The chart below offers you some ideas for how to pace yourself. Remember that you have 65 minutes for the entire Reading Test.
Pacing Yourself Minutes Spent Minutes Spent Total Minutes Reading Answering Questions Reading Per Passage Speed 8 5 13 Fast 7 6 13 Medium
MARK UP THE PASSAGE
On the SAT, you know you will be tested about the content you read, so you want to make an effort to understand it while you are reading it, rather than trying to make sense of the ideas only once you reach the questions. This means you need to be an active reader and interact with the passages to find and understand the information you will be tested on.
Specifically, the best way to be an active reader is to use your pencil to mark up the passage as you read by underlining text, and adding your own notes and symbols to highlight what is important. The goals of marking up the passage are to help you stay focused, understand what you read, and make it easy to find key ideas in the passage when you refer back to it.
Use your pencil as a guide to circle or underline two to three main ideas per paragraph. Main ideas are those that relate to the 5 w’s: “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” and “why.” Stay focused on the bigger picture by making sure the main points you identify help answer the following questions:
1. Who is involved in this passage? Look for the people being discussed (artists, scholars, scientists, politicians) or the characters in a literature passage, and think about who might be writing the passage. 2. What is being discussed in this passage? Are specific events, theories, or ideas discussed? Look for the major concepts in each section of the passage. 3. Where are the events in the passage taking place? This can mean a specific location (one science laboratory) or a general setting (schools in North America). 4. When are the events in the passage taking place? It is usually more important to know the order in which things occur than to know specific dates.
READING 36
5. Why is the information in this passage important? How are the ideas in the passage connected, and what is the author’s purpose for writing the passage?
You can skip over more specific details when identifying the main ideas of a paragraph or passage. Try to underline the key words in the passage such that if you were to read over just those words, you would have a good idea what the passage is about.
EXAMPLE PASSAGE Let’s look at the first few paragraphs from a reading passage and see how it might look if we mark it up using these ideas.
This passage is adapted from an artist Pietro Cavallini – a painter and article about an Italian Renaissance mosaicist whose greatest works have artist. 20 been destroyed – spent years decorating Aracoeli toward the end of Tommaso Strinati clambers to the the 13th century. Yet only one small top of the rickety scaffold and laughs. Cavallini fresco, in the church's left ''It's a good thing that all this Baroque transept, remained visible. Mr. Strinati Line work is so unimpressive,'' he says, 25 wondered: had other Cavallini frescoes 5 pointing at the clumsy trompe l'oeil been painted over with inferior work? painting covering the wall in front of And if so, could modern restorers him. ''Otherwise, we might not have uncover them? been allowed to scrape it off!'' ''The answer to both questions was A 28-year-old art historian, he is 30 yes,'' Mr. Strinati says. A close-up 10 standing 16 feet above the marble floor examination of the chapel's walls last of San Pasquale Baylon chapel, a long- summer revealed ghostly images lying neglected nook of Santa Maria in beneath the surface. The entire chapel, Aracoeli, a Franciscan basilica in the it seemed, was a painted palimpsest. center of Rome. Last year, Mr. 35 And when a heavy altarpiece was 15 Strinati, who is still a graduate student, removed from one wall, a remarkably began studying the church's history. tender portrait of the Madonna and Records suggested that the Roman Child was found hidden behind it.
Let’s see how these key words helped us locate the 5 w’s for this passage:
1. Who is involved in this passage? The passage is about the art historian Tommaso Strinati and the Roman artist Pietro Cavallini. We underlined their names in the first and second paragraphs. 2. What is being discussed in this passage? The passage is about how Strinati discovered Cavallini frescos that had been painted over. We underlined the information about Cavallini that Strinati gathered in the second paragraph, and also underlined that he wondered about work being painted over. Then we noted the
READING 37 images beneath the surface and the hidden portrait in the third paragraph. These items proved Strinati’s guess. 3. Where are the events in the passage taking place? We underlined Santa Maria in Aracoeli, the name of the basilica where Cavallini’s art was found. The basilica is in Rome, which we also underlined. 4. When are the events in the passage taking place? We know that Cavallini painted the frescos at the end of the 13th century, as we underlined that information in the passage. The passage doesn’t specifically tell us when Strinati made his discovery. But the passage is written in the present tense and modern English, so we can assume it was fairly recently. 5. Why is the information in this passage important? The information we underlined in the second paragraph shows a surprising contrast between ideas. If Cavallini spent years painting the basilica, why is there only one fresco? This sets up a bit of a mystery, which Strinati begins to solve in the third paragraph.
Though it can be tempting, don’t go overboard with your active reading! Remember that the goals of marking up the passage are to help you stay focused, understand what you read, and make it easy to find key ideas in the passage. If you mark up your entire passage, nothing will stand out as important, and you won’t be able to find anything. Your understanding will also be muddled, because you will be too focused on small details and not the bigger picture of what you have read.
EXERCISE ON MARKING UP A PASSAGE
Now that you’ve seen how to mark up a text, practice marking up the rest of the Cavallini passage below. This passage contains a lot of information, but not all of it contributes to the main ideas of the paragraph. Remember to stay focused on the 5 w’s! When you are finished, compare your work with the fully marked-up version of this passage that follows.
READING 38
Tommaso Strinati clambers to the Mr. Strinati has grand ambitions top of the rickety scaffold and laughs. for his discovery. He hopes that in a ''It's a good thing that all this Baroque 50 few years the fully restored fresco will Line work is so unimpressive,'' he says, not only rescue Cavallini's name from 5 pointing at the clumsy trompe l'oeil obscurity, but also upend the painting covering the wall in front of widespread notion that the first flowers him. ''Otherwise, we might not have of the Renaissance budded in Florence, been allowed to scrape it off!'' 55 not Rome. For the fresco's lifelike A 28-year-old art historian, he is figures – in particular, an impish 10 standing 16 feet above the marble floor Christ child with charmingly flushed of San Pasquale Baylon chapel, a long- cheeks – suggest to Strinati that neglected nook of Santa Maria in Cavallini may have anticipated some Aracoeli, a Franciscan basilica in the 60 of the extraordinary naturalistic center of Rome. Last year, Mr. innovations that have long been 15 Strinati, who is still a graduate student, credited to the Florentine artist Giotto. began studying the church's history. Moreover, the Aracoeli fragments Records suggested that the Roman may provide a critical new clue in a artist Pietro Cavallini – a painter and 65 decades-old battle concerning the ''St. mosaicist whose greatest works have Francis Legend,'' the 1296 fresco cycle 20 been destroyed – spent years at Assisi, universally recognized as decorating Aracoeli toward the end of one of the foundations of the the 13th century. Yet only one small Renaissance. For centuries, the 28- Cavallini fresco, in the church's left 70 scene cycle – which recounts the life transept, remained visible. Mr. Strinati of the saint with a narrative zest and 25 wondered: had other Cavallini frescoes compositional depth that leave the flat been painted over with inferior work? tableaus of the Byzantine era far And if so, could modern restorers behind – was attributed to Giotto. But uncover them? 75 since the 1930's, various scholars have ''The answer to both questions was questioned this judgment, claiming 30 yes,'' Mr. Strinati says. A close-up that the Assisi cycle doesn't resemble examination of the chapel's walls last Giotto's other work. Now, the Aracoeli summer revealed ghostly images lying discovery is ammunition for Italian art beneath the surface. The entire chapel, 80 historians who believe that Cavallini it seemed, was a painted palimpsest. might actually be the primary creative 35 And when a heavy altarpiece was force behind the ''St. Francis Legend.'' removed from one wall, a remarkably The growing debate about tender portrait of the Madonna and Cavallini's importance was the Child was found hidden behind it. 85 occasion for a symposium in Rome in After months of careful paint- November. La Republicca, an Italian 40 peeling, what has been uncovered are daily, has cast the debate as ''War dazzling fragments of a late-medieval Between Rome and Florence.'' Mr. masterpiece completed shortly after Strinati is enjoying the ruckus. ''I had a 1285. Although the Aracoeli fresco is 90 hunch that there was more Cavallini not signed, the figures strongly lurking around here,'' he says of the 45 resemble those in a surviving Cavallini Aracoeli basilica. ''But I didn't expect work, the resplendent ''Last Judgment'' to find an exquisite work that could fresco at nearby Santa Cecilia. shake up the history of art.''
READING 39 ANSWER: MARKING UP A PASSAGE
Check how you did by comparing your marked-up passage to a fully marked-up version of the passage below. Don’t worry if you did not underline your passage in exactly the same way. There can be more than one way to capture an idea. For example, in the fourth paragraph you may have underlined “shortly after 1285” rather than “late-medieval” to indicate when the Aracoeli fresco was painted. As long as you identified the same main ideas, you are on the right track.
Tommaso Strinati clambers to the After months of careful paint- top of the rickety scaffold and laughs. 40 peeling, what has been uncovered are ''It's a good thing that all this Baroque dazzling fragments of a late-medieval Line work is so unimpressive,'' he says, masterpiece completed shortly after 5 pointing at the clumsy trompe l'oeil 1285. Although the Aracoeli fresco is
painting covering the wall in front of not signed, the figures strongly him. ''Otherwise, we might not have 45 resemble those in a surviving Cavallini been allowed to scrape it off!'' work, the resplendent ''Last Judgment'' A 28-year-old art historian, he is fresco at nearby Santa Cecilia. 10 standing 16 feet above the marble floor Mr. Strinati has grand ambitions of San Pasquale Baylon chapel, a long- for his discovery. He hopes that in a neglected nook of Santa Maria in 50 few years the fully restored fresco will Aracoeli, a Franciscan basilica in the not only rescue Cavallini's name from center of Rome. Last year, Mr. obscurity, but also upend the 15 Strinati, who is still a graduate student, widespread notion that the first flowers began studying the church's history. of the Renaissance budded in Florence, Records suggested that the Roman 55 not Rome. For the fresco's lifelike artist Pietro Cavallini – a painter and figures – in particular, an impish mosaicist whose greatest works have Christ child with charmingly flushed 20 been destroyed – spent years cheeks – suggest to Strinati that decorating Aracoeli toward the end of Cavallini may have anticipated some the 13th century. Yet only one small 60 of the extraordinary naturalistic Cavallini fresco, in the church's left innovations that have long been transept, remained visible. Mr. Strinati credited to the Florentine artist Giotto. 25 wondered: had other Cavallini frescoes Moreover, the Aracoeli fragments been painted over with inferior work? may provide a critical new clue in a And if so, could modern restorers 65 decades-old battle concerning the ''St. uncover them? Francis Legend,'' the 1296 fresco cycle ''The answer to both questions was at Assisi, universally recognized as 30 yes,'' Mr. Strinati says. A close-up one of the foundations of the examination of the chapel's walls last Renaissance. For centuries, the 28- summer revealed ghostly images lying 70 scene cycle – which recounts the life beneath the surface. The entire chapel, of the saint with a narrative zest and it seemed, was a painted palimpsest. compositional depth that leave the flat 35 And when a heavy altarpiece was tableaus of the Byzantine era far removed from one wall, a remarkably behind – was attributed to Giotto. But tender portrait of the Madonna and 75 since the 1930's, various scholars have Child was found hidden behind it. questioned this judgment, claiming
READING 40
that the Assisi cycle doesn't resemble November. La Republicca, an Italian Giotto's other work. Now, the Aracoeli daily, has cast the debate as ''War discovery is ammunition for Italian art Between Rome and Florence.'' Mr. 80 historians who believe that Cavallini Strinati is enjoying the ruckus. ''I had a might actually be the primary creative 90 hunch that there was more Cavallini force behind the ''St. Francis Legend.'' lurking around here,'' he says of the The growing debate about Aracoeli basilica. ''But I didn't expect Cavallini's importance was the to find an exquisite work that could 85 occasion for a symposium in Rome in shake up the history of art.''
SUMMARIZE
Another good way to be an active reader is to summarize as you read the passage. Summarizing helps ensure that you understand what you read, and that you stay focused throughout the passage rather than ‘zoning out.’ This way you can avoid the dreaded feeling of finishing a passage and wondering what you just read!
Summarizing also makes long passages easier to manage. Breaking passages up into smaller pieces is easier than trying to make sense of the entire passage all at the end.
As you read, make a summary after each paragraph. Use the words you have underlined to help you. Your summaries should be short and snappy and cover only main ideas, not details or specific examples. Try to keep your summaries three to six words long, like a newspaper headline. Summarize in your own words. That ensures you have understood the paragraph, and will be more likely to remember what your summary refers to.
EXAMPLE Let’s refer back to our passage about Cavallini, and see how we could summarize the main ideas in the second paragraph.
A 28-year-old art historian, he is mosaicist whose greatest works have 10 standing 16 feet above the marble floor 20 been destroyed – spent years of San Pasquale Baylon chapel, a long- decorating Aracoeli toward the end of neglected nook of Santa Maria in the 13th century. Yet only one small Aracoeli, a Franciscan basilica in the Cavallini fresco, in the church's left center of Rome. Last year, Mr. transept, remained visible. Mr. Strinati 15 Strinati, who is still a graduate student, 25 wondered: had other Cavallini frescoes began studying the church's history. been painted over with inferior work? Records suggested that the Roman And if so, could modern restorers artist Pietro Cavallini – a painter and uncover them?
READING 41