Master the SAT and PSAT 2001

by Pine, Phil

• ISBN13: 9780764561207
• ISBN10: 0764561200
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-06-01
• Publisher: Petersons Guides

Summary

With nine full-length sample exams and exercises, this guide offers updated tips and test-taking strategies and a critical review of the best and worst ways to prepare for standardized exams. "The best prep book that I've seen in a long time".--Charlotte Klaar, director of College Consulting Services.

Table of Contents

Introduction	xiii
How this Book Helps You Succeed on the Exam	xiii
How to Use this Book	xiv
You're on Your Way to Success	xiv
PART 1 SAT BASICS	1	(32)
Getting Started	3	(8)
How the SAT Is Used for College Admission	3	(1)
When You Should Take the SAT (and SAT II)	4	(1)
How Many Times You Should Take the SAT	4	(1)
Score Choice on the SAT II Subject Tests	5	(1)
How to Register for the SAT	5	(1)
Make an SAT Study Plan	6	(1)
The Complete Course	6	(1)
The Accelerated Course	7	(1)
Working Through Your Study Plan	7	(2)
Summary: What You Need to Know About SAT Preparation	9	(2)
Inside the SAT	11	(10)
Get to Know the SAT Format	11	(1)
Get to Know the SAT Question Types	12	(1)
The SAT Verbal Reasoning Question Types	12	(1)
The SAT Math Questions	13	(1)
The SAT Answer Sheet	13	(2)
How the SAT Is Scored	15	(1)
Some Test-Wise Strategies for SAT Success	15	(1)
Pace Yourself	15	(1)
Question Sets Usually Go from Easiest to Most Difficult---You Should, Too	15	(1)
You Can Set Your Own Speed Limit	16	(1)
It's Smart to Keep Moving	16	(1)
The Easy Answer Isn't Always Best	16	(1)
You Don't Have to Read the Directions	16	(1)
You're Going to Need a Watch	16	(1)
Educated Guessing Will Boost Your Score!	16	(2)
How Educated Guessing Can Help	17	(1)
Getting Ready: The Night Before and the Day of the Test	18	(2)
Summary: Understand the SAT, Conquer Test Anxiety	20	(1)
SAT Questions: A First Look	21	(12)
How the SAT Tests Verbal Reasoning	21	(1)
Understanding Analogies	21	(2)
Understanding Sentence Completions	23	(1)
Understanding Critical Reading	24	(1)
How the SAT Tests Mathematical Reasoning	25	(1)
Understanding Multiple-Choice Math	25	(3)
Understanding Quantitative Comparisons	28	(2)
Understanding Grid-Ins	30	(1)
Summary: What You Need to Know About the SAT Question Types	31	(2)
PART 2 DIAGNOSING STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES	33	(48)
Diagnostic Examination	35	(46)
The Exam	37	(26)
Answer Key	63	(2)
Explanatory Answers	65	(11)
Computing Your Scores on the Diagnostic Exam	76	(1)
Pinpointing Relative Strengths and Weaknesses on the Diagnostic Exam	77	(2)
Verbal Question Types	77	(1)
Math Question Types	78	(1)
Math Subtopics	78	(1)
Measuring Your Progress	79	(1)
Conversion Scales for Diagnostic Examination	80	(1)
Self-Evaluation Charts	80	(1)
PART 3 SAT VERBAL STRATEGIES	81	(64)
SAT Analogies Strategies	83	(18)
A Closer Look at Analogies	83	(1)
SAT Analogy Questions	83	(1)
Question Format	83	(1)
Solving Analogies: Strategies That Really Work	84	(4)
Build a Bridge	84	(1)
Plug in the Answer Choices	84	(1)
Get Narrow as Needed	85	(1)
Look for the Test-Makers' Favorite Relationships	86	(2)
Solving Analogies: The Best Tips	88	(2)
Use the Analogy Structure to Guess Words You Don't Know	88	(2)
Don't Fear the Flip Flop	90	(1)
When All Else Fails	90	(1)
Solving Analogies: The Most Important Warnings	90	(2)
Ignore the Topics of the Word Pairs	90	(1)
Be Prepared to Jump from the Concrete to the Abstract	91	(1)
Exercise: Identifying Possible Right Answers	92	(1)
Exercise Answers	92	(1)
Summary: What You Need to Know About Analogies	93	(1)
Exercises: Analogies	94	(7)
Exercise 1	94	(3)
Exercise 2	97	(2)
Answer Keys and Explanations	99	(2)
SAT Sentence Completions Strategies	101	(16)
A Closer Look at Sentence Completions	101	(1)
Sentence Completion Questions and Their Format	101	(1)
Methods and Strategies for Solving Sentence Completions	102	(6)
The Best Strategies for Sentence Completion Questions	104	(4)
Summary: What You Need to Know About Sentence Completions	108	(1)
Exercises: Sentence Completions	108	(9)
Exercise 1	108	(4)
Exercise 2	112	(2)
Answer Keys and Explanations	114	(3)
SAT Critical Reading Strategies	117	(28)
A Closer Look at Critical Reading	117	(1)
SAT Reading Passages	117	(1)
Question Format	118	(1)
Best Strategies for Answering Critical Reading Questions	118	(6)
Sample Critical Reading Passage	119	(2)
Sample Paired Critical Reading Passages	121	(3)
Learn the Most Important Critical Reading Tips	124	(2)
Do the Critical Reading Questions Last	124	(1)
Answer All of the Questions Before You Move On to the Next Passage	124	(1)
Remember that the Questions Follow the Order of the Passage	125	(1)
Do Double Passages One Passage at a Time	125	(1)
Don't Panic When You Read an Unfamiliar Passage	125	(1)
Remember that Everything You Need to Know Is Right There in Front of You	125	(1)
Start with the Passages that Interest You	125	(1)
Use Your Pencil to Highlight Important Information as You Read the Passage	126	(1)
Don't Get Bogged Down in the Details	126	(1)
Don't Confuse a ``True'' Answer with a ``Correct'' Answer	126	(1)
Strategies for Answering Specific Question Types	126	(4)
Remember that the Answer to a Main Idea Question Is Neither Too General nor Too Specific	128	(1)
Check the Introductory and Conclusion Paragraphs for the Main Idea of the Passage	128	(1)
Plug in Choices to Solve Vocabulary-in-Context Questions	128	(1)
Find the Right Restatement by First Restating an Author's Phrase in Your Own Words	129	(1)
Read Between the Lines to Draw Inferences from the Passage	129	(1)
Look for Descriptive Words to Clue You In to the Tone or Mood of the Passage	130	(1)
Summary: What You Need to Know About Critical Reading	130	(1)
Exercises: Critical Reading	131	(14)
Exercise 1	131	(5)
Exercise 2	136	(5)
Answer Keys and Explanations	141	(4)
PART 4 SAT MATH STRATEGIES	145	(60)
SAT Multiple-Choice Math Strategies	147	(24)
Why Multiple-Choice Math Is Easier	147	(1)
SAT Multiple-Choice Math Questions	147	(1)
Question Format	148	(1)
Solving Multiple-Choice Math Questions	148	(2)
Know When to Use Your Calculator	150	(1)
Learn the Most Important Multiple-Choice Math Tips	150	(10)
The Question Number Tells You How Hard the Question Is	150	(2)
Easy Questions Have Easy Answers---Difficult Questions Don't	152	(1)
When Guessing at Hard Questions, You Can Toss Out Easy Answers	153	(1)
Questions of Average Difficulty Won't Have Trick Answers	153	(1)
It's Smart to Work Backwards	153	(1)
When Working Backwards, Always Start from the Middle	154	(1)
It's Easier to Work with Numbers than with Letters	155	(1)
It's OK to Write in Your Test Booklet, so Use It for Scratch Work	156	(1)
Questions in the Three-Statement Format Can Be Solved by the Process of Elimination	156	(1)
The Area of an Unusual Shape Is Really the Difference Between the Areas of Two Regular Figures	157	(1)
Using the Measure of an Angle or a Side of Another Shape Can Help You Find a Measure You Need	158	(1)
A Reality Check Can Help You Eliminate Answers that Can't Possibly Be Right	158	(1)
Your Eye Is a Good Estimator	159	(1)
If Some Questions Always Give You Trouble, Save Them for Last	160	(1)
Summary: What You Need to Know About SAT Multiple-Choice Math	160	(1)
Exercises: Multiple-Choice Math	161	(10)
Exercise 1	161	(4)
Exercise 2	165	(3)
Answer Keys and Explanations	168	(3)
SAT Quantitative Comparisons Strategies	171	(22)
Get to Know the Quantitative Comparison Format	171	(1)
SAT Quantitative Comparison Questions	172	(1)
Question Format	172	(1)
Solving Quantitative Comparisons	172	(3)
Learn the Most Important Quantitative Comparison Tips	175	(5)
Make the Columns Look Alike	175	(1)
Eliminate Whatever the Columns Share	176	(3)
Plug in Values for X	179	(1)
The Best Tips	180	(1)
Memorize the Answer System	180	(1)
Look for Math Shortcuts	180	(1)
The Most Important Warnings	181	(3)
Assume Nothing!	181	(2)
When There's No Unknown, Don't Guess (D)	183	(1)
Summary: What You Need to Know About Quantitative Comparisons	184	(1)
Exercises: Quantitative Comparisons	185	(8)
Exercise 1	185	(3)
Exercise 2	188	(2)
Answer Keys and Explanations	190	(3)
SAT Grid-In Strategies	193	(12)
Why Grid-Ins Are Easier than You Think	193	(1)
SAT Grid-In Questions	193	(1)
Take a Look at a Grid	193	(1)
How to Record Your Answers	194	(3)
Guessing on Grid-Ins Can't Hurt You	197	(1)
Summary: What You Need to Know About Grid-Ins	197	(1)
Exercises: Grid-ins	198	(7)
Exercise 1	198	(2)
Exercise 2	200	(2)
Answer Explanations	202	(3)
PART 5 SAT VOCABULARY PREP COURSE	205	(48)
How Word Parts Work	207	(22)
How Words Are Built	207	(1)
The Three Basic Word Parts and How They Work	208	(1)
List of Common Word Parts	208	(17)
Prefixes	208	(4)
Suffixes	212	(2)
Roots	214	(11)
Summary: What You Need to Know About Word Parts	225	(1)
Exercises: Word Parts	226	(3)
Exercise 1	226	(1)
Exercise 2	226	(1)
Exercise 3	227	(1)
Exercise 4	227	(1)
Exercise 5	227	(1)
Answer Keys	228	(1)
The SAT ``Top 500'' Word List	229	(24)
The Best Ways to Learn New Words	229	(1)
Make Some Portable Lists	229	(1)
Make Flashcards	230	(1)
The Top 500 SAT Words	230	(15)
The SAT Word List	230	(15)
Summary: What You Need to Know About SAT Words	245	(1)
Exercises: SAT Words	246	(7)
Exercise 1	246	(4)
Exercise 2	250	(2)
Answer Keys	252	(1)
PART 6 SAT MATH REVIEW	253	(80)
SAT Arithmetic Review	255	(32)
Operations with Integers and Decimals	255	(3)
Operations with Fractions	258	(5)
Verbal Problems Involving Fractions	263	(4)
Variation	267	(3)
Finding Percents	270	(6)
Verbal Problems Involving Percent	276	(6)
Averages	282	(5)
SAT Algebra Review	287	(30)
Signed Numbers	287	(2)
Linear Equations	289	(4)
Exponents	293	(2)
Quadratic Equations	295	(3)
Literal Expressions	298	(2)
Roots and Radicals	300	(4)
Monomials and Polynomials	304	(3)
Problem-Solving in Algebra	307	(5)
Inequalities	312	(3)
Defined Operation Problems	315	(2)
SAT Geometry Review	317	(16)
Areas	317	(1)
Perimeters	318	(1)
Circles	319	(1)
Volumes	320	(1)
Triangles	321	(1)
Right Triangles	322	(1)
Parallel Lines	323	(1)
Polygons	324	(1)
Similar Polygons	325	(1)
Coordinate Geometry	326	(7)
PART 7 PRACTICE EXAMINATIONS	333	(296)
How to Effectively Use the Practice Examinations	335	(4)
How to Simulate Test-Taking Conditions	335	(1)
Find Three Quiet Hours	335	(1)
Work at a Desk and Wear a Watch	336	(1)
Practice on a Weekend Morning	336	(1)
How Timing Drills Can Help When You Are Short on Time	336	(2)
Math Timing Drills	336	(1)
Verbal Timing Drills	337	(1)
A Table of Timing Drills	337	(1)
Summary: What You Need to Know to Take Practice Tests and Do Timing Drills	338	(1)
Seven Practice Examinations	339	(290)
Practice Examination 1	339	(38)
Answer Key	367	(2)
Explanatory Answers	369	(8)
Computing Your Scores on Practice Examination 1	377	(1)
Conversion Scales for Practice Examination 1	378	(1)
Self-Evaluation Charts	378	(1)
Practice Examination 2	379	(39)
Answer Key	407	(2)
Explanatory Answers	409	(9)
Computing Your Scores on Practice Examination 2	418	(1)
Conversion Scales for Practice Examination 2	419	(2)
Self-Evaluation Charts	419	(2)
Practice Examination 3	421	(39)
Answer Key	449	(2)
Explanatory Answers	451	(9)
Computing Your Scores on Practice Examination 3	460	(1)
Conversion Scales for Practice Examination 3	461	(2)
Self-Evaluation Charts	461	(2)
Practice Examination 4	463	(40)
Answer Key	493	(2)
Explanatory Answers	495	(8)
Computing Your Scores on Practice Examination 4	503	(1)
Conversion Scales for Practice Examination 4	504	(1)
Self-Evaluation Charts	504	(1)
Practice Examination 5	505	(39)
Answer Key	534	(2)
Explanatory Answers	536	(8)
Computing Your Scores on Practice Examination 5	544	(1)
Conversion Scales for Practice Examination 5	545	(2)
Self-Evaluation Charts	545	(2)
Practice Examination 6	547	(39)
Answer Key	576	(1)
Explanatory Answers	577	(9)
Computing Your Scores on Practice Examination 6	586	(1)
Conversion Scales for Practice Examination 6	587	(2)
Self-Evaluation Charts	587	(2)
Final Practice Examination	589	(38)
Answer Key	618	(2)
Explanatory Answers	620	(7)
Computing Your Scores on Final Practice Examination	627	(1)
Conversion Scales for Final Practice Examination	628	(1)
Self-Evaluation Charts	628	(1)
PART 8 THE PSAT/NMSQT	629	(48)
All About the PSAT/NMSQT	631	(6)
How to Register for the PSAT/NMSQT	631	(1)
Why the Student Search Survey Is Important	631	(1)
How the PSAT Differs from the SAT	632	(1)
Get to Know the PSAT Format	632	(1)
How to Interpret and Use Your PSAT Scores	633	(1)
How Your Selection Index Can Qualify You for National Merit	634	(1)
Becoming a Commended Scholar	634	(1)
Becoming a Semi-Finalist and Applying for Scholarships	635	(1)
Summary: What You Need to Know About the PSAT/NMSQT	635	(2)
PSAT/NMSQT Diagnostic Examination	637	(40)
PSAT/NMSQT Diagnostic Examination	639	(31)
Answer Key	662	(1)
Explanatory Answers	663	(7)
Computing Your Scores on PSAT/NMSQT Diagnostic	670	(1)
Pinpointing Relative Strengths and Weaknesses on the PSAT/NMSQT	671	(4)
Verbal Question Types	671	(1)
Math Question Types	672	(1)
Math Subtopics	673	(1)
Writing Skills	674	(1)
Measuring Your Progress	675	(2)
PART 9 THE SAT AND BEYOND	677	(2)
Appendix A Choosing the Right College	679	(10)
Which College Is Right for You?	679	(2)
Tips on Visiting Campuses	681	(1)
Hanging Out with Other Students Online	682	(2)
Usenet Newsgroups	682	(1)
E-mail Mailing Lists	683	(1)
Check Out College and Student Web Pages	683	(1)
College Search Sites on the Internet	684	(5)
Appendix B Applying to the College of Your Choice	689	(10)
When to Apply	689	(1)
About the Early Action and Early Decision Options	689	(1)
How to Apply	690	(2)
Filling Out the Application	691	(1)
Other Materials to Submit	691	(1)
Applying Online	692	(1)
College Admissions Timeline	692	(7)
Appendix C Finding Financial Aid	699	(14)
Figuring Out Financial Aid	699	(1)
What You Will Pay	699	(1)
What's Covered by Financial Aid	699	(1)
Sources of Financial Aid	700	(4)
Federal Aid	700	(3)
State Aid	703	(1)
College Funds	703	(1)
Employers	703	(1)
Private Scholarships	703	(1)
Finding Financial Aid Online	704	(3)
The Department of Education	704	(1)
The College Board	704	(1)
State Programs	705	(1)
Sallie Mae and Other Lenders	705	(1)
College Web Sites	706	(1)
Third-Party Resources	706	(1)
Scholarship Searches	707	(1)
A Step-by-Step Guide to Applying for Financial Aid	707	(4)
Before You Apply: Assembling the Paperwork	707	(1)
Getting and Filling Out Financial Aid Forms	708	(1)
Keeping Track of Paperwork: What to Do with the Student Aid Report	709	(1)
Receiving Your Award Letter	710	(1)
Putting It All Together: The Financial Aid Calendar	711	(2)
Appendix D Using Other Study Aids	713	(4)
Online Study Aids	713	(1)
Software Study Aids	714	(1)
Coaching Courses	715	(2)
Individual Tutoring	715	(1)
School-Based Programs	716	(1)
Local Commercial Courses	716	(1)
National Commercial Courses	717