Merced College Prep2Test Workshop
Prep2Test
 The purpose of this presentation is to provide future
students a brief review before taking the Merced
College Accuplacer test. This presentation is not
designed as a comprehensive review. The focus is on
refreshing the student’s knowledge of targeted
elements of the Accuplacer placement test.
 This series was compiled based on assessment of
students during our Prep2Test Workshop and on
feedback from those students.
Strategies
This presentation will cover the following
strategies:
 Prior knowledge
 Topic
 Main Idea
 Major and Minor Details
 Implied Meaning
 Figurative Language
Strategy: Prior Knowledge
 Engaging with a text begins before you start to read.
 The first thing you should do as you preview a text is
activate your prior knowledge. This is the process
of relating what you know to what you are going to read.
 Do this by reviewing all the information you already know
about the subject or that you can connect to the subject.
Strategy: Prior Knowledge
 Sample Reading: “Understanding the Stock Market”
 Ask yourself, “What do I already understand about the
stock market?”
 People can buy and sell stocks
 It’s a way to make and lose money
 The news usually reports if the stock market is up or down
based on points.
 It’s complicated.
 Companies go public by selling on the stock market.
 The key is to make sure that you connect what you read to
what you already know. Be willing to dismiss irrelevant prior
knowledge as you read.
Strategy: Topic
Identifying the topic is the first step that
readers make towards identifying the main
idea.
A topic is the subject of the reading.
When reading, as yourself, “Who or what is this about?” to find
the topic.
The title may be a clue to the topic, but it isn’t necessarily the topic.
 A topic is a word or a phrase but not a complete sentence.
 A topic should be repeated several times in a paragraph or a
longer selection.
 A topic may describe the items in a list.
Strategy: Topic
 Basketball
 Soccer
 Football
 Rugby
 Baseball
Ask yourself, “What is this list about?”
Answer: Team Sports
Team Sports is the topic of the above list.
Strategy: Main Idea
A main idea is a complete sentence that includes the topic.
 Topic + author’s most important idea= Main Idea Sentence
 To find the main idea ask yourself, “What is the most
important point the author is making about the
topic?”
 A main idea sentence may be stated directly or implied.
 The main idea may be at the beginning, middle, or end of a
passage.
 The main idea may also be called a topic sentence.
 If the passage has multiple paragraphs, the main idea may be
called a thesis or a central point
Strategy: Implied Main Idea
A main idea sentence may not always be stated. If you
cannot find one, it may be an implied main idea.
 The first step to finding an implied an implied main idea is to identify the
topic.
 Next, look at all the details that the author presents about the topic.
 Use this information to determine the author’s most important point.
 Write the main idea in your own words.
 Remember…
 The implied main idea will still have the topic + the author’s most important
point.
 The implied main idea will still be a complete sentence.
Strategy: Main Idea
Words of caution…
 It isn’t always the first sentence.
 Don’t be distracted by your own personal reaction to
the author’s words and opinions
 Only rely on the information the author presents to
form the main idea.
Strategy: Major and Minor Details
• There are two primary types of supporting details: major
and minor.
• Major supporting details help explain the main ideas.
• Minor supporting details further explain the major
supporting details.
• Supporting details help explain the author’s main point.
• To locate the major and minor details, you might ask
yourself, “How does the author explain, develop, or
prove his or her main idea?”
Strategy: Major and Minor Details
Finding the details using transitions.
 Supporting details are often introduced by using
transitional words.
 Transitions…
 help the reader anticipate what kind of information is
coming.
 signal the relationship between major details and
main ideas.
Strategy: Major and Minor Details
There are three types of transitions.
 Transitions between sections
 Transitions within paragraphs
 Transitions between paragraphs
Strategy: Major and Minor Details
1. Additional Transitions:
Specifically, these words indicate that an author is continuing with the same
idea and is going to provide more supporting details.
 Examples:
 and, also, another, in addition, furthermore, besides, another, other,
last, finally
2. Example transitions
Introduce examples that help explain concepts.
 Examples:
 for example, for instance, such as, to illustrate, including, specifically
Strategy: Major and Minor Details
3. Explanation and Reason Transitions
Supporting details that support main ideas through rationalization and
justification may be introduced by explanation and reason transitions.
 Examples:
 because, since, therefore, thus, consequently, as a result, so, if
4. Sequence Transitions
Sequential transitions are used by authors to explain the order in which
events occurred or the steps in a process, concept, or theory.
 Examples:
 first, later, next, finally, after, when, during
Strategy: Major and Minor Details
5. Comparison Transitions
Authors use comparison transitions to show how a previous idea is similar to
the one that follows.
 Examples:
 like, likewise, similarly, in the same manner, also, too
6. Contrast Transitions
Authors use contrast transitions to show how a previous idea differs from the
one that follows.
 Examples:
 unlike, but, yet, however, nevertheless, still, while, whereas, although,
even though, on the other hand, in contrast
Strategy: Figurative Language
Figurative language creates an interesting and
enriched form of speaking or writing.
• Words are used in a symbolic way to represent
feelings or ideas.
• Words and phrases are not meant to impart their
literal meaning.
• The reader actively visualizes and interprets the
ideas.
Strategy: Figurative Language
Basic types of figurative language:
 Simile
 Metaphor
 Idioms
 Hyperbole
 Personification
 Onomatopoeia
 Alliteration
Strategy: Figurative Language
A simile makes a comparison between two unlike
objects or ideas, but is slightly less directly than a
metaphor.
 Usually uses “like” or “as” to make the comparison.
 Examples:
 She is like a feather.
 Mary is as sweet as sugar.
 The soldier was as tough as nails.
 He grumbles like a bear.
Strategy: Figurative Language
A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a direct
comparison between two dissimilar objects or
ideas.
 Often provides a vivid description about the point.
 Example:

Bill was an erupting volcano last week after learning
the results of his company’s sales.
Strategy: Figurative Language
Idioms are a type of figurative speech that is not easily
translated, but it often adds interest and sometimes a dash
of humor to language.
 They are expressions that are used to describe emotions and
behaviors.
 Examples:
 Jim’s blood boiled as the police officer wrote him a ticket
for going five miles an hour beyond the speed limit.
 Karen was green with envy when she heard the plans for
our holiday trip.
Strategy: Figurative Language
Hyperbole is the use of exaggerated language
to make a strong point or to provide emphasis.
 Hyperbole is often used in common language.
 Examples:
 I gained a hundred pounds at the buffet.
 It must be 200 degrees out there.
 My textbooks weigh a ton.
 It was the greatest thing in the history of the universe.
Strategy: Figurative Language
Personification is when human qualities or
abilities are given to non-human beings or
inanimate objects.
 It does not describe people.
 Examples:
 The building stared at us steadfastly as we approached the
city.
 The wind chimes giggled and frolicked in the breeze.
 The waves caressed the shore.
 The wind shouted.
Strategy: Figurative Language
Onomatopoeia refers to words that imitate sounds
associated with the objects or actions that they refer to.
 Examples:
Plop
Fizz
Whirr
Crash
Boom
Hiss
Strategy: Figurative Language
Alliteration is the repetition of sounds in a line. It can
be consonant or vowel sounds.
 Examples:

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Our first vacation was fabulous and fun.
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