If you are reading this in an email you received from me, do not click the link to sat.collegeboard.org below. Use the link to my website that is farther down on the email.
http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice/sat-question-of-the-day?questionId=20140106&oq=1 (This link takes you to today’s question. If you use my archive, you will see the question related to my SAT explanation for that date.)
Happy New Year and welcome back.
The answer is B. Subject-verb agreement is a common issue on the test. Whenever you see a verb underlined (sharpen) the first thing to do is to find the subject (Listening) and make sure they are either both singular or both plural. Since listening (singular) isn’t underlined, its verb has to be consistent with it.
Take a look at my list of grammar and composition errors (free website, Demystifying the SAT & ACT student manual (page 92), and Video #9) and you’ll see a list of common errors that you need to be on the alert for when taking the SAT and ACT. For example, another common verb error is tense. Often, there will be more than one verb in a sentence and they have to be consistent when you consider their tense. Make sure the underlined verb is consistent with those that aren’t underlined.
Let’s see what the ACT folks have for us today.
ACT Question of the Day: Use your “back” button to return to my website after reading the ACT Question of the Day.
The answer is D. The sine of an angle is calculated by dividing the “opposite” side by the “hypotenuse.” (Memorize all math equations and formulas for the ACT because there’s no “cheat sheet” like there is on the SAT.) The opposite side is 24 and you know the hypotenuse is the longest side of a right triangle which leaves you with answer D. Look, Ma, no calculations!
As usual, the test writer’s explanation stinks. Take a look at it. They want you to do an incredible amount of unnecessary, time-wasting calculations. Obviously they are good test writers but not very good test takers! A major challenge of the ACT is finishing on time. Stay tuned to my blog and you’ll learn how you can save time on the ACT and SAT.
Welcome back to my blog after a little time off for the holidays. Be sure to tell your friends about it and maybe your teachers would like to do the Questions of the Day for seat work. Have them use my website for the explanations because the test writers sure aren’t going to tell you any test-taking secrets.
Go Noles! Sorry Auburn fans because I think you’ll be in for a long night. At least they’ll be playing in nice weather compared to the pro games that were played this weekend.
The SAT & ACT Wizard
