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SAT Words of the Week

Tips, reference guide and suggestions for the College Board test.

SAT Words of the Week:

Flamboyant-(adjective)-extremely showy, elaborately ornate

In context:  The flamboyant clothing designer loved to use sparkly beading and glittery fabrics.

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Flaunt-(verb)-to show off

In context:  The millionaire flaunted his wealth by hosting big, expensive parties.

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Gaudy-(adjective)-lacking in good taste; too showy

In context:  Annie's gaudy style prompted her friends to give her a fashion makeover.

Grandiose-(adjective)-more elaborate than necessary; impressive on a large scale

In context:  The neighbors were shocked when the new owners knocked down the small cottage and built a grandiose mansion in its place.

Tawdry-(adjective)-cheap in appearance or in nature

In context:  Jane expected a diamond pendant on her birthday, but received a tawdry necklace instead.

SAT Tip of the Day:

The critical reading test is comprised mainly of reading comprehension passages and questions.  These passages may be short (100-150 words), long (500-800 words), or paired (two articles with a shared set of questions).  Passages vary in topic but may include science, history, art and literature. 

Reading in a passive or leisurely way will fail to prepare you to answer tricky test questions.  In order prepare for this section, practice reading actively.  Active reading means the reader is alert and responsive to the material.   As you read, you should be thinking about the content of the material and considering the main idea, key points, and important details.  This is an acquired skill and will improves with practice.  A few ways to improve your reading skills and promote active reading include the following: 

  • 1. Read at a table or at a desk rather than on your bed or the couch. When you allow your body to be overly comfortable, your mind is likely to become overly comfortable, too.
  • 2. Read in a quiet environment with no distractions.
  • 3. As your read, underline key words and phrases. This will help to keep you alert and focused.
  • 4. Ask yourself what the main purpose of the passage is and what tone the author takes.

Be sure to try this approach with everything you read from magazine articles to homework to SAT reading comprehension passages. 

Suggested Resource:   Kaplan SAT Critical Reading Workbook by Kaplan

This resource provides sentence completion and reading comprehension practice sets, answers, and explanations as well as two practice tests.  It is a good source for students who want to focus specifically on the critical reading test.

Did You Know?  There are 48 reading comprehension questions on the SAT.  This accounts for two-thirds of the reading comprehension test.

Michele Shulman is a graduate of Hofstra University where she majored in English and earned both a B.A. and M.A.   She taught English at Benjamin N. Cardozo High School in Bayside, Queens and Farmingdale High School, here on Long Island, before taking a leave of absence to raise her children.  Currently, she teaches SAT preparation classes and tutors privately. 

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