Book worm benefits

Q: How does reading even just a comic book help me prepare for the SAT?
A: “My experience is that avid readers do very well on college admission tests,” says Mary Leonhardt, English teacher and author of Parents Who Love Reading, Kids Who Don’t. “It doesn’t matter so much what they read, as long as they read. And poor readers, or kids who read only what they have to, don’t do well. Often, kids who are labeled poor testers are really kids who just don’t have a habit of reading.”

Improve your math skills
Bob Miller, author of numerous math books including SAT Math for the Clueless, concurs. “Math is a different kind of reading. You only need to know about 200 words all through mathematics. But every word, every line, is important.

“The SAT I math test is NOT a math test. It is a reading test, a speed test, a trick test. People who are better in English—who read—can improve their math skills at a more rapid rate than people who don’t read.”

In addition, people who read on a regular basis have an easier time understanding the test’s math problems, which are sometimes tricky or worded in an obscure manner. Take this problem from Miller’s book, for example:  “At a certain school, ‘x’ liters of milk are needed per week per student. At that rate, ‘y’ liters will supply ‘z’ students for how many weeks?” A strong mathematician who is not a strong reader will do a double take at this problem and waste valuable time.

Become a critical reader
Critical reading is a big part of the SAT and ACT, and it will be an even bigger part of the new SAT. It stands to reason that students who downplay reading will have a harder time with this section of the test—not to mention a harder time later in life succeeding in jobs, writing effectively and conversing readily with people who are readers.

“The college prep programs are just 20-hour boosts; they will only get you so far,” says Dr. Steve Baba, editor of Elite Word Power CDs and webmaster of www.freevocabulary.com. “But reading throughout a lifetime gives the student a jump-start on the college admission tests. By the time the student who reads actually gets to the SAT, he knows the basics, what to look for, what questions are important—and he knows how to get those answers.”

“Readers also learn how to think critically,” adds Charles Harrington Elster, author of Tooth and Nail: A NOVEL Approach to the SAT. “And language is needed to think critically.”

Gain a vocabulary edge
A solid vocabulary is imperative to success on college admission tests. Readers are exposed to a vast array of words, and they have the potential to increase their vocabulary more quickly than nonreaders.

“The active reader looks for words he doesn’t know rather than just ignoring those words,” says Elster. Although it is possible to determine the meaning of a word within the context it is given, “it is important to look up unfamiliar words. This should become a habit. Too often, people misuse words, and the misuse is passed down,” he says.

Concludes Elster: “People who are more accomplished in their fields have aptitudes for that line of work, and they have higher vocabularies. These people will accomplish more in life.”

How to get started
“Students are more apt to enjoy books that they’ve selected rather than books they’ve been assigned,” says Leonhardt. The last chapter of Parents Who Love Reading, Kids Who Don’t lists dozens of comic books, magazines, novels and nonfiction books that have been recommended by Leonhardt’s students, children and young friends. She provides brief descriptions of the books and sometimes includes student comments.

If the SAT is weighing heavily on your mind, give Tooth and Nail a try. This interesting mystery is peppered with scores of SAT words. The provided glossary makes it very convenient to look up any bold-faced word, and according to Elster, “the intriguing story line provides textural glue” to help the reader remember the vocabulary.

Still at a loss? Reread old comic books stashed under your bed. Think about your interests (skiing? cars? hair styles?), and check out the wide variety of magazines in the library. Don’t forget to talk with classmates, teachers or friends who share your interests. They may steer you to the perfect novel.

Word challenge
The following bold-faced words appear in today’s column. Are you certain of their meanings? Writing the words down will help you remember them.

avid     
concurs
downplay           
imperative        
obscure
To represent as insignificant:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Hard to understand:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Completely necessary:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Agrees:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Enthusiastic:
_ _ _ _

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