5 Steps to Being More of an Optimist

5 Steps to Being More of an Optimist More in Self-Improvement Spirituality Happiness Meditation Stress Management Holistic Health Inspiration Brain Health Technology Relationships Life is easier and generally more enjoyable if youre an optimist. Research shows that optimists enjoy many health and lifestyle benefits, including greater achievement, greater health, a sense of persistence toward goals, greater emotional health, increased longevity, and lower reactivity to stress. Because of this, optimists tend to be happier overall. Optimism is measured by your explanatory style, or how you define events. Youre halfway there if you  can learn to define positive events in the following three ways: Positive events occurred because of something you did.Positive events are a sign of more good things to come.Positive events are evidence that good things will happen in other areas of your life. Youre all the way there if you can also think of negative events as: not your fault  isolated occurrences that have no bearing on future events or other areas of your life Steps to Approaching Life With More Optimism If you find yourself expecting the worst and selling yourself short a little too much of the time, you can always increase your tendency toward optimism. The following steps can get you there. Analyze Your Thoughts, Giving Yourself Credit When something positive happens in your life, stop to analyze your thought process for a moment. Are you giving yourself due credit for making it happen? Think of all the strengths you possess and the ways you contributed, both directly and indirectly, to make this event occur. For example, if you aced a test, don’t just think of how great it is that you were prepared, but also think of how your intelligence and dedication played a role. Think of How Your Strengths Can Bring Other Good Things Think of other areas of your life that could be affected by this good event. Also, think of how the strengths you possess that caused this good thing to happen can also cause other positive events in your life. For example, what other good things can come from your intelligence, dedication, and ability to effectively prepare for tasks? Think of Future Events That Can Also Happen Imagine what future possibilities could be in store. Because you hold the key to your success, shouldn’t you expect to do well on future tests? Isn’t a successful career a natural result? Minimize the Negative, When Its Realistic to Do So When negative events occur, think of the extenuating circumstances that could have contributed to this happening. If you do poorly on an exam, for example, were you especially busy in the preceding week? Were you somewhat sleep-deprived? What outside circumstances contributed to your failure? Keep in mind that this isn’t necessarily a reflection of personal weakness.   This doesnt mean that you should never recognize when you may need to change your behavior in the future or deny responsibility for mistakesâ€"thats how we learn!   The key is to focus more on the positive and dont let negative events kill your self-confidence. Remember: Tomorrow Is Another Day Also, remember that you’ll have endless opportunities to do better in the future. Think of your next potential success or other areas where you can excel. Optimism Tips to Remember The key to optimism is to maximize your successes and minimize your failures.It’s beneficial to look honestly at your shortcomings, so you can work on them, but focusing on your strengths can never hurt.Keep in mind that the more you practice challenging your thought patterns, the more automatic itll become. Dont expect major changes in thinking right away, but do expect them to become ingrained over time.Always remember that virtually any failure can be a learning experience, and an important step toward your next success!Practice positive affirmations. They really work!

Alfred Tennyson, often regarded as the chief...

The Victorian age was an age where many changes occurred socially, economically, and industrially. People began to explore into areas such as the earth, the human body, and how to benefit the daily lives of individuals. English literature was also something that was beginning to be developed. Historically, it began when Queen Victoria was anointed to the thrown in 1837 and brought a new prosperity to England. She held the throne for 63 years which is the longest monarch to hold the thrown ever in English history. To many people, she was a symbol of stability and prosperity as evidenced by the following feeling from her people. The Victorian age has been said to be a very diverse time. Historian T.B. Macaulay in 1838 said that†¦show more content†¦People began to ask more questions about life, which prompted the development of science and many people began to question the bible. Lyells Principles of Geology and Chambers Vestiges of creation brought out the view publically that the earth was older than the bible said it to be. Peoples beliefs were suddenly being shattered and the quest for answers was in need. The change caused a great deal of confusion and alarm, which prompted English writers to accept responsibility and write about new thoughts, beliefs, and feelings. Alfred Tennyson, who is a very famous poet, is often regarded as the chief representative of the Victorian age in poetry. Tennyson was a man who had seen pain and sorrow in his life. After the death of his best friend, Arthur Hallam, Tennyson found relief from his pain in writing. Many of his writings were indeed about his dead friend. For example in The Passing of Arthur, the hero has the same name as Tennysons friend and also many lyrical poems, that later were to become In Memorian A.H.H. These writing were full of emotions, pain, fear, caring, and the desire to remember his friend. Almost throughout all of Tennysons work there were pain, sadness, fear, love, and hidden messages to be found, and he was very romantic. He opened himself up to the world in a very private way, and also to severe criticism by manyShow MoreRelatedA Study of the Life and Career of Lord Alfred Tennyson and Selected Cr1790 Words   |  8 PagesA Study Of The Life And Career Of Lord Alfred Tennyson And Selected Criticism Of His Works Whether a person likes or dislikes the works of Lord Alfred Tennyson, most would agree that he was one of the most influential writers of his time period. Tennyson grew up in a wealthy family never wanting for anything. English author often regarded as the chief representative of the Victorian age in poetry. Tennyson succeeded Wordsworth as Poet Laureate in 1850; he was appointed by Queen Victoria andRead More A Comparison of Wilfred Owen’s Dulce et Decorum est to Alfred Tennyson’s Charge of the Light Brigade1881 Words   |  8 PagesA Comparison of Wilfred Owen’s â€Å"Dulce et Decorum est† to Alfred Tennyson’s â€Å"Charge of the Light Brigade† In this essay I will attempt to compare and contrast Wilfred Owen’s â€Å"Dulce et Decorum est† to Alfred Tennyson’s â€Å"Charge of the Light Brigade†. I will examine the use of poetic devices in the poems as well as outline what is happening in each. Wilfred Owen was born on the 18th of March 1893 in owestry, United Kingdom. He was the oldest of four children and was educated in an evangelicalRead More A Study Of The Life And Career Of Lord Alfred Tennyson and Selected Criticisms of His Works1751 Words   |  8 Pages A Study Of The Life And Career Of Lord Alfred Tennyson And Selected Criticism Of His Works nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Whether a person likes or dislikes the works of Lord Alfred Tennyson, most would agree that he was one of the most influential writers of his time period. Tennyson grew up in a wealthy family never wanting for anything. English author often regarded as the chief representative of the Victorian age in poetry. Tennyson succeeded Wordsworth as Poet Laureate in 1850; he was appointed

State of Racism and Gender Discrimination - 3437 Words

State of Racism and Gender Discrimination What is discrimination? Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of a different person or groups of people based on certain characteristics. In the United States there are seven protected characteristics or classes that are defined by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Employment Act, and the American Disabilities Act that can not be discriminated against: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, and disability. This paper focuses on two of the protected classes: race and gender discrimination. What is racism? Racism (also known as discrimination against a race or races) is a belief that all members of one racial group have superior characteristics or†¦show more content†¦These requirements are important to becoming a fire fighter and many argue that they are more than necessary. However, this does not mean that the fire department does not want to work with women. It is just the policy to set the standards high. Another interesting example: A male employee was fired by his employer because he refused to work at night (â€Å"Small Business Encyclopedia† 2002). This company had a policy saying that women did not have to work at night because the company was located in a high crime area. The male employees had to work the night shifts for the company, while the women employees did not. The male employee in question filed a suit under Title VII against his employer claiming sexual discrimination. The company claimed that several female employees would qui t if they were forced to work at night. The company also claimed the policy was a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ). This case is interesting because BFOQ can be used as a defense to allow certain discrimination. BFOQ is an exception provided by Title VII for jobs that require a specific religion, sex, national origin, or age as a reasonable necessity for normal operations of a business. Although BFOQ applies to the fire department qualifications, the courts deemed that the company who asked only its male workers to take the night-shift was could not use BFOQ as a valid defense (â€Å"Small BusinessShow MoreRelatedSexism And Racism : Racism And Prejudice Essay1348 Words   |  6 PagesSexism vs Racism Discrimination and prejudice have both been a major problem in our society since the idea of gender and race contacted our brains. Everyone hopes that humankind will change and treat everyone equally and fairly, but this still has yet to happen. Mankind is still treating people as minorities without a second thought. Women are still stereotyped as being too feminine for a â€Å"man’s job†, such as construction or military forces. As well as, men being considered to manly to be ableRead MoreDiscrimination : Discrimination And Discrimination1161 Words   |  5 PagesDiscrimination in U.S.A Introduction This term is utilized to highlight the contrast in treatment between individuals from diverse groups when one group is purposefully treated†¦ 1. Gender Discrimination †¢ Although gender discrimination has decreased a lot as compared to past but still the situation is far from ideal†¦ †¢ Several institutions are reluctant to give important and commanding posts to women†¦ †¢ Gender discrimination is also evident in social life of America†¦ 2. Religious DiscriminationRead MoreRacism And Racism Essay986 Words   |  4 Pagessimilarities between sexism and racism. Sexism occurs when a person’s gender or sex is used as the basis for discriminating. Females are more susceptible to sexism although males are also susceptible. Sexual harassment and rape are examples of extreme cases of sexism. Racism occurs when people of a particular race or ethnicity are discriminated against or made to feel inferior. The primary outcome of the paper after comparison is to determine most dehumanizing act between racism and sexism. The first similarityRead MoreRacial Inequality797 Words   |  4 PagesRacial inequality is regrettably imbedded in the history of the United States. Americans like to think of the American colonies as the start or founding of the quest for freedom, initially, the ending of religious oppression and later political and economic liberty. Yet, from the start, the fabric of American society was equally founded on brutal forms of supremacy, inequality and oppression which involved the absolute denial of freedom for slaves. This is one of the great paradoxes of American historyRead MoreThe Power of Unintentional Discrimination Essay741 Words   |  3 PagesRacism and sexism are both examples of discrimination that happen daily in contemporary society. 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Racial discrimination canRead MoreOthello - shakespeare and saxs film adaptation923 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s Othello and Geoffrey Sax’s film Othello. This reflection is established through the two ideas of racism and the inequality between genders. The context of a text plays an essential role as it is the way in which the composers convey their message and this is done effectively as both composers are conveying an important message about racism and gender inequality. Racism is a theme that is prominently evident throughout Shakespeares Othello. Through this theme, there are several perceptionsRead MoreSexism And Racism Essay1301 Words   |  6 PagesAllison Price English 3 12 August 2017 MLA Sexism and Racism within the American Judicial System There is blatant sexism and racism within the American Judicial System shown by a lack of convictions and inconsistent sentencing. Despite many small steps forward towards equality, injustice and systemic racism still find their way into the cases and verdicts we hear on the news every day. The battle for racial and gender equality is a fight that’s been fought diligently for centuries and while stepsRead MoreRacism : A Social Construct1593 Words   |  7 Pagesaffected by implicit biases, prejudices and discrimination based on my race, however my socioeconomic class, gender and my sexual orientation are significant forces of my social identity that not only define who I am, but are interconnected in the way I am and have been oppressed. Albeit racism has an impact on all of our lives in the US, however; it’s the intersectionality of the other social identity forces that when they are interacting with racism, they manifest many forms of social oppressionRead MoreRace, Gender And Age Discrimination896 Words   |  4 PagesRace, Gender and Age Discrimination in America America’s motto is based upon a strong belief of freedom and liberty for all, but does everyone truly receive these benefits? When looking in America’s past one sees that these perfect ideals are hardly met by historical records of discrimination and racism throughout the past. Although not as ambiguous, the following show that race, gender inequality and discrimination still pose issues in America’s culture and are prevalent in today’s society Most

Use and develop system that promote communication Free Essays

On a daily basis within my current role I maintain a high level of communication in various ways with residents and their families, medical practitioners, colleagues internal staff, other professionals, and external agencies e. t. c. We will write a custom essay sample on Use and develop system that promote communication or any similar topic only for you Order Now The ability to communicate effectively breaks barrier, it enhances learning and accomplishes goals. My level of communication within my current role is of extreme importance with regards to the individuals who are at the heart of all communication of the establishment. I ensure that whatever the form of communication, be it written, electronic, organisational, promotional, verbal, non-verbal, confidentiality is maintained at all times. Effective communication is what enables all the different departments to work well within an organisation including liaising with external agencies and individuals such as the CQC, Social Services, and health professionals, In my current role I ensure that all forms of communication is clear and precise, that it has a purpose, it could be to inform, to instruct, to convince or to serve some other purpose. Communication is said to be successful when the desired objective is attained. In my current role I sometimes use body language as I do with words with some individuals this could be facial expressions, eye contact, movement of arms, hands and legs or focus my eyes on the individual but without intimidating the individual. I communicate in ways that respect the individuals’ and key people’s rights and concerns, using individuals’ preferred method of communication and languages, for example when I am dealing with individual with hearing or sight impairments I ensure my communication is clear and not lengthy. I ensure that I come as close to them as possible without evading their personal space and that they can see my face, I speak slowly and clearly and speak to them in a way that i would like to be spoken to myself. When i ask a question I usually wait for the answer, even if it takes a little longer to come than usual. I use various ways to break down information to enable the residents to have a good understanding, for example using pictorial methods to promote choice and independence enabling me to understand what it is they want and need. I would also use this to help them understand which staff will be working with them, help them understand they have appointments with the doctors, dentist, optician or hairdresser etc In my current role we use two types of communication methods to deal with families and relatives. This is due to different backgrounds and relationships they have with them. For example one service user is very involved with his family and is very open with them and wants them to be involved in most aspects of his life, but we respect his decision that he would like his family to be on a need to know basis. There are guidelines in place which I follow when dealing with another service user’s family a professional but pleasant manner is used to communicate a strictly no sharing of information I support effective communication by various methods within my job role. I ensure a detailed handover of daily event is carried out for continuity of care and ensure that a record of daily events is written in the communication book and it it accessible. I ensure the regular scheduling of staff, relatives and resident for meetings, I send out memo and emails for notification when planning meetings or events and a planned agenda is being distributed to the relevant parties and requests for any suggestions in additions to the agenda which will be beneficial in opening the lines of communication. I ensure that minutes of meetings are taken and distributed to relevant parties following the meeting. Within my job role I communicate with a variety of people. These include residents, relatives, employees and colleagues within the larger sanctuary group team. I also communicate with external professionals, social services and safeguarding teams. On a larger scale I maintain communication with the regional team, head office and support systems within sanctuary. I also have a part to play in the communication with the inspecting authorities such as CQC I am always looking for ways to improve communication systems in order to meet the needs of the residents and to help promote partnership working with colleagues, health professionals, social workers etc. I review practice and look at what others have written, if there is any thing i could adapt or adopt. How to cite Use and develop system that promote communication, Papers

The Reasoning for Shakespeares Inclusion of the Witches in Macbeth Essay Example For Students

The Reasoning for Shakespeares Inclusion of the Witches in Macbeth Essay The witches are vital elements in Shakespeares Macbeth, not just to make it successful in Jacobean times, but also to add depth and atmosphere to the play. They are the root of disorder and are the trigger factor for the chaos that unfolds throughout the play. Shakespeare considered their role very carefully and included them for important reasons. In 1604, a year after he came to the English throne, James passed many laws on witchcraft, having shown much interest in the subject, to the extent of writing his own book seven years previously, entitled Daemonologie. In this book he put forward his arguments in favour of belief in witchcraft and demonic possession, beliefs that were made evident through his involvement in a number of trials of alleged witches. It is known that Macbeth was performed for James I and is assumed that the plot of the effect of witchcraft on the monarchy was devised to please the King, with James being said to have claimed to be a descendent of Banquo. Shakespeare would have been paid a large amount of money to have his play performed for King James, so it was in his interest to include a subject that the King was passionate about. We will write a custom essay on The Reasoning for Shakespeares Inclusion of the Witches in Macbeth specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now For an audience living in the17th century, witchcraft and the forces of evil were very real, a part of their everyday lives, something that they had to come to terms with, making the play instantly popular and successful. Shakespeare uses the witches to instantly create an atmosphere of terror and evil, setting the theme of the play, which is the struggle between good and evil. Shakespeare creates an air of darkness, chaos and mysticism with his first stage direction of Thunder and lightening. Enter three witches. This is reiterated towards the end of the first scene when the witches state Fair is foul and foul is fair, telling the audience that it is often difficult to distinguish between good and evil, and often the two become intertwined. This entanglement of the two is shown with Macbeths first line so foul and fair a day I have not seen, giving an example of what the witches implied and so informing the audience that the relationship between Macbeth and the witches, or good and evil at this stage, is going to be an important theme in the play. The witches capabilities are shown in Act 1 Scene 3, when the weird sisters are discussing the punishment inflicted on the husband of a rump-fed ronyon who refused to give one of the witches some chestnuts. The first witch has cursed the boat on which the husband is sailing so it shall be tempest-tost. The witches create storms, with each of the other witches saying Ill give thee a wind, thereby making the water extremely choppy so the husband is unable to dock his boat. However, the first witch states that his bark cannot be lost. By the bark, she is referring to the boat, showing that there is a limit to the evil they can perform, as they are unable to destroy the mans boat or life, but are simply able to interfere with the elements. This shows that there is a limit to the damage and chaos they can cause and that there is a hope that good will prevail, as the witches are unable to destroy things. However, the witches can bring about death as, if the man is unable to dock his boat, he will starve at sea or his boat will be swept onto rocks. .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111 , .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111 .postImageUrl , .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111 , .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111:hover , .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111:visited , .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111:active { border:0!important; } .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111:active , .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111 .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3cba8a25f2a4ea1f23e09ec0b570a111:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: William Shakespeares Life EssayThis is proved as, at the end of the witches conversation, the first witch produces a pilots thumb, which is that of the sailor, whose boat was wreckd as homeward he did come. Although the witches cannot directly bring about death, they can have a hand in the elements that cause it. The witches can only create the climate for evil, as man alone causes chaos by destroying order, as is proved further on in the play when, through the witches prophecies, Macbeth kills many of those around him. Shakespeare uses the witches to display on a small scale what will happen throughout the play. In many ways the sailor and his boat are representatives of Macbeth when he is ruling Scotland. There will be many turbulent and stormy times and Macbeth will be powerless when it comes to controlling the country in such conditions, but he has brought about the circumstances through the pressure of his wife, as the sailors wife caused the witches to curse his boat. Similarly, Shakespeare uses the witches to show how everything around Macbeth, although it seems solid to begin with, will deteriorate until it is nothing but a lingering memory. At the end of his first meeting with them on the heath in Act 1 Scene 3, following line 78, the witches vanish. As Banquo likens them to bubbles in the earth or water, which can be seen but are nothing, Macbeth says that what seemd corporal melted as breath into the wind. This represents the way in which all order in his life continues to deteriorate after he has heard the witches prophecies, and how all that seems close and certain, such as King Duncan and Banquo, will be destroyed and become nothing. Macbeth is close to Banquo at this point and is loyal to his king, as he has just fought for him. It seems unthinkable to consider that Macbeth will kill them both, just as it seemed unthinkable that the witches would disappear when they had been physically present just moments ago. In conclusion, it is clear that there were two main reasons why Shakespeare included the witches in Macbeth. Firstly the witches are a central element and are vital for creating an atmosphere and basis for the play, and secondly witchcraft was an important issue for people in the early 17th century and was a main interest of the king at the time, James 1 of England.

How Much Will My Social Security Disability Check Be

How Much Will My Social Security Disability Check Be How Much Will I Receive Each Month in SSD Benefits? If you are approved for SSD benefits, the amount of money you receive will be based on the average of your lifetime earnings before your disability started. These are referred to as covered earnings, which you paid Social Security taxes on.How Does the SSA Calculate Benefits?The SSA uses an equation that takes into account your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME) and your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA).Simply put, your AIME is your averaged covered earnings.The SSA will determine this amount based on the earnings you received from the year you turned 21 to the year that you became disabled. If you have more than 35 years of covered earnings, the SSA will average the highest 35 years of covered earnings.This amount is indexed in order to factor in wage increases. Then, this amount is divided by the number of months in those years to determine your average monthly amount.From there, the SSA uses three fixed percentages of different aspects of your AIME and adds them to find the PIA . The PIA is what the SSA will use to determine your actual benefits amount.What is the Average Monthly Check?For 2019, the average monthly amount is $1,234, while the maximum is $2,861.What Is COLA And How Does It Affect My Benefits?Each year, the SSA reviews the Consumer Price Index, which essentially is a change in the price of goods and services. If this number increased by a certain amount, you will automatically receive a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).If there is one, The SSA announces the COLA each year in October. As a Social Security Disability benefits recipient, you will receive this increase in benefits in January of the new year.For 2019, the COLA was 2.8%.Turn to the Experienced Social Security Disability AttorneysApplying for benefits can be overwhelming, and having a skilled attorney on your side can help improve your chances of being approved.Have questions? Call Disability Attorneys of Michigan for a free confidential consultation at 800-701- 5524. We’ll let you know if we can help you get a monthly check and help you determine if any money or assets you receive could impact your eligibility for disability benefits.Let Michigan’s experienced Social Security Disability law firm help you get the benefits you deserve. Michigan Disability Attorney, Social Security Disability, Social Security Disability Benefits Amount

How to Attack Paired Passages in ACT Reading

How to Attack Paired Passages in ACT Reading SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Paired passages on the ACT have been around since 2013, and they can make the Reading section seem a lot more difficult than it really is. After all, you're required to answer multiple questions to two whole reading passages! But there are ways to do this effectively. How should you go about attacking ACT Reading paired passages? Read on for our best strategies. Feature Image:Randy Robertson/Flickr Paired Passages on ACT Reading: A Brief Rundown Paired passages are two short passages (40-50 lines each) that are related in some way (usually by topic). There is only one set of paired passages per ACT.I've only seen them in literary narrative or humanities sections, but that doesn’t mean they can’t pop up elsewhere. The set of paired passages will have 10 questions altogether; the first few questions will be about passage A, while the next few will be about passage B.The final three to four questions(I’ve only seen three, but I’m using a range to be on the safer side) will ask about both passages. The presence of paired passages on ACT Reading allowsACT, Inc. to test students' abilities to "use evidence to make connections between different texts that are related by topic." Attacking Paired Passages on ACT Reading: 4 Strategies There's no one surefire strategy that'll let you power through questions on paired passages. Why? Depending on how you approach ACT reading passages, certain strategies simply might not work as well for you. I've gathered together my top four strategies for mastering paired-passage questions on ACT Reading.I recommend trying all of them out and then using the one that works best for you! Strategy 1: Start by Answering Questions on Individual Passages For paired passages,I highly recommend answering all the questions about each individual passagebefore moving on to the multi-passage questions. Even if you're planning to guess on questions that ask about multiple passages (more on why you might want to do that later), it’s still worth it to take time to answer questions dealing with individual passages. But why?The advantage of answering questions that refer to a single passage before moving on to multi-passage questions is twofold. For one, each passage that's part of a pair of passages is shorter and less complicated than the standalone long passages. This is because you're comparing two separate passages and not just focusing on one. As a result, it's usually easier to answer questions on one or the other of the set of paired passages, compared with questions on the longer, unpaired passages- each of the paired passages has fewer words after all, making it easier to find details in them. Secondly, the questions the ACT asks about each individual passage will help you with the multi-passage questions. For example, take a look at the two questions below about individual passages (adapted from official ACT sample questions): 2. In Passage A, the narrator’s descriptions of Alsop suggest that she sees her as ultimately: F. self-confident and triumphant.G. isolated and alone.H. awe-inspiring and heroic.J. stiff and ceremonial. 5. Passage B indicates that compared to the narrator’s expectation about how the first woman to conduct a major orchestra would be treated in print, the articles themselves were: A. similar; the narrator had expected the newspapers to prolong the event with preliminary material leading up to Alsop’s first performance.B. similar; the narrator had expected Alsop would be announced as the next conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.C. dissimilar; the narrator had expected there would be more coverage of male conductors of color before a woman conducting would be written about.D. dissimilar; the narrator had expected to be able to read about Alsop’s performance in the papers shortly after it occurred. Now, here’s a question that asks about both passages: 7. Which of the following statements provides the most accurate comparison of the tone of each passage? A. Passage A is fondly nostalgic, while Passage B is impersonal and scientific.B. Passage A is optimistic and exuberant, while Passage B is sarcastic and cynical.C. Both passages begin by conveying some sense of the narrator’s wonder but conclude with a note of disenchantment.D. Both passages begin by conveying the narrator’s doubt but conclude with some sense of lasting pride. If you’ve answered questions 2 and 5, you already know a little bit about the tones of the passages (the answer to question 2 tells you how the narrator of passage A views Alsop, while the answer to question 5 tells you a little about the expectations of passage B's narrator). This informationisn’t necessarily enough to give you the answer to question 7 (the one about both passages),but it might help you eliminate some answers. Strategy 2: Guess on Multi-Passage Questions If you’re aiming for an ACT Reading score around or below 26, my recommendation is to not even bother with trying to answer questions that ask about two passages. W-w-w-w-whaaaaat? (Hamner_Fotos/Flickr) I know- this strategy sounds like it could be risky. But based on the small sample size of ACTs with paired-passage questions, I have been able to glean the following: the questions that ask you to compare aspects of two passages are (unsurprisingly) far more complex than those that ask you to answer questions about one passage. Take this sample question (modified from a sample question on the ACT, Inc. website): "It can reasonably be inferred that after seeing the first woman conducting a major orchestra, compared to the narrator of Passage B, the narrator of Passage A felt ..." Answering this question requires you togo back to passage Ato determine how the narrator felt after seeing a woman conduct a major orchestra. You must then do the same for passage B. There are some strategies you can use to help with eliminating answers (which I’ll discuss later in this article). But if you're aiming for a 26 on ACT Reading, you can afford to guess on the multi-passage questions. The proof can be found in the sample scoring chart below, taken from the most recent official ACT practice test. As a reminder, a raw score is equal to the number of questions you got right. (For more information, check out our in-depth guide to ACT scoring.) Note that althoughthis scoring chart does not apply universally to every ACT Reading section, it should give you a general idea of how many questions you'll need to answer correctly in order to get a certain scale score on Reading. Raw Score Reading Score Raw Score Reading Score Raw Score Reading Score 40 36 27 24 9-10 12 39 35 25-26 23 8 38 34 24 22 6-7 10 37 33 22-23 21 - 9 35-36 32 21 20 5 8 34 31 19-20 19 4 7 33 30 18 18 3 6 32 29 17 17 - 5 31 28 15-16 16 2 4 30 27 14 15 - 3 29 26 12-13 14 1 2 28 25 13 0 1 As this chart indicates,if you’re aiming for a 26 on ACT Reading, you only need a raw score of about 29 out of 40 questions. If you guess on the three or four multi-passage questions, you: Can still miss another five to six questions on the Reading section and get a 26 Will now have 35 minutes to answer 34-35 questions, giving youmore time per question Pick your favorite answer choice (A/F, B/G, C/H, or D/J) and fill it in for all the multi-passage questions. If there are three multi-passage questions, you'll have a 75% chance of getting one of them right ... and you won’t have to spend more than a few seconds on any one of them! Strategy 3: Use the Process of Elimination This tip is partially related to strategy 1. Questions that ask about both passages have to meet the same standard as questions about a single passage: there must be one unambiguously correct answer. But what does this mean for multi-passage questions? If part of an answer is wrong, then you can immediately eliminate that answer choice. For instance, take the ACT Reading example I used earlier: 7. Which of the following statements provides the most accurate comparison of the tone of each passage? A. Passage A is fondly nostalgic, while Passage B is impersonal and scientific.B. Passage A is optimistic and exuberant, while Passage B is sarcastic and cynical.C. Both passages begin by conveying some sense of the narrator’s wonder but conclude with a note of disenchantment.D. Both passages begin by conveying the narrator’s doubt but conclude with some sense of lasting pride. Let’s say you’ve just finished answering questions about passage B when you get to this question about both passages, so it’s clear in your mind. You can tackle two of the answers right away. Look at answer A: A.Passage A is fondly nostalgic, while Passage B is impersonal and scientific. Ask yourself: was Passage B impersonal and scientific? Let’s say no (for the sake of argument). It doesn’t matter, then, whether the part in this answer choice about passage A is correct or not- since the part about passage B is wrong, that whole answer is wrong. What about answer choice B? Let's take a look: B.Passage A is optimistic and exuberant, while Passage B is sarcastic and cynical. My thinking: for answer choice B, passage A does start out exuberant, and passage B does end with something sort of sarcastic or cynical. On the other hand, answer choice C, C. Both passages begin by conveying some sense of the narrator’s wonder but conclude with a note of disenchantment, ... isdefinitely correct.Passage A starts out with the sentence, "I was amazed to see a woman on stage," while passage B starts with, "I’d been hoping so long to read about someone like me doing something I wanted to do that I couldn’t stop my foot from nervously jiggling."Both of these intro sentencesconvey a sense of wonder. Moreover, passage A ends with, "I guess it was too much to expect the newspapers would ignore her sex and focus on her musicianship," while B ends with, "In the end, I didn’t feel bolstered by the performance; I felt more discouraged than ever." Both of theseconvey disenchantment. A common recommendation for using the process of elimination is to cross out any answers that suggest that the passages are the same (the ACT wants you to compare passages, so what would be the point in comparing two nearly identical ones?). As you can see from the example above, though, eliminating answers that point out the passages' similarities might cause you to get rid of the right answer, too.So read carefully! Don’t make Marin Alsop come after you for accidentally eliminating the right answer. (Governo do Estado de So Paulo/Flickr) Strategy 4: Practice With Official SAT Paired-Passage Questions Honestly, this feels like a bit of a cop-out. It’s weird to advise students to prepare for one test by using questions from another one. Unfortunately, ACT Inc. doesn’t leave students much choice. The only official (and free) paired-passage questions availableare the three on theACT, Inc. websiteand the three in the most recent official ACT practice test. This means that, in total, there aresix multi-passage questions you can use for practice(19 paired-passage questions altogether). This lack of practice questions is partly what makes preparing for ACT paired passages so difficult. Luckily, recentchanges to the SAT have made the test strongly resemble the ACT- and both have paired-passage questions on their respective Reading sections. SAT paired passages involvelong (approximately 45-line) passages with a few questions about each passage followed by some questions about both passages. In total, there are about 10- questions per paired passage set on the SAT.Because this format is so similar to that on the ACT, SAT paired passages are quite useful for ACT Reading practice. Every official SAT practice testcontains a set of paired passages with 10- questions (for a total of more than 80 questions). That's about four times as many paired-passage questions as ACT, Inc. currently provides for practice (bonus math practice if you want to check that ratio). This will also give you a chance to figure out what the most difficult question types are for you when it comes to paired passages. Since ACT, Inc. only has six multi-passage questions available, it's hard to know if there's a particular type of multi-passage question you struggle with more than others. Use the SAT paired-passage questions to hunt down your weaknesses and overcome them. How to Attack Paired-Passage Questions: A Summary As you can see, paired passages on ACT Reading can be tricky- but they're certainly not impossible to master. To wrap up, let's briefly go over the four best strategies you can use to attack paired passages: Answer single-passage questions first:Answering questions about individual passages will often give you clues you can later use to answer questions that deal with both passages. Guess on multi-passage questions:Figure out which type of question you tend to get wrong and then focus on improving that skill. Use the process of elimination:If even just part of an answer is wrong, you can eliminate that answer choice immediately. Remember the rule: there is only ever one unambiguously correct answer. Practice with official SAT paired-passage questions:Since not many ACT paired-passage questions are available for practice, it's a good idea to use SAT paired-passage questions so you can get more used to answering questions that address multiple passages. What’s Next? For more reading strategies, take a look atmy article on SAT paired passages. What about answering questions on non-paired passages? Learn more about how to approach passages on ACT Readingwith our in-depth guide. Wondering what will the ACT Reading passages be about? Read my article on the four types of ACT Reading passagesto learn everything you need to know. Dig into your ACT prep by studying each skill the Reading section tests, starting with vocab-in-context questions. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Reading lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: