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...
Practical Applications

Summarizing and Paraphrasing

Say It in Your Own Words

Summarizing means telling the main idea in a shorter way. Paraphrasing means restating something in your own words while keeping the meaning.

How to Summarize and Paraphrase

  • Read the passage carefully.
  • Identify the main idea and key points.
  • Use your own words to retell the information, making it shorter (summarize) or just clearer (paraphrase).

Real-World Benefits

These skills help you write better essays, explain things to friends, and never get lost in too much information.

Examples

  • Writing a short summary of a chapter to study for a quiz.

  • Paraphrasing a complex sentence from a news article to make it easier to understand.

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Time Management During the Test