Digital SAT Reading Tips: Which Quotation Most Effectively Illustrates the Claim?

Summary

This video explains how to approach Command of Evidence questions on the SAT, focusing specifically on the textual literary type. It highlights the importance of selecting an answer choice that fully supports or reflects the whole claim presented in the text. The video breaks down an example from Louisa May Alcott's poem 'Transfiguration,' showing how to analyze quotes to find the correct answer. It emphasizes eliminating partially relevant answers and practicing to improve accuracy. The goal is to find the answer that aligns with the entire claim, ensuring nothing is missed.

Takeaways

• 📖 Command of evidence questions focus on choosing answers that support or weaken a claim in the text.
• 🔍 There are three types of command of evidence questions: textual literary, textual scientific, and quantitative.
• 📚 Command of evidence textual literary questions are challenging because students must choose quotes that support the entire claim, not just part of it.
• 🔑 The key to answering these questions is to select the quote that addresses the whole claim and excludes irrelevant information.
• ✍️ When analyzing quotes, focus on what is understood and don't worry too much about unfamiliar language.
• 📝 In the example of Louisa May Alcott’s poem 'Transfiguration,' the correct answer must reflect on the death of the mother, contrast joy and grief, and encapsulate the full claim.
• 🎨 Visualizing answers through color coding can help: pink for reflection on death, orange for happiness, and green for sadness.
• ❌ Answers that only address part of the claim (e.g., just happiness or just grief) should be eliminated.
• 💡 The correct answer should have a balance of all elements of the claim: reflections on death, joy, and grief.
• 🚀 Practice is essential for mastering these questions, and using online tools like Test Innovators can be helpful for SAT preparation.

Q & A

What are the three types of Command of Evidence questions on the SAT?

The three types are Command of Evidence Textual Literary, Command of Evidence Textual Scientific, and Command of Evidence Quantitative.

What is the primary goal when answering Command of Evidence questions?

The primary goal is to select the answer choice that fully supports or reflects the claim provided in the text, encapsulating the claim's entire meaning without including irrelevant information.

Why are Command of Evidence Textual Literary questions considered challenging for students?

They are challenging because students often find it difficult to identify the best supporting quote among choices that all seem partially relevant.

What strategy should students use when interpreting older or challenging language, like in an 1889 poem?

Students should focus on words they understand rather than getting bogged down by every unfamiliar phrase, as this will help them identify the main ideas necessary to answer the question.

What does the phrase 'the claim, the whole claim, and nothing but the claim' mean in this context?

It means that the correct answer should fully support the central idea or claim of the text, without including any extra or unrelated information.

In the sample question from the poem 'Transfiguration,' what elements were needed to correctly answer the question?

The correct answer needed to reflect on the death of the mother, show the contrast between joy and grief, and encapsulate the entire sentiment the author expresses.

What technique does the instructor suggest for evaluating each answer choice in Command of Evidence questions?

The instructor suggests labeling each answer choice with different colors for each part of the claim (reflection on death, joy, and grief), and selecting the option that includes all required parts.

Why was Choice B identified as the correct answer in the example provided?

Choice B was correct because it included all parts of the claim: reflections on the mother’s death, expressions of joy, and sadness, thus fully capturing the contrast of joy in grief.

What common mistake do students make when answering Command of Evidence questions?

Students often choose an answer that partially relates to the claim, but doesn’t fully encapsulate it. They may overlook parts of the claim or focus on details that aren’t fully relevant.

What is a recommended way to improve at Command of Evidence questions?

Students should practice reading and answering these types of questions regularly, familiarizing themselves with eliminating partially relevant answers and honing their focus on the complete claim.