SAT Skills Insight
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Next Tests:
10/5
, 11/2
- Overview
- Reading
- Mathematics
- Writing
Select a score band
Author’s Craft
Skills needed to score in this band
SKILL 1: Identify an author’s purpose for writing
SKILL 2: Identify and describe the effects of literary devices used to achieve a specific purpose
SKILL 3: Infer the author’s opinion concerning the central ideas in a text
SKILL 4: Use tone to infer an author’s unstated assumptions
SKILL 5: Use context clues to identify an author’s rhetorical purpose (for example, to persuade the audience) in a short section of text
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1
Identify an author’s purpose for writing
ExampleThis passage is taken from a novel set in the 1950s at the Cedar Grove Elementary School, where Miss Dove has taught geography for more than a generation.
View Passage
A reading passage Line Number Text Miss Dove’s rules were as fixed as the signs of the
zodiac. And they were known. Miss Dove rehearsed
them at the beginning of each school year, stating them
as calmly and dispassionately as if she were describing
Line 5 the atmospheric effects of the Gulf Stream. The penalties
for infractions of the rules were also known. If a student’s
posture was incorrect, he had to go and sit for a while upon
a stool without a backrest. If a page in his notebook was
untidy, he had to copy it over. If he emitted an uncovered
Line 10 cough, he was expected to rise immediately and fling open
a window, no matter how cold the weather, so that a blast
of fresh air could protect his fellows from the contamina-
tion of his germs. And if he felt obliged to disturb the
class routine by leaving the room for a drink of water
Line 15 (Miss Dove loftily ignored any other necessity), he did
so to an accompaniment of dead silence. Miss Dove would
look at him—that was all—following his departure and
greeting his return with her perfectly expressionless gaze,
and the whole class would sit idle and motionless until
Line 20 he was back in the fold again. It was easier—even if
one had eaten salt fish for breakfast—to remain and
suffer.
Of course, there were flagrant offenses that were
dealt with in private. Sometimes profanity sullied the
Line 25 air of the geography room. Sometimes, though rarely,
open rebellion was displayed. In those instances, the
delinquent was detained, minus the comfort of his com-
rades, in awful seclusion with Miss Dove. What happened
between them was never fully known. (Did she threaten
Line 30 him with legal prosecution? Did she terrorize him with
her long map-pointer?) The culprit, himself, was unlikely
to be communicative on the subject or, if he were, would
tend to overdo the business with a tale that revolved to
an incredible degree around his own heroism. After-
Line 35 wards, as was duly noted, his classroom attitude was
subdued and chastened.
Miss Dove had no rule relating to prevarication.
A child’s word was taken at face value. If it happened
to be false—well, that was the child’s problem. A lie,
Line 40 unattacked and undistorted by defense, remained a lie
and was apt to be recognized as such by its author.
Occasionally a group of progressive mothers would
contemplate organized revolt. “She’s been teaching too
long,” they would cry. “Her pedagogy hasn’t changed
Line 45 since we were in Cedar Grove. She rules the children
through fear!” They would turn to the boldest one
among themselves. “You go,” they would say. “You
go talk to her!”
The bold one would go, but somehow she never did
Line 50 much talking. For there in the geography room, she would
begin to feel—though she wore her handsomest tweeds
and perhaps a gardenia for courage—that she was about
ten years old and her petticoat was showing. Her throat
would tickle. She would wonder desperately if she had a
Line 55 clean handkerchief in her bag. She would also feel thirsty.
Without firing a shot in the cause of freedom she would
retreat ingloriously from the field of battle.
And on that unassaulted field—in that room where no
leeway was given to the personality, where a thing was
Line 60 black or white, right or wrong, polite or rude, simply
because Miss Dove said it was, there was a curiously
soothing quality. The children left it refreshed and
restored, ready for fray or frolic. For within its walls
they enjoyed what was allowed them nowhere else—
Line 65 a complete suspension of will.
The narrator refers to “the signs of the zodiac” (lines 1–2) as an example of things that are
-
2
Identify and describe the effects of literary devices used to achieve a specific purpose
ExampleThis passage is taken from a novel set in the 1950s at the Cedar Grove Elementary School, where Miss Dove has taught geography for more than a generation.
View Passage
A reading passage Line Number Text Miss Dove’s rules were as fixed as the signs of the
zodiac. And they were known. Miss Dove rehearsed
them at the beginning of each school year, stating them
as calmly and dispassionately as if she were describing
Line 5 the atmospheric effects of the Gulf Stream. The penalties
for infractions of the rules were also known. If a student’s
posture was incorrect, he had to go and sit for a while upon
a stool without a backrest. If a page in his notebook was
untidy, he had to copy it over. If he emitted an uncovered
Line 10 cough, he was expected to rise immediately and fling open
a window, no matter how cold the weather, so that a blast
of fresh air could protect his fellows from the contamina-
tion of his germs. And if he felt obliged to disturb the
class routine by leaving the room for a drink of water
Line 15 (Miss Dove loftily ignored any other necessity), he did
so to an accompaniment of dead silence. Miss Dove would
look at him—that was all—following his departure and
greeting his return with her perfectly expressionless gaze,
and the whole class would sit idle and motionless until
Line 20 he was back in the fold again. It was easier—even if
one had eaten salt fish for breakfast—to remain and
suffer.
Of course, there were flagrant offenses that were
dealt with in private. Sometimes profanity sullied the
Line 25 air of the geography room. Sometimes, though rarely,
open rebellion was displayed. In those instances, the
delinquent was detained, minus the comfort of his com-
rades, in awful seclusion with Miss Dove. What happened
between them was never fully known. (Did she threaten
Line 30 him with legal prosecution? Did she terrorize him with
her long map-pointer?) The culprit, himself, was unlikely
to be communicative on the subject or, if he were, would
tend to overdo the business with a tale that revolved to
an incredible degree around his own heroism. After-
Line 35 wards, as was duly noted, his classroom attitude was
subdued and chastened.
Miss Dove had no rule relating to prevarication.
A child’s word was taken at face value. If it happened
to be false—well, that was the child’s problem. A lie,
Line 40 unattacked and undistorted by defense, remained a lie
and was apt to be recognized as such by its author.
Occasionally a group of progressive mothers would
contemplate organized revolt. “She’s been teaching too
long,” they would cry. “Her pedagogy hasn’t changed
Line 45 since we were in Cedar Grove. She rules the children
through fear!” They would turn to the boldest one
among themselves. “You go,” they would say. “You
go talk to her!”
The bold one would go, but somehow she never did
Line 50 much talking. For there in the geography room, she would
begin to feel—though she wore her handsomest tweeds
and perhaps a gardenia for courage—that she was about
ten years old and her petticoat was showing. Her throat
would tickle. She would wonder desperately if she had a
Line 55 clean handkerchief in her bag. She would also feel thirsty.
Without firing a shot in the cause of freedom she would
retreat ingloriously from the field of battle.
And on that unassaulted field—in that room where no
leeway was given to the personality, where a thing was
Line 60 black or white, right or wrong, polite or rude, simply
because Miss Dove said it was, there was a curiously
soothing quality. The children left it refreshed and
restored, ready for fray or frolic. For within its walls
they enjoyed what was allowed them nowhere else—
Line 65 a complete suspension of will.
The series of statements in lines 6–16 (“If a student’s . . . silence”) is best described as a
-
3
Infer the author’s opinion concerning the central ideas in a text
ExampleThis passage is taken from a novel set in the 1950s at the Cedar Grove Elementary School, where Miss Dove has taught geography for more than a generation.
View Passage
A reading passage Line Number Text Miss Dove’s rules were as fixed as the signs of the
zodiac. And they were known. Miss Dove rehearsed
them at the beginning of each school year, stating them
as calmly and dispassionately as if she were describing
Line 5 the atmospheric effects of the Gulf Stream. The penalties
for infractions of the rules were also known. If a student’s
posture was incorrect, he had to go and sit for a while upon
a stool without a backrest. If a page in his notebook was
untidy, he had to copy it over. If he emitted an uncovered
Line 10 cough, he was expected to rise immediately and fling open
a window, no matter how cold the weather, so that a blast
of fresh air could protect his fellows from the contamina-
tion of his germs. And if he felt obliged to disturb the
class routine by leaving the room for a drink of water
Line 15 (Miss Dove loftily ignored any other necessity), he did
so to an accompaniment of dead silence. Miss Dove would
look at him—that was all—following his departure and
greeting his return with her perfectly expressionless gaze,
and the whole class would sit idle and motionless until
Line 20 he was back in the fold again. It was easier—even if
one had eaten salt fish for breakfast—to remain and
suffer.
Of course, there were flagrant offenses that were
dealt with in private. Sometimes profanity sullied the
Line 25 air of the geography room. Sometimes, though rarely,
open rebellion was displayed. In those instances, the
delinquent was detained, minus the comfort of his com-
rades, in awful seclusion with Miss Dove. What happened
between them was never fully known. (Did she threaten
Line 30 him with legal prosecution? Did she terrorize him with
her long map-pointer?) The culprit, himself, was unlikely
to be communicative on the subject or, if he were, would
tend to overdo the business with a tale that revolved to
an incredible degree around his own heroism. After-
Line 35 wards, as was duly noted, his classroom attitude was
subdued and chastened.
Miss Dove had no rule relating to prevarication.
A child’s word was taken at face value. If it happened
to be false—well, that was the child’s problem. A lie,
Line 40 unattacked and undistorted by defense, remained a lie
and was apt to be recognized as such by its author.
Occasionally a group of progressive mothers would
contemplate organized revolt. “She’s been teaching too
long,” they would cry. “Her pedagogy hasn’t changed
Line 45 since we were in Cedar Grove. She rules the children
through fear!” They would turn to the boldest one
among themselves. “You go,” they would say. “You
go talk to her!”
The bold one would go, but somehow she never did
Line 50 much talking. For there in the geography room, she would
begin to feel—though she wore her handsomest tweeds
and perhaps a gardenia for courage—that she was about
ten years old and her petticoat was showing. Her throat
would tickle. She would wonder desperately if she had a
Line 55 clean handkerchief in her bag. She would also feel thirsty.
Without firing a shot in the cause of freedom she would
retreat ingloriously from the field of battle.
And on that unassaulted field—in that room where no
leeway was given to the personality, where a thing was
Line 60 black or white, right or wrong, polite or rude, simply
because Miss Dove said it was, there was a curiously
soothing quality. The children left it refreshed and
restored, ready for fray or frolic. For within its walls
they enjoyed what was allowed them nowhere else—
Line 65 a complete suspension of will.
Lines 56–57 (“Without . . . battle”) gently mock the situation by describing it in terms of a
Skills needed to score in the next band
As you read a text, pay attention to the author’s tone. Look for specific words and phrases that make the text sound humorous, angry, earnest, or objective. Consider why the author has chosen to use this tone.
As you read a text, think about how the author uses rhetoric. Who is the author writing for? How does he or she hook the reader’s interest? How does the author try to make himself or herself believable? How does the author use evidence to support his or her point?
As you read a longer text, pick one paragraph and carefully analyze the vocabulary, sentence structures, and devices in it. Think about how an author uses language to achieve a purpose in just a short section of text.
As you read a novel, short story, or play, think about the author’s style. What kind of language does the author use—flowery language or straightforward language? How does the style affect the text?
As you read a text, look for literary devices such as symbolism and irony.
