Do’s and Don’ts on the ACT Reading Test

In the Reading Test of the college entrance exam that is the ACT, you don’t have to worry about writing an essay or doing verbal analogies, but you do have to read passages and answer questions about them. Keep this information in mind when you encounter the Reading Test:

• Do preview the passages, decide on a strategy (reading quickly to finish all passages or going more slowly and carefully through only three out of the four passages), and pay special attention to the first and last paragraphs.

• Do summarize the information in your mind, looking for relationships and connections.

• Don’t expect to have to know specific information; the passages give or imply all the information you need in order to answer the questions. You do not need specific background knowledge.

• Don’t memorize the information; you may go back to the passage as often as you’d like.