PSAT : Overview Articles - Yahoo! Education

The critical reading section of the PSAT is one of the most important sections, since success in college depends directly on your ability to read and understand written material. Critical reading items will include reading passages that are approximately 100 words, followed by 1 to 3 questions and 400 to 850 words long, followed by a number of questions. The critical reading section of the PSAT is designed to test your ability to do the following:

Determine the meaning of a word in context. The meaning of a word depends on the words that surround it. For instance, the word "foot" means something very different in the following sentences:
I hurt my foot.
I can foot the bill.
Understand basic facts stated in the passage--that is, those things the passage says are certainly true.
Be able to pinpoint the main idea of the passage. Usually it is a generalization. Beware of choosing answers that are too narrow and specific.
Relate parts of a passage to the whole passage or to other parts of it.
Compare and contrast two passages on the same subject or two ideas contained within the same passage.
Analyze and evaluate the passage in terms of its logic, implications, ideas, opinions, and arguments, including recognizing inconsistencies in arguments.
Identify the organizational techniques used by the author.
Identify the author's intent in writing the passage and attitude toward the subject.

To do well on the critical reading questions, you must:

become involved in what you're reading
look for key words to help you find the meaning
remember that the answers are in the passage--you won't be asked for outside knowledge of the subject

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