tactical psat strategies learning systems houston, texas
TRANSCRIPT
TACTICAL
PSATSTRATEGIES
Learning SystemsHouston, Texas
www.TestGuys.net
What is the PSAT ?
It’s different from other tests. It is a REASONING test.
It’s designed to test your ability to think.
It is used for the National Merit Competition and other such scholarship programs.
It does not accurately predict your SAT score.
PSAT Scoring
All Multiple-Choice Questions 1 point added for correct answers ¼ point deducted for incorrect answers 0 points added/deducted for skipped questions -
Blank IS NOT Wrong!
PSAT Scoring
Student-Produced Math Answers
1 point added for correct answers
0 points deducted for wrong answers
PSAT Scoring
Critical Reading (20-80 pts.) Math (20-80 pts.) Writing Skills (20-80 pts)
Score Range: 60 - 240 pts.
Average score = 150 (mean)
Perfect score = 240
TX Soph. Avg: 124 TX Jr. Avg: 134
Tactic #1: Know All Test Directions
You won’t read them when
you take the PSAT because,
by the end of this course, you
will know them all.
Tactic #2: Pace Yourself - Roughly, You have about 1 minute per question.
Rocketpeople
Want to finish first!
Snails
Just hope they can finish!
Good Test-Takers
Do What They Can DoAnd Don't Worry AboutWhat They Can't Do!
Tactic #3: Power Test Concept
1/3 Easy – More than 70% get them correct.
1/3 Medium – About 50% get them correct.
1/3 Hard Questions – Less than 30%
get them correct.
Verbal Section
Sentence Completion Critical Reading1. 9.2. Easy B3. O4. R5. Medium I 6. N7. Hard G8. 24.
Power Test Concept
Verbal Section: The J.A.S. Way
Sentence Completion Critical Reading1. 9.2. 3. 4.
5.
6.
7. 8. 24.
Power Test Concept
Verbal Section: The Right Way
Sentence Completion Critical Reading1. 9.2. 3. 4.
5.
6.
7. 8. 24.
Power Test Concept
Regular Math - Section 2
Look For “Favorites”after you bog downon two in a row!
1.
2.
3.
4. EASY5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.11. Medium
12.
13.
14.
15. Geometry
16.
17. Geometry Hard18.
19.
20. Geometry
Math Section 4 – Regular Math + SPAs
1.2. EASY3.4. 5. MEDIUM6. 7. HARD8.9.10. EASY11. 12.13.14. MEDIUM15.16.17. HARD18. Power Test Concept
Always know where you are!
1. 1. (A) obsequious (D) syzygy
2. 2. Feldspar was ____, he won the race.
(A) disappointed
(B) despondent
(C) dejected
(D) zellsbotted
(E) disconsolate
19.
* = A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
5 1015
30
50
100
200
Always know where you are!
Next To Last Math Question
ALWAYS KNOW WHERE YOU ARE!!!Beware of obvious answers in the bottom 1/3!
19.
Tactic #4: Eliminate Distracters
Cover up the Answer ChoicesRead - Find CluesPredict Your AnswerEliminate (TOG)WorkAsk Yourself If Your Answer Is Reasonable
99% of 5 =
(A) 0.00495 (B) 0.0495(C) 0.495 (D) 4.95(E) 49.5
Ex. 2: The trial was often _____, degenerating
at times into a name-calling contest.
(A) boring (B) insightful (C) lofty
(D) chaotic (E) frivolous
Tactic #5: Work Backwards
1
2
3
Everyone read the following out loud on the count of…
Eliminates Careless Reading Errors
Time Bandit Questions
John went toto the store.
Tactic # 6: Should You Guess?
If you can eliminate two or more of the answer choices, make an educated guess!
The Guessing Game
2 x (+1) = +2
8 x (-¼) = -2
Net Gain: 0
A - C - E
6 x (+1) = +6
4 x (-¼) = - 1
Net Gain: +5
These guessing techniques don’t work: Gum Wrappers, Chapsticks, Quarters Hi Tech Techniques
A B C D E - “The Big C”
It’s In The Middle!
Let’s Talk About “Answer Balance”
Over the entire test . . .
02468
101214161820
A B C D E
%
Correct Answer Balance
(±3%)
Over the entire test . . .
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
A B C D E
%
Incorrect Answer Balance
Guessing Tips
Triplets are rare - Do Not Guess Into A Triplet.
Four in a row will never happen. (Well, almost never happen!)
Beware of “obvious” answers in the last 1/3 of each powered question type.
Watch Answer Balance - Check Your Answer Sheet From Time To Time
Refer to pages 8-9 in Your Pink Book.
Tactic #7 - Word Roots & Prefixes
Pregagulous
Malzellsbott
Profimple
Polynosbig
Subattal
Unimbrusity (- x - = +)
Verbal Tactics
(Critical Reading Tactics)
Tactic #8: Underline KEY Words
KEY WORDS:
A. Subject - But Not A Proper Noun
Olympic downhill skiers……….
B. Action Words - What happened
to subject.
The Top Ten Reasons Students Don’t Underline
10. If I don’t get a good score, I can listen to
my iPod and take AP Lunch.
9. My parents made me take this
course…I’ll show them!
8. People might see me do it and
think I’m trying to be
smart or something.
7. It takes too much time.
The Top Ten Reasons I Don’t Underline6. I can’t draw a straight line or circle.
5. I don’t want to mark up the page. It’s so pretty!
4. It’s so “whatever... like you know.”
3. #2 Black Lead is so depressing.
2. Following rules is a real drag, man.
And, the #1 reason why students don’t
want to underline Key Words/Clues:
1. It stifles my creativity!
The Olympic swimmer’s body temperature began to decline after hours of exposure to the _____ water of the English Channel.
A. temperateB. frigidC. pollutedD. turbulentE. murky
Though his lecture contained ideas that were soporific and dull, his style of delivery was so _____ I actually became quite interested.
A. blandB. hypnotic C. laconicD. histrionicE. belligerent
She was a woman of contrasts; periods of _____alternated with periods of frenetic activity.
A. animationB. torporC. profundityD. ebullienceE. invincibility
Tactic #9: Three Basic SentenceTypes
Causal
=
Causal
Because she has a great need for _____, she greatly dislikes the public appearances required of her as a best-selling author.
A. luxuryB. solitudeC. fameD. amusementE. praise
Contrasting
Although Oscar’s life was both _____ and painful, it was not without _____, for he had accomplished many goals in his life.
A. defiant . . . strifeB. tragic . . . frustrationC. gratifying . . . satisfactionD. arduous . . . rewardE. purposeful . . . ambition
Coordinate
This successful “dot.com” entrepreneur is _____ and _____; always positive in attitude and attentive to small details.
A. energetic … obliviousB. upbeat … alertC. cynical … heedlessD. caustic … carefulE. wealthy… wary
Coordinate
Both by _____ and by _____, American painter Mary Cassatt was an anomaly, because her artistic peers were French men.
A. background … achievements
B. aptitude … intellect
C. talent … expertise
D. style … range
E. nationality … gender
Comfort Zone Words
Words Seen Or Heard In English Class, But Not Really Known Or Understood By J.A.S.
These Words Seem Familiar To J.A.S.
trite, terse, hackneyed, cliché
Tactic #10: Double Blank Questions
_____ and _____
word and _____
_____ and word
Use one “word” position to eliminate wrong answers,then use the other “word” position to find the correctanswer.
Burford was ______; he was cool.
Burfetta was ______, that is she was sober.
No Slang!
Cool Dude = Aloof Amateur Cowboy
sober = not intoxicated….but, it can mean “serious, sad, solemn.
Beware of Multiple Definition Words ANXIOUS
FLAG
HUSBAND
AUGUST
CATHOLIC
PEDESTRIAN
Tactic #11: Vocabulary Problems
What to do: Look for roots and prefixes.
Use the “positive” or “negative” technique.
Pay close attention to “clue” words.
Critical Reading
Tactic #12: Watch Your Time Count the number of questions!
Short Passages - about 1 Minute/Question
Medium Passages - # of Questions + 1
Long Passages - # of Questions + 2
Tactic #13: Underline Key Words in the Question
This will allow you to: select the questions to answer first. identify key words to look for in the passage
to answer specific questions. get a basic idea about the topic of the
passage.
Tactics #14 Eliminate The Distracters
In Critical Reading Passage Questions, it is essential that incorrect answers be marked out!
Paraphrase the question and eliminate any answers that do not specifically address what is being asked.
Critical Reading Summary
Read Questions First - Organize Your Plan Of Attack
Answer “Vocab” Questions - First
Answer “Single-Line Number Questions - Second Answer “Multi-Line Number Questions - Third Answer Specific Fact Questions - Fourth Save For Last - “Primary Purpose” “Main Idea” “Best Title” “Implied/Inferred Questions” Tone/Mood Questions
Tactics 15 - 17
Tactic #18: Paired Passages
Do them in the following order:
1. Answer all questions of the first passage.
2. Answer all questions of the second passage.
3. Answer all questions that concern both passages or authors.
Bonus Tactic: Tone/Attitude Questions
What to do:
1. Answer this type last.
2. Use process of elimination.
3. Define remaining words in your own words.
Critical Reading Summary
• Read Questions First – Organize Your Plan Of Attack• Answer Vocab Questions• Answer Single-Line Number Questions• Answer Multi-Line Number Questions • Answer Specific Fact Questions • Answer "Best Title," "Summary,“
"Main Idea," "Author's Purpose,” or "Implied/Inferred Questions”
Do Not Make Random Guesses OnCritical Reading Passage Questions!
Math Tactics
The Hardest PSAT Math Question Ever!
94% missed it. Are you ready for this?
X + 2 = 5X = ?
The Hardest PSAT Math Question Ever!
BlahblahblahblahblahblahblahBlahblahblahblahblahblahblahBlahblahblahblahblahblahblahBlahblahblahblahblahblahblahBlahblahblahblahblahblahblahBlahblahblahblahblahblahblah
X + 2 = 5X = ?
Keys to Success On Math Questions
Key 1:
(a)
(b)
(c)
Key 2:
(a)
(b)
Underline Key Words
Numbers
Operations
Description Words
Use the drawing
Put facts on the figure.
Draw it if it’s not there.
Keys To Success On Math Questions
KEY # 3 - Write The Formula
KEY # 4 - ATQA: Answer The Question Asked!
(a) Look for the last comma - What follows is the question being asked!
(b) Read the WHOLE last sentence! If there is no comma, the question will be the last sentence.
Did you ATQA?
Tactic #19 - The “Magic Number List” 12. If n pizzas can be made for d dollars, how
many dollars will it cost to make p pizzas
at the same rate?
(A) (pd) n
(B) (p) (nd)
(C) (np) p
(D) (nd) p
(E) npd
20. If x and y are positive integers, then 5x 2(x+y) =
A. 10x 2y
B. 102x 2y
C. 10x+y
D. 102x+y
E. 52(x+y)
Tactic #20 - Plug It In, Plug It In
Ex. 1: If the average (arithmetic mean) of 4, 5,6,
and K is 8, then K =
(A) 8
(B) 10
(C) 12
(D) 15
(E) 17
TACTIC #25 - Weird Symbols
If = 4N - 4, then + =
N 5 3
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
6
7
8
24
28
Student-Produced Answer Questions
IMPROVING SENTENCES
Eating food with a high concentration of fat causes the same reaction in the stomach than if you eat too fast.
A. than if you eatB. than to eatC. as if one eatsD. as eatingE. as it does when eating
Identifying Sentence Errors
For its nineteenth-century explorer and discoverers, ABohemia were an identifiable country with visible Binhabitants, but one not marked on any map. C DNo error E
Writing Skills Plan Of Attack
I. IMPROVING SENTENCES
All or part of the sentence will be underlined.Answer (A) is the same as "No Error" – 20% Rule.If there is a mistake, mark out (A) immediately!
Writing Skills Plan Of Attack
II. IDENTIFYING SENTENCE ERRORS
Only one error per sentence – error will be underlined.
Answer (E) – "No Error" – 20% Rule
If an underlined part is correct, mark it out.
Everyone on the baseball team who came up A B
to bat squinted at the pitcher in order to keep the C
sun’s glaring rays out of their eyes. No error D E
Writing Skills Plan Of Attack
III. IMPROVING PARAGRAPHS
DO NOT Read the passage – Go To Questions!
Revision, Combination, Content Questions
Do Any Questions That Do Not Require Going Back To The Passage – First!