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You can use the SSAT Upper Level Reading Comprehension Question of the Day to get into the habit of thinking about SSAT Upper Level Reading Comprehension content on a daily basis when studying for the SSAT. Varsity Tutors' SSAT Upper Level Reading Comprehension Questions of the Day are drawn from each topic and question type covered on the Upper Level Reading Comprehension section of the SSAT.
Question of the Day: SSAT Upper Level Reading
"Commentaries" by Matthew Minerd (2013)
The idea of a commentary is not anywhere as simple as most people think. To the popular imagination, the commentator makes a few observations based on a text, not going far beyond its contents. This standard opinion completely misses the various types of commentaries that can be written. Indeed, even the notion of “literal commentary” is itself so variegated that it is incorrect to imagine that such “literal” work is merely a slavish repetition of an original text.
Some literal commentaries truly are “literal,” that is, based on the letters and words of the text. Such philological studies investigate the language structures and meanings of a text. The interpretation of the text proceeds based on these linguistic investigations. Often, this process will note the types of rhetoric being used, the dialects utilized, and any odd language structures that might imply something with regard to the text’s meaning. All of these methods remain very concerned with the “letter of the text” in a very direct manner.
Indeed, even the Medieval commentaries on Aristotle’s works could be considered “literal,” though they do differ from such linguistic approaches. Men like Thomas Aquinas would very carefully read Aristotle’s text, giving what was called a divisio textus for every section of the text in question. This “division of the text” sought to provide a succinct but correct outline of the text in question so that its literal meaning might be more easily noticed. Certainly, the commentary that followed this divisio textus did express some aspects of Aquinas’ own thought. However, he (like other literal commentators of this type) would attempt to remain as close to the literal meaning of the text as possible, always using the divisio textus as a guide for understanding the structure of the original author’s thought.
What was the purpose of the so-called divisio textus mentioned in the third paragraph above?
To provide a religious manner to understand a questionable pagan text.
To remove any questionable passages from the text in question.
To provide an outline to be used for interpreting the text in question.
To correct the errors found in longer commentaries on the same text.
To extract the interesting portions from the text in question.
If your high school learner is planning on enrolling in a private school or academy, they will more than likely need to take the Secondary School Admission Test. The Upper Level SSAT is made up of writing, reading, mathematics, and verbal components; there is also an experimental section to the test, which is not scored and is usually used to test new questions being considered for upcoming revisions. The Upper Level SSAT has four different versions based on the grade students will be entering in high school. Students will have just over three hours to complete the 167-question test. Sometimes, preparing for standardized tests can seem intimidating and tiresome. Because of this, Varsity Tutors’ Learning Tools offer a wealth of resources designed to make your child’s SSAT Upper Level Reading study sessions simple and effective. By making use of the Learning Tools, you are able to give your child comprehensive SSAT Upper Level Reading practice they need to prepare for test day.
By accessing the Question of the Day on the Learning Tools website, your high school learner is able to maximize the time they have for SSAT Upper Level Reading practice. Each question, which is chosen randomly, covers an important concept that may be included on the Upper Level SSAT in Reading. These areas include various reading passages on the humanities, literary fiction, poetry, science, and social studies. By utilizing the Question of the Day, your learner is working to promote excellent study habits while reinforcing their knowledge of various concepts they’ll need to know on the SSAT.
When your learner accesses the Question of the Day for Upper Level SSAT Reading, they will be given a randomly chosen passage to read. After reading the passage, your learner will be asked a question regarding their understanding of the reading. This format is designed to mimic questions that will be present on the actual Upper Level Reading SSAT, which is perfect for building your learner’s confidence while helping them become comfortable with the test format. Furthermore, each problem contains a clear explanation that can help your learner understand how the correct answer was reached. By reviewing the SSAT Upper Level reading help provided, your learner can enhance their daily test practice and develop a deeper understanding of the material.
By using the Question of the Day alongside the rest of Varsity Tutors’ Learning Tools, your learner can augment their preparation for the SSAT Upper Level Reading section. By accessing all of the Upper Level SSAT Reading help made available through Learn by Concept, your high school learner can find information that can help them overcome concepts that are troublesome. In addition, there are a wealth of SSAT Flashcards and Practice Tests that have been specially designed to help your high school learner prepare for their SSAT Upper Level Reading exam. Through the utilization of Varsity Tutors’ Learning Tools, your learner has a great opportunity to get the most out of their SSAT Upper Level Reading practice.
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