12924 Preparing for the ACT 2009-10

1 What s Inside: NEW Full-Length Practice Tests, including aWriting Test Information about the Optional Writing Test Strategies to Prepare for the Tests What to Expect on Test DayPreparingfor the ACT2009/ 2010 This booklet is provided free of General Preparation for the ACT Tests .. 22. Strategies for Taking the ACT Tests .. 53. What to Expect on Test Day .. 114. Taking the Practice Tests.. 12 Practice Multiple-Choice Tests .. 13 Practice Writing Test .. 575. Scoring Your Tests .. 59 How to Score the Multiple-Choice Tests .. 59 How to Score the Writing Test .. 676. Sample Answer Document .. 73 Multiple-Choice Tests .. 73 Writing Test .. 75A Message to StudentsThis booklet, which is provided free of charge, is intendedto help you do your best on the ACT.

2 It summarizes generaltest-taking strategies, describes the content of each test,provides specific tips for each, and lets you know what toexpect on test day. Included in this booklet are completepractice tests retired ACT questions that wereadministered to students on a national test date, includinga writing prompt a sample answer document, answerkeys, and self-scoring this booklet carefully and take the practice tests wellbefore test day so you will be familiar with the tests, whatthey measure, and the strategies you can use to do yourbest on test is committed to representing the diversity of oursociety in all its aspects, including race, ethnicity, andgender. Thus, test passages, questions, and writingprompts are deliberately chosen to reflect the range ofcultures in our also are committed to ensuring that test questions andwriting prompts are fair that they do not disadvantage anyparticular group of examinees.

3 Extensive reviews of thefairness of test materials are rigorously conducted by bothACT staff and external consultants. We also employstatistical procedures to help ensure that our test materialsdo not unfairly affect the performance of any ACT Preparation Materials ACT Online Prep : The only online test preparationprogram designed exclusively by ACT testdevelopment professionals. ACT Online Prep haspractice test questions, a practice essay with real-timescoring, a diagnostic test, and a personalized StudyPath. You can access ACT Online Prep via the Internet anywhere and at any time. Order TheReal ACT Prep Guideis the official print guide to the ACT. This book includes three complete practicetests previously used in actual administrations each with an optional Writing Test, with explanations for all right and wrong answer choices.

4 Order Preparation for the ACT TestsChoosing a Test OptionStudents may register for one of two Test Options: the ACT (No Writing), which includes the four required multiple-choice tests, or the ACT Plus Writing, which also includes a30-minute Writing Test, and has a higher fee. The optionalACT Writing Test complements the ACT English Test. Thecombined results from both tests provide information aboutyour understanding of the conventions of standard writtenEnglish and your ability to produce a direct sample of yourwriting. Taking the ACT Plus Writing will provide you withtwo additionalscores: a Writing subscore and a CombinedEnglish/Writing score. Taking the ACT Writing Test does notaffect your subject area scores or your Composite all colleges require or recommend taking the ACTW riting Test.

5 Check directly with the colleges you areconsidering to find out their requirements, or ask your highschool counselor which Test Option you should take. Youcan also check a searchable listof colleges that have provided information to us about theirpolicies whether they require, recommend, or do not needresults from the ACT Writing Test. Consult this list beforeyou register, so you will know which Test Option to ACT Plus Writing is available within the United States, territories, and Canada on all established test datesand for Special and Arranged Testing during designatedtesting windows. The ACT Plus Writing is availableinternationally only in October, December, and 2009 by ACT, Inc. All rights : This booklet is covered by federal copyright laws that prohibit the reproduction of the test questions without the express, written permission of ACT, endorses the Code of Fair Testing Practices in Educationand the Code ofProfessional Responsibilities in Educational Measurement,guides to the conductof those involved in educational testing.

6 ACT is committed to ensuring that eachof its testing programs upholds the guidelines in each copy of each Codemay be obtained free of charge from ACT Customer Services (68), Box1008, Iowa City, IA 52243-1008, 319 a Test DateBefore you choose a test date, check the applicationdeadlines of the colleges and scholarship agencies you areconsidering. It will normally take three to eight weeks aftera test date for ACT to mail your score report to you and toyour college or scholarship colleges and scholarship agencies recommend thatstudents take the ACT during the spring of their junior this time, students typically have completed most of thecoursework covered by the ACT. There are a number ofadvantages in taking the ACT then: You will receive test scores and other information thatwill help you plan your senior year of high school.

7 Many colleges begin contacting prospective studentsduring the summer before their senior year. If you do not score as well as you believe you can,there will be opportunities to retake the ACT in the fall ofyour senior year and still have your new scoresavailable in time to meet admission and : You cannot plan on receiving your scoresfrom one test date in time to register for the Test-Taking Strategies for the ACTThe ACT contains multiple-choice tests in four areas:English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. Each ofthese tests contains questions that offer either four or fiveanswer choices from which you are to choose the correct,or best, answer. The following suggestions apply to allfour tests:Pace time limits set for each test give nearly everyone enoughtime to finish all the questions.

8 However, because theEnglish, Reading, and Science Tests contain a considerableamount of text, it is important to pace yourself so you will notspend too much time on one passage. Similarly, try not tospend too much time puzzling over an answer to a specificproblem in the Mathematics Test. Go on to the otherquestions and come back if there is time. Your supervisorwill announce when you have five minutes remaining oneach the directions for each test you begin taking one of the tests, read thedirections carefully. The English, Reading, and ScienceTests ask for the best answer. Do not respond as soon asyou identify a correct answer. Read and consider all of theanswer choices and choose the answer that bestrespondsto the Mathematics Test asks for the correct answer.

9 Readeach question carefully to make sure you understand thetype of answer required. Then, you may want to work outthe answer you feel is correct and look for it among thechoices given. If your answer is not among the choicesprovided, reread the question and consider all of theanswer each question is important that you understand what each questionasks. Some questions will require you to go through severalsteps to find the correct or best answer, while others canbe answered more the easy questions best strategy for taking the tests is to answer the easyquestions and skip the questions you find difficult. Afteranswering all of the easy questions, go back and answerthe more difficult questions if you have logic on more difficult you return to the more difficult questions, try touse logic to eliminate incorrect answers to a the answer choices to each other and note howthey differ.

10 Such differences may provide clues as to whatthe question requires. Eliminate as many incorrect answersas you can, then make an educated guess from theremaining every score on the tests will be based only on the number ofquestions that you answer correctly; there is no penaltyfor , you should answer every questionwithin the time allowed for each test, even if you have toguess. Your supervisor will announce when you have fiveminutes remaining on each your there is time left after you have answered every question ina test, go back and check your work on that test. Check to besure that you marked only one response to each will not be allowed to go back to any other test or markresponses to a test after time has been called on that precise in marking your answer sure that you properly fill in the correct ovals on youranswer document.