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Archive for the ‘SAT II Literature’ Category

The SAT II / SAT 2 literature also known as the SAT Subject Test in literature is the standardized test in literature that most collages degrees that focus or are related to literature will require in addition to the traditional SAT score. And just like the later the SAT II / SAT 2 literature test will test your ability to understand the main concepts of literature and to discern them in a wide array of literary genres, styles covering all of the post renaissance literature. That means also covering analytical terms, including irony, stanza, imagery and tone which will also be tested in the SAT II / SAT 2 literature in order to provide collages with a more complete understanding of the candidates abilities.

Subjects Covered by the SAT II / SAT 2 Literature Test

The SAT II / SAT 2 literature test consist of 60 multiple choice questions referring to 6 to 8 passages of which half are prose and the other half poetry. The authors are half British and half America although there is a chance one of them will be from another English speaking country. 30% are passages written before 1700, 30% are written between 1701 and 1900, and 40% are written after 1900.

As part of the SAT II / SAT 2 literature test you will be required to understand and determine where and how are used such concepts as meaning and theme, argument, word connotation, form, structure and organization, genre, figurative language, narrative voice and characterization. There is an additional difficulty bonus in that the author is not given. Still the year when the paragraph was written is provided. But that simply means that you will need to be familiarized with literature from all 3 periods because as society evolved so did the imagery they used. The Collage Board does make the same recommendation although they have not come out with a list of books but that is because literature is one of the most free spirited sciences and the SAT II / SAT 2 literature test is only testing the candidate’s knowhow of the tools of literature and not his opinions towards a specific text.

Of course just pleasure reading or browsing will not be sufficient for the SAT II / SAT 2 literature test but a critical eye needs to be always open when approaching a new text. So while you are enjoying the story line of a particular novel you might want to break the book in chapters or even in smaller areas of text and determine the particular theme that is present, the language be it figurative, narrative or characterization that is used to create the theme. Also pay close attention to the tone being used, the connotations behind ironies used and particularly in poems the imagery created through metaphors and comparisons, and in particular the difference between these 2. In other words preparing for the SAT II / SAT 2 literature test can also be the most fun preparation of all the SAT preparation subjects.