The Outsiders Characters

Board Work

Questions:  Can a subject compliment also be a prepositional phrase?

Answer: Yes!

Subject Complement

Prepositional phrases secondly function as subject complements. A subject complement is a word, phrase, or clause that follows a copular verb and describes the subject. The following italicized prepositional phrases are examples of subject complements:

• The most magical time of night is after midnight.
• The new museum display is out of this world.
• My least favorite part of the workday is during the afternoon.

https://www.brighthubeducation.com/english-homework-help/46995-the-nominal-functions-of-prepositions-and-prepositional-phrases/

The Outsiders Micro CERS #11

Chapter 11

DUE Tomorrow, Tuesday 12/18/18 at 8:15 AM

*Spoilers*

When Randy visits Ponyboy and states that “…I kind of let him [my father] down, being mixed up in all of this,” (164). 

Does Randy feel more remorse because the murder has gone all the way to court, and his family is now embarrassed by his actions as a bully?  Or, does he feel more remorse because he shouldn’t have been tormenting and bullying Greasers in the first place?  Maybe he's learned from his mistakes. 

In other words, is Randy more upset because of the role he played in his friend’s a murder, or because he got caught? 

Take a position and write a Micro CERS.

CLAIM – Mention the title, author and type of media.  Turn the prompt into a clear position.  (1 sentence)

EVIDENCE – State the best evidence to support your claim.  It may be a quotation from the text, or the best single point to prove your argument.  (1 sentence)

REASONING – Use logic to explain and elaborate how your evidence proves your claim.  (2 – 4 sentences).

SYNTHESIS – Briefly restate the claim using different wording

End of Calendar Year Due Dates / Schedule

Monday –  Sentence #73,
                  Assign Micro CERS #11
                  Homework – Read Chapter 12 of the The Outsiders to prepare for final

                 Micro CERS #10 Due at 3:15 pm

Tuesday – Micro CERS Final & Matching Character Comprehension Test

                Micro CERS #11 Due at 8:15 am

                Micro CERS #12 & Comp Test Due at end of hour

Wednesday – Outsiders Screening

                Novel-to-Screen Activity (with Partners)

                Homework Creative Paragraph 4

Thursday – Outsiders Screening

Friday – Outsiders Screening

                Novel-to-Screen Activity Due at the end of class

                Creative Paragraph #4 Due at 3:15 pm

The Outsiders Micro CERS #10

DUE Monday 12/17/18 at 3:15 pm

Chapter 10

*SPOILERS*

In chapter 10, Dallas “Dally” Winston points an unloaded pistol at the police and is killed.  Ponyboy thinks, “Dallas Winston wanted to be dead, and he always got what he wanted… Johnny was right.  He died gallant,” (154). 

OPTION A

Do you agree with Ponyboy and think that Dally’s untimely death was inevitable? 

Or do you think something could have been done to save Dally from his own violent, self-destructive impulses?  

Take a position, gather the best evidence, and write a Micro CERS.

OPTION B

Back in Chapter 5 on page 76, Johnny and Ponyboy were talking about how the old Southerners in the novel Gone with the Wind were gallant as they rode their horses off into battle to face their deaths.  Consider the definition of what “gallant” means. 

Do you agree with Johnny and Ponyboy that Dally died “gallant?” 

Or do you think that Dally wasn’t particularly “gallant” in how he chose to die?

Take a position, gather the best evidence, and write a Micro CERS.

CLAIM – Mention the title, author and type of media.  Turn the prompt into a clear position.  (1 sentence)

EVIDENCE – State the best evidence to support your claim.  It may be a quotation from the text, or the best single point to prove your argument.  (1 sentence)

REASONING – Use logic to explain and elaborate how your evidence proves your claim.  (2 – 4 sentences).

SYNTHESIS – Briefly restate the claim using different wording

Tips for writing Reasoning in CERS

Many students struggle with the Reasoning sections of C.E.R.S. writing.  Here is a guide to help:

Overall, Reasoning uses logic to explain, elaborate, interpret, and define the Evidence in order to prove the Claim

THINK OF the writing of Reasoning as being like a lawyer or a detective piecing together the puzzle pieces to prove who did a crime.

- Good Reasoning is NOT about adding more evidence. It’s about focusing on the evidence that you already provided. 

- Good Reasoning is NOT repeating the same information and being redundant. It’s about interpreting and explaining. 

- Good Reasoning is NOT about expressing unfounded opinions or feelings. It’s about using cold rational logic to create cause-and-effect relationships.


- Good Reasoning SPELLS OUT THE RELATIONSHIP between the ideas

- Good Reasoning uses SPECIFIC INFORMATION instead being, unfocused or unclear vague.

Example: Instead of saying “sick” say “heart attack” (if that is correct). Even better: instead of saying “heart attack” say “cardiac arrest.”

- Good Reasoning USES LOGIC to connect the dots in a cause-and-effect pattern to show the connection between your Evidence and your Claim

Sentence Starters: “Because… Therefore… As a result of… Logically, if… then… “This decision then triggers…”

- Good Reasoning may include RESTATING the Evidence in different, more understandable own words

Sentence Starters: “In other words… Or, to put it another way…”

- Good Reasoning is EXPLAINING WHAT MIGHT BE LEFT OUT of the Evidence but needs to be said

Sentence Starters: “In order to understand this, earlier in the novel… What she means by this statement is… This refers back to a scene in the story earlier when…”

- Good Reasoning may include providing a DEFINITION of an important word or term

Sentence Starters: “The definition of… The term [blank] is used here in the context of…”

- Good Reasoning logically explores HYPOTHETIC SITUATIONS, or “what if?” scenarios.

Sentence Starters: “If… then… One can imagine the possibility that…”

Outsiders Micro CERS #09

DUE on Thursday 12/13/18 before 3:15 pm. 

Chapter 9

*SPOILERS*

Darry says, “I don’t know if you ought to be in this rumble, Pony,” (133), but Ponyboy insists on going.  

Look at the reasons different Greasers give for going to the rumble when Ponyboy asks them.  

Also, consider the risk of potential consequences of his fighting in the rumble.

Should Pony have gone to the rumble, or should he have stayed home? 

Remember to look at this question through the lens of the story world, NOT from the perspective of 2018 Birmingham. 

Take a position and write a Micro CERS.

CLAIM – Mention the title, author and type of media.  Turn the prompt into a clear position.  (1 sentence)

EVIDENCE – State the best evidence to support your claim.  It may be a quotation from the text, or the best single point to prove your argument.  (1 sentence)

REASONING – Use logic to explain and elaborate how your evidence proves your claim.  (2 – 4 sentences).

SYNTHESIS – Briefly restate the claim using different wording (1 sentence)

How to Review for a Sentence Composing Quiz

1)  Review your previous quizzes that were passed back.  Pay special attention to the errors and learn from your mistakes.

2)  Get help from the teacher during Flex Fridays, Rec periods, before and after school, and during transitions or down time during class.

3)  Ask a friend who understands to review concepts with you

4)  Review this blog, the Most Excellent Blog, for the slides we did in class for the two weeks prior to the assessment.

5)  Dig for supplemental resources such as videos or websites.   Students have reported good luck getting the same information put in a different way off of the Khan Academy and Youtube. 

6)  Review the "Word Bank / Cheat Sheet" that contains all of the core concepts.  Being able to quickly navigate this reference resource helps tremendously. 

Using Quotes within Quotes

Sometimes a student will want to include evidence that contains dialogue.  To do so they will need to substitute a single quote ( ' ), or an apostrophe, for the double quotes ( " ) within a text.

For example:

If the original text read:

The Big Bad Wolf huffed, and puffed, and blew the house down.

The citation might read:

"The Big Bad Wolf huffed, and puffed, and blew the house down," (15).


But if the original text had dialogue and read:

The Big Bad Wolf said, "I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house down!"

The citation might read:

"The Big Bad Wolf said, 'I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house down!'" (13).

Notice who you might actually have three quotes (a single and a double) in a row at the end of a quote with dialogue.

Tentative End of Year Schedule and Deadlines

Friday 12/7	Sentence Composing #67  Assigned Micro CERS #8 Micro CERS #7 due end of day
Monday 12/10	Sentence Composing #68 Read The Outsiders Chapter 9
Tuesday 12/11	Sentence Composing #69  Assign Micro CERS #9 Micro CERS #8 due end of day
Wednesday 12/12	Sentence Composing QUIZ (75 pts) Read The Outsiders Chapter 10
Thursday 12/13	Sentence Composing #71  Assign Micro CERS #10 Micro CERS #9 due end of day
Friday 12/14	Sentence Composing#72  Read The Outsiders Chapter 11
Monday 12/17	Sentence Composing #73  Assign Micro CERS #11 Micro CERS #10 due end of day
Tuesday 12/18	Sentence Composing #74  Read The Outsiders Chapter 12
Wednesday 12/19	Micro CERS #11 due before school begins FINAL TEST - THE OUTSIDERS Micro CERS #12  Micro CERS #12 due end of hour
Thursday 12/20	Movie - The Outsiders
Friday 12/21	Movie - The Outsiders & Celebration

Sentence Composing #061 - #067 Direct and Indirect Objects

The Outsiders Micro CERS #08

DUE Tuesday 12/11/18 at 3:15 PM

Chapter 8

*SPOILERS*

While laying in the hospital with a broken back and burns all over his body, Johnny refuses to see his own mother.  He says, “I said I don’t want to see her… She’s probably come to tell me about all the trouble I’m causing her and about how glad her and the old man’ll be when I’m dead.  Tell her to leave me alone,” (122).  

In this critical time in his life, did Johnny make the right choice by refusing to see his own mother?  Clearly they have had a difficult relationship.

Or conversely, despite their difficult relationship in the past, should he have agreed to let her visit him in the hospital?  It may have been the last chance for them to reconcile if he was to die.

Take a position and write a Micro CERS.

CLAIM – Mention the title, author and type of media.  Turn the prompt into a clear position.  (1 sentence)

EVIDENCE – State the best evidence to support your claim.  It may be a quotation from the text, or the best single point to prove your argument.  (1 sentence)

REASONING – Use logic to explain and elaborate how your evidence proves your claim.  (2 – 4 sentences).

SYNTHESIS – Briefly restate the claim using different wording.

The Outsiders Micro CERS #07

DUE:  Friday 12/7/18 by 3:15 PM

*SPOILERS*

Randy says of his buddy's parents:

“They spoiled him rotten… they gave in to him all the time.  He kept trying to make someone say ‘No’ and they never did... That was what he wanted… For somebody to tell him, ‘No.'  To have somebody lay down the law, set the limits, give him something solid to stand on.  That’s what we all really want,” (116).  

Some might believe that Bob the Soc's parents' lack of discipline helped cause his death. If Bob’s parents had given him more consequences for his poor choices throughout his short life, do you think that that he would still be alive? 

Or, some might think that the way that Bob’s parents raised him had nothing to do with the violent, drunken bullying behavior that lead to his death.  Bad parenting had little or nothing to do with it.  He tormented the wrong boy one too many times -- and that boy snapped, murdering him.  Some might say that his parents had nothing to do with it.

Is Randy right in suggesting that poor parenting contributed to Bob’s murder?

Take a position and write a Micro CERS.

CLAIM (1 sentence) – Mention the title, author and type of media.  Turn the prompt into a clear position.  

EVIDENCE (1 quote or idea) – State the best evidence to support your claim.  It may be a quotation from the text, or the best single point to prove your argument.  *You may use the quote used in the prompt as evidence if you can't locate something better. 

REASONING (2 – 4 sentences) – Use logic to explain and elaborate how your evidence proves your claim.

SYNTHESIS (1 sentence) – Briefly restate the claim using different wording.

Simple Sentences Mini Lesson

To Review:  Simple sentences can have more than one subject and more than one predicate, but can only have one clause.

Simple Sentences

The dog slept.  

One subject, one predicate, one clause.

The dog and the cat slept.

Two subjects, one predicate, one clause.

The dog slept and ate.

One subject, two predicate, one clause.

The dog and cat slept and ate.

Two subjects, two predicate, one clause.

Compound Sentence

The dog ate and the cat slept.

                Two subjects, two predicates, two clauses.

This Week's Agenda

Sentence Composing #061 - #062 Direct and Indirect Objects

Creative Collaborative Paragraph #03

DUE:  Wednesday 12/5/18 by 3:15 pm. 

Creative Collaborative Paragraph #03

1. Choose your favorite sentence from your Sentence Composing Journal from the subject compliments section (#051 - #060).

2. Give your favorite sentence to your partner through either email or a shared Google Doc.

3. They will write a creative paragraph of at least 150 words using your favorite sentence as the first sentence.

4. They will then hand the paragraph back to you, read what they wrote, and you will write a final sentence to end the story idea.

So you will end up with a paragraph where you wrote the first and last lines, and your partner wrote everything in between with not less than 150 words.

5. Also, vice versa.  They will do the same with you, where you will get a sentence from them to write a paragraph, and then you will hand it back to them to complete.

6. Do not forget to include the total word count at the end.

7. You will submit the paragraph that you started and ended to Turnitin.com with a shared “by line.”

For Example:  The Great Chess Game
by Mr. Chappell & Mr. Auten

8. They will do the same

The Outsiders Micro CERS #06

DUE:  Monday before 3:15 pm.  

CHAPTER 6

*SPOILERS*

In the ambulance, a teacher tells Ponyboy, “I swear, you three are the bravest kids I’ve seen in a long time… I think you were sent straight from heaven.  Or are you just professional heroes?” (95).

Is he wrong?

Some might argue that Johnny and Ponyboy are heroes for risking their lives to save the children in the burning church.

Others might argue that the boys aren’t really heroes because they just reacted without thinking.  They were being impulsive and therefore were not heroic.

Or, they felt guilty for causing the fire and it would be their fault if any of the children died.  They were trying to avoid committing yet more murders and therefore were not heroic.

Or, because of their terrible home lives and being wanted by the police, they have less to live for than those children.  They had nothing to lose and therefore were not heroic.

Write a Micro CERS on whether you believe Johnny and Ponyboy are heroes for running into the burning church to save the children or not.

CLAIM – Mention the title, author and type of media.  Turn the prompt into a clear position.  (1 sentence)

EVIDENCE – State the best evidence to support your claim.  It may be a quotation from the text, or the best single point to prove your argument.  (1 sentence)

REASONING – Use logic to explain and elaborate how your evidence proves your claim.  (2 – 4 sentences).

SYNTHESIS – Briefly restate the claim using different wording.

Subject Compliments Tips

Tip #01 - Use either a linking verb or a sensory verb to connect to the subject compliment.

Tip #02 - Check your work.  Ask yourself, "Does my subject compliment rename my subject?"  Or, "Does my subject compliment describe my subject?"

Tip #03 - Use your Word Bank / Cheat Sheet!

Study Guide - Sentence Composing Subject Compliments #051 - #059

The Outsiders Micro CERS #05

DUE Friday, 11/30/18, to Turnitin.com before 3:15 pm

Chapter 5

*Spoiler Alert*

PROMPT –

When Ponyboy shares the Robert Frost poem Nothing Gold Can Stay, Johnny states how he has changed how he looks at the world because of Ponyboy sharing poetry.  Also, Johnny seems to have really deep insights about the novel Gone with the Wind.  

Some people seem to appreciate literature (poetry and novels) more than others.  In either the real world or in the story world of The Outsiders, are people who appreciate literature better off than those who don’t?  Or is appreciating literature just a personal preference without any real benefit?

Write a Micro CERS on which side you agree with. 

CLAIM – Mention the title, author and type of media.  Turn the prompt into a clear position.  (1 sentence)

EVIDENCE – State the best evidence to support your claim.  It may be a quotation from the text, or the best single point to prove your argument.  (1 sentence)

REASONING – Use logic to explain and elaborate how your evidence proves your claim.  (2 – 4 sentences).

SYNTHESIS – Briefly restate the claim using different wording

This Weeks' Agenda

This Week's Agenda

The Outsiders Micro CERS Chapter 4

DUE submitted to Turnitin.com by Wednesday 11/28/18 by 8:15 AM

Chapter 4

*Spoiler Alert*

PROMPT – After Johnny kills Bob the Soc, Ponyboy and Johnny get help from Dallas and choose to run away, leaving town. 

Write a Micro CERS on whether, given the situation, you believe that their decision to leave town made sense from their perspective.  Or do you believe that, given the situation, they more realistically would have chosen to immediately turn themselves into the police? 

Remember:  this is not about what you would have done.  Put yourself into their perspective as Greasers and think about the way the world works from their point of view.  

CLAIM – Mention the title, author and type of media.  Turn the prompt into a clear position.  (1 sentence)

EVIDENCE – State the best evidence to support your claim.  It may be a quotation from the text, or the best single point to prove your argument.  (1 sentence)

REASONING – Use logic to explain and elaborate how your evidence proves your claim.  (2 – 4 sentences).

SYNTHESIS – Briefly restate the claim using different wording

Late Work Policy

Late work is accepted up until the end of the marking period. 

For little assignments, like 10 point homework, students get half credit for work turned in past the deadline. 

For larger assignments, like a 50 point paper, students lose -10% per day with a floor of 50%.  So, if a student turned in quality work for even three weeks late, they can still get 50%.

Sentence Composing #051 - #055 Subject Compliments

Subject Compliment Tips

TIP #01

Use the verbs from the verbs bank in the slides! 

By either using linking verbs (for predicate nominatives) or sensory verbs (for predicate adjectives) you will make your life a lot easier.


TIP #02 

How to Check Your Subject Compliments

A good rule of thumb to check to see if you correctly wrote a Subject Compliment is to ask yourself two questions:

Does my subject compliment rename my subject with another noun or a phrase that acts as a noun (ie; a predicate nominative)?

or

Does my subject compliment describe my subject with an adjective or adjective phrase (ie; a predicate adjective)?

If it does, you succeeded in writing a subject compliment.

If it doesn't, go back to the drawing board and try again.

Micro CERS Intended Audience

When writing a Micro CERS, assume that the audience is mature and has read the novel The Outsiders.  You don't have to explain the entire story to them.  However, it is fine to focus on key details if it helps support your argument.

How to Use Quotes inside of Quotes

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/quotation-within-quotation/

Outsiders Micro CERS Prompt for Chapters 3

Chapter 3

*Spoiler Alert*

PROMPT – Cherry tells Ponyboy, “… if I see you in the hall at school or someplace and don’t say hi, well, it’s not personal or anything, but… we couldn’t let our parents see us with you all,” (45 – 46).

Write a micro C.E.R.S. on whether you believe that Cherry’s publicly not acknowledging her friendship with Ponyboy (because he is a Greaser) is “personal” or not.

CLAIM – Mention the title, author and type of media.  Turn the prompt into a clear position.  (1 sentence)

EVIDENCE – State the best evidence to support your claim.  It may be a quotation from the text, or the best single point to prove your argument.  (1 sentence)

REASONING – Use logic to explain and elaborate how your evidence proves your claim.  (2 – 4 sentences).

SYNTHESIS – Briefly restate the claim using different wording

Quiz Curved

The curved grading scale for the Common Sentence Errors Quiz broke down as follows:

20 - 19    A
18           A-
(39 total)

17           B+
16           B
15           B-
(33 total)

14            C+
13 - 10    C
9             C-
(44 total)

8             D+
7-4          D
3             D-
(25 total)

0-2          E
(none)

This Week's Agenda

The Outsiders Micro CERS - Chapter 02

Chapter 2

*Spoiler Alert*

PROMPT – Cherry tells Ponyboy, “I bet you think the Socs have it made… We have troubles you’ve never heard of… Things are rough all over,” (34-35).

Write a micro C.E.R.S. on whether you believe that families who are affluent (as represented by the Socs) have the same level of problems and difficulties that the poor have (as represented by the Greasers) in the story world of The Outsiders.  You may make important connections to the real world, but keep the main focus on the characters, the setting, and the story.

CLAIM – Mention the title, author and type of media.  Turn the prompt into a clear position.  (1 sentence)

EVIDENCE – State the best evidence to support your claim.  It may be a quotation from the text, or the best single point or idea you have to prove your argument.  Quotes are preferred.  (1 sentence)

REASONING – Use logic to explain and elaborate how your evidence proves your claim.  (2 – 4 sentences).

SYNTHESIS – Briefly restate the claim using different wording.

Parent Teacher Conferences Schedule

Hello,

I will be available on Monday, 11/12/18, in room 205 from 6:00 - 9:00 pm to meet with parents.  This is a make up evening for the night I will be absent on Thursday from 4 - 7 pm.

I will also be available on Wednesday, 11/14/18, in the gym during the regular parent teacher conferences time from 1- 4, and 5 - 8 pm.

Looking forward to seeing everyone.

Best,
Mr. Chappell

Sentence Composing (Sentence Errors; Fragments, Comma Splices, Run-Ons) #041 - #049

This Week's Agenda

Paired Passages Reading Comprehension Sutdy Guide

Paired Passages Comprehension Study Guide

Academic Vocabulary

Author’s Purpose:  The main reason the author wrote the passage

Evidence / Facts:  Information that cannot be disputed

Opinions:  Information that may have more than one way to look at it

Point of View:  The perspective the passage is told from or representing:  who is experiencing it

Perspective Bias:  A position where the facts are interpreted one way to promote an opinion or belief

Main Idea:  The most important or central concept in the passage to which all ideas connect

Infer:  To read between the lines in order fill in the gaps of information – what is unsaid

Cause and Effect: “This” triggers “that.”  Newtonian physics.  One idea or concept causes another.

Compare: Showing similarity / sameness

Contrast:  Showing difference

Paired Passage / Informational Question Types:

Question 1:  Focuses on the nonfiction passage.

Question 2:  Focuses on the fiction passage.

Question 3:  Asks what both passages have in common.

Question 4 & 5:  Require students to differentiate between the passages and understand what topic is covered in each one.  A few will require students to combine the information from both passages to infer or extrapolate the answer.

• Quick Fetch Relatively easy questions where you simply go back to the text and the answer is right there.

• Number Calculation Some questions require the reader to do simple math by pulling relevant dates, quantities, dollars, or other units to be calculated.  The challenge with these questions is to make sure you understand what is being asked, and that you get the right numbers.

• Vocabulary / Background Knowledge  Focuses on a key word or fact that requires the reader to go back into the sentence for context clues if the they don’t  already know the definition.

• Cross-Text Synthesis  Synthesis means combining of two or more things.  In these questions you are expected to gather information from both texts and apply the knowledge by blending the two sources together for a deeper understanding.  In other words, your grab some information from Text A and apply that information to Text B

• Inference.  Inference is “reading between the lines,” or filling the gaps that weren’t stated obviously and directly.  These questions expect you to understand what is not obvious, but requires the ability to infer -- or to make a logical guess based upon the evidence is provided. 

• Occam’s Razor These questions have multiple answers that could be correct, sort of like varying shades of gray.  Always choose the most direct, straightforward answer. The more you have to explain why the answer fits, the less likely it is the best choice. 

• Least Wrong.  These answers are all wrong, again with varying shades of gray.  In this case choose the answer that is the “least” wrong or most true, even if it is partially wrong. 

• Most Right.  Several answers are all correct, again with varying shades of gray.  In this case choose the answer that is the “most” correct 100% of the time wrong or most true.

Reading Strategies

1)      VISIT THE QUESTIONS FIRST.  Identify the important information from the questions BEFORE your read.  In other words, check out the questions first.

2)      GET A BIRD’S EYE VIEW.  Get familiar with the format, titles, length, and structure of the reading. 

3)      FULLY UNDERSTAND THE QUESTIONS.  When you are ready to answer the questions, make sure you completely understand what the question is asking you to think about.  Look for key words within the question and read it several times.  Watch out for words that are subtle or can tip you up.

4)      DON’T SKIP POSSIBLE ANSWERS.  Make sure you read ALL of the possible answers.  Often students will rush their responses when they find a good answer as “B” and skip looking at “C” and “D.”  But if they took their time and read all of the possibilities, they might find that “D” was a superior choice.

5)      GO BACK TO DIFFICULT QUESTIONS.  If you get stuck on one particular question, take a break from it and work on another section.  Then go back to it with “fresh eyes.”  Sometimes the answer will become more clear.  Also, sometimes you might find clues to the answer within other questions later in the test.

6)      PICK THE “BEST” ANSWER.  Recognize that often there will be more than one correct answer.  Usually, one is more direct and straight-forward.  Always choose the one that requires the least “explaining” in order to justify the answer.  Also, choose the one that is correct 100% of the time instead of the one that is correct only in certain cases.

7)      USE THE CONTEXT CLUES.  Use context clues to identify new words or phrases that you are unfamiliar with.  Look at the surrounding words.  Look at the sentence that comes before and after the sentence that you are struggling with. 

8)      ADJUST YOUR READING SPEED.  Adjust your reading speed depending upon your goal.  If you are reading the text the first time, take your time to fully understand it and don’t rush.  If you are struggling with a particularly difficult section, take your time and think about the meaning of each sentence and how they are connected.  If you are skimming to go back to locate certain words or phrases, you can move faster.  Pace yourself if there is a time limit.

9)      TAP INTO YOUR BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE.  Tap into your background knowledge.  The more you know about a subject, the easier it will be to follow.  This is why students who read regularly will have an easier time. 

10)   USE YOUR NOTE SPACE.  Write on the answer sheet and reading selections as much as you want.  Make little notes and observations for yourself.  This is YOUR test.  Throw some helpful graffiti on there to make it your own!

11)   VISUALIZE IT.  Try to visual what is happening.  Picture the story or information in your imagination.  Draw mental pictures to organize information and ideas. 

12)   ELIMINATE IT.  Use the process of elimination to cut out the answers that make no sense.  This will limit your choices and help you to focus on your best options.

13)   INFER IT.  Make inferences.  This is reading “between the lines.”  You may have to fill in some gaps or look at what is implied but not specifically stated.

14)   LOGIC IT.  Use logic.  Very often there will be questions that require the idea to be true in BOTH stories.  Use the following simple logic chart to check your answers.  Also, use common sense.

True	True	= True
True	False	= False
False	True	= False
False	False	= False