1.
Read Strategically
There is no point in starting each question by reading the passage or texts first. It is a total waste of valuable examination time, considering there are a good number of questions that do not require your knowledge of every portion of the text. I mean, it is a time-based exam, yeah. Hence, every second you spend doing unnecessary things could be deterring.
Instead, read the question first. This helps you know precisely the question type and then approach the text based on the specificity of the question. For instance, specific detail questions come with keywords that are either rephrased or stated directly in a certain portion of the text, and the answer is just within the location of those keywords and not necessarily everywhere else.
So, except you have identified from the question first that you are not dealing with a main idea, Inference, text structure, be sure what portion to focus on before diving straight into the passage.
2.
Work from the Bottom
You will find that the Standard English Convention questions and Rhetorical Synthesis are easier to handle, and they are usually at the bottom of each module. Taking them out of the way initially helps you reserve some extra time to properly handle questions that require more careful reading like inference, text structure, or main idea. It also aids stress management: you get a little tensed up when you have only about 7 to 8 minutes left on the test and you are only at question 15. This tension is so unhealthy and could really affect your performance on the next set of questions, which are otherwise way easier to handle and do offer some good points when answered correctly.
Even though some students might be able to manage this tension knowing that the subsequent questions will not require a substantial amount of time to tackle, other students may get anxious at this point. It is for the latter that the approach of starting from the bottom works. Try it first and see whether it helps you manage time and stress, anyway.
3.
Understand First Sentences/First claims
Be careful about reading main idea, inference, or transition question types too fast. You may be thinking “but won’t that be counter-productive since the exam is timed?” My dear, it is actually more productive to read carefully the first time. This is so you do not end up reading the passage multiple times when you encounter the options, such as re-reading the passage for every option and not immediately eliminating any.
Listen... a lot of the time, the whole point of the passage is stated in the first sentence while subsequent information are illustration or experiment to buttress that first point. Other times, there is a drift as indicated by contrast transitory words like but, however, or nonetheless attempting to oppose that first claim. Either way, understanding the earliest point helps you glide through the following portions. This way, too, it is much easier for you to identify and eliminate options that are apparently far from the point of the text.
4.
Justify the Correct Option by Identifying Synonyms from the Passage
This is the hard and fast rule about the SAT—you have to work on your ability to comprehend specific word choices as used in specific contexts and not think too much outside the box.
All your correct answers are either directly stated in the passage or demonstrated. A trick I teach my students is to check for a synonym of each word or phrase that constitutes a close option in the text. Except when dealing with inference questions, do not choose any option that mentions what you cannot see in the passage. In fact, a good number of inference questions are direct rephrases of the passage's main point or contrast point, still.
5.
Always Have a Prediction
Once you have identified the question type and then approached the text as pertains to its question type, you should make a guess, however haphazard, about what the answer should look like. That way, it is easier to tell when certain options are out of line.
6.
Practice POE (Process of Elimination)
The good thing about mastering close reading of the text and subsequently making a prediction is that you can pinpoint what is wrong with incorrect options. You are then able to streamline your focus on options, often two, that tally with your prediction.
Overall, know that ONE WORD is capable of disqualifying an answer. Therefore, when torn between two options, look for that ONE WORD or phrase that is not rephrased or categorically stated in the text.
Success awaits you, Champ...
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