ACT READING

Lesson #2

Reading Fundamentals

Student Survey

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You need your Manual.

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Answer the first 5 questions on page .

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Quiz Name: Rhetorical Skills

School Name: Your School

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Bellringer - ZipGrade Drill

PRINT Your Name

Rhetorical Skills

Your School Name

112

Expectations

• PARTICIPATE
• This is a learning environment, ask questions
• Take notes
• Volunteer to answer questions
• Show Respect
• Follow BCS Code of Conduct
• No headphones or phone usage during the session unless you are asked
• Keep side conversations minimal
• Have Fun
• LEARN & GROW

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Objective

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By the end of the lesson, I will be able to:

• Use a step-by-step method to approach ACT Reading passages.
• Recognize different types of ACT Reading questions, like "Fetch," "Reasoning," and "Vocabulary in Context," and strategies to tackle each type.
• Use smart reading techniques such as mapping out questions, focusing on important parts, and guessing the answers to help improve understanding and speed.
• Use Process of Elimination (POE) to cut down answer choices and boost accuracy when answering ACT Reading questions.

1 minute

Bellringer: Books

PLOT TWIST

HEARTWARMING

KEEPS YOU GUESSING

ACTION-PACKED

What is your favorite genre of books?

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Do you have a favorite book of all time? What did you love about it?

Review

2 minutes

Basic Approach to READING ACT

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STEP 1: Questions - SKIM Quick focus, no fuss!

• Answer EASY questions with line/paragraph #s
• Note any key words

STEP 2: Work the Passage - SKIM

• Look for those KEYWORD/LEAD WORDS from the questions.
• STOP AND ANSWER if you see one you know.

STEP 3: Choose one and GO

• Start answering the EASIEST ONES FIRST.
• Don’t overthink it - just go with your gut.

STEP 1: Questions

Skim the Questions = Quick focus, no fuss!

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Note any key words and line/paragraph #s

Remember to be strategic

2 minutes

I Do: Skim the Questions

Turn to Page 420

31. One of the main points that the author formulates is that:

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32. Which of the following statements most accurately summarizes how the passage characterizes the forces exerted on two electrons floating near each other in outer space:

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33. According to the passage, Newton’s law of gravitation was used to calculate successfully:

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34. According to the passage, stars and galaxies would be most greatly affected by:

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Line & paragraph references

Key Words

We Do: Skim the Questions

35. When the author states in line 55 that Einstein “did not like what he saw,” the author most nearly means:

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36. According to the passage, all of the following are true concerning the weak nuclear force EXCEPT:

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37. Information in the ninth paragraph (lines 60-64) indicates that Einstein differed from Newton in that Einstein:

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Line & paragraph references

Keywords

Page 420 in your book

You Do: Skim the Questions

On Page 420 in your book: Skim Questions 38-40

• Underline lead words.
• Put a star next to line or paragraph references.

38. As it is used in line 52, the phrase emerged triumphant most nearly means:

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39. Which of the following questions is NOT answered in the passage?

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40. The purpose of the last paragraph is to suggest that:

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Looking at all the questions, did you notice any that you know will be easy to answer?

What about any that you KNOW will be LOTD?

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*Questions on the next slide.

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31. One of the main points that the author formulates is that:

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32. Which of the following statements most accurately summarizes how the passage characterizes the forces exerted on two electrons floating near each other in outer space:

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33. According to the passage, Newton’s law of gravitation was used to calculate successfully:

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34. According to the passage, stars and galaxies would be most greatly affected by:

35. When the author states in line 55 that Einstein “did not like what he saw,” the author most nearly means:

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36. According to the passage, all of the following are true concerning the weak nuclear force EXCEPT:

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37. Information in the ninth paragraph (lines 60-64) indicates that Einstein differed from Newton in that Einstein:

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38. As it is used in line 52, the phrase emerged triumphant most nearly means:

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39. Which of the following questions is NOT answered in the passage?

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40. The purpose of the last paragraph is to suggest that:

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Step 2: Work the Passage

Manual v10.1, p 421

4 minutes

Skim the Passage - I DO

Manual v10.1, p 421

2 minutes

I’m going to read out loud and model working the text.

REMEMBER we are SKIMMING.

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QUICK TIP: Every 5th line is numbered.

Here are the KEYWORDS to jog our memories:

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• two electrons floating near each other in outer space:
• Newton’s law of gravitation
• stars and galaxies
• did not like what he saw
• weak nuclear force
• Einstein differed from Newton
• emerged triumphant

Passage IV Lines 14-25

Manual v10.1, p 421

2 minutes

No words here so I move on fast.

Passage IV Lines 26-36

Manual v10.1, p 421

2 minutes

I think I know that one! Stop and answer

Stop and Answer if you think you know one.

Skim quickly for the keywords that you picked up on.

F

G

H

J

Then move on quickly

Back to the text

Manual v10.1, p 421

2 minutes

NOW YOU DO IT

Finish skimming the passage and mark the keywords that you find.

Start at Line 37 on page 421 in your book. SKIM the rest of the passage.

Mark keywords. If you see the answer to a question try it out.

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Here are the KEYWORDS to jog your memory:

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• two electrons floating near each other in outer space:
• Newton’s law of gravitation
• stars and galaxies
• did not like what he saw
• weak nuclear force
• Einstein differed from Newton
• emerged triumphant

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Step 3: Choose one and GO

Go back to your questions and start answering the EASIEST ONES FIRST.

Don’t overthink it - just go with your gut.

Which one would you start with?

Talk it over at your table.

Questions on the next slide.

Manual v10.1, p 422

2 minutes

Step 3: Choose one and GO

31. One of the main points that the author formulates is that:

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32. Which of the following statements most accurately summarizes how the passage characterizes the forces exerted on two electrons floating near each other in outer space:

​

33. According to the passage, Newton’s law of gravitation was used to calculate successfully:

​

34. According to the passage, stars and galaxies would be most greatly affected by:

​

35. When the author states in line 55 that Einstein “did not like what he saw,” the author most nearly means:

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36. According to the passage, all of the following are true concerning the weak nuclear force EXCEPT:

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37. Information in the ninth paragraph (lines 60-64) indicates that Einstein differed from Newton in that Einstein:

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38. As it is used in line 52, the phrase emerged triumphant most nearly means:

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39. Which of the following questions is NOT answered in the passage?

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40. The purpose of the last paragraph is to suggest that:

Step 3: I DO Choose one and GO

I am choosing # 37 bc it looks like a right there question.

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I’m choosing C and moving on.

Manual v10.1, p 422

2 minutes

37. Information in the ninth paragraph (lines 60–64) indicates that Einstein differed from Newton in that Einstein:

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1. believed that gravity played an insignificant role in the formation of the universe.
2. believed that Mercury’s orbit was unlike the orbits of the other planets.
3. thought that gravity should not be treated as a force.
4. thought that Newton failed to explain the concept of precession.

Vocabulary in Context Questions

Manual v10.1, p 426

2 minute

Replace the word in the passage with the definitions and see which one fits BEST!

There will sometimes be two answers that could work.

REMEMBER - you are looking for the BEST answer.

Vocabulary in Context Questions

Manual v10.1, p 426

2 minute

doesn’t work in context

Note: Beware of the most common definition! Vocabulary in Context questions usually test a secondary meaning.

38. As it is used in line 52, the phrase emerged triumphant most nearly means:

…(with the lone exception of one very small detail involving the orbit of Mercury, the innermost planet), Newton's law of gravity emerged triumphant.

won decisively

was proved correct

52

I’m going to mark off the two that I know are wrong then replace the word with the other two definitions.

Summary

Manual v10.1, p 432

2 minute

Basic Approach to READING ACT

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STEP 1: Questions - SKIM Quick focus, no fuss!

• Note any key words and line/paragraph #s

STEP 2: Work the Passage - SKIM

• Look for those KEYWORD from the questions.
• STOP AND ANSWER if you see one you know.

STEP 3: Choose one and GO

• Start answering the EASIEST ONES FIRST.
• Don’t overthink it - just go with your gut.

Practice

DRILL Page 454

Time: 10 minutes

Passage III

HUMANITIES: This passage is adapted from the foreword to the

cookbook Recipes from Evgenia’s, by Beatrice J. Koulopoulos

(©2007 Herndon Press.) Haute cuisine refers to elaborately or

skillfully prepared food. Yia Yia and Papou mean Grandmother and

Grandfather in Greek.

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Work Backwards

2 minutes

Manual v10.1, p 447

Out the window

Words out of context

Words out of context

B

C

Question 12

2 minutes

Manual v10.1, p 447

Out the window

Out the window

F & J are opposites, can’t both be true.

Note: “Social Services” doesn’t appear directly in the passage, but matches the idea of “health and education” in L87-88

Question 20

2 minutes

Manual v10.1, p 448

Like the previous question, this is a reasoning question. Look for phrases that mean the same as the bolded lead words not the exact words.

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It is worth noting that eliminating 3 answers is a solid reason to pick the one that’s left.

offensive

offensive

out the window

L66-67 match this idea

Check for Understanding- Exit Ticket

If you have access to a computer, login to your Princeton account and take the Reading Fundamentals Drill under the reading section of the course index.

If you do not have access to a computer, get out a piece of paper and number it 11-20. Turn to page 430-431 in your Princeton book. You can circle the answers in your book for yourself, but write your answers on the piece of paper to turn in at the end of class.

I will ace the ACT!

Remember to be strategic

The Golden Thread

Manual v10.1, p 428

2 minute

details

wrong order

Pick an answer that matches a theme from the other questions.