One of the big concerns many students continue to have regarding the new SAT is how to prepare for vocabulary questions. In this post, we’ll look at how “word power” is evaluated in the new SAT and share two of the best ways to get ready.
The New Reading Section
The sentence completion portion of the reading section has historically filled test-takers with dread. With its dependence on obscure words and limited context, the best way to prepare was literally to memorize hundreds (if not thousands!) of words ahead of time. Thankfully, the reading section has received one of the most dramatic makeovers of the entire SAT and the sentence completion questions are entirely gone.
That’s not to say vocabulary is no longer important, however. Understanding the meaning of different words continues to be a critical part of the test, but instead of focusing on arcane words used in a vacuum, the test will emphasize medium-difficulty words with multiple meanings and application in a variety of disciplines. These words will also all now appear embedded in passages.
This passage-based aspect of the new test is especially important, because the SAT is no longer looking simply for the ability to define a word, but to use it appropriately. For example, the College Board has provided this sample question to represent the types of words that may be evaluated:
“[. . .] The coming decades will likely see more intense clustering of jobs, innovation, and productivity in a smaller number of bigger cities and city-regions. Some regions could end up bloated beyond the capacity of their infrastructure, while others struggle, their promise stymied by inadequate human or other resources.”
Adapted from Richard Florida, The Great Reset
As used in line 55, “intense” most nearly means
A) emotional.
B) concentrated.
C) brilliant.
D) determined
In and of itself, the word “intense” isn’t a particularly difficult vocabulary word–certainly a far cry from words like “prevaricator” and “dilettante” that frequented old SAT lists. What is challenging is the fact that in different circumstances it’s meaning could be A, B, C, or D!
Read Periodicals
Given the more nuanced nature of the vocabulary in the new exam, what’s the best way to prepare? The answer may seem simple: read every day. But what you read matters. Your most effective approach is going to be reading periodicals (magazines, newspapers, etc.) because they most closely resemble the kinds of passages featured on the test. Don’t limit your reading list to a single discipline, however, because the test includes passages and vocabulary from a wide variety of sources and it’s to your advantage to gain exposure to as many of them as possible.
Here are some suggestions for periodicals that relate to the main categories from the new SAT:
History/Social Science: Time, The Atlantic, Slate, US News and World Report, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Economist, and Bloomberg News.
US and World Literature: The New York Times Book Review, The New Yorker, and short stories featured in any other mainstream magazines.
Science: Popular Science, Scientific American, Popular Mechanics, Wired, and National Geographic.
To maximize the effectiveness of your reading, keep a notebook with you. Jot down difficult words along with their definition and write at least one practice sentence using the word in the same way it was used in the article where you saw it.
Take Practice Tests
While reading regularly is the best way to get ready for the SAT (and build your long-term word power) it shouldn’t be the only tool in your test-prep toolbox. It’s also important to work through actual practice exams. The reasons are two-fold. First, it will continue to increase your vocabulary by exposing you to exactly the kinds of words highlighted in the new exam. Second, it will help you become familiar with the types of questions you may encounter and help you begin thinking about words in terms of context and usage.
This is an area where Curvebreakers excels. The experienced tutors on staff understand that nothing can compare with the experience of actually working through passages similar to those on the SAT itself and are prepared with up-to-date practice tests and exercises to maximize your study experience.
Preparing for the vocabulary on the new SAT no longer means memorizing stacks of flashcards, but it still requires dedicated study. By regularly reading periodicals and taking frequent practice tests you’ll be on your way to a top score.