Blank Space Strategies Traps in Sentence Completion

The English language contains over a million words, but you’re not expected to know them all. For this part of the exam, is it in your best interest to be well-read and have a solid vocabulary? Of course, but you also need problem-solving skills that are specific to this task. While vocab lists are important, you won’t succeed by just memorizing hundreds of flashcards. Think about it—8 questions in Sentence Completion. Some have 5 words in the answer choices (single-blank) and some have 10 (double-blank). Then there’s a smattering of vocab in the sentences themselves. So expect around 75 vocab words. These are chosen at the College Board’s discretion. Some are more likely to show up, but for the most part, it’s all fair game. If/when you run into a new word, it’s OK. This isn’t just about your lexicon. In Sentence Completion (and every other part of the SAT), the College Board is testing 1) your key skills and 2) your familiarity with the test itself. Key Skills Strategies To improve your speed and chances of answering correctly, take these steps BEFORE looking at the answer choices. Context Clues Cover the answer choices and read the entire sentence. Identify the descriptive words, phrases, and punctuation that hint at the answer. These give imply relationships between different words, tell you if the answer has a positive/negative meaning, or give you synonyms/antonyms. Also look out for transition words, contrast words, negative words, and double negatives. You need this to know the overall meaning and logic of the sentence. That way, you have context for what kind of word goes in the blank. Now, we have to make an inference: Inferences Based on the context clues and what they imply, take an educated guess about what kind of word you need. Put your own word/phrase in the blank. It can even be a word that’s already in the sentence; the point is to have some sort of guide or target when you finally look at the answer choices. NOW you can try A through E, one at a time. Plug them into the sentence and eliminate ones that don’t match your own word. Common Pitfalls All sections of the SAT test your knowledge ofthe SAT. That’s just a reality, so be wary of the College Board’s favorite traps and how to avoid them. Notice that in all of these tricky scenarios, knowing the word definitions isn’t going to save you. That’s why strategy and familiarity matter. Time It’s no coincidence that Sentence Completion is at the beginning of Critical Reading. Students may spend too much time here and compromise the rest — over 8 questions! Since these are in order of difficulty, knock out the easy ones and don’t obsess over the last few. If you can’t guess with confidence (or narrow down to 50/50), skip and move on. You need that time for passage-based questions. Long, confusing sentences You get lost in a sentence, miss the context clues, come up with a guess word that’s totally off, and pick the wrong answer. It’s important to break the sentence into parts. Use transition/contrast words to determine the meaning and flow.    Topic: Don’t Take the Bait! A word is related to the topic of the sentence and looks appealing, especially if you’re rushed or nervous. Trap! The meaning of the sentence is what matters, not the topic. Example: Since Kelly didn’t expect anything for Valentine’s Day, she was ___________ by the bouquet of roses on her desk. intrigued astonished love-struck disappointed irritated The correct answer is B. Kelly didn’t expect anything so she was astonished, or surprised. If rushing, you might choose â€Å"lovestruck,† since that word is associated with Valentine’s Day (sometimes). â€Å"Close Enough†Ã¢â‚¬â€Don’t Take the Bait A word may look or sound like the one you’re looking for (or have the same word root), but has a completely different meaning. Careful—these are often wrong. Example: Working on the history class project, the group neglected to verify facts, check timelines, or consult textbooks; therefore, the final product was highly _____________, full of easily avoidable mistakes and inaccuracies. lackluster anachronistic enthralling erratic precise The correct answer is B) anachronistic, which means that something has a historical error, or reports an inaccurate time/place. This definition is literally in the sentence (right after the blank) and it’s a huge context clue. However, let’s say your guess word is â€Å"errors† (which is fine) — but because that looks/sounds similar to â€Å"erratic,† you choose D. Wrong—â€Å"erratic† actually means unpredictable or inconsistent. It’s a negative word, but not the one we need. Double-Blanks: Intimidation These look harder than they actually are, so students spend more time. That’s not always necessary. Double Blanks give you TWO chances to answer correctly, making elimination easier. If you know for sure that the first word in a pair doesn’t fit, you don’t have to worry about the second one. Eliminate. Since the SAT is a game of odds, finding reasons to eliminate answer choices is arguably more useful than knowing exactly why an answer is right. The more you can confidently eliminate, the better your chances. Double Blanks: Tempting words (Don’t Take the Bait!) In this scenario, one of the words in the answer pairs will be absolutely perfect. It might even be your guess word! You get tempted and choose it. Don’t! Mixing and matching is not allowed. If you like a word, great—but check the other one. If you don’t know what it means, be extra careful! Try to eliminate the other choices before answering. Example: A great swimmer must be exceptionally _________ and quick; for instance, Michael Phelps won medals due not only to his physical force, but also his remarkable ________ in the water. fitfortitude powerfultechnique poisedspeed strongpace rapiditypowerful The correct answer is D. The trap answers are B (since â€Å"powerful† fits the first blank) and C (since â€Å"speed† fits the second blank). In both pairs, one word is a perfect fit but the other one is wrong. Double Blanks: Switched Up An answer will have two suitable words, but in the wrong order! One example of this trap is answer choice E (rapiditypowerful) in the above question. Those words would work, but only if switched around. Toss it. Image credit: Pixabay, Giphy

Equal Time FCC Broadcasting Rules and Regulations

The Museum of Broadcast History calls the equal time rule the closest thing in broadcast content regulation to the golden rule. This provision of the 1934 Communications Act (section 315) requires radio and television stations and cable systems which originate their own programming to treat legally qualified political candidates equally when it comes to selling or giving away air time. If any licensee shall permit any person who is a legally qualified candidate for any political office to use a broadcasting station, he shall afford equal opportunities to all other such candidates for that office in the use of such broadcasting station. Legally qualified means, in part, that a person be a declared candidate. Timing of the announcement that someone is running for office is important because it triggers the equal time rule. For example, in December 1967, President Lyndon Johnson (D-TX) conducted an hour-long interview with all three networks. However, when Democrat Eugene McCarthy demanded equal time, the networks rejected his appeal because Johnson had not declared he would run for reelection. Four Exemptions In 1959, Congress amended the Communications Act after the FCC ruled that Chicago broadcasters had to give equal time to mayoral candidate Lar Daly; the incumbent mayor was then Richard Daley. In response, Congress created four exemptions to the equal time rule: regularly scheduled newscastsnews interviews showsdocumentaries (unless the documentary is about a candidate)on-the-spot news events How has the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) interpreted these exemptions? First, Presidential news conferences are considered on-the-spot news even when the President is touting his reelection. Presidential debates are also considered on-the-spot news. Thus, candidates not included in the debates do not have the right of equal time. The precedent was set in 1960 when Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy launched the first series of television debates; Congress suspended Section 315 so that third party candidates could be barred from participating. In 1984, the DC District Court ruled that radio and television stations may sponsor political debates without giving equal time to candidates they dont invite. The case was brought by the League of Women Voters, which criticized the decision: It expands the all-too-powerful role of the broadcasters in elections, which is both dangerous and unwise. Second, whats a news interview program or a regularly scheduled newscast? According to a 2000 election guide, the FCC has expanded its category of broadcast programs exempted from political access requirements to include entertainment shows that provide news or current event coverage as regularly scheduled segments of the program. And the FCC concurs, providing examples that include The Phil Donahue Show, Good Morning America and, believe it or not, Howard Stern, Jerry Springer, and Politically Incorrect. Third, broadcasters faced a quirk in when Ronald Reagan was running for president. Had they shown movies starring Reagan, they would have been required to offer equal time to Mr. Reagans opponents. This admonition was repeated when Arnold Schwarzenegger ran for governor of California. Had Fred Thompson achieved the Republican Presidential nomination, re-runs of Law Order would have been on hiatus. [Note: The news interview exemption above meant that Stern could interview Schwarzenegger and not have to interview any of the other 134 candidates for governor.] Political Ads A television or radio station cannot censor a campaign ad. But the broadcaster is not required to give free air time to a candidate unless it has given free air time to a different candidate. Since 1971, television and radio stations have been required to make a reasonable amount of time available to candidates for federal office. And they must offer those ads at the rate offered the most favored advertiser. This rule is the result of a challenge from then-President Jimmy Carter (D-GA in 1980. His campaign request to buy ads was rejected by the networks for being too early. Both the FCC and the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Carter. This rule is now known as the reasonable access rule. Fairness Doctrine The Equal Time rule should not be confused with the Fairness Doctrine.

Organizational Biology And The Information Management

Within Synaptic’s organization, there is a distinct disconnect between the Computational Biology and the Information Management (IM) groups. There is a visible lack of knowledge and information sharing between the two. Drastic measures must take place so they can learn to work together to bridge the gap that is between them. Project governance is desperately needed by both the Computational Biology and IM groups as well as the overall organization. Problem Definition: Cultural Challenges Differences in culture between the scientists and IM is the root cause for disconnect between the two groups. The scientist’s preference is to work alone. They do not see the value of working in a group sharing ideas, successes or failures and think it is a waste of time (Makarov, 2012, p. 1). The IM department is the polar opposite; they need, and rely on, team interaction and make most of their decisions when discussing topics in team meetings. While the scientists â€Å"value innovation, originality and speed†, IM are most concerned with â€Å"stability, business continuity, documentation and long-term planning† (Makarov, 2012, p. 1). With such differences in priority and personalities, it’s no wonder frustration levels are so high. The scientists think that IM works at too slow of a development pace and blame that on all the documentation and governance that is practiced. They believe it to be bureaucratic and a complete waste of time. The fact that th ey are also using technology that is not asShow MoreRelatedsystem theory1652 Words   |  7 Pagestime, made of matter and energy and organized by information. The relationships among things or units in these systems are measurable. History of System Theory: General systems theory has been attributed to the German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Freidrich Hegel (1770-1831). 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Tobias Smollett Biography (563 words) Essay Example For Students

Tobias Smollett Biography (563 words) Essay Tobias Smollett BiographyTobias George Smollett (1721-1771), Scottish novelist, was born inDalquhurn, Dumbarton County Scotland. Smollett was born beneath a planetree at Dalquharn House on the family estate of Bon hill in the Vale of Leven,near the village of Renton, Dumbartonshire. At fourteen Smollett wasapprenticed to a Glasgow doctor. He studied medicine at GlasgowUniversity and moved to London in 1740. He was a ships surgeon in theCarragena expedition against the Spanish in the West Indies, and lived inJamaica until 1744 when he returned to London and renewed his earlierattempts to stage a play he had written The Regicide, but still met with nosuccess. He also failed to set up his own medical practice. His first novel, the partly autobiographical Roderick Random(1748), was an immediate success. His best novel, The Expedition ofHumphry Clinker (1771), has become a classic. It is a story, told in a seriesof letters, about the travels of a family through England and Scotland. Smollett was troubled by lack of money. He spent his last years in poorhealth, and died in Livorno, Italy, on October 21, 1771. Two yearslater, Johnson and Boswell stayed at Cameron House with Smolletts cousinJames, who was preparing to erect a Tuscan column in Smolletts memory atRenton. Johnson helped compose the Latin obituary on the plinth, and thecolumn stood in what subsequently became the playground of a school. Some of Tobias Smolletts work consists of The Tears of Scotland(1746). Poem on the defeat of the Scots at the Battle of Culloden. TheAdventures of Roderick Random ( 1748 ). Gil Blas. Translation of LeSagesnovel. ( 1749 ). The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle ( 1751 ). TheAdventures of Ferdinand, Count Fathom ( 1753 ). Don Quixote. Translation of Cervantes novel. ( 1755). The Adventures of Sir LancelotGreaves ( 1760 ). Travels through France and Italy ( 1766 ). The Historyand Adventures of an Atom ( 1769 ). The Expedition of HumphreyClinker ( 1771 ). Some critics regard Tobias Smollet as more satirist meaning thata work of literature or art that, by inspiring laughter, contempt, or horror,seeks to correct the follies and abuses it uncovers. I dont know what thatmeans though. This is a paragraph from Tobias Smolletts book The Adventures ofRoderick Random. Roderick Random is the orphaned, unwanted grandson of a severe oldScots magistrate, exposed by his grandfathers known neglect to the malice ofthe community. His principal enemies are the schoolmaster and the youngheir. It is not long before a deus ex machina appears in the form of a sailoruncle:He was a strongly built man, somewhat bandy-legged, with a necklike that of a bull, and a face which had withstood the most obstinateassaults of the weather. His dress consisted of a soldiers coat, altered forhim by the ships tailor, a striped flannel jacket, a pair of red breechesjapanned with pitch, clean grey worsted stockings, large silver buckles thatcovered theree-fourths of his shoues, a silver laced hat whosecrownoverlooked the brim about an inch and a half, a black bob wig in buckle, acheck shirt, a silk hankerchief, a henger with a brass handle girded on histhigh by a tarnished laced belt, and a good oak plant under his arm. I picked this paragraph because here Smollett is describing the heroof the story Roderick Random. I believe it is important to have a brief if notfull description of characters, so that you can imagine seeing them maybeeven being there, in your mind, while they are doing what is described in thebook.