SAT II: English Language Proficiency Test w/ Cassettes (REA) - The Best Test Pre (Test Preps)

Master the SAT II English Language Proficiency Subject Test and score higher... Our test experts show you the right way to prepare for this important college exam. REA's SAT II English Language Proficiency Subject test prep covers all English language areas that appear on the actual exam including in-depth coverage of comprehending and listening to verbal statements, dialogues, and short talks. The book features 4 full-length practice exams. Each practice exam question is fully explained to help you better understand the subject material. The accompanying 2 audio cassettes help you improve your listening skills and prepare you for the critical listening comprehension portions of the actual exam. Follow up your study with REA's proven test-taking strategies and powerhouse drills that get you ready for test day. DETAILS - Comprehensive review of every English language topic to appear on the SAT II subject test - Packed with proven test tips, strategies and advice to help you master the test - 4 full-length practice SAT II English Language Proficiency Subject exams. Each exam question is answered in complete detail with easy-to-follow, easy-to-grasp explanations. - Includes 2 audio cassettes that contain the listening comprehension sections from the four sample tests. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 - About the SAT II: ELPT About This Book About The Test How To Use This Book Format of the ELPT About The Review Sections Scoring the Exam Studying for the ELPT ELPT Test-Taking Tips Chapter 2 - Listening Comprehension Review Hints for Preparations Test-Taking Hints Test Content Statements Dialogues Short Talks Chapter 3 - Reading Comprehension Review Reading Comprehension Effective Reading Tips Basic Questions Additional Tips Vocabulary Problem Situations Context Clues Vocabulary Word List FOUR PRACTICE TESTS "Practice Test 1 " Answer Key Detailed Explanations of Answers "Practice Test 2 " Answer Key Detailed Explanations of Answers "Practice Test 3" Answer Key Detailed Explanations of Answers "Practice Test 4 " Answer Key Detailed Explanations of Answers Transcript Proficiency Level Keys Answer Sheets EXCERPT About Research & Education Association Research & Education Association (REA) is an organization of educators, scientists, and engineers specializing in various academic fields. Founded in 1959 with the purpose of disseminating the most recently developed scientific information to groups in industry, government, high schools, and universities, REA has since become a successful and highly respected publisher of study aids, test preps, handbooks, and reference works. REA's Test Preparation series includes study guides for all academic levels in almost all disciplines. Research & Education Association publishes test preps for students who have not yet completed high school, as well as high school students preparing to enter college. Students from countries around the world seeking to attend college in the United States will find the assistance they need in REA's publications. For college students seeking advanced degrees, REA publishes test preps for many major graduate school admission examinations in a wide variety of disciplines, including engineering, law, and medicine. Students at every level, in every field, with every ambition can find what they are looking for among REA's publications. While most test preparation books present practice tests that bear little resemblance to the actual exams, REA's series presents tests that accurately depict the official exams in both degree of difficulty and types of questions. REA's practice tests are always based upon the most recently administered exams, and include every type of question that can be expected on the actual exams. REA's publications and educational materials are highly regarded and continually receive an unprecedented amount of praise from professionals, instructors, librarians, parents, and students. Our authors are as diverse as the fields represented in the books we publish. They are well-known in their respective disciplines and serve on the faculties of prestigious high schools, colleges, and universities throughout the United States and Canada. ABOUT THE BOOK This book provides you with an accurate and complete representation of the SAT II: English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT). The four sample tests are based on the most recently administered ELPT examination. Our reviews are designed to prepare you for the types of questions you can expect to see when taking the actual test. You will be given one hour to complete each sample test. The sample tests contain every type of question that you may expect to appear on the actual exam. Following each test you will find an answer key and detailed explanations which are designed to help you understand the test material. Copies of this book include audio cassettes, containing the listening comprehension sections from the four sample tests. These tapes will help you improved your listening skills and prepare you for the listening comprehension portions of the ELPT. ABOUT THE TEST Who Takes the Test and What is it Used for? Any American secondary school student with English as a second language or limited English proficiency who has had at least two years of high school study in the United States can take this exam. The English Language Proficiency Test is used to measure your reading and listening skills in English. Unlike English test that focus on grammar and language structure, the ELPT uses everyday-life examples to test a student's ability to function in an English-speaking environment. The test is used by colleges and universities as an indicator of a student's ability to use English in life situations. It can also be used as a measure for academic placement. Students entering the workforce can use the ELPT to demonstrate their ability to understand written and spoken English. Who Administers the Test? The ELPT is developed and administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). The questions for the ELPT are developed by language specialists who follow standardized procedures which ensure a high quality of work. All questions are reviewed by many people, revised as necessary, and then are administered in trial test situations, before being compiled into a test format. According to ETS, the tests are then reviewed, using specific procedures, to ensure that they are free from cultural bias and that they will properly measure student's knowledge. When Should the ELPT Be Taken? The ELPT should be taken by American high school students who have completed two to four ears of training in an English as a Second Language program or an English enrichment course. The examination should be taken prior to graduation from high school. When and Where is the Test Given? The ELPT is administered twice a year, once at SAT test centers and once at participating high schools. The first test administration date is in November at SAT test centers. The second administration date is in April at participating high schools. To receive information on upcoming administrations of the exam, consult the publication Taking the SAT II: Subject Tests, which can be obtained from your guidance counselor or by contacting: College Board SAT Program P.O. Box 6200 Princeton, NJ 08541-6200 Phone: (609) 771-7600 Website: http: //www.collegeboard.com You must pay a registration fee to take the SAT II: English Language Proficiency Subject Test. Consult the publication Taking the SAT II: Subject Tests for information on the fee structure. Financial assistance may be granted in certain situations. To find out if you qualify and to register for assistance, contact your academic advisor. HOW TO USE THIS BOOK What Do I Study First? Before you do anything else, you should take the first practice test which appears after the two review sections. After you complete this test, you will be able to determine what areas are causing you difficulty and should be studied first, so that you can strengthen your weaknesses. After you have thoroughly studied the areas with which you are having problems, you may want to retake Test 1 to gauge your improvement in these areas. When you feel comfortable with the areas which have previously caused you difficulty, you should then begin reviewing and preparing for each section of the ELPT. When should I start studying? It is never too early to start studying for the ELPT, the earlier the better. You should start studying as soon as possible so that you will be able to learn more. Make sure you take the first practice test before you start studying can help you strengthen your problem areas before you run out of time to study. Last minute studying and cramming is not an efficient way to study and does not allow you to learn the material which you will need to know for the exam. How else can I improve my English speaking and writing skills while preparing for the test? In addition to using Test 1 to determine your problem areas, make sure you study all of the reviews. The reviews will cover the information you will need to know for the exam. You should also test yourself by completing as many of the practice tests as you possibly can. Besides using this book, there is one way you can familiarize yourself with written English - READ! Reading will help you improve your writing skills because you will have become acquainted with correct structure and phrasing in written English. You should read newspaper and magazine articles and advertisements. Read the college admissions material and college catalogs of the schools to which you are applying. You should also read books of interest to you. Just make sure you read, read, READ! There are many ways you can familiarize yourself with spoken English. If you are in your car, turn on the radio. Listening to radio newscasts and weather reports can also help prepare you for the test. You should watch television documentaries, go to lectures, and even go to the movies. Doing all of these things will help your perception of spoken English and will help prepare you for the listening comprehension sections, and may even aid in building your vocabulary. FORMAT FOR THE ELPT Section / Time Allotted / Questions Part A: Listening Comprehension - Rejoinders / 10 minutes / 14 questions Part B: Reading Comprehension - Realia / 30 minutes / 42 questions Part C: Listening Comprehension - Narratives and Dialogues / 20 minutes / 28 questions The ELPT will take about one hour to complete, plus about 20 minutes of administration time. All of the questions in the ELPT will be multiple choice. Each question is rated as either superior, advanced, or intermediate. These ratings distinguish the difficulty level of a question and aids in scoring the student's proficiency rating. Each question will have four answer choices from which to choose. You should be aware of the amount of time you have to complete each section of the test, so that you do not waste too much time working on difficult questions, while neglecting to answer easy questions. Speed is very important. Using the practice tests will help you prepare for this. Taking as many of the practice tests as possible, and making sure to time yourself, will help you become accustomed to the time constraints. Repeating this process will help you develop speed in answering the questions because you will become more familiar with the format. First, make sure you know how much time you have to complete each section. Second, read the directions to each section so that you understand it completely. Third, you should become familiar with the three parts of the ELPT. These sections are: "PART A: Listening Comprehension - Rejoinders" In this section, which makes up 17 percent of the test, your ability to respond to and understand spoken English will be tested. A tape recording of conversations will be played for you. You will then have seven seconds to choose the answer that would best continue the conversation. The questions, the conversations, and the answer choices will not appear in your test booklet. When you take the sample tests, take Part A for Tests 1-4 by using the provided tapes. Students will be given 10 minutes to complete the 14 questions in Part A. To study for this section, turn to the Listening Comprehension Review - Rejoinders. "PART B: Reading Comprehension - Realia" This section, which makes up 50 percent of the test, will test your ability to understand written English through published material such as signs, advertisements, directions, menus, labels, tickets, and street signs. The items in this section will include a piece of "realia" and test the students' ability to understand its content. Students will be given 30 minutes to complete the 42 questions in Part B. To study for this section, turn to the Reading Comprehension Review - Realia. "PART C: Listening Comprehension - Narratives and Dialogues" This part, which makes up 33 percent of the test, will have several spoken announcements or conversations which the students listen to and then answer questions about the content or main points of what was said on the tape. The students will be given 12 seconds to complete each question. Part C has 28 questions that must be completed in 20 minutes. To study for this section, turn to the Listening Comprehension Review - Narratives and Dialogues. ABOUT THE REVIEW SECTIONS Our reviews are written to help you understand the concepts behind the questions which will be asked in the ELPT. They will help you to prepare for the actual test. They contain study tips on how to choose the best answer quickly and accurately. Also, there will be many drills which will help you in studying for the ELPT. You should use the reviews in conjunction with the diagnostic test and its cross-referencing table, which can show you what areas you need to study the most. The three review sections in this book correspond to the test sections of the official ELPT. Listening Comprehension Reviews Both Listening Comprehension parts of the ELPT (Rejoinders and Narratives and Dialogues) will be discussed in great detail in this review. It will illustrate for you the different forms of questions that may appear in those parts of the ELPT. Through using this review, you will learn how to listen for key words and phrases. A number of study tips have been included to help you concentrate more effectively and choose the correct answer quickly. Reading Comprehension Review This review will describe for you the "realia" that will be presented in Part B of the ELPT. The review will help you learn how to understand the content of various signs, menus, directions, etc. STUDYING FOR THE ELPT At first glance, the ELPT may appear to be primarily a test of written English. However, the ELPT not only tests your written English ability., but it also tests your ability to understand spoken English. By using the tests contained in this book, you will be able to develop your abilities in both of these areas. It is important for you to discover the time and place that works best for you. Some students may set aside a certain number of hours every morning to study, while others may choose to study at night before going to sleep. Other students may study during the day, while waiting on line, or they may even listen to English tapes while doing chores. Only you can determine when and where your study time will be most effective. The most important factor to keep in mind is consistency. Work out a...