ithout a doubt the Literature SAT-II is the most popular of the dreaded SAT-IIs. With good reason, this is the least feared of the subject tests. The argument is not that this test proves easier than the others, but certainly less classroom-acquired knowledge is necessary to bring to the table for the Literature test then, say, the Math-II, Biology or French tests. It is the one subject test that does not specifically draw upon material taught through the high school curriculum. You read a passage (poems, letters, fables, excerpts from a play script, speeches, etc) and then you answer questions about what you just read. There are no formulas to remember, nor do you have to draw upon texts read previously in school.
How to Beat the SAT Subject Test for Literature
The difficulty lies in understanding complicated text and absorbing the author’s underlining meaning.
For students who love to read, and excel in their high school English classes, the Literature SAT-II will set up nicely for them. In the allotted one hour (for regular time test takers) students will typically be presented with seven passages followed by 6-11 questions each, for a total of 60 questions, converted to the College Board’s 200-800 scoring scale. The readings are collected from English and American literature, spanning the centuries from the Renaissance period through more contemporary 20th century writings. About half of the test is focused on poetry which can often times feel trickier to many students because of its more abstract style and heightened vocabulary than the more familiar feel of prose writings.
Students must remember that every word written in these passages is important and embedded with specific meaning. Nothing on the page is arbitrary. They should approach these passages as if the author mused over each vocabulary decision for a day or two, trying 100s of variations, before moving on to the next line. Each punctuation mark has been carefully placed to create the desired cadence and evoke the desired mood onto the reader. It is the test-takers job to latch on to these subtleties; this is where the true difficulty lies.
Although this exam does not test specific content (and perhaps because of that) this test is not a breeze. It requires that students be comfortable with literary terminology and concepts, but there is actually less reading per question to do here than on the SAT-I. The skills utilized in order to score high on this exam are certainly learnable. Frankly, of all the tools one could gain studying for college entry exams, these skills will probably prove the most useful no matter what academic or career path you choose to follow. Honing these skills now will put you ahead of the game in college.
For that reason alone, the Literature SAT-II test should not only be considered a valuable option for English majors. Reading and interpreting material is a requirement of nearly every profession. Therefore, if you are a student still investigating a wide range of academic interests, this may be the test for you, especially as a companion to a more subject specific test like a Math or Science SAT-II.
