Table of Contents
Contents
About Our Author ................................................................................................. viii
About REA ............................................................................................................ viii
Acknowledgments.................................................................................................. viii
Welcome to REA’s Ace the ACT 1
How to Use REA’s Ace the ACT................................................................................. 2
The ACT Test Basics ................................................................................................. 2
Test Day.................................................................................................................... 6
General Strategies for the ACT Test .......................................................................... 7
Week 1: English 9
ACT English Test Basics............................................................................................ 9
General Strategies for the English Section ............................................................... 10
Conventions of Standard English ............................................................................ 13
Punctuation ............................................................................................................ 13
Practice Punctuation ............................................................................................... 21
Sentence Structure and Formation .......................................................................... 23
Practice Sentence Structure and Formation ............................................................. 28
Grammar and Usage ............................................................................................... 30
Practice Grammar and Usage .................................................................................. 37
Knowledge of Language .......................................................................................... 39
Concision and Precision in Word Choice................................................................ 42
Consistency in Style and Tone................................................................................. 45
Production of Writing............................................................................................. 46
Topic Development................................................................................................. 47
Organization........................................................................................................... 49
Practice Topic Development, Organization, Unity, and Cohesion ........................... 54
Solutions to English Practice Questions .................................................................. 58
English Strategy Cheat Sheet................................................................................... 62
English Practice Test ........................................................... www.rea.com/studycenter
Week 2: Mathematics …………………………………………...……………………………65
ACT Mathematics Test Basics ................................................................................. 65
General Strategies for the Math Section .................................................................. 66
Integrating Essential Skills....................................................................................... 67
Practice Integrating Essential Skills.......................................................................... 79
Preparing for Higher Math...................................................................................... 81
Number and Quantity ............................................................................................ 81
Algebra ................................................................................................................... 87
Practice Number and Quantity and Algebra............................................................ 95
Functions................................................................................................................ 96
Statistics and Probability ....................................................................................... 100
Practice Functions, Statistics, and Probability........................................................ 102
Geometry.............................................................................................................. 105
Distance, Midpoint, and Slope.............................................................................. 105
Equations of Circles.............................................................................................. 108
Angles, 2-D and 3-D Figures ................................................................................ 109
Trigonometric Ratios ............................................................................................ 119
Practice Geometry................................................................................................. 123
Solutions to Math Practice Questions ................................................................... 126
Math Strategy Cheat Sheet.................................................................................... 131
Math Practice Test .............................................................. www.rea.com/studycenter
Week 3: Reading …………………………………….………………………………….135
ACT Reading Test Basics ...................................................................................... 135
The Four Passages.................................................................................................. 136
General Strategies for the Reading Section ............................................................ 136
6 Steps for Reading a Passage and Answering Questions........................................ 138
Key Ideas and Details............................................................................................ 139
Determining the Main Idea................................................................................... 140
Practice Reading for the Main Idea ....................................................................... 144
Finding Supporting Details................................................................................... 146
Practice Reading for Supporting Details................................................................ 151
Making Inferences................................................................................................. 153
Practice Making Inferences.................................................................................... 156
Craft and Structure ............................................................................................... 158
Understanding Vocabulary in Contexts................................................................. 158
Determining the Author or Narrator’s Voice and Purpose ..................................... 161
Practice Reading for Vocabulary, Author’s Voice, and Purpose............................... 166
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas ...................................................................... 168
Analyzing an Author’s Arguments or Claims ......................................................... 168
Making Connections Between Texts...................................................................... 173
Practice Analyzing Author’s Arguments and Making Connections ........................ 178
Solutions to Reading Practice Questions ............................................................... 182
Reading Strategy Cheat Sheet................................................................................ 188
Reading Practice Test .......................................................... www.rea.com/studycenter
Week 4: Science Reasoning……………………………………………………………………… 191
ACT Science Reasoning Test Basics....................................................................... 191
General Strategies for the Science Reasoning Section ............................................ 192
Science Reasoning Reporting Categories ............................................................... 193
Data Representation.............................................................................................. 193
Data Representation Reading Strategies ................................................................ 194
Practice Data Representation................................................................................. 203
Research Summaries.............................................................................................. 206
Research Summaries Reading Strategy................................................................... 207
Practice Research Summaries................................................................................. 225
Conflicting Viewpoints ......................................................................................... 229
Grasping the Conflicting Viewpoints Passages....................................................... 231
Practice Conflicting Viewpoints ............................................................................ 246
Solutions to Science Reasoning Practice Questions ............................................... 249
Science Reasoning Strategy Cheat Sheet................................................................ 253
Science Reasoning Practice Test .......................................... www.rea.com/studycenter
Week 5: Writing 257
Enhanced ACT Writing Test Basics....................................................................... 257
General Strategies for the ACT Writing Test ......................................................... 258
The Enhanced ACT Writing Prompt .................................................................... 258
The ACT Writing Process...................................................................................... 259
Practice Outlining................................................................................................. 267
How to Compose Your Essay ................................................................................ 268
Practice Your Vivid Language................................................................................ 275
Practice Writing Your Essay................................................................................... 279
How to Correct Your Essay ................................................................................... 280
Writing Strategy Cheat Sheet ................................................................................ 287
Writing Practice Test........................................................... www.rea.com/studycenter
Full-Length ACT Practice Test (also available online at www.rea.com/studycenter) 291
English.................................................................................................................. 293
Mathematics ......................................................................................................... 319
Reading................................................................................................................. 341
Science Reasoning................................................................................................. 357
Enhanced ACT Writing ........................................................................................ 377
Practice Test Answer Keys and Explanations 381
English.................................................................................................................. 382
Mathematics ......................................................................................................... 392
Reading................................................................................................................. 402
Science Reasoning................................................................................................. 410
Writing ................................................................................................................. 417