The Art of Elimination
While random guessing isn't encouraged, statistics show that most test takers would break even by random guessing on the SAT because of the following formula.
    ¼ of a raw point deducted per incorrect choice
    1 full point awarded per correct choice
Smart guessers eliminate at least 2 choices before making an educated guess.

Order of Difficulty Analogies and Sentence Completions
Easy
Medium
Difficult

Verbal Distractors
The test makers try to mislead you with an answer that seems correct if you aren't careful.  For example:
DEPORT:  COUNTRY
depose:     ruler
betray:      nation
expel:       school
renounce: belief
repeal:     law
At first glance you might think that the correct answer is B because the word nation has a strong relationship to the word COUNTRY.  The correct choice is actually C, however, because when you deport someone you remove them from their country.  When you expel someone, you remove them from their school.  Choice B is meant to confuse you.

Sentence Completions
Fill in the blank or blanks with your own word before looking at the answer choice.
Learn to recognize “patterns.”
Look for trigger words.
but                however
although       even though
despite         though
rather          on the contrary
Read the sentence without looking at the choices. Fill in the blanks with your own words, taking the easiest one first.  For double blank sentence completion, follow the same strategies as above, but try to determine if the missing words are positive or negative.

Analogies
Degree
COLD:FREEZING
Freezing is really cold
Lack of
EXHAUSTED:ENERGY
Exhausted is a lack of energy.

Analogy Checklist
Know the meaning of the two words.
Try to use one word to define the other.
Keep the parts of speech consistent.
(noun:noun, noun:verb)
If you reverse the order of the stem words when you make your sentence, remember to reverse answer choice words as well.
Make your sentence specific.
Be flexible.  You may have to rewrite your sentence a little.

Critical Reading

• Social science
• Humanities
• Science
• Narrative
• Double

Three Question Types

• General
• Specific
• Vocabulary

• The major purpose of the passage is to
• The passage is best described as
• The passage serves primarily to
• The contrast between the two passages reflects primarily
• The author uses the example of the _____ primarily to

• In paragraph 4
• In line 22
• …(lines 34-36

• In line 44 “objective” most nearly means
• The author uses the words “for some reason” in lines 40-41 to express

• Find the main idea
• Get a vague idea of what is going on in the different paragraphs.

• Pick the passage you find easier or more interesting.
• Read and answer questions on it first.
• Be careful to stay on the correct question number in your answer sheet.

• Underline
• Circle
• Make notes

• Read slowly until you get the main idea.
• Speed up skimming until you see supporting facts and examples.  You’ll need them later, so remember where they are.
• Slow down at the beginning of new paragraphs.
• Remember the trigger words.

• Read 1st passage using your critical reading techniques
• Answer the questions based on 1st passage.
• Read the 2nd passage
• Answer the questions based on the 2nd passage.
• Answer questions that refer to both.