Full-Length Practice ACT Information about the Optional

Writing Test Strategies to Prepare for the Tests What to Expect on Test Day

IC 080192050

Preparing for the ACTWhats Inside:

This booklet is providedfree of charge.

Contents

1. General Preparation for the ACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22. Strategies for Taking the ACT Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53. What to Expect on the Test Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114. Taking the Practice Tests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Practice Multiple-Choice Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Practice Writing Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

5. Scoring Your Practice Tests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59How to Score the Multiple-Choice Tests. . . . . . . . . . 59How to Score the Writing Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

6. Sample Answer Documents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73Multiple-Choice Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73Writing Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

A Message to Students

This booklet, which is provided free of charge, isintended to help you do your best on the ACT. It summarizesgeneral test-taking strategies, describes the content of eachof the tests, provides specific tips for each, and lets youknow what you can expect on the test day. Included in thisbooklet are a complete practice testretired ACTquestions that were administered to students on a nationaltest date and a writing promptsample answer documents,and scoring instructions.

Read this booklet carefully and take the practice test wellbefore the test day so you will be familiar with the tests, whatthey measure, and the strategies you can use to do your best.

ACT is committed to representing the diversity of oursociety in all its aspects, including race, ethnicity, and gen-der. Thus, test passages, questions, and writing prompts aredeliberately chosen to reflect the range of cultures in ourpopulation.

We also are committed to ensuring that test questionsand writing prompts are fairthat they do not disadvantageany particular group of examinees. Extensive reviews of thefairness of test materials are rigorously conducted by bothACT staff and external consultants. We also employ statisti-cal procedures to help ensure that our test materials do notunfairly affect the performance of any group.

Additional ACT Preparation Materials

ACT Online Prep: The only online test preparation pro-gram designed by the ACT test development professionals.ACT Online Prep has practice test questions, a practiceessay with real-time scoring, a diagnostic test, and person-alized Study Path. You can access ACT Online Prep viathe Internet anywhere and at any time.

The Real ACT Prep Guide is the official print guide to theACT. This book includes three practice ACTs previouslyused in actual test administrationseach with an optionalWriting Test, with explanations for all right and wronganswer choices.

ACT Online Prep, the Real ACT Prep Guide, and sam-ple test booklets are available at www.actstudent.org.

1General Preparation

for the ACT

Choosing a Test Option

Students testing in the United States may register forone of two Test Options: the ACT, or the ACT Plus Writing,which includes a 30-minute Writing Test for an additional fee.The ACT Writing Test complements the ACT English Test.The combined results from both tests provide informationabout your understanding of the conventions of standardwritten English and your ability to produce a direct sample ofyour writing. Taking the ACT Plus Writing will provide youwith two additional scores: a Writing Test subscore and aCombined English/Writing score. Taking the Writing Testdoes not affect your subject area scores or your Compositescore.

Not all institutions require or recommend taking the ACTWriting Test. Check directly with the institutions you are con-sidering to find out their requirements, or ask your highschool counselor which Test Option you should take. Youcan also check our website (www.actstudent.org) for a listof institutions that have provided information to us about theirpolicieswhether they require, recommend, or do not needresults from the ACT Writing Test. Consult ACTs list beforeyou register so you will know which Test Option to select.

The ACT Plus Writing is available on national test datesand for Special and Arranged Testing within the UnitedStates during designated testing windows. This Test Optionis not available through any other type of testing (for exam-ple, testing outside the U.S.) during 200506.

2

Preparing for the ACT

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A copy of the full Code may be obtained free of charge from ACT Customer Ser-vices, P.O. Box 1008, Iowa City, IA 52243-1008, 319/337-1429.

2005 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved.NOTE: This booklet is covered by federal copyright laws that prohibit the reproduction of the test questions without the express, written permission of ACT, Inc.

ACT endorses the Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education, a statement ofguidelines for those who develop, administer, and use educational tests and data.The Code sets forth criteria for fairness in four areas: developing and selectingappropriate tests, interpreting test scores, striving for fairness, and informing test takers. ACT is committed to ensuring that each of its testing programsupholds the Codes standards for appropriate test development practice and use.

Choosing a Test Date

Before you choose a test date, consider the applicationdeadlines of the colleges and scholarship agencies that areof interest to you. It will take four to seven weeks after a testdate for ACT to mail your score report to you and to your col-lege or agency choices.

Many college and scholarship agencies recommend thatstudents take the ACT during the spring of their junior year.By this time, students typically have completed most of thecoursework covered by the ACT. There are a number ofadvantages in taking the ACT then: You will receive test scores and other information that will

help you plan your senior year in high school. Many colleges begin contacting prospective students dur-

ing the summer before the senior year. If you do not score as well as you believe you can, there

will be opportunities to retake the ACT in the fall of yoursenior year and still have the new information available intime to meet admission and scholarship deadlines.

NOTE: You cannot plan on receiving your scores from onenational test date in time to register for the next.

General Test-Taking Strategiesfor the ACT

The ACT contains multiple-choice tests in four areas:English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. Each of thesetests contains questions that offer either four or five answerchoices from which you are to choose the correct, or best,answer. The following suggestions apply to the tests in allfour areas:

Pace yourself.The time limits set for each test give nearly everyone

enough time to finish all the questions. However, becausethe English, Reading, and Science Tests contain a consider-able amount of text, it is important to pace yourself so youwill not spend too much time on one passage. Similarly, trynot to spend too much time puzzling over an answer to aspecific problem in the Mathematics Test. Go on to the otherquestions and come back if there is time.

Your supervisor will announce when there are five min-utes remaining on each test.

Read the directions for each test carefully.Before you begin taking one of the tests, read the direc-

tions carefully. The English, Reading, and Science Tests askfor the best answer. Do not respond as soon as you iden-tify a correct answer. Read and consider all of the answerchoices and choose the answer that best responds to thequestion.

The Mathematics Test asks for the correct answer.Read each question carefully to make sure you understandthe type of answer required. Then, you may want to work outthe answer you feel is correct and look for it among thechoices given. If your answer is not among the choices pro-vided, reread the question and consider all of the answerchoices.

Read each question carefully.It is important that you understand what each question

asks. Some questions will require you to go through severalsteps to find the correct or best answer, while others can beanswered more quickly.

Answer the easy questions first.The best strategy for taking the tests is to answer the

easy questions and skip the questions you find difficult. Afteranswering all of the easy questions, go back and answer themore difficult questions.

Use logic in more difficult questions.When you return to the more difficult questions, try to

use logic to eliminate incorrect answers to a question. Com-pare the answer choices to each other and note how theydiffer. Such differences may provide clues as to what thequestion requires. Eliminate as many incorrect answers asyou can, then make an educated guess from the remaininganswers.

Answer every question.Your score on the tests will be based on the number of

questions that you answer correctly; there is no penalty forguessing. Thus, you should answer every question withinthe time allowed for each test, even if you have to guess.The supervisor will announce when there are five minutesremaining on each test.

Review your work.If there is time left after you have answered every ques-

tion in a test, go back and check your work in that test. Checkto be sure that you marked only one answer to each ques-tion. You will not be allowed to go back to any other test ormark answers to a test after time has been called on that test.

Be precise in marking your