CHAPTER 7 Copyright 2002 by the Mc

CHAPTER 7: Test-Taking Strategies Part I: 75 minutes; 50 questions • No penalty for guessing • Multiple-choice questions with five answer choices • Knowledge of organization, sentence structure, standard usage, and mechanics • Short passages (200– 300 words) • Business, instructional, and informational documents Copyright © 2002 by the Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Test-Taking Strategies • Business documents Letters, memos, meeting notes, reports, executive summaries, applications • Instructional documents How to secure a job, how to write a résumé, how to lease a car • Informational documents Position papers, critical evaluations, support papers Copyright © 2002 by the Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Test-Taking Strategies Sentence structure (30%): • Complete sentences Because it was a holiday, we had the day off from school. • Run-ons and comma splices He left early, we met him at the train. He left early, so we met him at the train. Copyright © 2002 by the Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Test-Taking Strategies (Continued) Sentence structure (30%): • Wordy and repetitive sentences I went to the grocery store to buy some milk, and I went to the grocery store to buy some eggs. I went to the grocery store to buy some milk and eggs. • Coordination or subordination Computers are easy to use, so people are afraid of them. Computers are easy to use, yet people are afraid of them. Copyright © 2002 by the Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Test-Taking Strategies (Continued) Sentence structure (30%): • Modification Sitting in front of the television, her eyes became glassy. As she sat in front of the television, her eyes became glassy. • Parallel structure The report is intended to inform, amuse, and being instructional. The report is intended to inform, amuse, and instruct. Copyright © 2002 by the Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Test-Taking Strategies (Continued) Usage (30%): • Subject-verb agreement Jim and Raoul was at the meeting today. Jim and Raoul were at the meeting today. • Verb tense or form Tomorrow, the fun was just getting started. Tomorrow, the fun will be just getting started. • Pronoun-antecedent agreement Everyone should bring their driver’s license. Everyone should bring his or her driver’s license. Copyright © 2002 by the Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Test-Taking Strategies (Continued) Mechanics (25%): • Capitalization I just flew in from england. I just flew in from England. • Comma usage Abby my dog loves to play fetch. Abby, my dog, loves to play fetch. • Spelling (homonyms, possessives, contractions) They took they’re film to the photo shop. They took their film to the photo shop. Copyright © 2002 by the Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Test-Taking Strategies (Continued) Organization (15%): • Text division Many products containing seaweed are used by people every day—toothpaste, shaving cream, ice cream, and salad dressing. People are often surprised to to learn just how prevalent seaweed is an additive in learn just how prevalent seaweed is as as an additive in foods and skin-care products. Although there is a big market for seaweed, companies in the United States Although there is a big market for seaweed, have not been producing it. However, a recent discovery companies in the United States have not been called cell culturing may make seaweed farming producing it. However, a recent discovery called cell profitable. Scientists at several U. S. companies are culturing may make seaweed farming profitable. learning how to use this process to grow profits. Scientists at several U. S. companies are learning how to use this process to grow profits. Copyright © 2002 by the Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Test-Taking Strategies (Continued) Organization (15%): • Topic sentence Though having a roommate can save you money, this kind of living situation is not completely problem free. For example, a roommate, like a brother or a sister, is likely to borrow your clothes without asking. What happens if it turns out that your roommate does not care to clean up after himself or herself? In addition, figuring out who pays what bills and when can be a major source of disagreement. There are bound to be many difficult issues that will arise no matter how compatible two people are. Copyright © 2002 by the Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Test-Taking Strategies (Continued) Organization (15%): • Unity or coherence I’d like to apply for a job at Safe. Corp Investments. I read that you have some openings in your customer service department, and the positions sound interesting to me. I am currently employed at World. Bank, and I would welcome a change. Staying in one lousy place for a long time can really start bugging me, know what I mean? I would be appreciative if you would call me for an interview. Thank you for your help in this matter. Copyright © 2002 by the Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Test-Taking Strategies Sentence correction (45%): Sentence 1: Mr. Anderson, why does all the files need to be printed now? What correction should be made to sentence 1? (1) remove the comma after Anderson (2) change does to do (3) insert a comma after files (4) change need to needed (5) no correction is necessary Answer choice (2) is correct. The verb does not agree with the subject, files, in this question. Copyright © 2002 by the Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Test-Taking Strategies (Continued) Sentence revision (35%): Sentence 2: Several improvements have been made to our office, it’s a more pleasant place to work. Which is the best way to write the underlined portion of the text? If the original is the best way, choose option (1) our office, it’s a (2) our office it’s a (3) our office, but it’s a (4) our office, in fact it’s a (5) our office, so it’s a Answer choice (5) is correct. The conjunction so corrects the comma splice and makes sense in the sentence. Copyright © 2002 by the Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Test-Taking Strategies (Continued) Construction shift (20%): Sentence 3: We left the house so that we would be on time for the conference, but we arrived late for the conference. If you rewrote sentence 3 beginning with Although we left the house the next words should be (1) on time for the conference, but we (2) we arrived late for the conference (3) so that we would be on time, but we arrived (4) on time, we arrived late for (5) on time for the conference, we arrived late for the conference Answer choice (4) is correct. This revision keeps the meaning of the original sentence. Copyright © 2002 by the Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

CHAPTER 7: Test-Taking Strategies THE END Practice the skills you learned in this chapter by taking the Chapter Review Quiz or the GED Practice Quiz Copyright © 2002 by the Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.