{"id":1593,"date":"2022-11-28T11:30:42","date_gmt":"2022-11-28T11:30:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/?p=1593"},"modified":"2022-11-28T20:42:57","modified_gmt":"2022-11-28T20:42:57","slug":"psat-reading-u-s-world-literature-passages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/psat\/psat-reading-u-s-world-literature-passages\/","title":{"rendered":"PSAT Reading: U.S. &#038; World Literature Passages"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Just as reading passages on the PSAT span different <a title=\"PSAT Reading: Science Passages\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/psat\/psat-reading-science-passages\/\">genres<\/a>, your approaches will also vary from subject to subject.\u00a0Let&#8217;s take a look at how to approach U.S. and World Literature passages on the PSAT.<\/p>\n<p>First, know that there will be a single U.S. and World Literature passage on the PSAT. It is different from the other passages because:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>There will be multiple characters and, therefore, multiple opinions.<\/li>\n<li>The tone will be nuanced and emotion-based, rather than informative or explanatory.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As you read a U.S. and World Literature passage, you should:<br \/>\n<div  style='height:20px' class='hr hr-invisible   avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_iconlist  avia-builder-el-first '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><br \/>\n<div  class='avia-icon-list-container   avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_testimonials '><ul class='avia-icon-list avia-icon-list-left av-iconlist-big avia_animate_when_almost_visible avia-iconlist-animate'>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue836' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Identify the characters and evaluate how the author describes them<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><ul>\n<li>What do the characters want?<\/li>\n<li>What are the characters doing?<\/li>\n<li>What adjectives describe each character?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue836' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Assess the characters\u2019 opinions of each other and themselves<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><ul>\n<li>Do they like each other? Dislike each other?<\/li>\n<li>Why does each character make a particular decision or take a particular course of action?<\/li>\n<li>What do these decisions or actions tell you about a character?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue836' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Identify the themes of the story<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><ul>\n<li>What are the \u201cturning points\u201d in the passage?<\/li>\n<li>Is there a moral to the story?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div><br \/>\n<div   data-autoplay='1'  data-interval='5'  data-animation='fade'  data-hoverpause='1'  class='avia-testimonial-wrapper avia-grid-testimonials avia-grid-1-testimonials avia_animate_when_almost_visible   '>\n<section class ='avia-testimonial-row'><div class='avia-testimonial av_one_full flex_column no_margin avia-testimonial-row-1 avia-first-testimonialavia-last-testimonial' ><div class='avia-testimonial_inner'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia-testimonial-image'  itemprop=\"image\"  ><\/div><div class='avia-testimonial-content '  ><div class='avia-testimonial-markup-entry-content'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p>Because U.S. and World Literature passages have multiple characters with multiple opinions, remember to keep straight who said what. And as you&#8217;re mapping your passage, remember that some paragraphs are longer than others. If you are mapping a very long paragraph, you can write two or three short notes rather than trying to fit everything into just one long note.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class='avia-testimonial-meta'><div class='avia-testimonial-arrow-wrap'><div class='avia-arrow'><\/div><\/div><div class='avia-testimonial-meta-mini'  itemprop=\"author\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Person\" ><strong  class='avia-testimonial-name'    itemprop=\"name\" >Laura<\/strong><span  class='avia-testimonial-subtitle '    itemprop=\"jobTitle\" >Kaplan PSAT Expert<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<\/div><br \/>\n<div  style='height:20px' class='hr hr-invisible   avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_testimonials  el_before_av_heading '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><br \/>\nLet\u2019s look at the following example of an abbreviated U.S. and World Literature passage and question set. After the mapped passage, the left column contains questions similar to those you\u2019ll see on the PSAT\u00a0Reading Test on Test Day. The column on the right features the <a title=\"PSAT Reading: How to Raise Your Score\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/psat\/psat-reading-how-to-raise-your-score\/\">strategic thinking<\/a> a test expert employs when approaching the passage and questions presented.\u00a0Note how a test expert can quickly condense the entire passage into a few words, and use his or her Passage Map to ask questions that build a prediction for the correct answer.<br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_two_third  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Sample PSAT Reading Practice Question: U.S.\/World Literature<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_two_third  flex_column_div first  avia-builder-el-5  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_one_third  \" ><div  style='background:#f1f1f1;color:#444444;border-color:#f1f1f1;' class='av_promobox  avia-button-no   avia-builder-el-6  avia-builder-el-no-sibling '>\t\t<div class='avia-promocontent'><p>\nQuestions 1-2 are based on the following passage.<br \/>\n<i>In this excerpt from a short story, the narrator describes an afternoon visit to the farm of Mrs. Hight and her daughter, Esther.<\/i><br \/>\nMrs. Hight, like myself, was tired and thirsty. I brought a drink of water, and remembered some fruit that was left from my lunch. She revived vigorously, and told me the history of her later years. Since she had been struck in the prime of her life by a paralyzing stroke, and her husband had died and left her with Esther and a mortgage on their farm. There was only one field of good land, but they owned a large area of pasture and some woodland. Esther had always been laughed at for her belief in sheep-raising when one by one their neighbors were giving up their flocks. When everything had come to the point of despair she had raised some money and bought all the sheep she could, insisting that Maine lambs were as good as any, and that there was a straight path by sea to the Boston market. By tending her flock herself she had managed to succeed; she had paid off the mortgage five years ago, and now what they did not spend was in the bank. \u201cIt has been stubborn work, day and night, summer and winter, and now she\u2019s beginning to get along in years,\u201d said the old mother. \u201cShe\u2019s tended me along with the sheep, and she\u2019s been good right along, but she should have been a teacher.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>1. The main purpose of the passage is to<br \/>\n(A) suggest some of the essential attributes of a character.<br \/>\n(B) show that people\u2019s lives are determined by events beyond their control.<br \/>\n(C) identify the major causes of Mrs. Hight\u2019s unhappiness.<br \/>\n(D) recount an incident that changed the narrator\u2019s life.<\/p>\n<p>2. Mrs. Hight\u2019s description of Esther\u2019s sheep-raising efforts reveals her daughter\u2019s<br \/>\n(A) desire to succeed no matter what the cost.<br \/>\n(B) humility and grace in accepting defeat.<br \/>\n(C) considerable regard for her neighbors\u2019 opinions.<br \/>\n(D) calm determination in meeting difficulties.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_one_third  flex_column_div   avia-builder-el-7  el_after_av_two_third  el_before_av_hr  \" ><p><div  style='height:20px' class='hr hr-invisible   avia-builder-el-8  el_before_av_toggle_container  avia-builder-el-first '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><br \/>\n<div  class=\"togglecontainer   toggle_close_all  avia-builder-el-9  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_hr \" >\n<section class=\"av_toggle_section\"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\"  >    <div role=\"tablist\" class=\"single_toggle\" data-tags=\"{All} \"  >        <p data-fake-id=\"#toggle-id-1\" class=\"toggler \"  itemprop=\"headline\"    role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"toggle-id-1\">Step 1: Read Actively<span class=\"toggle_icon\" >        <span class=\"vert_icon\"><\/span><span class=\"hor_icon\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>        <div id=\"toggle-id-1\" class=\"toggle_wrap \"  >            <div class=\"toggle_content invers-color \"  itemprop=\"text\"   ><p>Passage Map<\/p>\n<p>\u00b61: Mrs. H &#8211; stroke, widow, owned farm<br \/>\n\u00b61, cont.: E &#8211; raised sheep, succeeded<br \/>\n\u00b61, cont.: mom, Mrs. H, describes determination of daughter, E (theme)<\/p>\n            <\/div>        <\/div>    <\/div><\/section>\n<\/div><br \/>\n<div  style='height:20px' class='hr hr-invisible   avia-builder-el-10  el_after_av_toggle_container  el_before_av_toggle_container '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><br \/>\n<div  class=\"togglecontainer   toggle_close_all  avia-builder-el-11  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_hr \" >\n<section class=\"av_toggle_section\"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\"  >    <div role=\"tablist\" class=\"single_toggle\" data-tags=\"{All} \"  >        <p data-fake-id=\"#toggle-id-2\" class=\"toggler \"  itemprop=\"headline\"    role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"toggle-id-2\">Question #1 Explained<span class=\"toggle_icon\" >        <span class=\"vert_icon\"><\/span><span class=\"hor_icon\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>        <div id=\"toggle-id-2\" class=\"toggle_wrap \"  >            <div class=\"toggle_content invers-color \"  itemprop=\"text\"   ><p><strong>Step 2:<\/strong> Examine the question stem<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>What are the keywords or clues in the question stem? <\/em>\u201cMain purpose\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Step 3:<\/strong> Predict and answer<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>What is the main purpose of the passage?<\/em> To relay Mrs. Hight\u2019s positive opinion of her daughter, Esther<\/li>\n<li><em>What answer choice matches this?<\/em> Choice (A)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n            <\/div>        <\/div>    <\/div><\/section>\n<\/div><br \/>\n<div  style='height:20px' class='hr hr-invisible   avia-builder-el-12  el_after_av_toggle_container  el_before_av_toggle_container '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><br \/>\n<div  class=\"togglecontainer   toggle_close_all  avia-builder-el-13  el_after_av_hr  avia-builder-el-last \" >\n<section class=\"av_toggle_section\"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\"  >    <div role=\"tablist\" class=\"single_toggle\" data-tags=\"{All} \"  >        <p data-fake-id=\"#toggle-id-3\" class=\"toggler \"  itemprop=\"headline\"    role=\"tab\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"toggle-id-3\">Question #2 Explained<span class=\"toggle_icon\" >        <span class=\"vert_icon\"><\/span><span class=\"hor_icon\"><\/span><\/span><\/p>        <div id=\"toggle-id-3\" class=\"toggle_wrap \"  >            <div class=\"toggle_content invers-color \"  itemprop=\"text\"   ><p><strong>Step 2:<\/strong> Examine the question stem<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>What are the keywords in the question stem?<\/em>\u00a0\u201cSheep-raising efforts\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Step 3:<\/strong> Predict and answer<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Raising the sheep is described as what kind of work?\u00a0<\/em> \u201cStubborn work\u201d<\/li>\n<li><em style=\"font-size: inherit;\">How does Mrs. Hight describe Esther\u2019s attitude toward the work? <\/em><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">She says, \u201cshe\u2019s been good right along\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li><em style=\"font-size: inherit;\">What can you predict?<\/em><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\"> Esther did not give up, despite having been \u201claughed at.&#8221;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><em style=\"font-size: inherit;\">What answer choice does this match?\u00a0<\/em><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">Choice (D)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n            <\/div>        <\/div>    <\/div><\/section>\n<\/div><\/p><\/div><br \/>\n<div  style='height:30px' class='hr hr-invisible   avia-builder-el-14  el_after_av_one_third  el_before_av_heading '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-15  el_after_av_hr  avia-builder-el-last  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >PSAT Reading Practice Question Explanations<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nFor practice question #1, note that when asked about the main purpose or central theme of a U.S. and World Literature passage, you should look at which character is discussed the most. From the third sentence onward, the story of the passage is really about Esther\u2014her success with sheep farming and her patience in looking after her mother. The purpose of the passage is therefore to describe Esther, which matches choice (A).<\/p>\n<p>For practice question #2, make sure you pay attention to characters\u2019 opinions of each other. In Mrs. Hight\u2019s words, you\u2019re told that even though raising the sheep had been \u201cstubborn work,\u201d Esther had been \u201cgood right along\u201d. Choice (D) captures Esther\u2019s approach\u2014not only did she overcome \u201cdifficulties\u201d with \u201cdetermination,\u201d but she also kept \u201ccalm\u201d throughout. Choice A is too extreme; Esther didn\u2019t put \u201csuccess\u201d before all other considerations. She wasn\u2019t \u201cdefeated,\u201d B, and she didn\u2019t bow to her \u201cneighbors\u2019 opinions,\u201d C.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Previous:<\/strong> <a title=\"PSAT Reading: How to Raise Your Score\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/psat\/psat-reading-how-to-raise-your-score\/\">PSAT Reading: How to Raise Your Score<\/a><br \/>\n<strong>Next:<\/strong> <a title=\"PSAT Reading: History\/Social Studies Passages\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/psat\/psat-reading-historysocial-studies-passages\/\">PSAT Reading: History\/Social Studies\u00a0Passages<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Just as reading passages on the PSAT span different genres, your approaches will also vary from subject to subject.\u00a0Let&#8217;s take a look at how to approach U.S. and World Literature passages on the PSAT. First, know that there will be a single U.S. and World Literature passage on the PSAT. It is different from the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41871,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[240],"tags":[195,321],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1593"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1593"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1593\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41875,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1593\/revisions\/41875"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41871"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1593"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1593"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}