Using the process of elimination 6 pot

relied on plummers and landlords all my life. Now I know I can handle leaky pipes by myself. I think it’s important to remember that no matter how big a problem is, it’s still an opportunity. Whatever kind of situation we face, problems give us the chance to learn and grow, both physically and mentally. For example, when I had a problem with my car and couldn’t afford the repairs right away, my problem became an opportunity to get some exercise—something I’d been wanting to do anyway. I had to walk a mile each day to get to the bus stop and back. But in the meantime, I got the chance to start getting back in shape, and I saved a lot on gas. I’ve come to realize that problems are really part of what makes life worth living. Problems chal- lenge us and give us the opportunity to do things we have never done before, to learn things we never knew before. They teach us what we are capable of doing. They give us the chance to surprise ourselves. Sample “3” essay Just the word “problem”can send some of us into a panic. But problems can be good things, too. Prob- lems are situations that make us think and force us to be creative and resourceful. They can also teach us things we didn’t know before. For example, I had a problem in school a few years ago when I couldn’t understand my math class. I started failing my quizzes and homework assign- ments. I wasn’t sure what to do, so finally I went to the teacher and asked for help. She said she would arrange for me to be tutorred by another student who was her best student. In return, though, I’d have to help that student around school. I wasn’t sure what she meant by that until I met my tutor. She was handicapped. My job was to help her carry her books from class to class. I’d never even spoken to someone in a wheelchair before and I was a little scared. But she turned out to be the nicest person I’ve ever spent time with. She helped me understand everything I need to know for math class and she taught me a lot about what it’s like to be handicapped. I learned to appreciate everything that I have, and I also know that people with disabilities are special not because of what they can’t do, but because of who they are. So you see that wonderful things can come out of problems. You just have to remember to look for the positive things and not focus on the negative. Sample “2” essay The word “problem” is a negative word but its just an opportunity as Mr. Bob Maynard has said. It can be teaching tool besides. For example, I had a problem with my son last year when he wanted a bigger allowance. I said no and he had to earn it. He mowed the lawn and in the fall he raked leaves. In the winter he shovelled the walk. After that he apreciated it more. Its not the problem but the sollution that mat- ters. My son learning the value of work and earning money. (It taught me the value of money to when I had to give him a bigger allowance!) After that he could get what he wanted at the toy store and not have to beg. Which was better for me too. Sometimes we forget that both children and there parents can learn a lot from problems and we can teach our chil- dren the value of over-coming trouble. Which is as important as keeping them out of trouble. As well we can teach them the value of money. That is one aspect of a problem that we manytimes forget. So problems are a good teaching tool as well as a good way to let you’re children learn, to look at the silver lining behind every cloud. Sample “1” essay I agree with the quote that problems are opportu- nities in disguise. Sometimes problems are oppor- tunities, too. I have a lot of problems like anyone else does. Sometimes there very difficult and I don’t no how to handle them. When I have a really big problem, I – THEA PRACTICE EXAM 1– 65 sometimes ask my parents or freinds for advise. Sometimes they help, sometimes they don’t, then I have to figure out how to handle it myself. One time I had a big problem. Where someone stole my wallet and I had to get to a job interview. But I had no money and no ID. This happened in school. So I went to the principles office and reported it. He called the man I was supposed to interview with. Who rescheduled the intervew for me. So I still had the opportunity to interview and I’m proud to say I got the job. In fact I’m still work- ing there! Problems can be opportunities if you just look at them that way. Instead of the other way around.  Scoring Because it is necessary for you to do well on all three sections of the THEA—Reading, Mathematics, and Writing—you must figure your score on each section separately. The Reading section, the Mathematics sec- tion, and the multiple-choice subsection of the Writing section are scored the same way: First find the number of questions you got right in each section. Questions you skipped or got incorrect don’t count; just add up how many questions were correct in each section. In addition to achieving a passing score on the Reading section, Mathematics section, and the multi- ple-choice subsection of the Writing section, you must receive a passing score on the writing sample subsection of the Writing section of the THEA. On this portion, your writing sample will be scored by two readers who have been especially trained for this task, and the combined score will be used to evaluate your work. (Neither reader will know what score was assigned by the other.) Generally, the essays are scored as follows: 4 = Pass (an excellent and well-formed essay) 3 = Marginal Pass (an average and adequately formed essay) 2 = Marginal Fail (a partially formed but sub- standard essay) 1= Fail (an inadequately formed essay) Your score will be a combination of the two readers’ judgments, somewhere between a possible high of 8 and a low of 2. If you receive a 6, 7, or 8 on the writing sample subsection, you will automatically pass the Writing portion of the THEA, regardless of your score on the multiple-choice subsection. On the other hand, if you receive a score of 2, 3, or 4, you will not pass the Writing portion, regardless of your score on the multiple-choice subsection. If you receive a score of 5, your performance on the multiple-choice subsection will be used to determine if you pass. The best way to see how you did on your essay for this practice exam is to give your essay and the scoring criteria to a teacher and ask him or her to score your essays for you. What is much more important than your scores, for now, is how you did on each of the basic skills tested by the exam. You need to diagnose your strengths and weaknesses so that you can concentrate your efforts as you prepare for the exam. Use your percentage scores in conjunction with the LearningExpress Test Preparation System in Chap- ter 2 of this book to help you devise a study plan. Then turn to the review lessons in Chapters 4, 5, and 6 that cover each of the basic skills tested on the THEA. You should plan to spend more time on the chapters that correspond to the questions you found hardest and less time on the chapters that correspond to areas in which you did well. Then, you can go on to the other practice exams in Chapters 7 and 8 to see how much you are improving. – THEA PRACTICE EXAM 1– 66 T he reading comprehension section of the THEA is composed of approximately 40 to 50 multiple- choice questions based on a variety of passages. The passages are similar to materials found in first- year college-level courses or textbooks and may include passages from newspapers, journals, and magazines. The questions are a variety of types. This section explores some general strategies for all kinds of pas- sages and questions. The sections that follow look in detail at each kind of question you might be asked.  Seven Approaches How do you approach reading comprehension questions? Below are some suggestions from former THEA takers. ■ The Concentrator: “I read the passage thoroughly before I look at the questions. After concentrating on the passage, I can find the answers to the questions if I don’t already know the answer from my careful reading.” ■ The Skimmer: “I skim the passage before looking at the questions. I can always go back and find the answers once I know how the passage is arranged.” CHAPTER THEA Reading Review CHAPTER SUMMARY The THEA Reading Review gives you the essentials you need to pass the Reading test. You will learn about reading strategies, hints for dif- ferent question types, and tips for answering any question you come across. 4 67 ■ The Cautious Reader: “I read the questions first with all their answer choices. I want to know what they will ask me before I read the passage so I can be on the lookout. Then I read the passage two or three times until I am sure I understand it completely.” ■ The Game Player: “I read the questions first and try to answer them from what I already know or can guess. Then I read the passage to see whether I am right. After guessing the answers, I am famil- iar with the questions enough to recognize the answers when I find them.” ■ The Educated Guesser: “I read the questions first, but not the answers. When I find the answer in the passage, I look for it among the answer choices.” ■ The Psychic: “I believe the test makers would put the questions for the first part of the passage first. So I read the first question and go back to the pas- sage for the answer, and then I do the second question.” ■ The Efficiency Expert: “First I look at the ques- tions and do the questions that have line numbers that indicate where the answer is to be found. Then I skim the passage for the key words I read in the other questions. This way, I sometimes do not even have to read the whole passage.” If you don’t already have a preferred method, try some of these approaches as you work through the practice exercises in this book. See which method fits your own mix of talents.  Hints for Reading the Passages The purpose of a reading comprehension problem is to be as accurate as possible in the allotted time. Practice will help you determine whether you need to read the questions first, the answers first, or some combination thereof. Try some of the shortcuts previously listed to find out which works for you. Associate with the Passage Every passage has something to do with real-life situa- tions. Your mission is to discover the answers to such questions as: ■ What is the author trying to express? ■ Who might the author be? ■ Does the author tell readers in the beginning what to expect later in the passage? ■ How does the author structure the work to con- vey meaning? ■ Does the author make any statements that might surprise or interest you? ■ To what conclusions is the author leading readers? ■ What conclusions are stated? Mark Up the Passage Some test takers find it helpful to underline text or make notes in the margins to designate the stated sub- ject, supporting facts, conclusions, etc. For others, marking a passage seems a waste of time. You are free to make as many marks as you want on the test book- let, so if marking helps, go for it. If you are not sure, now is the time to try out this method. If you decide to mark a passage, don’t mark so much that the bulk of the passage is obscured. Marking a few key words and ideas is more helpful than underlining the majority of the passage. Notice Transitions Pay special attention to words that give you an insight into the author’s purpose or that change the context of the passage, such as however, nevertheless,etc.In at least one passage, these words will be left for you to fill in. – THEA READING REVIEW– 68  Hints for Reading the Questions Reading the questions carefully is just as important as reading the answers. Read the Questions as Carefully as the Passage It is crucial that you read the questions and answers as carefully as you read the passage. Should you read all the answer choices or stop when you have found one that seems right? Test takers differ on this. Some who read all the answers become confused or worry about wasting time. Others feel more secure when they can eliminate every answer but the right one. It is up to you to find the best method. Know the Question Types If you answer an inference question as a detail question, you will get the answer wrong, even though the answer you choose is in the passage. The reading strategies in this chapter will show you how to recognize the differ- ent question types and how to quickly choose the best answer. Answer Only from the Passage Everything you need to know to answer a question has to be somewhere in the passage. While it is helpful to have some knowledge of the subject in order to better understand the author, don’t rely on your experience to answer the question. An answer can be true in real life but still not be the correct answer on the test. Not or Except Look for words in the question such as NOT or EXCEPT, especially if you cannot find your answer, or if there seems to be more than one answer. For exam- ple, a question might read: “Which of the following facts is NOT stated in the passage?” Eliminate Eliminate all answers that are obviously off the subject or otherwise wrong. Physically cross off the obviously wrong answers in your test booklet so you won’t waste time reading them again. Test takers say that they are often left with two close answers. There has to be one answer that is better than the other. Check the passage for clue words that might point to one choice over the other. If, after trying out all the strategies you learn in this book, you are still left with two answers, go ahead and guess, and get on with the next question. None Left? If you eliminate all of the answers, go back over the eliminated answers to determine whether there might be another meaning for any of them. Try to find a rea- son that would make each answer correct. If there is no possible way an answer could be right—for example, if it is completely off the subject—then eliminate that answer. Choose the answer that is the least wrong. Marking the Unknown Question Should you mark questions to come back to later? If you do, you will probably have to read the passage again, which can waste valuable time. If an answer jumps out at you after reading the passage once or twice, choose it. Many teachers and test takers recom- mend going with your first answer, your gut instinct. To save time and avoid dealing with passages more than once, answer all the questions about one passage before continuing on to the next passage.  Using the Steps The strategies that follow discuss types of reading ques- tions you may encounter on the THEA. They offer sample question beginnings, as well as steps for solving each type of problem. There is no need to memorize all the steps. You may even be able to find the answer by your own methods without looking at the steps—so much the better. The steps are not there to slow you down, but if any of them can help you, use them. – THEA READING REVIEW– 69 Organization Questions Passages on the THEA are always organized logically. Studying that organization may give you some ideas on how to organize your essay in the Writing portion of the test. You’ll learn about two types of organization questions: structure and misplaced sentences.  Structure Questions Structure questions usually have stems like these: ■ Which of the following best represents the arrangement of the passage? ■ Which of the following best describes the organi- zation of the passage? ■ The sequence of the passage is best represented by which of the following? Where to Find Structure Answers in the Passage To answer structure questions, you need to skim the passage carefully enough to discover the gist of each sentence; that is, whether it is a statistic, an example, a quote, an opinion, or something else. Practice Passage and Questions Try the six steps on the structure questions that follow this passage. Many extended-time programs use heterogeneous grouping of multi-age and/or multi-ability students. Mixed-ability grouping is based on the theory that lower-ability students benefit from working in small groups with their higher-achieving peers, and high- ability students reinforce their knowledge by sharing with their lower-achieving peers. Researchers also have found that multi-age grouping benefits stu- dents’ mental health as well as academic achieve- ment and contributes to positive attitudes toward school. Because the voluntary nature of participation in an extended-time program results in a range of student ages and skills, heterogeneous groups may result naturally. Often, however, extended-time pro- gram planners arrange groups so that high- and low-ability students work together—with the expec- tation of cooperative rather than competitive learn- ing. In Chicago’s ASPIRA program, students are selected for participation with a goal of mixing high achievers and at-risk participants—and these groups work together closely in all activities. – THEA READING REVIEW– Six Steps for Structure Questions 1. Skim the passage or read the topic sentences to understand the general topic and the purpose of the passage. 2. Notice the logical sequence of ideas that the author uses. 3. The description of sentences in the answers goes in the same order as the sentences in the passage, so notice the first sentences. Do they state a theory, introduce a topic, or quote a famous person? 4. Look at the answer choices. If the first few sentences state a theory, then the first part of the correct answer should say that the author states a theory, gives a hypothesis, or other words to that effect. Elimi- nate any answers that do not match. 5. Apply steps 3 and 4 to the next few sentences in the passage. 6. You should have eliminated at least one or two answers by this step. When only two or three are left, read the next sentences of the passage and find the answer that matches the rest of the structure. 70 . like these: ■ Which of the following best represents the arrangement of the passage? ■ Which of the following best describes the organi- zation of the passage? ■ The sequence of the passage is best. topic and the purpose of the passage. 2. Notice the logical sequence of ideas that the author uses. 3. The description of sentences in the answers goes in the same order as the sentences in the passage,. looking at the steps—so much the better. The steps are not there to slow you down, but if any of them can help you, use them. – THEA READING REVIEW– 69 Organization Questions Passages on the THEA are