Simplifying the Passage | The Complete SAT Course - Class 10 PDF Download

Simplify by Paraphrasing 

Reading requires more than just memorizing information like a CD burner; it involves simplifying and summarizing information through paraphrasing. Skilled readers regularly paraphrase paragraphs while reading, which can actually save time during the SAT. By having a clear understanding of the main ideas, test-takers can more easily identify the correct answers

To improve your SAT reading skills, make it a habit to paraphrase each paragraph as you read. Aim for concise summaries that capture the key idea, rather than just the topic. In addition, note how each paragraph relates to the previous one, such as by providing an example or presenting a contrasting situation. This will help you better understand the structure and flow of the passage, and ultimately, lead to more accurate answers.

Simplify, but Don’t Oversimplify

The key to success on the SAT is to avoid oversimplification. Some test-taking tricks, such as the "chuck the extremes" and "don't dis the minorities" tricks, are popular but ultimately ineffective. These shortcuts assume that the right answers are never extreme or negative, particularly when it comes to passages about minorities or women. However, the SAT is designed to thwart these tricks and force students to read carefully to find the right answer. For example, a passage about two Asian-American poets on the May 2006 SAT included questions that couldn't be answered using these shortcuts.
Here are two of the questions:
1. The tone of the characterizations quoted in lines 11–12 is best described as
(A) morose
(B) curious
(C) sardonic
(D) threatening
(E) incredulous 

2. The tone of the statement in line 20 is best described as
(A) impatient
(B) apologetic
(C) reflective
(D) anxious
(E) unconvinced
Nationwide, thousands of students who had taken SAT courses were confident that they could “crack” these questions. Because the passage concerns American minorities, the tone of the correct answers must be positive, right? In question 12, the only choice with a positive tone is (B), and in question 13, the only one is (C). Easy! But wrong. Even a cursory reading would reveal the correct answers to be (C) sardonic and (E) unconvinced, respectively. Pretty negative, huh? Of course, SAT passages are not disparaging of minority groups, but this fact is not so easy to translate into a quick-andeasy test-taking trick as some would like you to believe.

Simplify by Visualizing

One way to visualize an analysis or argument is to create a mental map or diagram of the key points and how they relate to each other. You can also try to create mental images to represent the main ideas, such as a scale to represent balance or a maze to represent complexity. Another technique is to try to create a mental movie or scene that illustrates the author's main point or argument. By visualizing the concepts and ideas presented in a passage, you can better understand and remember them.

- To enhance retention, visualize the subject matter when reading an analysis, e.g. a map of Italy when reading about life in 15^th-century Italy.

- Visualize a battle between the author's thesis and the opposing thesis when reading an argument, with the explanations and examples serving as "weapons" against the enemy.