For example:
Tip 2: Look for Paraphrases
The majority of the reading questions are detail questions. These questions refer to a specific part of the passage. The most effective technique for this type of question is to go back to the passage and find the answer.
But what if none of the answer choices contains a word-for-word repetition of the passage text? You need to spot the paraphrase! The correct answer to a detail question will most often rephrase or condense information from the passage.
Practice this strategy. Look for the paraphrase that is closest in meaning to the given paragraph.
Use this tip to answer the ACT Reading practice problem.
Practice Question: John kept trying to imagine what that trip had been like for his father as a young boy. He tried to imagine his loneliness, dismay, and probably suspicion of his fellow passengers, whose cursory and not-too-sincere concern hid their anxiety about ending up responsible for him.
A. John thought about a train trip he took when he was a little boy and it made him very sad.
B. John tried to understand how his father felt as a young boy making a train trip all alone with people who probably didn’t really care about him.
C. John thought the people on the train didn’t really care about him and it made him feel anxious and responsible.
D. John tried to understand the people on the train who didn’t care about him and he was very concerned.
Answer: B
Tip 3: See the Big Picture!
The questions on both the English and Reading sections are based on passages. So, read two sentences before and two sentences after the sentence in question.
Be sure your answer choice makes sense within the context of the paragraph and the passage as a whole. Some questions will ask you to examine the entire passage. Be sure you understand the author’s message and purpose when answering these questions.