PSAT/NMSQT Official Student Guide 2014

Transcription

2014Official Student Guide to thePreliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying TestTest-Taking Help Seven Types of Questions You Will See on the Test Practice Test with Answer Key (Separate Pull-Out Booklet)collegeboard.org102483-01442 M714E4650 Printed in U.S.A.778039Flip this book over forinformation about theNational Merit Scholarship Programconducted byNational MeritScholarship Corporation

Reproduction of any portion of this Official Student Guide is prohibited without the written consent of the College Board. 2014 The College Board. All rights reserved. College Board, Advanced Placement Program, AP, Student Search Service, SAT, and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of the CollegeBoard. My College QuickStart and My SAT Study Plan are trademarks owned by the College Board. PSAT/NMSQT is a registered trademark of the College Board and National MeritScholarship Corporation (NMSC). All non-College Board trademarks are the property of their respective owners. NMSC section pages 1–20 2014 National Merit Scholarship Corporation.The passages for sample questions have been adapted from published material. The ideas contained in them do not necessarily represent the opinions of the College Board, National MeritScholarship Corporation, or Educational Testing Service.

Table of ContentsContact information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3My College QuickStart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Taking the PSAT/NMSQT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Important InformationTest scores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Test regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Special opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Student Search Service Program . . . . . . . . . 6Protecting your privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Telemarketing and Internet scams . . . . . . . . . 7Safety and security tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7What to do if . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7you cannot take the test . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7you are home-schooled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7you are studying in another country . . 7you missed the test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Students with disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Grounds for score cancellation . . . . . . . . . . . 8Test fairness review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Questioning a test question . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8College majors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Prepare for the TestCritical Reading Section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Critical Reading Skills Review. . . . . . .Critical Reading Questions . . . . . . . . .Sentence completions. . . . . . . . . . .Passage-based reading. . . . . . . . . .Mathematics Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mathematics Content Overview. . . . .Calculator use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mathematics Concept Review. . . . . . .Mathematics Questions . . . . . . . . . . .Multiple-choice questions. . . . . . .Student-produced responsequestions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Writing Skills Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Effective writing characteristics . . . . .Improving sentences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Identifying sentence errors . . . . . . . . .Improving paragraphs. . . . . . . . . . . . . .1010111112191919202424283131323334Full-Length Practice Test(separate pull-out booklet inserted in center)If you don’t have a Practice Test, ask yourcounselor for one.The PSAT/NMSQT The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT ) iscosponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation. It isdeveloped and administered for the College Board and National Merit ScholarshipCorporation by Educational Testing Service (ETS).Contact the PSAT/NMSQT office if you have suggestions, questions, or commentsabout test registration, administration, or score reports. If you wish to withdraw youranswer sheet from scoring, or if you wish to report test administration irregularities,you must notify the test supervisor or the PSAT/NMSQT office immediately.PSAT/NMSQT Office:Write:Email:PSAT/NMSQTP.O. Box 6720Princeton, NJ 66-433-7728 (U.S.) 1-212-713-8105(International)609-882-4118 TTY8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET610-290-8979The College BoardThe College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connectsstudents to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the College Boardwas created to expand access to higher education. Today, the membershipassociation is made up of more than 5,900 of the world’s leading educationalinstitutions and is dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in education.Each year, the College Board helps more than seven million students prepare for asuccessful transition to college through programs and services in college readinessand college success — including the SAT and the Advanced Placement Program .The organization also serves the education community through research andadvocacy on behalf of students, educators, and schools. For more information, visitcollegeboard.org. The College Board45 Columbus AvenueNew York, NY 10023-6917866-630-9305 (U.S.) 1-212-520-8570 (International)National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC)NMSC is an independent, not-for-profit organization that operates withoutgovernment assistance. NMSC conducts the National Merit Scholarship Program,an annual academic competition for recognition and college scholarships. ThePSAT/NMSQT is the screening test for high school students who wish to participatein the National Merit Scholarship Program. Further information can be found inthe NMSC section on the flip side of this publication or by visiting the websitewww.nationalmerit.org.Please direct inquiries about any aspect of the National Merit ScholarshipProgram, including student participation requirements, the selection process,and awards offered, to: National Merit Scholarship Corporation1560 Sherman Avenue, Suite 200Evanston, IL 60201-4897847-866-5100PSAT/NMSQT Official Student Guide: Prepare for the Test3

My College QuickStart A Free Resource for StudentsMy College QuickStart is an online college and careerplanning tool available free of charge to all students who takethe PSAT/NMSQT. It is powered by your responses to the testand provides personalized information that helps you takethe next steps toward college: My Online Score Report — View your enhanced scorereport with test questions, your answers, and the correctanswers with explanations.My SAT Study Plan — Prepare for the SAT with apersonalized plan based on your test performance (includesa free practice test and hundreds of practice questions). My Personality — Take a personality test to learn moreabout yourself and find majors and careers that fit yourstrengths and interests.My Major & Career Matches — Learn about different majorsand careers and see what courses you should take now to besuccessful later. My AP Potential — Get a head start on college levelcoursework. See which AP courses you may be ready forand find out which courses are related to college majors thatinterest you. My College Matches — Get a starter list of colleges (basedon your home state and indicated choice of major) to helpyou begin your search.Taking thePSAT/NMSQTTEST DATES:Wednesday, Oct. 15, orSaturday, Oct. 18, 2014What does the PSAT/NMSQT measure?The PSAT/NMSQT measures critical reading,math, and writing skills developed over manyyears, both in and out of school.You will not be asked to recall facts fromliterature, history, or science, or to completemath formulas, because this test measures yourreasoning and critical thinking skills.Why take the test? Get feedback about critical academic skillsPrepare for the SATStart getting ready for collegeEnter scholarship competitionsSee which AP courses you might be ready forWhat is the test fee?The fee for the 2014 PSAT/NMSQT is 14.Schools sometimes charge an additional fee tocover administrative costs. The College Boardmakes fee waivers available for juniors fromlow-income families who can’t afford the test fee.See your counselor for more information aboutfee waivers.Whom should I contact if I have questions?See your counselor. For further help, see contactinformation on page 3 for the PSAT/NMSQToffice, the College Board, and National MeritScholarship Corporation (NMSC).What should I bring on test day?No. 2 pencils with erasersApproved calculator (see page 19) Social Security number (optional) Student ID number, assigned by your school(optional) Email address (optional) Current and valid school- or government-issuedphoto ID if you are not testing at the school younormally attend (More ID information is givenat sat.org/id-requirements.) Online preparation and resources: GoMy College QuickStart is available as soon as you receive yourscore report and can be used throughout high school. Log inusing the access code printed on your paper score report.4 PSAT/NMSQT Official Student Guide: Prepare for the Testto collegeboard.org/psat for samplequestions and practice test answer explanations. Go to collegeboard.org/psatskills to learn aboutthe skills tested on the PSAT/NMSQT and trypractice questions for each skill.

Important InformationWhat scores will I receive?In December, your school will receive your PSAT/NMSQTScore Report Plus, which will be given to you, along withyour test book, in the following weeks. Your score reportwill include your critical reading, mathematics, andwriting skills scores; score ranges; national percentiles;and Selection Index (the sum of your critical reading,mathematics, and writing skills scores). NMSC uses theSelection Index as an initial screen of the large numberof entrants to its National Merit Scholarship Program.The score report will also show the correct answers, theanswers you gave, and the difficulty level of eachquestion. In the Next Steps section, you will see amessage about your potential for success in AP coursesbased on your section scores. There is also some helpfuladvice about when to take the SAT. If you have notreceived your score report by mid-January, see yourcounselor. The PSAT/NMSQT Program does not provideduplicate copies of score reports, but your school willhave a copy.Does anyone else receive my scores andinformation I provide on my answer sheet?As cosponsors of the PSAT/NMSQT, the College Boardand NMSC receive the scores of students who take thetest as well as information students provide on theiranswer sheets.Some school districts and states receive PSAT/NMSQTscores with other information about their students. Inaddition, scores for students who qualify for programsdescribed in the next section, Special Opportunities,are reported to those programs. The PSAT/NMSQTProgram does not report scores to colleges orcommercial entities. See pages 6 and 7 for moreinformation about our privacy policies.Test RegulationsStandard rules and regulations give all students the same opportunity and prevent any student from having an unfair advantage.When you take the test, you will be asked to copy and sign a Certification Statement stating that you will abide by theseregulations, so read them carefully. Also read about grounds for score cancellation on page 8. Failure to follow these testregulations or any instructions given by the test supervisor may result in your scores being canceled. You must mark your answers on the answersheet. You will not receive credit foranything written in the test book. You maynot leave the room with your test book.You may use only your test book forscratch work (unless approved for anaccommodation). You may use an approved calculator (seepage 19) only during the mathematicssections of the test; you may not have acalculator on your desk during the criticalreading or writing skills sections, and youmay not share a calculator during the test orduring breaks. You may only use onecalculator at any given time — if you broughta second one for backup, it must be keptunder your desk. You are not required toclear the memory on your calculator beforetesting. You are not allowed to use: protractors;compasses; rulers; cutting devices; earplugs;scratch paper, notes, books, dictionaries, orreferences of any kind; pamphlets; pens,mechanical pencils, highlighters, or coloredpencils; listening, recording, copying, orphotographic devices; or any other aids. Youmay not bring food or drink (includingbottled water) into the test room, unlesspreapproved for medical reasons. You may not use cell phones or otherprohibited electronic devices during the testor breaks. Prohibited devices include but arenot limited to: cellphones or smartphones(including BlackBerry , iPhone , orAndroid devices); iPods or other MP3players; iPads or other tablet devices;laptops, notebooks, or any other personalcomputing devices capable of texting;separate timers of any type; cameras orother photographic equipment; any devices(including digital watches) capable ofrecording audio, photo, or video content, orcapable of viewing or playing back suchcontent. Power must be turned off, andthese devices must be placed under yourdesk. If your watch has an alarm, you mustturn that off as well. If your phone makesnoise, or you are seen using it at any time(including breaks), you will be dismissedimmediately, your scores will be canceled,and the device may be confiscated and itscontents inspected. You may not give or receive assistance ordisturb others during the test or breaks. You cannot skip ahead or go back to aprevious test section while taking thePSAT/NMSQT. You may take the PSAT/NMSQT only onceeach school year. If you begin a test, you areconsidered to have taken it. All PSAT/NMSQT test-takers in yourschool must take the test at the same time.(Read about special arrangements andtesting accommodations for students withdisabilities on page 7.) If you become ill and/or must leave duringthe test, or if for any other reason you donot want your test scored, you may ask thetest supervisor to destroy your answer sheetbefore you leave the testing room. After youleave the testing room, any decision towithdraw your answer sheet from scoringmust be reported immediately to the testsupervisor or the PSAT/NMSQT office.(See contact information on page 3.) You may not discuss the contents of the testwith anyone else, or share them through anymeans, including, but not limited to, emails,text messages, and the Internet until afterscore reports have been distributed. Members of your household or immediatefamily may not serve as PSAT/NMSQTsupervisors, coordinators or proctors, even ata different school, on the date that you takethe test.PSAT/NMSQT Official Student Guide: Prepare for the Test5

Special OpportunitiesIf you take the PSAT/NMSQT as a junior and qualifyfor participation, the following programs may help youprepare for college. If you do not want your name,scores, and other information released to them, write tothe PSAT/NMSQT office by Oct. 31, 2014.PSAT/NMSQTP.O. Box 6720Princeton, NJ 08541-6720 The National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP)identifies outstanding Hispanic/Latino students andshares information about them with interested collegesand universities. To be eligible, you must be at leastone-quarter Hispanic/Latino, as defined by the NHRP,and meet a minimum PSAT/NMSQT cutoff score foryour state, as well as a minimum grade point average.The College BoardNational Hispanic Recognition Program45 Columbus AvenueNew York, NY 10023877-358-6777 The National Scholarship Service (NSS) offers a freecollege advisory and referral service for students whoplan to attend two-year or four-year colleges. Scores willbe sent for juniors who indicate that they are AfricanAmerican or Black.National Scholarship Service230 Peachtree Street, Suite 530Atlanta, GA 30303404-522-7260 Telluride Association offers scholarships to highlygifted juniors for summer seminars in the humanitiesand social sciences.Telluride Association217 West AvenueIthaca, NY 14850607-273-5011Student Search Service ProgramOur Student Search Service is a voluntary program thatconnects students with information about educationaland financial aid opportunities from more than 1,200colleges, universities, scholarship programs, andeducational organizations. Here’s how it works:1. Students may choose to participate in Student SearchService when registering for a College Board exam.2. As part of taking the PSAT/NMSQT, students areasked to provide information about themselves ontheir Answer Sheet.3. Participating, eligible organizations can then searchfor groups of students who may be a good fit fortheir communities and programs, but only amongthose students who opt to participate in StudentSearch Service.6 PSAT/NMSQT Official Student Guide: Prepare for the Test4. The search criteria can include any attribute from theAnswer Sheet; however, we never share informationon disability, parental education, self-reported parentalincome, Social Security number, phone numbers, andactual test scores.5. The most searched items are expected high schoolgraduation date, cumulative grade point average(GPA), and intended college major. A full list ofquestions that are featured on the PSAT/NMSQTAnswer Sheet is available on page 32 of the PSAT/NMSQT Practice Test.If you have questions or concerns about Student SearchService or want more information about the program,please go to collegeboard.org/student-search-service orcall (866) 825-8051.Here are some points to keep in mind about StudentSearch Service: Colleges participating in Student Search Service neverreceive student scores or phone numbers. Colleges canask for names of students within certain score ranges,but your exact score is not reported. Being contacted by a college doesn’t mean you havebeen admitted. The colleges and organizations thatparticipate want to find students who fit in with theirenvironment, classes, programs, scholarships, andspecial activities. However, you can be admitted onlyafter you apply. Student Search Service is simply a wayfor colleges to reach prospective students like you andinform them of their opportunities. Student Search Service will share your contactinformation only with colleges and qualified nonprofit educational or scholarship programs that arerecruiting students like you. Your name will never besold to a commercial marketing firm or retailer ofmerchandise or services (such as test prep).Protecting Your PrivacyStudent Search Service communications are sent byoutside colleges, scholarship programs, andeducational opportunity organizations. All entitieswho receive student information from Student SearchService are required to maintain strict confidentiality.We actively monitor these entities to ensure adherenceto our guidelines. The frequency and mode ofcommunication is determined by the entity whichreceives the student’s name. Every communication fromindividual entities is required to contain specificinstructions on how to unsubscribe from that particularinstitution. To unsubscribe from the entire StudentSearch Service program, call 800-626-9795 or write to:The College Board11955 Democracy DriveReston, VA 20190-5662Attention: Student Search Service

Telemarketing and Internet ScamsFrom time to time, we receive reports of phone scams inwhich callers posing as employees of the College Boardcontact students and families attempting to sell testpreparation products, or otherwise requesting sensitivepersonally identifying information, such as credit cardand Social Security numbers. Some of these callersengage in illegal spoofing to make it seem as if the call iscoming from the actual company. These calls do notcome from the College Board. The College Board doesnot make unsolicited phone calls to students orfamilies requesting this type of information. This typeof activity, known as telemarketing fraud, is a crime.Should you receive an unsolicited phone call fromsomeone claiming to work for the College Board,including where your Caller ID indicates that thetelephone number originates from a College Boardlocation, do not provide the caller with any personalinformation.Representatives of the College Board only make callsor send text messages to students and their families inresponse to student-generated inquiries, or to provide orgather information about a test or program for whichthe student registered or regarding preparation forcollege and the application process. Should you have aquestion about the origin of a phone call you havereceived in which the caller claims to be from theCollege Board, contact us at 866-756-7346.Safety and Security Tips1. Be wary of unsolicited contacts, whether via telephoneor email.2. Remember that the College Board will never contactyou to ask you to send your credit card, bank account,or password information over the telephone orthrough email.3. Never supply credit card information to someone whocalls or emails you.4. If you suspect you have received a fraudulent call oremail, contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)and your local authorities and provide them with allthe details.5. Keep in mind that if an offer appears too good to betrue, it probably is.6. To make a complaint, and to obtain more informationabout protecting yourself from telephone and Internetscams, visit the FTC’s Consumer Information site hat to do if. you know in advance that you cannot take thetest on the date your school offers it:Your school may be able to arrange for you to takethe test at a neighboring school that has selected theother test date offered. Tell your counselor as soon aspossible that you have a conflicting commitment, such asa religious observance. If you test at another school, besure to take your school’s code number and an acceptablephoto identification with you. you are home-schooled and want to take thePSAT/NMSQT:You must make arrangements in advance with your localhigh school or other nearby school administering the test.(For a listing of schools in your area, go tocollegeboard.org/psat.) If this is not possible,contact the PSAT/NMSQT office (see page 3). you will be studying in another country whenthe test is given:You must make advance arrangements. Contact thePSAT/NMSQT office and provide the name of the cityand country and, if known, the name and address of theschool you will be attending when the test is given. ThePSAT/NMSQT office will send you instructions. you missed the test but want to enterscholarship and recognition programs:For information about another route of entry to theNational Merit Scholarship Program, see the box onpage 6 of the NMSC section in the flip side of thisStudent Guide.Students with DisabilitiesThe College Board provides testing accommodations forstudents with documented disabilities. If you have notalready been approved for accommodations by theCollege Board, it is important to speak to your counseloror teacher right away to determine if a request foraccommodations needs to be submitted. If so, yourschool’s SSD Coordinator will use the SSD Online systemto request the accommodations that meet the needs ofyour disability.After the eligibility request has been submitted, you willreceive a decision letter in approximately 7 weeks. If youare approved for accommodations, save this letter becauseit also indicates your eligibility for accommodations onother College Board tests, such as the SAT and AdvancedPlacement Program (AP ) Exams. This eligibility will bein effect for as long as you remain in the same school andyour school annually confirms your continued eligibility.If you move to a new school, ask your counselor totransfer your record to your new school.PSAT/NMSQT Official Student Guide: Prepare for the Test7

If you are interested in participating in the NationalMerit Scholarship Program and did not receive accommodations for which you were approved or did notreceive approval in time for the test, please contactNMSC immediately but no later than Nov. 15, 2014.Grounds for ScoreCancellationTo report scores that accurately reflect performance,ETS maintains, on behalf of the College Board andNMSC, test administration and security standardsdesigned to give all students the same opportunity todemonstrate their abilities and to prevent any studentfrom gaining an unfair advantage because of testingirregularities or misconduct. ETS reviews irregularitiesand test scores believed to have been earned underunusual circumstances.Students may be dismissed from the testing room andtheir answer sheets may be destroyed if they fail to followtest regulations or instructions given by the test supervisor. Once answer sheets are submitted for scoring,ETS reserves the right not to score the answer sheet ofa student who engaged in misconduct or was involvedin a testing irregularity.ETS reserves the right to cancel scores if there isreason to doubt their validity. Before acting, ETS willinform the student of the reasons for questioning thescores and will give the student an opportunity toprovide additional information, to confirm the scoresby taking another PSAT/NMSQT, or to cancel the scores.The student may also request arbitration in accordancewith ETS’s Standard Arbitration Agreement. If before,during or after a review of questionable scores, ETSfinds that misconduct has occurred in connectionwith a test, these options will not be available even ifpreviously offered.Score reviews are confidential. If it is necessary tocancel reported scores, ETS will notify score users, butthe reasons for cancellation will not be disclosed. Thispolicy does not necessarily apply in group cases.ETS will forward all reports of misconduct or testingirregularities to NMSC, which reserves the right tomake its own independent judgment about a student’sparticipation in the National Merit Scholarship Program.8 PSAT/NMSQT Official Student Guide: Prepare for the TestTest Fairness ReviewAll new PSAT/NMSQT Program test questions andcomplete new editions of the tests are reviewed by manyindividuals, including committees whose members aredrawn from all regions of the United States. These reviewshelp identify and eliminate any wording or content thatmight be offensive to or inappropriate for particulargroups of students based on their race/ethnicity or theirgender. Assessment staff ensure that the test as a wholeincludes references to men and women and individualsfrom varied racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.Statistical procedures are used to identify questions thatare harder for a group of students to answer correctly thanwould be expected from their performance on the test.Differences in average test performance of various groupscan be attributed to many factors, such as long-termeducational preparation; the test itself reflects suchdifferences but is not the cause.Questioning aTest QuestionIf you find what you consider to be an error or ambiguityin a test question, tell the test supervisor immediatelyafter the test. You may also write to: AssessmentDevelopment, P.O. Box 6656, Princeton, NJ 085416656; or send an email to: cbcandinq@ets.org.In your inquiry, state your name and mailing address,the date you took the PSAT/NMSQT, the name andaddress of the school where you took the test, the testsection, the test question (as well as you can remember),and an explanation of your concern about the question.The PSAT/NMSQT Program will send you a writtenresponse after your inquiry has been reviewedthoroughly by subject-matter specialists. (Note: We willnot respond via email, so be sure to include your fullname and mailing address.)If the response does not resolve your concern, you canrequest that the Director of Assessment Developmentinitiate further reviews of your inquiry.We will retain your letter (with your identificationdeleted) along with other such letters. You can obtaincopies of these letters for a nominal fee by writing toAssessment Development.

College MajorsWhen you take the PSAT/NMSQT, indicate the collegemajor that best matches your interests by entering thecode from the list below on your answer sheet. YourMy College QuickStart account will let you investigatethis and other majors further.If you say “Yes” to Student Search Service, colleges anduniversities that offer degrees in your area of interest cansend you information about their programs.College Major CodesAgriculture, Agriculture Operations,and Related Sciences - 100Agricultural Business andManagement - 101Animal Sciences - 103Architecture and RelatedServices - 120Architecture - 121 City/Urban, Community, andRegional Planning - 123Landscape Architecture - 125 Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender,and Group Studies - 140Area Studies - 141 Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender,and Group Studies - 142 Biological and BiomedicalSciences - 160Biochemistry - 162 Biology/Biological Sciences,General - 161Biophysics - 163Biotechnology - 164 Cell/Cellular Biology and AnatomicalSciences - 166Ecology - 167Genetics - 168 Marine Biology and BiologicalOceanography - 169 Microbiological Sciences andImmunology - 170Molecular Biology - 171Neuroscience - 185Zoology/Animal Biology - 175 Business Management,Marketing, and RelatedSupport Services - 200 Accounting and RelatedServices - 201Actuarial Science - 202 Business Administration,Management, andOperations - 204Fashion Merchandising - 208 Finance and Financial ManagementServices - 2

PSAT/NMSQT Official Student Guide: Prepare for the Test Taking the PSAT/NMSQT TEST DATES: Wednesday, Oct . 15, or Saturday, Oct . 18, 2014 What does the PSAT/NMSQT measure? The PSAT/NMSQT measures critical reading, math, and writing skills developed over many years, both in and o