Week 4, Day 2 - Midterm Exam

Today is the day of the midterm exam. You must take the exam with the camera turned on and pointed at your face at all times to ensure the validity of the testing environment. You must keep your microphone muted so all students have a quiet testing experience. You may turn your camera off during breaks and when you have completed the exam.

You will receive an email with a link to the exam. You have the entire class period to complete all questions. If everyone finishes before class time is over, we will review the exam during the remainder of class. If everyone needs the full time, we will review during our next class. You must remain in the classroom the whole time from 1:30 to 4:30, no exceptions unless discussed in advance with the instructor for a valid excuse. 

Please email your instructor if you have difficulty connecting to Zoom, receiving the exam link, or accessing the exam. Please send your instructor direct messages on Zoom if you have questions during the exam.

Week 5 is when we will have our Progress Reports and when forms will be due. Please contact the Registrar and the Dean of Students for counseling about which forms are necessary to change from TP to IEP, to request specific TP courses, to go on Vacation, or to Transfer out. Our Progress Report meeting will be during regular class time Week 5, Day 1. (January 3rd, 1:30, when classes resume after Winter Break!)

Week 4, Day 1 - Review for Midterm Exam

Basic Strategies

· Easy test first

· Leave no question blank

· At least guess

· Use scratch paper/note boards/whiteboard

· Memorization

· Process of elimination

· Read all answer choices, also notice formats

· Check that you answer the question asked!

· Check your answers

· Take notes




Exam Structure:

Part 1 (Kaplan):

8 Text Completion

8 Sentence Equivalence

9 Reading Comprehension

Part 2 (ETS):

11 Reading Comprehension

10 Text Completion

4 Sentence Equivalence

Preparing for a Standardized Test:

(some of these may not apply to online testing during pandemic conditions)

 

The weeks & days before:

·       Study regularly daily – at least 10 practice problems a day, especially in struggle areas!

·       Review the testing website for any possible changes to policies & procedures

·       Review terminology, use flashcards, etc.

·       Have a “study outfit” you can wear to the test center when the time comes; this is useful for getting in the right mindset and triggering your memory during testing

·       Sign up with the name on your legal ID so it is exactly identical

o   My horror story: my married name was different from my maiden name, and my old ID did not include my new marital patronymic, but I signed up with the new name. I was forbidden from taking the test and they refused to permit any refund. If you are rich, this might not be an issue for you, but most of us are not rich!

o   Be very careful about hyphens, spelling, double last names, etc.

·       Make a practice drive to the test center at the same day and time for which your test is scheduled – online testing? Familiarize yourself with the testing procedures early and often!

·       NO major life changes (new medications [unless absolutely necessary], breakups, quitting or starting anything important, etc.)

·       If you have an early test, start going to bed and getting up earlier

 

 

The night before:

·       STOP STUDYING – cramming is worse than useless, it is actually harmful!

·       Lay out what you will need to bring with you: study outfit, registration confirmation, keys, water bottle, legal ID, wallet – online testing? Consider having this stuff ready in your testing space

·       Eat well (healthy, safe, non-irritable food)

·       Drink well (plenty of water, NO alcohol nor other intoxicants including “smart” drugs)

·       Sleep well (start going to bed early a week ahead if your test is early in the morning)

 

 

The morning of:

·       NO STUDYING – a waste of time, will only stress you out more

·       Eat well (healthy, safe, non-irritable food; brain food includes whole grains, yogurt, eggs)

·       Drink well (caffeine only if you regularly have it, plenty of water, etc.)

·       Put on your study outfit and bring your necessities with you

·       Arrive at least 30 minutes early – online testing? I suggest at least 1 hour early

·       Bring nothing in except the necessities: legal ID, water bottle, car keys, wallet, confirmation of test registration

 

 

During the test:

·       Use your breaks to get extra scratch paper/noteboards, use the restroom, drink a little water

·       When stuck on a problem try one of two methods:

·       Mark and Review / ‘easy’ test first (GRE only)

·       Stare at the ceiling and think about anything else for 30 seconds or less (both exams)

Week 3, Day 2 - Continue with Chapter 7, Start Chapter 8: Verbal Practice Sets

Please see Monday's notes for the remainder of Chapter 7. We will finish the practice problems from Chapter 7 today and then try to do some of the Chapter 8 practice sets to prepare for next week's midterm exam.

Week 3, Day 1 - Chapter 7: Reading Comprehension

• Around 5 passages with 10 questions per Verbal section
• Passages may be one paragraph up to six
• Questions per passage may be one to six
• Three answer types: 
• single-answer multiple-choice
• select all that apply
• select a sentence
• Types of questions:
• general
• details
• vocabulary in context
• argument 

The Kaplan Method:

1. Read the passage strategically (TAKE NOTES)

2. Analyze the question

3. Research the relevant text in the passage

4. Make a prediction

5. Evaluate the answer choices

(NOTE: If there is a single paragraph with a single question, read the question first, then the passage)

1. Reading Strategically - find topic, scope, purpose, key words, opinion(s), definition(s), example(s)
1. Topic - broad subject (history, science, literature, etc.)
2. Scope - specific subject (WWII's impact on children, e.g.)
3. Purposes: explain, describe, analyze, compare & contrast, evaluate or critique, argue for an opinion, argue against someone else's opinion
4. Key words - these are words emphasized (using words like "very" and "critical") or repeated using synonyms throughout the passage (e.g.: financial, currency, money, etc.); however, indicator words can tell us about what else the author is doing in a passage structurally: 
1. Opinion(s) - look for opinion key words that indicate a positive or negative attitude from the author. There is no single list, but a few are: good, bad, beneficial, harmful, etc. Be careful about whether the author or someone else is giving these opinions in the text.
2. Contrast - look at your list of opposite direction words for these changes in reasoning or disagreements the author indicates (e.g., but, however, nevertheless, on the other hand)
3. Continuation - these are our same direction words showing a continuation of the same line of reasoning and agreement indicated by the author (e.g., furthermore, moreover, also, in addition, etc.)
4. Logic - the premise and conclusion indicator words tell us about the structure of the author's argument (e.g., conclusion: therefore, so, thus; evidence/premise: because, for, since)
5. Definition(s) and example(s) - look for illustration key words (e.g.: for instance, for example, e.g., i.e., etc.)
6. Sequence/grouping - any words giving you order (first, second, third) or time (17th century, yesterday and today, in the future), or other organization (higher versus lower temperatures, in the west and the east, or even beginning, middle, and end)
2. Analyzing Questions (global/general, detail, inference, logic, vocab-in-context, reasoning)
1. Global (general) - about the passage as a whole (main idea, primary purpose, overall structure
2. Detail - find a specific detail in the passage (according to the passage, as mentioned in the passage)
3. Inference - something directly logically implied by the text (suggests, infers, implies, most likely agrees)
4. Logic (why author did x) - describe or explain why the author included a word/phrase/statement (in order to, primarily serves to)
5. Vocab-in-context - identify the meaning of the word in the specific way the passage uses it (most nearly means, most closely corresponds to)
6. Reasoning - analyze the author's argument (assumption, flaw, strengthen/weaken)
7. Practice: identify question types
3. Research
1. Global: use topic, scope, purpose; eliminate half-right answers and answers counter to or different from the main idea
2. Detail: use a specific piece of evidence closely paraphrased; eliminate half-right answers and distortions of the author's ideas
3. Inference: use your notes and evidence from the passage; eliminate half-right answers, answers with extreme language, and answers beyond the scope of the passage
4. Logic: use your notes and evidence from the passage, especially five lines up and down from the key phrase; eliminate answers counter to author purpose and outside the scope of the passage
5. Vocab: look three lines up and down from the key word to establish context and make a prediction; eliminate answers not matching your prediction
6. Reasoning: analyze the structure of the structure of the argument (premises, conclusion, assumptions) - see end of chapter for specific elimination strategies
4. Predictions - this is the key to being a good GRE Verbal test-taker!
1. Don't use the answer choices to guide you - come up with your own answer in your own words!
2. Paraphrase information in the passage to make your prediction
3. It is rare for the prediction to perfectly match any answer choice - but look for matching concepts
4. Eliminate answers that disagree with your prediction conceptually
5. COVER UP the answer choices with paper while you try to make your prediction
5. Evaluating Choices
1. Primary Eliminations:
1. Outside the scope of the passage
2. Extreme language - e.g. always, never, mostly, rarely, impossible, necessary, definite, certain, every time, all people, everyone - we prefer "wishy-washy" language that is easier to prove (sometimes, some people, kind of, possibly, potentially)
3. Distortion - garbled quotes, badly re-arranged words and phrases from the passage
4. 180 (contradiction) - a complete or partial reversal or opposite statement of what the author actually says
5. Half-right = ALL WRONG
6. Also: No such comparison - when the answer makes a comparison the author never made (but perhaps the author mentioned the two things without comparing them)
6. Reasoning Questions:
1. Anatomy of an argument
1. Conclusion - the author's point, the thing they want to convince you to believe, usually an opinion or other bold claim, recommendation, prediction, or rejection of another person's opinion (e.g., therefore, thus, so, hence...)
2. Premises/Evidence - the reasons the author offers for you to accept the conclusion, the proof (e.g., because, for, since, in that...)
3. Assumptions - NEVER STATED but necessary for the premises to lead to the conclusion. In a strengthen/weaken question, correct answers will support/undermine the unstated assumptions.
2. Common types of (inductive) arguments
1. Scope-shift (analogy) - the conclusion changes what the argument concerns to B, while the premises are about something else - A, usually based on an assumption that the two things are connected or similar (A is connected to B or A is similar to B). The problem: A and B are not always connected the way the author intends, or may not be connected at all; alternatively, A and B are not similar in some important way.
2. Representativeness (sampling) - the conclusion says that based on the small sample group, the larger group represented by the sample must want/do/think the same thing as the sample. The problem: the small sample may not be representative - it could be biased, too small, etc.
3. Causal (causation) - the conclusion either claims what the cause or the effect of some event must be based on the evidence in the premises. The problem is that there could be alternative causes, that this could be mere coincidence, or that the cause is more complicated than first noticed. 

Week 2, Day 2 - Chapter 6: Sentence Equivalence

* Usually four per Verbal section,

* always one missing word with six choices, 

* ALWAYS choose TWO answers ONLY (see picture)

Kaplan Method:

1. Read, look for clues

2. Predict an answer

3. Select two choices closely matching your prediction

4. Check your work (re-read the sentence with both of your choices)

Remember your "road-signs" for same & opposite direction - see lists:

• Clues: Who or what is the blank describing? What else provides insight into that person or thing?
• Directional indicators:
• Opposite direction: but, although, however, despite, instead, even though, in contrast, nevertheless, nonetheless, though, on the other hand, or, previously, rather than, still, though, unfortunately, whereas, while, yet
• Same direction: and, so, because, since, therefore, accordingly, consequently, for example, furthermore, hence, in addition, moreover, next, similarly, thus, too, ;, :, e.g., i.e., that is, etc. 
• Look for indicators of positive, negative, or neutral connotation

Additional tips: 

* consider ALL answer choices

* paraphrase the sentence

* look beyond synonyms

* use roots & affixes

Lastly, POE strategies from Princeton:

o   Focus on words you know to check or cross them decisively

o   DO NOT choose words you have eliminated

o   DO NOT eliminate unknown words

o   DO NOT trust your “ears” (the necessary word may “sound” wrong, may have an archaic meaning, etc.)

o   Remember to mark and move on!

Links for Many, Many Practice Problems

Manhattan Review: https://www.manhattanreview.com/free-gre-practice-questions/

Varsity Tutors: https://www.varsitytutors.com/gre_math-practice-tests

Princeton: https://www.princetonreview.com/grad-school-advice/gre-math-practice

Magoosh: https://magoosh.com/gre/2019/gre-math-practice-questions/

ETS: https://www.ets.org/gre/institutions/about/general/quantitative_reasoning_sample_questions/

Mometrix: https://www.mometrix.com/academy/gre-quantitative-practice-test/

Test-Guide: https://www.test-guide.com/gre/free-gre-practice-tests/gre-math-multiple-choice-practice-test-1.html

Major Tests: https://www.majortests.com/gre/problem_solving.php

Week 2, Day 1 - Chapter 5: Text Completion

Select 1 entry for each blank - fill in the blank(s)

Directions: Each sentence below has one ore more blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Beneath the sentence are five words for one-blank questions and sets of three words for each blank for two- and three- blank questions. Choose the word or set of words for each blank that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole. (see pictures at the beginning of the chapter)

Kaplan method:
1. Read the sentence(s), look for clues.

2. Predict an answer for each blank.

3. Select the best match from the choices.

4. Check your work by reading the sentence(s) with the word(s) in the blank(s). 

Clues: key words/phrases describing the missing words

Structural indicators: road signs that signal to go the same direction or change direction (straight-ahead or detour) [see list in chapter and on previous blog]

ALWAYS try to fill in the blank(s) with your own word(s) before you read the answer choices

ALWAYS read ALL answer choices.

The same process applies with multiple blanks, the only change is to try to fill in the easiest blank first.

Additional tips: 

Look for direct implications, not ambiguous interpretations - try to stay logical!

Don't get too creative - stick to words you know when generating your own word, and don't try to be too poetic

Paraphrase long and complex sentences - keep it simple, sweetie!

Use root words when you encounter unknown vocabulary!!

Week 1, Day 2: Introduction to the GRE, Verbal Foundations (Chapters 1-4)

 Week 1, Day 1: Introduction to the GRE

The GRE Exam 

The GRE has three primary measures.

Analytical Writing

2 essays - 30 minutes each

Focus on the skill of directly responding to the presented tasks

 

Math (Quantitative Reasoning)

2 sections of 20 questions each - 35 minutes each

Focus on basic math concepts & skills

Verbal

2 sections of 20 questions each - 30 minutes each

Focus on reading & reasoning skills

(no other official sections)

1 minute break between all sections except for a 10 minute break after section 3

Labeled research section possible; unlabeled experimental section possible

 

•                  Onscreen calculator during Quantitative sections (reduces emphasis on computation, increases emphasis on logic)

•                  You can change/edit/review answers, i.e. “Mark & Review” feature

•                  Visit ets.org/gre for news

•                  Visit “Bulletins & Forms” section

•                  Official information in the ETS guide

•                  Review question types, answer types, scoring, and skills.

•                  An “endurance” test where you are tested for hours.

•                  Incorrect answers do NOT subtract but do not add to scores either.

•                  It is best to answer every question – at least guess!

•                  Once a section is completed, you may not go back through it.

•                  Scratch paper/noteboards are provided, and you can always request more. Use them on all sections!

•                  Verbal & Quantitative sections are adaptive; the raw score ≈ number of correct answers; scaled scores are generated by equating questions with difficulty levels and on comparison with the scores of other test-takers in your cohort.

•                  Scores are reported within 10-15 days after test date. See each exam’s details to see more about how score reports work.

History of Standardized Testing:

Standardized tests are loosely based on the IQ tests developed initially to determine the difference between officers and infantry in the military. Questions that were “easy” should have been answerable by everyone; questions that were “difficult” should have been answerable only by the very intelligent. These produce a bell curve of scores, and the “average” does not “change.”

However, where IQ tests are supposed to measure innate abilities, standardized tests for university programs are supposed to measure acquired skills. In reality, these tests measure one skill: your ability to take a standardized test.

Schools use test results to distinguish between applicants with similar GPAs. A high GPA tends to indicate a hard worker, while a high test score tends to indicate someone with a lot of skills necessary for the school programs. In addition to the scaled score, you also have a percentile ranking, which further differentiates between high-scoring tests.

Do not merely aim for your “best”! This is not a good goal. Good goals are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-based. In other words, aim to raise your current score by a certain number of points within a specific amount of time, or to increase the number of correct answers you have within the 8-week session we have.

 

The test makers: ETS = Educational Testing Service

The test customers: Admissions departments and mailing lists!

The test writers & graders: Computers and graduate students

To prepare for standardized tests:

•                  Have a strategic plan

•                  Practice regularly, methodically – cramming is worse than useless!

•                  Take simulated tests on the computer – use the free downloadable “PowerPrep” software from the ETS website

•                  Pick the order with the “easy” test first – questions you like, concepts you are good at, and then do the others later

•                  Do NOT approach like a fact-based test

•                  Learn to think like the test-maker so you can avoid common errors

•                  Remember that the test has to be predictable, otherwise it would not be standardized, and this means you can improve your test-taking strategies!

•                  The test uses the same principles for every test-taker, and the changes are normed through exhaustive repetition over random groups of test-takers.

 

This is an adaptive test:

•                  Questions will start with medium difficulty level

•                  If you guess repeatedly, your score will drop dramatically

•                  Getting several questions right will increase the difficulty level

•                  Getting several questions wrong will decrease the difficulty level

•                  There is NOT a one-to-one correspondence between right or wrong answers and changes in difficulty level

•                  Do not waste time trying to figure out the difficulty level of each question

•                  Do NOT worry if the questions suddenly seem easier, you will reach an equilibrium

•                  DO take heart when the questions get more difficult, because this means you are doing well!

•                  Unanswered questions = WRONG every time

•                  Pace yourself – never take more than 2 minutes for any question, and remember that all questions are equally important for your score

•                  Practice at a higher difficulty level than you are at currently to improve your overall level

•                  Make educated guesses through Process of Elimination (PoE) – this will improve your chances of guessing correctly

•                  Every answer has an equal probability of being the right answer – do NOT just guess C or the longest answer

•                  Always check your answers before completing a section

•                  Verbal does NOT affect Quantitative nor vice versa

•                  DO NOT CANCEL YOUR SCORES unless you are extremely sick or the building catches fire

Verbal concepts included:

•                  Analysis of sentences & paragraphs

•                  Deriving a word’s meaning from context

•                  More emphasis on context and text-based material

•                  Detecting relationships among words

•                  Understanding the logic of sentences & paragraphs

•                  Drawing inferences

•                  Recognizing major, minor, and irrelevant points

•                  Summarizing ideas

•                  Understanding passage structure

•                  Recognizing author tone, purpose, and perspective

•                  Logic & critical thinking

•                  Pattern recognition

 

Most basic strategies for all verbal sections:

•                  Do the “easy” parts first

•                  Educated guesses/PoE

•                  USE the scratch paper

•                  Double-check your answers

•                  Make sure you are answering the question they asked!

•                  Leave NO question unanswered

•                  Read ALL answer choices

•                  Plug in the answers to test them

•                  Try to come up with your own answers and test them

•                  Memorize (turn the memorization sheet into flash cards) word roots and affixes 

•                  Vocabulary flash cards are essential

Chapter 3: Introduction to Verbal Reasoning

Question Types: Text Completion, Reading Comprehension, Sentence Equivalence

Pacing strategy: no more than 2 minutes per question on average (see chart p. 23); use mark and review, easy test first, never leave a question blank!

Chapter 4: Verbal Foundations and Content Review

Improve vocabulary & improve reading comprehension

Improve vocabulary:

* learn words in context

* tell stories about words

* use flashcards

* vocabulary journal

* grouping words & roots

* use all senses

* use other people

* use other languages

* use online resources

* focus on most common GRE words

Improve reading comprehension:

* attack the passage (take notes!)

- ask questions about the passage, interrogate it the way the test does

- focus on key words, argument indicator words, and transition/structure/direction words

- paraphrase as you read, put it in your own words

- take notes to map the passage (topic, scope, purpose, key ideas)

* change your reading habits (think like the test maker)

- don't read the way you would other things

- practice this method in other contexts

- use active reading (taking notes) in school later!

Updates to GRE/GMAT for COVID-19

  COVID-19 Update from ETS: https://www.ets.org/s/cv/important-update/

Take the GRE at home: https://www.ets.org/s/cv/gre/at-home/

COVID-19 Update from GMAC: https://www.gmac.com/why-gmac/gmac-news/update-on-coronavirus

Welcome, AEI Students!

Welcome to GRE Verbal 2!

Please check your email for important information from the school. More information will appear here shortly.

See you soon!