Arco Master the ACT

by Arco Publishing Company; O'Keefe, Susan Heyboer

• ISBN13: 9780764561177
• ISBN10: 0764561170
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-06-01
• Publisher: Peterson's

Summary

Test-takers can find in-depth reviews of all subjects and sample exams with detailed answer explanations. They can also practice their test-taking skills with the interactive CD-ROM.

Table of Contents

PART 1 MEETING AND MASTERING THE ACT	1	(98)
Get to Know the ACT	3	(16)
Understand the ACT	3	(1)
ACT Contents and Format	4	(1)
The ACT English Test	5	(1)
Usage and Mechanics	5	(1)
Rhetorical Skills	5	(1)
The ACT Math Test	6	(1)
Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra	6	(1)
Intermediate Algebra/Coordinate Geometry	6	(1)
Plane Geometry/Trigonometry	7	(1)
The ACT Reading Test	7	(1)
Social Studies/Natural Sciences	8	(1)
Prose Fiction/Humanities	8	(1)
The ACT Science Reasoning Test	8	(1)
Data Representation	8	(1)
Research Summaries	9	(1)
Conflicting Hypotheses	9	(1)
Nuts and Bolts: The ACT Test Booklet and Answer Sheet	9	(1)
How the ACT Is Scored	10	(1)
How College Admissions Offices Use the ACT Score	10	(2)
Registering for the ACT	12	(1)
Calculating the Testing Fee	12	(1)
When Should You Take the ACT?	12	(1)
Where Should You Take the ACT?	13	(1)
A Look Ahead: What You Need to Do the Day of the ACT	13	(1)
Special Registration Situations	14	(1)
Financial Hardship	14	(1)
Non-Saturday Testing	14	(1)
Physical Accommodations	14	(1)
Extended Test Time	15	(1)
Homebound or Confined Students	15	(1)
How to Contact the ACT Office	15	(2)
Summary: What You Need to Know About the ACT	17	(2)
If You Had to Take the ACT Today: The ACT Self-Evaluation Test	19	(72)
Taking the ACT Self-Evaluation Test	19	(2)
The ACT Self-Evaluation Test	21	(48)
Answer Key	69	(2)
Explanatory Answers	71	(14)
What This First Score Means	85	(4)
English	87	(1)
Math	88	(1)
Reading	88	(1)
Science Reasoning	89	(1)
Tracking Your Progress	89	(2)
Mastering the ACT: Your Plan for Success	91	(8)
Creating Your ACT Study Plan	91	(1)
If You Have Three Months or More to Prepare	92	(1)
If You Have Four to Six Weeks to Prepare	93	(1)
If You Have Two Weeks to Prepare	94	(1)
Minimizing Test Anxiety	95	(1)
A Visualization Exercise	95	(1)
A Relaxation Exercise	95	(1)
An Exercise in Silliness	96	(1)
Ten Strategies for Scoring Higher on the ACT	96	(2)
Summary: What You Need to Know About Making Your Study Plan	98	(1)
PART 2 STRENGTHENING YOUR ACT SUBJECT SKILLS	99	(118)
The ACT English Test	101	(30)
What to Expect on the ACT English Test	101	(2)
Questions on Usage and Mechanics	102	(1)
Questions on Rhetorical Skills	102	(1)
Directions	103	(1)
Strategies for Success on the ACT English Test	103	(6)
Skim the Passage Before Reading	103	(1)
Read the Whole Sentence	104	(1)
Listen for the Mistake	104	(1)
Correct the Mistake on Your Own First	104	(1)
Look for Common Mistakes	105	(1)
Remember That Shorter Is Usually Better	105	(1)
Don't Add a New Mistake	106	(1)
Find the Right Sequence by Finding the First Item	106	(1)
Expect a Single Idea per Paragraph	107	(1)
Don't Worry About Tiny Details	108	(1)
Avoid the Repetition of Ideas	108	(1)
Success Strategy Roundup: A List of Do's and Don'ts	109	(20)
Practice Exercises	111	(1)
Exercise 1	112	(6)
Exercise 2	118	(7)
Answer Keys and Explanations	125	(4)
Are You Ready to Move On?	129	(1)
Summary: What You Need to Know about the ACT English Test	129	(2)
The ACT Math Test	131	(28)
What to Expect on the ACT Math Test	131	(3)
The Directions	133	(1)
Strategies for Success on the ACT Math Test	134	(10)
Know What's Really Being Asked	134	(1)
Keep Moving Within the Problem	135	(1)
Estimate	136	(1)
Try One of the Choices	137	(1)
Turn Word Problems into Equations	137	(3)
Change Quantities into the Unit of the Answer	140	(1)
Consider Diagrams ``Treasure Maps'' to the Solution	140	(1)
If There's No Diagram, Draw One	141	(1)
Read the Graph Before You Read the Questions	142	(2)
Avoid Long Calculations	144	(1)
Don't Over-Rely on Your Calculator	144	(1)
Success Strategy Roundup: A List of Do's and Don'ts	144	(3)
Practice Exercises	147	(9)
Exercise 1	148	(3)
Exercise 2	151	(2)
Answer Keys and Explanations	153	(3)
Are You Ready to Move On?	156	(1)
Summary: What You Need to Know about the ACT Math Test	157	(2)
The ACT Reading Test	159	(28)
What to Expect on the ACT Reading Test	159	(2)
A Closer Look at ACT Reading Questions and Their Format	159	(1)
Learn the Directions	160	(1)
Strategies for Success on the ACT Reading Test	161	(8)
The Three-Step Method: Preview, Read, Review	161	(2)
Concentrate on Main Ideas	163	(2)
See How the Ideas Are Connected	165	(2)
Begin with the Type of Passage You Like Best	167	(1)
Don't Pick the First Answer That Sounds Either Good or Familiar	168	(1)
Don't Pick an Answer Just Because It's True	168	(1)
Define Words by Their Context	169	(1)
Success Strategy Roundup: A List of Do's and Don'ts	169	(2)
Practice Exercises	171	(14)
Exercise 1	172	(5)
Exercise 2	177	(5)
Answer Keys and Explanations	182	(3)
Are You Ready to Move On?	185	(1)
Summary: What You Need to Know about the ACT Reading Test	185	(2)
The ACT Science Reasoning Test	187	(30)
What to Expect on the ACT Science Reasoning Test	187	(5)
The Science Reasoning Questions and Their Format	188	(4)
The Directions	192	(1)
Strategies for Success on the ACT Science Reasoning Test	192	(10)
The Three-Step Method: Preview, Read, Review	192	(1)
Look for the Main Idea	193	(6)
Know the Four Most Common Question Types	199	(2)
Don't Get Lost in Numbers, Jargon, or Details	201	(1)
Success Strategy Roundup: A List of Do's and Don'ts	202	(1)
Practice Exercises	203	(11)
Exercise 1	204	(4)
Exercise 2	208	(4)
Answer Keys and Explanations	212	(2)
Are You Ready to Move On?	214	(1)
Summary: What You Need to Know about the ACT Science Reasoning Test	214	(3)
PART 3 MASTER ACT SUBJECT REVIEWS	217	(248)
English Review: Grammar	219	(42)
Mastering Verbs	219	(4)
A Verb Must Agree with Its Subject in Number	219	(2)
The Tense of the Verb Must Accurately Show the Sequence of Events	221	(1)
Always Use the Past Participle of a Verb with the Helping Verb to Have	222	(1)
Mastering Modifying Phrases	223	(1)
A Modifying Phrase Must Modify a Word or Phrase in the Same Sentence	223	(1)
A Modifying Phrase Must Be Next to What It Modifies	224	(1)
Mastering Adjectives and Adverbs	224	(2)
An Adjective Cannot Be Used in Place of an Adverb	225	(1)
Use a Comparative Adjective or Adverb to Compare Two Things; Use a Superlative for Three or More	225	(1)
Do Not Confuse the Adjective Good, the Adverb Well, and the Adjective Well	226	(1)
Mastering Pronouns	226	(2)
A Pronoun Must Have a Clear and Logical Antecedent	227	(1)
A Pronoun Must Agree with Its Antecedent in Number	227	(1)
Use Second-and Third-Person Pronouns Consistently	227	(1)
Mastering Connecting Clauses	228	(2)
The Conjunction Between Clauses Must Be Logical	229	(1)
Use a Semicolon (;) to Connect Two Independent Clauses	229	(1)
Avoid Run-on Sentences	229	(1)
Avoid Sentence Fragments	230	(1)
Mastering Punctuation	230	(3)
Use a Colon (:) to Introduce a List or a Restatement	230	(1)
Use Commas to Separate Items in a List of Three or More Words	231	(1)
Use a Pair of Commas to Set Off a Parenthetical Phrase	231	(1)
Don't Use Commas to Separate Sentence Elements that Naturally Belong Together	232	(1)
Use the Apostrophe (') Correctly When Forming a Possessive or a Contraction	232	(1)
Mastering Grammar and Logic	233	(1)
Items in a List Must Be Grammatically Parallel	233	(1)
Two Things Being Compared Must Be Grammatically Parallel	234	(1)
Mastering the Use of Idioms	234	(1)
When Idiomatic Paired Phrases Are Used, Always Complete the Idiom	234	(1)
Use the Right Idiomatic Preposition	235	(1)
Learn to Distinguish Between Easily Confused Words	235	(1)
Master the Ability to Identify Wordiness	236	(2)
Avoid Verbosity	236	(1)
Avoid Changing the Meaning When Editing	237	(1)
Avoid Redundancy	237	(1)
Avoid the Passive Voice When Possible	238	(1)
Practice Exercises	238	(22)
Exercise 1	239	(5)
Exercise 2	244	(5)
Exercise 3	249	(6)
Answer Keys and Explanations	255	(5)
Are You Ready to Move On?	260	(1)
Additional Resources for Review	260	(1)
Math Review: From Arithmetic Through Geometry	261	(80)
Arithmetic	261	(11)
Numbers and the Number Line	261	(1)
Laws of Arithmetic and Order of Operations	262	(2)
Divisibility Rules	264	(1)
Divisibility in Addition, Subtraction, and Multiplication	265	(1)
Comparing Fractions	266	(1)
Arithmetic with Fractions	267	(3)
Fractions, Decimals, and Percents	270	(1)
Averages	271	(1)
Algebra	272	(5)
Signed Numbers	272	(2)
Laws of Exponents	274	(1)
Ratio, Proportion, and Variation	275	(2)
Solving Linear Equations	277	(16)
Solving Linear Inequalities	278	(1)
Solving Two Linear Equations with Two Unknowns	279	(2)
Word Problems with One or Two Unknowns	281	(1)
Monomials and Polynomials	282	(1)
Combining Polynomials and Monomials	283	(1)
Factoring Monomials and the Difference of Squares	284	(1)
Operations with Square Roots	285	(1)
Trinomial Factoring and Quadratic Equations	286	(1)
The Quadratic Formula	287	(1)
Complex Numbers	288	(1)
Higher Roots and Fractional Exponents	289	(1)
Functions	290	(2)
Exponentials and Logarithms	292	(1)
Geometry	293	(19)
Angles, Complements, and Supplements	293	(1)
Properties of Triangles	294	(1)
The Pythagorean Theorem	295	(1)
The Area of a Triangle	296	(1)
Isosceles and Equilateral Triangles	297	(2)
Special Right Triangles	299	(1)
Vertical Angles Are Equal	300	(1)
Parallel Lines and Transversals	301	(1)
Rectangles, Parallelograms, and Other Polygons	302	(3)
Basic Properties of Circles	305	(1)
The Area and Circumference of a Circle	306	(2)
Volumes	308	(1)
Right Triangle Trigonometry	309	(3)
Coordinate Geometry	312	(9)
The Midpoint Formula	312	(1)
The Distance Formula and Equations for Circles	313	(1)
Slope of a Line	314	(1)
Equations of Lines	315	(1)
Systems of Equations with Non-Unique Solutions	316	(1)
Parabolas and Quadratic Equations	317	(2)
Trigonometric Graphs	319	(2)
Other ACT Math Topics	321	(6)
The Addition Principle for Counting	321	(1)
The Multiplication Principle for Counting	322	(1)
Probability	323	(1)
Arithmetic and Geometric Progressions	323	(2)
Matrices	325	(2)
Practice Exercises	327	(12)
Exercise 1	327	(3)
Exercise 2	330	(2)
Exercise 3	332	(3)
Answer Keys and Explanations	335	(4)
Are You Ready to Move On?	339	(1)
Additional Resources for Review	339	(2)
Reading Review: Vocabulary	341	(64)
Master Strategies for Building Your Vocabulary	341	(2)
Learn a Few Words Every Day	341	(1)
Actively Use What You've Learned and Learn What You Use	342	(1)
Learn to Recognize Root Words	342	(1)
How to Use Your ACT Word List	343	(1)
Words Most Likely to Appear on the ACT Test	343	(39)
Prefix and Suffix Tables	382	(2)
Practice Exercises	384	(19)
Exercise 1	385	(4)
Exercise 2	389	(5)
Exercise 3	394	(5)
Answer Keys and Explanations	399	(4)
Are You Ready to Move On?	403	(1)
Additional Resources for Review	403	(2)
Science Reasoning Review: Understanding Data	405	(60)
How to Read Tables, Graphs, and Charts	405	(1)
An In-Depth Review of Tables	406	(1)
Variables and Trends	407	(1)
An In-Depth Review of Graphs	407	(12)
Bar Graphs	409	(1)
Line Graphs	410	(2)
Scatter Graphs	412	(1)
Interpolation and Extrapolation	413	(2)
The Dangers of Extrapolation	415	(1)
Advantages and Disadvantages of Graphs	416	(3)
A Simple Guide to the Scientific Method	419	(4)
Inductive and Deductive Reasoning	419	(1)
Starting with a Hypothesis	420	(1)
Testing a Hypothesis	421	(2)
What You Need to Know About Variables	423	(1)
The Role of the Control	424	(1)
How to Read Research Summaries	424	(3)
Understanding How Scientists Compare Conclusions	427	(2)
The Scientific View of Complex Systems	428	(1)
How Scientists Identify Significant Factors	428	(1)
How to Read Conflicting Viewpoints Passages	429	(2)
Scientific Terms and Concepts Most Likely to Be on Your ACT	431	(15)
How to Use Your Scientific Terms List	431	(1)
Scientific Terms and Concepts Glossary	432	(14)
Practice Exercises	446	(17)
Exercise 1	447	(5)
Exercise 2	452	(4)
Exercise 3	456	(4)
Answer Keys and Explanations	460	(3)
Are You Ready to Move On?	463	(1)
Additional Resources for Review	463	(2)
PART 4 THREE FULL-LENGTH PRACTICE ACT EXAMS	465	(190)
Practice Examination 1	467	(62)
Answer Key	514	(1)
Explanatory Answers	515	(14)
Practice Examination 2	529	(62)
Answer Key	575	(2)
Explanatory Answers	577	(14)
Practice Examination 3	591	(64)
Answer Key	638	(2)
Explanatory Answers	640	(15)
PART 5 LIFE AFTER THE ACT	655
A Applying to the College of Your Choice	657
B Finding Financial Aid	667
C Choosing the Right College	681
D Using Other Study Aids	691