SSAT Upper Level Reading

A comprehensive guide to mastering reading comprehension for the SSAT Upper Level exam.

Understanding Passage TypesFinding Main Ideas and Supporting DetailsMaking Inferences and Drawing Conclusions
Analyzing Author’s Purpose and ToneUnderstanding Vocabulary in ContextEvaluating Arguments and Evidence
Applying Reading Skills to Everyday LifeEffective Note-Taking and AnnotationSummarizing and Paraphrasing
Time Management During the TestEliminating Wrong Answer Choices
Understanding Passag...Finding Main Ideas a...Making Inferences an...Analyzing Author’s P...Understanding Vocabu...Evaluating Arguments...Applying Reading Ski...Effective Note-Takin...Summarizing and Para...Time Management Duri...Eliminating Wrong An...
Advanced Topics

Evaluating Arguments and Evidence

Not All Arguments Are Equal

Some SSAT passages try to convince you of something. To answer questions, you need to judge if the author’s argument is strong and if their evidence makes sense.

How to Evaluate

  • Identify the author’s claim (what they want you to believe).
  • Look for the evidence they use—facts, examples, statistics.
  • Decide if the evidence is relevant and convincing.
  • Watch out for weak arguments and unsupported claims.

Real-World Connection

In debates or advertisements, people make claims all the time. Being able to evaluate arguments helps you make smart decisions in and out of school.

Examples

  • Noticing that an article uses only one example, making its argument weak.

  • Finding strong statistics that support a claim about school lunches.

In a Nutshell

Judge how strong or weak an author’s argument and evidence are.

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Applying Reading Skills to Everyday Life