Bell Ringer: Monday, December 19th

After correcting answer:– What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Why? If you don’t have one, why? 1

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MME Test Prep 2012Reading, English, and

WorkKeys

Brought to you by your friendly GPS English Department

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Which tests am I taking?

Day 1 ACT Plus Writing

English

Math

Reading

Science

Writing

Day 2WorkKeys

Reading for Information

Applied Math

Locating Information

Day 3

Michigan Math,

Science, & Social Studies

Math

Science

Social Studies

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Why do I want to take these tests?

1. To demonstrate the skills you have been practicing throughout your school career.

2. Free ACT test—all costs covered by the state.

3. So that you don’t have to take a retake test later.

4. Will be beneficial to your post-high school goals.

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ACT Test Breakdown

Subject Total Items Time (in minutes)

English 75 MC 45

Mathematics 60 MC 60

Reading 40 MC 35

Science 40 MC 35

Writing 1 Prompt 30

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Tips for taking the ACT

Directions for the ACT sections never change.

Use a practice ACT test to read directions ahead of time.

Don’t waste time reading directions on the test day – just start.

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Tips for taking the ACT

You are encouraged to write in your ACT test booklet during the test.

Circle main ideasCross out incorrect answersJot notes including shifts of

toneUnderline important words

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Tips for taking the ACT

Use PROCESS OF ELIMINATION (PoE) to eliminate incorrect answer choices.

For example, do you know the answer to this question?

– Who was the tenth president of the United States?

What if you use PoE? Let’s look at the next slide….

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Tips for taking the ACT

Who was the tenth president of the United States?a. Bill Clintonb. George Washingtonc. John Tylerd. John F. Kennedy

Could you figure out that the correct answer is “C. John Tyler” by using PoE?

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Tips for taking the ACT NEVER leave a question blank. There is NO penalty for guessing. If

you are about to run out of time, fill in the remaining bubbles on your answer sheet.– Guess the same letter each time (25%

chance of getting it correct). If you randomly fill in bubbles, you will get about 8% correct.

Answer options are A, B, C, D followed by F, G, H, J. Be sure your answer sheet options match those on the current question.

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Tips for taking the ACT

Avoid cramming for the test the night before. This makes your score go down, not up!

Eat a healthy, light breakfast the morning of testing.

Sleep well several nights before the test.

(Lack of sleep often hits 48 hours later.)

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ACT Reading

Prose Fiction 10 questions ~8 minutes

Social Science 10 questions ~8 minutes

Humanities 10 questions ~8 minutes

Natural Science

10 questions ~8 minutes

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ACT Reading1. Read quickly.2. Read for main idea. Ignore details (for

now).3. Prepare yourself for difficult passages.4. Underline main ideas.5. Circle examples and “shifters.”

(However, although, despite, even though, nonetheless)

6. Mark (+) or (-) to indicate positive or negative tone, attitude, and example.

7. Sum up what you just read in a few words somewhere next to the passage.

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Vocabulary Questions

Asks about the meaning of a word in the passage.

Look at word in the passage. – Read at least one sentence before and

at least one sentence after the one in which the word is used.

Even if you think you KNOW what the word means, look back in the passage to be sure it is really used that way.

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Generalization

Take a large amount of information and shrink it down to a shorter way of saying the same thing.

Beware! Some answers will be true, but will NOT answer the question.

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Detail Questions

Look back in the passage.

Beware! Some wrong answers come from sentences or words around the actual answer.

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Inference Questions

Author has not blatantly stated the fact that you are looking for.

The author has implied something and you must infer.

Information from the text+ Your own knowledge =

INFERENCE

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Other question types…

Point of view– What is the author’s opinion on a

subject? Cause and Effect

– What would be the outcome of an event stated in the passage?

Comparison– Compare sets of information and decide

on the differences among them.

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ACT English Test

45 minutes 75 MC questions

13% Punctuation 16% Grammar and Usage 24% Sentence Structure 16% Writing Strategies 15% Organizational Techniques 16% Style

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ACT EnglishSample question -

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When storyteller Mary Carter Smith practices her art and everybody listens.

A. NO CHANGEB. Smith, practices her artC. Smith, practices her art,D. Smith practices her art,

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When storyteller Mary Carter Smith practices her art and everybody listens.

A. NO CHANGEB. Smith, practices her artC. Smith, practices her art,D. Smith practices her art,

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Tips for ACT English

No change option will be used about 25% of the time.

Omit=take outReread the sentence with your

selection in the blank before moving on.

Don’t automatically choose diction that “sounds” better (whom instead of who). Each has equal chance of being correct.

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Take home packet…Please complete the packet before our next meeting.

We will meet again on Tuesday.

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WorkKeys

Day 2 of testing is WorkKeys.WorkKeys tests your job

knowledge.Are you employable?Results can be shown to

prospective employers as extra incentive to hire you.

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WorkKeys Sample Question -

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Scenario:A two-person paint and wallpaper crew is redecorating the first

floor of a house for a family which has gone on vacation. The team has two days to finish the job. They have completed the dining room and family room. One team member is finishing the painting in the kitchen; the other has begun wallpapering the living room. The second team member finds that after the paste is applied, the wallpaper tears very easily when he is trying to adjust it on the wall and trim it to fit.

They discuss the situation. The one who is painting suggests that they both work on the wallpapering first and then finish painting the kitchen. She explains that one of them can hold up the bottom of the wallpaper strip while the other one does the trimming. This might prevent the tearing by eliminating the extra weight on the paper.

In this situation, the goal for the team can best be accomplished

by:A. asking for more time to complete the project. B. buying extra wallpaper to allow for torn pieces. C. continuing to work individually on each room. D. working together on the wallpapering and painting in both

rooms.

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Scenario:A two-person paint and wallpaper crew is redecorating the first

floor of a house for a family which has gone on vacation. The team has two days to finish the job. They have completed the dining room and family room. One team member is finishing the painting in the kitchen; the other has begun wallpapering the living room. The second team member finds that after the paste is applied, the wallpaper tears very easily when he is trying to adjust it on the wall and trim it to fit.

They discuss the situation. The one who is painting suggests that they both work on the wallpapering first and then finish painting the kitchen. She explains that one of them can hold up the bottom of the wallpaper strip while the other one does the trimming. This might prevent the tearing by eliminating the extra weight on the paper.

In this situation, the goal for the team can best be accomplished

by:A. asking for more time to complete the project. B. buying extra wallpaper to allow for torn pieces. C. continuing to work individually on each room. D. working together on the wallpapering and painting in both

rooms.

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Tips for MC on the ACT

Wrong answers are called distracters. Distracters take your attention away from

the right answer. CLOSE BUT NOT QUITE Is technically a

“right” answer, but is not the best answer.

TOTAL OPPOSITE the polar opposite of the right answer….so wrong it seems right.

WORD FOR WORD uses exact wording from the prompt to trick you into picking the answer….usually doesn’t answer the question.