paragraph (lines 40–55) of the passage?
A. A change in the climate of an island could almost immediately lead to increased variability in the types of plant and animal life found there.
B. A change in the climate of an island could almost immediately lead to the deaths of many of its native plants and animals.
C. After a change in climate, the populations of some types of plants or animals on an island might increase.
D. If climate change were to cause a country to become warmer in certain regions, new kinds of animals might move into that territory.
You must determine the nature of the cause-and-effect relationship between two ideas or events in the passage. The answer choices indicate that you must identify the one incorrect “effect” caused by climate change.
The paragraph mentions the following possible effects: a change in the proportion of animals, as some become extinct and some thrive; new animals immigrating to the new climate; and existing species evolving to adapt to the new climate. You can eliminate choice B (line 45: “some species will probably become extinct”), choice C (lines 43–44: “The proportional numbers of its inhabitants will almost immediately undergo a change”), and choice D (lines 45–47: “If the country were open on its borders, new forms would certainly immigrate”). Choice A remains—although climate change may lead to variability over time, this is not an immediate change.
4. The main idea of the sixth paragraph (lines 56–64) is best summarized by which of the following sentences?
F. Man is better at making changes than Nature is, because Man’s changes are intentional.
G. The changes that man has made in livestock have been only for his own good.
H. Unlike man, nature can make changes that affect both the inside and outside of organisms.
J. Just as man can make small changes over a short time period, nature can make evolutionary changes with more breadth and scope over a much longer time period.
Questions about the main idea often include the words “main idea” or “main argument.” These questions ask you to summarize the entire passage, or perhaps only a paragraph. It is an easy, but serious, mistake to select a detail as the main idea. Such a choice is tempting, because it often closely follows the exact wording of the passage; you want to select it because it sounds right! Don’t be fooled. The main idea is usually not stated explicitly, so you should be wary of choices that too closely resemble phrases or sentences in the passage.
Choice F, which is a subjective statement about whose changes are “better,” is clearly not the correct answer. Choices G and H can be ruled out, because each one, although true, is a detail that appears in only one sentence. Choice J is correct, because it summarizes several ideas from the passage in one sentence.
5. Which of the following statements would be inconsistent with the beliefs expounded in this passage?
A. If one specimen differs from the rest of its kind, it will have an advantage over the others.
B. Natural variability is important to the survival of a species.
C. Man can exploit naturally occurring variability to improve the quality of domestic livestock through careful breeding.
D. Naturally occurring variations can have harmful as well as helpful consequences for individual specimens.
This question asks you to compare the answer choices to the views presented in the passage, then decide which contradicts one of those views. The process of elimination is useful here; you rule out choices that match an idea expressed in the passage.
The statement in choice A doesn’t reflect any of the ideas expressed in the passage, so you move on. (Any of the choices could be the answer, so if you can’t find the idea within a short time, it is best to move on to the next choice.) Choice B reflects the idea in lines 16–19: “This preservation of favourable individual differences and variations … I have called Natural Selection.” Choice B can be ruled out, because it can be reasonably inferred that these differences are important to the survival of the species. Choice C reflects the idea in the paragraph directly before this question, where Darwin says that man uses selection to breed animals “to be plainly useful to him” (lines 70–72). Thus, choice C can be eliminated. Choice D can be ruled out; not all variation is good, because some species become extinct (line 45) while others thrive (lines 46–47). Only choice A remains—which is inconsistent with the beliefs of the passage, notably with line 68’s reference to “inferior animals,” which implies that some variation is bad.
6. As it appears in line 68, the word “inferior” most nearly means:
F. of a lower quality.
G. cheaper.
H. less evolutionarily viable.
J. sickly.
A vocabulary question doesn’t test whether you know the definition of a word as much as it tests whether you can figure out what the word means in the context of its use. This is great news for you as a test taker, because you don’t have to memorize lists of vocabulary words like you do for the SAT.
Depending on context, “inferior” could have any of the meanings in the answer choices. Replace “inferior” with each choice, so that you can identify which choice preserves the meaning of the sentence. Choice F doesn’t make sense, since there is no suggestion that the animals are of a lower quality. Choice G doesn’t make sense, since price isn’t mentioned in the passage. Choice H could be correct—it has to do with evolution and how likely each animal is to survive given the different variations it has. Choice J can be eliminated, because sickness and disease are not mentioned in the neighboring sentences. Thus, choice H is the correct answer.
Note that you didn’t need to know what “inferior” means; you just had to know which of the choices suggests the same idea as “inferior” in the context.
7. Which of the following happens first in the passage?
A. Darwin uses the artificial selection made by man as proof of evolution by natural selection.
B. Darwin discusses how evolutionary changes would occur differently on islands.
C. Darwin mentions the opinions held by others on the topic of Natural Selection.
D. Darwin asserts that there is variation present in the natural world and discusses the significance of this variability.
Sequence questions, which appear at or near the end of the question set, ask you to order the events of a passage as they occurred. Sometimes, ACT exam writers try to be tricky by using flashbacks or by choosing passages that relate events out of order. Because of this, you can’t answer sequence questions based only on the location of an idea in the passage; you need to make a mental time line and plot each event asked about in chronological order. If the last paragraph in the passage mentions a flashback to the time when the narrator got her first doll, you may need to place that event at the beginning of the sequence rather than at the end. This problem occurs most often in prose fiction passages.
Since this passage is in the category of natural sciences, there probably aren’t any tricks of this nature. All you need to do is look back at the passage and locate where each of the events mentioned in the answer choices occurs. Once you have identified the sequence, simply choose the event that comes first—in this case, choice D: Darwin’s discussion of variation and variability, which appears in the second paragraph.
8. Darwin’s tone throughout the passage most closely resembles one of:
F. unbridled disdain.
G. curious skepticism.
H. blatant confidence.
J. scholarly inquiry.
In passages of prose fiction, you may be asked about the character traits of one or more characters. In other categories, you may be asked about the author and his or her voice. Success on these types of questions varies tremendously from student to student: some students are very good at identifying voice and attitude, while others struggle with these concepts.
This question asks you to classify Darwin’s tone as he explains his theory of natural selection. Is he disdainful, skeptical, confident, or scholarly? You should immediately eliminate disdainful and skeptical (choices F and G); as a proponent of natural selection, Darwin is arguing for, not against, this theory. Is Darwin’s tone one of blatant confidence or scholarly inquiry? Throughout the passage, Darwin asks questions and explores different sides of an idea. He doesn’t come across as trying to force his beliefs on the reader, and he maintains a scholarly attitude. Thus, choice D is the correct answer.
There are eight Reading strategies; together, they will increase your chances of scoring a 36 on this section of the ACT exam. You will learn these strategies one by one, then you’ll read a full-length passage and answer questions about it. Finally, you will check your answers against my analysis of each question.
1 · Write your own answer down first
2 · Skim it to win it
3 · Read actively
4 · Don’t defend the choices—attack
5 · Don’t assume
6 · Avoid extremes
7 · Choose general over specific
8 · Mark it up
Write your own answer down firstOne of the most helpful ACT strategies is to write down your own personal answer before you look at the answer choices. Although you can’t use this strategy on every single question (some questions require you to read all of the choices in order to know what the question is asking you to do), this strategy will make it a lot easier to answer many questions. Here’s how you do it:
Cover the answer choices. Use one hand to cover the four choices. If you find that you can’t answer the question without reading the choices, remove your hand. Otherwise, keep the choices covered.
Jot down your own answer. Next to the question, scribble down a general idea of what you think the answer should be. Don’t spend a lot of time doing this; use abbreviations and just a few words to record your idea. In this way, you’ll avoid being tricked by the answer choices before you formulate your own idea about an answer. Keep your idea simple; it doesn’t have to be complex or sophisticated.
ACT exam writers know the most common mistakes that students make, and they slip in answer choices that take advantage of these mistakes. They include correct-sounding choices meant to entice you to guess wrong. Don’t be fooled! If you write down your own answer before looking at any of the choices, you’re much less likely to be fooled. If one of the choices contradicts what you’ve jotted down, you’re much less likely to be tricked into selecting that choice.
Although you may think you will lose time by writing your own answer down, you’ll actually gain points by using this technique to avoid being swayed by devious choices.
Skim it to win itWrite the main idea of each paragraph down right after you’ve read it the first time. At the end of the passage, jot down the passage’s main idea. As discussed earlier, reading the passage slowly and painstakingly wastes time. Instead, read it quickly to get a sense of the main ideas—and write them down. In this way, you won’t have to reread whole paragraphs to figure out what the main idea is—you’ll already have it in the margin. Keep your summaries brief and to the point. They should take you only a few seconds. Be sure to use abbreviations and symbols.
Writing down the main idea of each paragraph as you read it the first time also ensures that you really understand what the main idea is. It’s easy to passively read a paragraph without absorbing the information; stopping to write down the main idea will keep you focused on what you’re reading.
When writing down the main idea, be sure not to steal words or phrases from the passage itself. Rewriting the topic sentence in the margin won’t help you at all. By using your own words, you’re forcing yourself to understand and interpret. Besides, an incorrect main-idea answer choice often mimics the text, and a plagiarized summary can tempt you to select such a choice.
After reading through all the paragraphs, write down the main idea of the passage itself. Try to reduce the main idea to one or two short phrases or sentences.
Read activelyReading passively can limit your understanding of the passage—you’ve read each word but haven’t extracted the big ideas.
You’re more likely to lose interest and read passively when you’re bored, and the passages in the ACT Reading section, especially the prose passages, can be one big snooze fest. In order to keep yourself interested and engaged, whether you’re reading about dining etiquette in Victorian England or social reform in France following World War II, try to read actively. There are several ways to do this:
Question. Constantly ask questions as you read. Do you have an annoying classmate who won’t stop asking questions in class? As you read a passage, be that person. Ask why certain things happen the way they do. Ask about cause-and-effect relationships. Ask why the author chose to write about the subject the way she did. Don’t answer your questions—just formulate them as you read. You’ll stay interested in the topic, and you’ll be ready for the questions when you finish the passage.
Comment. Take time to comment on parts of the passage. Does something stand out as odd? Is there an interesting word choice? A twist in the plot? Comment on these as you read to keep yourself engaged and focused on the passage.
Anticipate. Try to guess what will happen next. Will a new character be introduced? Will the author present a counterpoint? Provide a list of examples? By anticipating what’s next, you’ll stay focused on the passage and make predictions that may come in handy when answering the questions.
Experienced and enthusiastic readers do this naturally, and you can use it as a tool to read a passage more closely and stay focused.
Don’t defend the choices—attackOne of the biggest mistakes in ACT Reading is to defend the answer choices:
I guess that could be right if you looked at it this way …
Maybe the passage could be talking about this …
I probably just didn’t see that relationship the first time …
Now that I think about it, I guess this choice could be true if …
Stop! Such thoughts will lure you into picking a tempting but incorrect choice that the ACT exam writers like to sneak in. Don’t be tricked! Instead of considering how each choice could be correct, try to convince yourself how each choice could be wrong.
Attack, rather than defend—eliminate choices by thinking like this:
There’s no way this answer could be right, because …
The passage is definitely not focused on that idea …
That relationship is not implied by the text …
The author surely doesn’t have that point of view, because …
This attack strategy helps you quickly rule out choices that you know are wrong, and it will prevent your being tricked by a choice that “sounds good now that you think about it.” On the ACT, only the correct answer will be able to stand up to the attack, and this strategy will swiftly narrow your choices.
Don’t assumeMany students allow themselves to make unwarranted assumptions about the passage. ACT exam writers know that your English classes have conditioned you to make assumptions, and they’ll test you on it. To avoid falling into this trap, always ask yourself, “Can I find specific evidence supporting this statement in the text?” If your response is no, cross out the answer choice.
Make sure that every answer you choose has a clear link to the passage. Don’t be fooled by a choice that only sounds like it would make sense.
Avoid extremesBeware of extremes. It is much harder to support extreme answers than moderate ones. If an answer choice includes any of the following extreme words, you can probably eliminate it unless you can find the same word used in the passage:
Answer choices that contain extreme words are much more likely to be incorrect than those with moderate words, such as “relatively,” “somewhat,” “occasionally,” and “to some degree.” If you are considering a choice with an extreme word, make sure you can find the same level of certainty in the passage. If you can’t, select a more moderate choice.
When a question asks about the tone or attitude of the author, it’s unlikely that the author is displaying any of the following moods:
Finally, if you need to guess, never pick an extreme choice.
Choose general over specificGeneral answer choices are much more likely to be correct than specific choices. The more specific and detailed the choice, the less likely it is to be supported by the passage.
Similarly, the more material included in a choice, the more likely it is that there is a contradiction between a part of the choice and the passage. Since it takes only one contradiction for the choice to be incorrect, even if the rest of the choice’s details are correct, you can eliminate it.
The following examples show increasing specificity:
Margaret felt disheartened.
Margaret felt disheartened when she was with Mark.
Margaret felt disheartened when she was with Mark, because their discussion about the future depressed her.
Margaret felt disheartened when she was with Mark, because their discussion about the future depressed her and she was worried that she wouldn’t get the job that she applied for.
As the choices become narrower and narrower, it becomes less likely that every single one of the details is supported by the passage.
Mark it upA blank ACT exam booklet is a sad ACT exam booklet—the more you jot down, underline, and circle, the better! When you read through the passage the first time, underline the topic sentences and main ideas of each paragraph. In this way, when you need to refer to the passage to answer a question about the main idea or argument of a paragraph, you will know exactly where to look. Likewise, mark an asterisk or an “X” next to specific details or lists of details that you may need to refer to.
Don’t go overboard with the marking—you still need to be able to read the text clearly. Plus, if everything is marked up, nothing will stand out when you return to the passage, which defeats the whole purpose of marking.
For each of the four categories, there are tips that will help drive your ACT Reading score up.
The fiction passage is unique; unlike the other passages, this subsection of the test asks you to analyze characters. You are expected to digest a lot of information about a character and devise a “character summary” that describes the character in a collection of words or phrases. When you jot down the main idea of the passage before tackling the questions, write down one or two keywords that describe the main character. This will provide a starting place when you encounter statements about the character in the questions.
This passage is more likely to be accompanied by detail-oriented and sequence questions than by character or inference questions. Point-of-view questions in this subsection usually ask you to analyze the author’s tone or to determine whether or not the author supports the views being presented.
Since this passage is likely to be fact-based, there will be a predominance of cause-and-effect, detail, main-idea, comparison, and sequence questions. Point-of-view questions for this passage may ask you to determine whether the author supports the conclusion he or she makes, or thinks that the data are irrelevant. For cause-and-effect questions, pay close attention to which events or phenomena in the passage are dependent on others. For main-idea questions, focus on where the facts presented seem to be pointing.
This subsection will probably contain more inference, point-of-view, and contextual vocabulary questions. Comparison questions are likely to concern figurative language, such as simile or metaphor. For point-of-view questions, focus on the author’s commentary about individual topics.
Practice problem set ACT Reading
The solutions follow the problem set.
1. Which of the following can be inferred about William Hogarth?
A. He was born in Kirby Thore, Westmorland.
B. He had two brothers.
C. He had two sisters.
D. He had three sons.
2. In which of these places did William Hogarth’s ancestors NOT live?
F. Westmorland
G. Bampton
H. Troutbeck
J. London
3. The point of view from which the paragraph beginning on line 25 was written can best be described as:
A. that of William Hogarth, explaining his philosophy on industry and idleness.
B. that of a narrator, describing William Hogarth’s philosophy on industry and idleness.
C. that of a narrator, describing his own philosophy on industry and idleness.
D. that of William Hogarth’s son, describing his father’s philosophy on industry and idleness.
4. William Hogarth’s work is described as promoting the idea that:
F. a person’s ultimate success in life depends on early good fortune.
G. good fortune comes from maintaining consistent habits in life.
H. good fortune comes from maintaining familiar and natural habits.
J. those who work hard throughout life are rewarded with greater success than those who do not.
5. As it is used in line 49, the word ornament most nearly means:
A. a decorative item.
B. a leader and pioneer.
C. a source of honor and pride.
D. something beautiful but possessing no practical purpose.
6. William Hogarth’s work “Industry and Idleness” can best be described as:
F. a treatise on the importance of hard work.
G. a series of drawings that tell a story.
H. illustrations in a book of holy scripture.
J. a set of twelve bound pamphlets used to explain lessons to young men.
7. Which characteristics does William Hogarth NOT use to differentiate the hard-working youth from the lazy one in plate 1?
A. Their facial expressions and clothing
B. The activities that they are engaged in
C. The nature of the reading material that surrounds them, and the care with which they treat it
D. The amount of interest that their master takes in each of them
8. Which of the following can be inferred from this passage?
F. William Hogarth was one of the most accomplished artists of London in the early 1800s.
G. William Hogarth was one of the most accomplished artists of London in the early 1700s.
H. William Hogath’s art was primarily focused on teaching young people how to conduct themselves in life.
J. The twelve prints in William Hogarth’s series “Industry and Idleness” had a strong moral focus.
9. Which of the following best represents the causal relationship implied by Hogarth’s prints?
A. Misfortune causes laziness, which in turn leads to ruin.
B. Idleness leads to failure, while hard work is rewarded with success.
C. Failure leads to idleness, and success creates hard work.
D. Idleness leads to hard work, just as failure is eventually replaced by success.
10. Which of the following correctly orders these four items as they appear in the passage?
I. Plate 1 is described in detail.
II. Hogarth’s background is explained.
III. The narrator expresses his philosophy on what leads to success in life.
IV. The location of the prints is revealed.
F. I, II, III, IV
G. II, I, IV, III
H. II, III, IV, I
J. III, II, IV, I
Solutions for the practice problem set ACT Reading
1. C. (Inference/detail) Using Reading 36 Strategy 4 (Don’t defend the choices—attack), you can rule out answer choice A, because the passage states that William Hogarth descended from a family that originally came from Kirby Thore (line 2); in fact, it is implied in lines 21–23 that William was born in London. Since the passage says nothing about the existence of brothers or sons, choices B and D can be eliminated. Line 19 refers to “our artist [William Hogarth], and his sisters, Mary and Anne,” so choice C is the correct answer.
2. H. (Detail) If you are working quickly, you could easily be tricked into selecting answer choice F, but that would be incorrect. The passage states that William Hogarth’s family originally lived in Westmorland (line 3), his grandfather lived in Bampton (line 5), his uncle lived in Troutbeck (line 8), and his father lived in London (lines 13–14). Each of these individuals is an ancestor of Hogarth’s except his uncle, so choice H is the correct answer. If you answered this question incorrectly, make sure that you consider each choice carefully, and leave time to double-check your answers for sense.
3. C. (Point of view) It is important to realize that the point of view and the philosophy presented are the narrator’s, not Hogarth’s. Reading 36 Strategy 1 (Write your own answer down first) is helpful here. After reading the question (while covering the answer choices with your hand) and rereading the paragraph, you should be able to write down your own answer—that the narrator mentions the example of Hogarth to support his point of view. In this way, you wouldn’t be tricked by choices that wrongly indicate that the point of view belongs to Hogarth.
4. J. (The main idea) This question asks you to identify the main idea of Hogarth’s work, as described in lines 25–52. Reading 36 Strategy 1 (Write your own answer down first) is helpful again. After reading the question (while covering the answer choices with your hand) and rereading the paragraph, you should be able to pick out the main idea. Lines 41–44 refer to Hogarth’s prints as “an excellent lesson to such young men as are brought up to business, by laying before them the inevitable destruction that awaits the slothful, and the reward that generally attends the diligent.” Thus, you can postulate that the main idea is, roughly, “hard work gets rewarded.” Choice J most closely resembles this idea. The narrator does not mention habits, so choices G and H can be ruled out. Since the narrator’s point contradicts the idea that success in life comes from luck, you can eliminate choice F.
5. C. (Contextual vocabulary) Lines 48–49 state that one apprentice “becomes a valuable man, and an ornament to his country.” Outside the context of this sentence, you would assume that “ornament” is a decorative item, like one placed on a Christmas tree. That definition makes no sense in the context of the passage, so answer choice A can be eliminated. Similarly, you can rule out choice D, since “ornament,” as used here, is a positive descriptor of the hard-working apprentice. This leaves choices B and C. Using Reading 36 Strategy 4 (Don’t defend the choices—attack), you can rule out choice B—nowhere in the passage does it indicate that the apprentice’s hard work makes him a leader or pioneer. Never assume anything; the apprentice’s hard work does not automatically make him a pioneer. Being a source of honor and pride, however, is directly suggested by lines 48–49, and this makes sense before the phrase “to his country.”
6. G. (Detail) Using Reading 36 Strategy 1 (Write your own answer down first), flip back to the passage and determine what exactly Hogarth’s works are. In line 40, they are described as prints. Lines 53–55 indicate that “the twelve prints of this series” adorn a room. The description of plate 1 depicts a pictorial scene. You can conclude that Hogarth’s works are a set of 12 prints illustrating the importance of hard work by showing the story of two apprentices. After you jot this down, you can look at the answer choices. Only choice G matches your personal answer.
7. D. (Comparison) The process of elimination is useful here. Consider the characteristics in each answer choice, and try to find them in the passage. For choice A, lines 60–62 mention an “open countenance” and a “sullen, downcast look,” and line 75 refers to one apprentice’s “worn-out coat,” so facial expressions and clothing can be ruled out. For choice B, the passage states that “the industrious youth is diligently employed at his work” (lines 63–64) and “his fellow-’prentice … is fallen asleep” (lines 75–77), so their activities can be ruled out. For choice C, lines 65–68 state that the good apprentice’s “book, called the “’Prentice’s Guide,’ … lies open beside him, as if perused with care and attention,” and lines 83–84 report the other apprentice’s “book of instructions” as “lying torn and defaced upon the ground,” so choice C can be eliminated. Choice D, the only remaining option, can be verified by making sure that no mention is made in the passage of the amount of attention that the master gives to each apprentice.
8. J. (Inference/the main idea) Using Reading 36 Strategy 4 (Don’t defend the choices—attack), examine each of the answer choices. Choices F and G are fairly specific, and both use the extreme description “most accomplished”; these choices can be eliminated when you take into consideration Reading 36 Strategy 7 (Choose general over specific) and Reading 36 Strategy 6 (Avoid extremes). This is confirmed by the fact that there is no evidence in the passage that Hogarth was one of the most accomplished artists of any time period. Choice H appears to be correct at first glance. It’s important to realize, however, that you’ve only been exposed to one piece of Hogarth’s artwork; it would be dangerous to assume that all of his artwork has the same focus. This leaves choice J. Lines 40–46 state that “these prints are … an excellent lesson to such young men … by laying before them the inevitable destruction that awaits the slothful, and the reward that generally attends the diligent, both appropriately exemplified in the conduct of these two fellow-’prentices.” This statement implies that the prints had a strong moral focus.
9. B. (Cause-and-effect) This question asks you to make clear the nature of the cause-and-effect relationship suggested by Hogarth’s prints of the apprentices. Using Reading 36 Strategy 1 (Write your own answer down first), review the passage before looking at the answer choices and determine the nature of the relationship Hogarth is emphasizing. Even before the in-depth description of plate 1, you should recognize that the goal of Hogarth’s work is to demonstrate the benefits of working hard and the consequences of laziness. In causal terms, you could jot down “hard work → success, laziness → ruin.” Once you uncover the answer choices, you will discover that only choice B correctly matches the relationship you identified. Given the main idea of Hogarth’s prints, none of the other choices makes sense.
10. H. (Sequence) The key to solving a sequence question is to find the line number(s) of each of the items in the answer choices. This information will determine the order of the items (unless flashbacks are involved). In random order, here are the items with line numbers assigned:
1. Plate 1 is described in detail. (lines 56–85)
2. Hogarth’s background is explained. (lines 1–23)
3. The narrator expresses his philosophy. (lines 25–52)
4. The location of the prints is revealed. (lines 52–55)
Clearly, the correct order is 2, 3, 4, 1, and choice H is the correct answer.
