Recently, I wrote about how to read science passages on SAT and ACT (https://www.historyaccordingtosat.com/post/reading-science-a-formula). Here are some pointers to help you with literature passages.
Literature passages on standardized tests often come from the slower parts of the story: internal monologues, long paragraphs with no dialogue, descriptions of the landscape or weather. In other words, the excerpts on reading comprehension tests tend to be all the stuff kids skip when they are just reading for fun. However, it’s also possible to get a moment of confrontation or a dialogue, so keep an open mind as you read.
Long paragraphs can be challenging to read, so it’s important to make yourself pay attention. If the wording is confusing, try to follow the main clauses of each sentence, skipping over the modifying phrases, often between commas, that contain extra details. Also, the details often build on each other to create a cumulative overall effect. So slow down, and pay attention.
Always read the introductory blurb. It provides the name of the author, the name of the text, and the year in which it was written. Sometimes, there is also a sentence or two of context, such as that the passage is set during the French Revolution. Circle the year. Pay close attention to contextualizing information in the blurb and in any footnotes. Dates are particularly helpful because they give you clues about what kind of language to expect. (Older is generally harder.)
Just as science passages often use an old idea/new idea structure, literature passages tend to focus on a moment of change: the transition between the old idea and the new one. This can be a moment of reflection, a confrontation, or any other moment of change. Circle transition words as you read (or highlight if you’re working on a device). The new idea will be after a transition.
Here are some examples of the kinds of change that can occur in literature passages:
The narrator introduces and analyzes a character who is at a life juncture, such as returning home after a lengthy absence or a change in a significant relationship.
How a relationship between characters does or does not develop.
A character confronts an unexpected obstacle.
A character finds that a new job does not match his or her expectations.
A character is traveling and thinking about what he or she sees.
A character has new insights or a moment of realization.
New technology and the changes it brings.
In immigrant narratives, the change is often how the protagonist learns about or responds to the challenges that come from being biracial or bicultural.
Finally, don’t let names confuse you. Characters in older books use each other’s last names when they talk to or about each other. Even a husband and wife may address each other as Mr. and Mrs. in public. However, first names are used among children and close relationships between equals: siblings, best friends, romantic partners. Schoolmates and co-workers may use nicknames for each other. So, take a minute to connect first and last names to keep everyone straight in your head. Label dialogue with characters’ initials. Don’t let them mix you up!
Taken together, these tips provide an overview of how to read an excerpt from a longer work of fiction or memoir. I’m planning a post about passages that contain humor and irony; please let me know if there are other topics you’d like me to address.
Elizabeth Breau, Ph.D., is a private English tutor and the author of History According to SAT: A Content Guide to SAT Reading and Writing. Her website is historyaccordingtosat.com. She can be reached at elizabeth.breau@gmail.com.
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