EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF TIMING AND PACING IN TEST-TAKING

• The test you will take will be timed
• It may allocate a certain amount of time for the whole test and let you decide how much time you will spend in each section
• Or it may be more structured and will assign specific time for each section
• In both cases, you have to perform a series of tasks (reading, writing, listening, answering multiple choice or essay questions, etc.)in the time you have been given
• It is very important you know how much time you have and how to best use it
• Organize yourself: give yourself time to think, to draft, and to review
• Do not rush but do not spend too much time on a certain point either
• If you see that you are running out of time, do not panic; your performance will be better if you stay calm

DESCRIBE SOME STRATEGIES FOR IDENTIFYING PATTERNS AND PURPOSES IN A WRITTEN OR ORAL PIECE

Asking some questions about the information presented in a written or oral piece and paying attention to specific elements will help you identify what type of text you have in front of you

These questions and elements will also help you when you are being asked to write a specific type of text or speak for a certain purpose

Some of the the more common options are listed below:

• What happened? - narration
• What does it look, sound, smell, or taste like? - description
• It includes examples or reasons - illustration/support
• It is like, or different from something else - comparison and contrast
• It happened because - cause and effect
• What is it? - definition
• It states opinions - position
• How to do it? - process analysis

DESCRIBE STRATEGIES FOR TAKING NOTES DURING THE LISTENING COMPREHENSION PORTION OF THE TEST

During the test, you will listen to a text or conversation

• You will have to answer a series of multiple-choice questions and/or write a piece based on what you heard
• Listen carefully through the passage to grasp and understand its content
• Take notes as you listen
• Find main and secondary ideas as well as supporting information and examples
• What was the purpose of the speech or conversation?
• Who was the audience?
• If two points of view were presented, how did they differ?
• Look out for style and tone
• Is it a formal discourse?
• Does it sound friendly?
• Does it use simple language?
• All of these elements are clues that you can use to infer information not specifically said in the text, but somehow included in the passage
• The better you understand the text, the more accurate your answers will be

DESCRIBE TYPES OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT WILL BE NEEDED TO ANSWER LISTENING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

For the listening comprehension section, it is important to pay attention to the general context of the narration, description, conversation, or statement

Understanding context is extremely helpful to infer the meaning of words you might not know

It also helps to identify the appropriate meaning for those words that have more than one (cara: expensive or face; frente: front or forehead,  the tone used in an oral piece (happy, serious, ironic, formal) will be another tool to assess the situation

Intonation will help you determine the tense (hablo - present and habló - past) and if a sentence is an affirmative or a question

Emphasis on particular words will give you clues about what information is important (mi lápiz es azul/my pencil...not my pen; mi lápiz es azul/it is blue...not red)

In most tasks you will be allowed to see or hear the question(s) ahead of time

These questions can be very helpful in forming your understanding of the passage

For example, if a question asks "¿Qué quiere hacer la mujer mañana?", you can anticipate that you will hear a man and a woman talking about plans for tomorrow, and that you will need to learn the woman's point of view

Focus your note taking and listening on the information the question requires

EXPLAIN SOME STRATEGIES FOR ANSWERING MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS AFTER READING OR LISTENING TO A PASSAGE

• Carefully read/listen to the passage a first time as described above
• Read the questions and answer the ones you are sure about
• Make notes about the possible answers to those questions you are in doubt or do not know
• Do not spend too much time on any particular question
• Read/listen to the passage again, concentrating on finding the missing answers
• Go through the questions again and answer them
• In most cases, two readings will be enough to complete all of the questions
• If not, reread/listen to the passage and go over the missing answers one more time
• Read/listen to the passage one final time
• Revise and do a final check on your answers
• One main way that your understanding of the passage will be tested is by the use of synonyms
• For example, if the passage states "La Familia Picasso se vio obligada a abandonar Málaga, debido a la poca estabilidad económica de la que disfrutaba" a question may ask "¿Por qué se mudó la famila Picasso? You will need to identify the in this context, "se mudó is synonymous with "abandonar"
• The correct answer choice will rephrase "la poca estabilidad económica de la que disfrutaba" perhaps by saying something like "no tenían suficiente dinero"

DESCRIBE TYPES OF IDEAS TO LOOK FOR IN THE READING PORTION OF THE TEST, INCLUDING IDEAS AND EXAMPLES, AUDIENCE AND TONE, AND STYLE AND PURPOSE

• During the test, you will be given passages to read
• You will have to answer a series of multiple choice questions and/or write a piece based on that text
• Read carefully through the passage to grasp and understand its content
• Find main and secondary ideas as well as supporting information and examples
• You may choose to underline short phrases that communicate these or write one-to-three-word summaries in the margins
• Pay attention to any sequence of events presented as well as to cause-and-effect relationships
• Determine who the audience is, as well as the style and tone of the text
• Is it written in a formal or a familiar style?
• Is it polite, authoritarian, or ironic?
• Is it written in simple or scholarly language?
• This will give a more accurate indication of the purpose of the material
• These elements are cues that you can use to infer information not specifically written in the text but somehow included in the passage that will help you better understand the text
• When reading a text, it is important to determine the style of the piece
• In the informative style, the author presents the information and the data in an objective way
• He/she is trying to educate or give something to the audience
• On the other hand, in the persuasive style, the writer is trying to convince the reader of his/her ideas
• He/she presents the information from his/her own point of view
• In a piece written in the persuasive style, it is important to be able to separate the actual facts from the opinions of the author

PROVIDE SOME KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR ANSWERING WRITTEN RESPONSE QUESTIONS AFTER READING A PASSAGE

• You may be asked to respond in writing after reading a passage
• After identifying what your task is, there are some key considerations that will help you maximize your score:  What grammar structures does the writing prompt seek to elicit? For example, if it asks you to summarize what happened in the passage, you will use the past tenses (preterite and imperfect)  If it asks you to state your opinion about the topic of the passage, you will use the subjunctive.  If it asks you to describe what will happen as a result of the information in the passage, you will use the future
• Make use of the vocabulary provided in the passage.  For example, you are given a passage on students going to college a year early.  You read it, and then as you begin to write, you cannot remember the Spanish word for "early".  Go back to the passage and find the Spanish word or phrase that told you the idea of "early"
• Do not copy large chunks of the passage.  For example, if the passage says "La universidad mejor para ti depende en tus metas educacionales y profesionales"  If you are asked to give your opinion about what university a student should choose, do not copy this entire sentence.  Instead, use the vocabulary provided but in a different format as elicited by the prompt: "Es importante que un estudiante considere sus metas educationales y profesionales"

DESCRIBE SOME KEY STRATEGIES FOR WRITING AN EFFECTIVE SUMMARY

• You may be asked to summarize a written or oral piece
• In doing so, you are being asked to state the same ideas as developed in the piece but in a much more concise form
• The amount of information you include in a summary depends on the length allowed for it
• Go through the text and find the main ideas
• State them as briefly as possible
• If you were allotted a small amount of words, the main ideas will be all you can include in the summary
• If you still have room, go through the text again and find secondary ideas
• Pick up the important ones and include them in the summary, also as briefly and clearly as possible
• Make sure you are true to the text
• Do not include details and do not add new ideas or your own opinions

DESCRIBE KEY GOALS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN PERFORMING A SPEAKING TASK

• The test will include speaking tasks
• You will have some time to prepare before your speaking is recorded
• During the preparation, make sure that:
• You accurately respond to the content, audience, style, and format requirements
• You present your ideas in an organized, logical manner
• Your speech is coherent and has unity (flows smoothly)
• You use the right words (vocabulary) and grammar

When you deliver your speaking task, make sure that:

• You speak clearly
• You speak neither too fast nor too slow
• You pay close attention to pronunciation
• You quickly correct errors

DESCRIBE KEY POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN ANSWERING A SIMULATED CONVERSATION TASK

• You may be asked to simulate a conversation in Spanish
• You will be given an outline of the conversation
• The outline will not give you the exact words that you will hear but just a general idea of what you can expect
• You will have a certain time to prepare and deliver your part of the conversation after each line
• Listen carefully to the first line of the conversation
• Look for the main topic, who the other person is, and what information he/she is asking you for
• Pay attention to formal versus informal or familiar words and expressions
• Pay attention also to regional cues, educational level of the language, and tone used by the other person
• All of these elements will help you to chose the appropriate content, style, and tone you will use in your answers

PROVIDE A STRATEGY FOR PREPARING FOR AN EXTENDED SPEECH TASK AND HOW TO PREPARE NOTES FOR THE SPEECH

• You will be asked to speak for a more extended period of time to complete a speech task
• Some examples of these tasks include giving instructions or asking for information, describing a personal experience, and expressing and defending your opinion or position on a topic
• You will have some time to prepare your response
• Read/listen carefully to the prompt
• During your preparation time, write down your main points and vocabulary or examples that will add detail to your instructions/story of that will support your point of view
• Organize your arguments in a clear, logical manner
• For example, if you are asked to tell about a time you overcame a difficulty, your notes may look like this:

COMPETENCIA DE ATLESTISMO (PRIMERA EN LA UNIVERSIDAD)

• Me lastimé la pierna en enero
• no podía correr por un mes
• tuve que nadar, hacer ejercicios para mantenerme en forma
• la competencia en marzo
• tenía miedo de ser la última persona
• corrí 12 veces por la pista
• después de 8 veces, era la primera
• gané

PROVIDE SAMPLE NOTES IN SPANISH FOR A SPEECH TO BE GIVEN ON YOUR OPINION OF SCHOOL UNIFORMS

• If you are asked to give your opinion on school uniforms, your notes may look like this:

Creo que los uniformes escolares son buenos:

• Ocultan diferencias entre los estudiantes
• Ricos/pobres
• Tipos de cuerpos
• Ayudan a los estudiantes enfocarse
• Todos mismos - no distracciones
• Más profesionales - escuela es algo importante
• Muchas reglas no son necesarias
• Los estudiantes son un grupo, parte de un "equipo"
• Por otro lado: estudiantes no pueden expresarse con la ropa
• Tienen otras oportunidades...clases de arte, tiempo afuera de la escuela, cuando son mayores

DESCRIBE HOW TO EFFECTIVELY PRACTICE FOR A SPEAKING TASK

• You may also find it helpful to write down connective words and phrases to use
• When delivering your speech, avoid using an aggressive tone or getting emotional
• Speak clearly and not too fast, but not too slow either
• Pay special attention to your pronunciation
• Practice telling stories or sharing your point of view on a topic out loud in Spanish
• Do so in the car while driving, in the shower, at home, or wherever you are comfortable talking aloud to yourself
• By forcing yourself to speak out loud, you will notice vocabulary that you need to review and tenses that you struggle to use quickly and accurately
• Use these gaps to focus your studying and further practice

DESCRIBE WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE WRITING PORTION OF THE TEST

• The writing part of the test will include a variety of styles and requirements:  letters, memos, or e-mails; narrative, descriptive, analytic, or opinion texts; formal or informal forms of address
• In all cases, your ideas should be organized and neatly stated
• You will be timed; make sure that you understand how much time you have to complete the task(s)
• In some sections, you will have a given amount of time to complete one writing task
• In other sections, you may have a given amount of time to complete more than one writing task
• Divide your time wisely between the tasks rather than spending too much time on the first

EXPLAIN WHAT ELEMENTS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN WRITING A PIECE

• When writing, there are certain basic elements that should be taken into consideration
• They apply to all writing assignments in all languages
• Among them are as follows:
• Match answer to assignment (purpose, content, style, and length)
• Consider your audience
• Develop an outline
• Organize the body of the piece (by space, time, emphasis, or other clustering concept)
• Start with an introduction
• End with a conclusion
• Check for unity and coherence
• Proofread for grammar, spelling, and punctuation

EXPLAIN THE NECESSITY OF MATCHING THE ANSWER SPECIFICALLY TO THE ASSIGNMENT AND HOW TO KEEP THE AUDIENCE IN MIND

• After reading the prompt, identify the subject - make sure you will write about what is required
• If the subject is too broad or general to be addressed in the length assigned, focus on a specific part of the subject, narrowing it to a topic or set of points that can be covered with the number of words required
• Make sure you understand the purpose of your written response - is it to describe, inform, persuade, or analyze?
• Identify the grammatical structure(s) and vocabulary that you will need in order to answer the prompt well
• Knowing who you are writing for is a very important element for any type of writing assignment
• In general, your audience will be defined or implied in the instructions
• All good written pieces match the information and the way it is presented to the designated audience
• Too much, too detailed, or too specific information may not be appropriate for a general audience
• Too general or too little information will not suit a knowledgeable audience
• The format and style you use to present the information should also match the audience
• Informal, personal sentences are fitting for an e-mail to a friend or family member
• A formal tone is required for a letter to a future employer
• If you cannot identify your audience from the instructions, consider it as the general public with no in-depth knowledge of your particular subject

DESCRIBE THE WRITING PROCESS AND HOW TO PRODUCE AN EFFECTIVE OUTLINE

The writing process consists of three basic stages: development, drafting, and revision

During the development, you will gather information about your topic.  You will then select the most relevant information and organize it in an outline.  

In the drafting stage, you will write you ideas based on the information collected during development, explaining and connecting them.

During the revision, you will go through your text, rethinking and rewriting to improve the overall structure and content, editing for clarity and flow, and proof-reading for grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

The outline is one of the most useful tools to build a clear, well-organized piece.

It basically lists your ideas in the order they will be covered.

It will guide you through your writing and will show the relative importance of each element.

It is particularly useful to shape the body of your piece.

Make a section for each main idea.  Check the order of the sections.

Do they follow the order you want (chronological, spatial, from general to specific?)  Are all of them relevant?

Are there any gaps or overlaps? Under each section, add the secondary ideas and then, the supporting information and examples.

Apply the same questions to the secondary ideas and to supporting material.

Reorganize as needed.

Once your outline is ready, follow its structure to draft your essay.

EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF WRITING AN EFFECTIVE INTRODUCTION AND CONCLUSION

• All writing assignments should begin with an introduction
• The topic will be described in the test's instructions, but it has to be presented at the beginning of your text
• You cannot assume the reader knows the topic, and you cannot start your pieces as a continuation of the instructions
• You should also include a brief outline of the main points
• The introduction should be simple, clear, and concise
• Do not use el propósito de este escrito es (the purpose of this essay is), estoy escribiendo acerca de (I am writing about), or similar expressions
• The length of the introduction will depend on the total number of words required for the particular assignment
• Most of the times, one or two sentences are enough
• In other cases, a longer paragraph is more appropriate
• All writing assignments should end with a conclusion
• The conclusion will wrap up your piece
• It is telling the reader you have finished it
• It should briefly summarize the main points and might include results or a suggested course of action
• Do not restate your introduction and do not include new ideas
• The length of the conclusion will depend on the total number of words required for the particular assignment
• Most of the time, one or two sentences are enough
• In other cases, a longer paragraph is more appropriate

DESCRIBE THE IMPORTANCE OF UNITY AND COHERENCE OF WRITING WITHIN A PIECE

• Unity and coherence are the two elements that will make a written or oral piece flow smoothly
• When checking for unity, see if all parts of the piece support the main idea
• All examples and details should be relevant to the central idea
• All sections of your piece should relate to each other
• If a piece is coherent, reader/listener will be able to see relations and easily go from one through to another one
• Organize your material in a logical manner
• Check for gaps and abrupt transitions and add connective words or phrases to guide the reader along your thinking path
• For a list of helpful connective words and phrases, go back to Linguistics of the Target Language

DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF WRITING AND REVISING A WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT

• It is very important that you will have time to revise and edit your written assignments
• In this last step, you will be able to correct any mistakes, omissions, or other errors that you overlooked while writing
• When revising and editing check the following:

1. The subject of your piece matches your assignment
2. You have answered all questions and included everything that was requested
3. You have followed the instructions regarding format
4. You have used the appropriate style and tone for your audience
5. You have used the right vocabulary and clear and readable language
6. Your piece is well organized
7. There are appropriate transitions between paragraphs
8. Your grammar is correct
9. There are no misspelled words
10. You have used correct punctuation

DESCRIBE A STRATEGY FOR COPING WITH A FORGOTTEN WORD WHEN WRITNG OR SPEAKING

• Many times, you will be writing or speaking and you realize you do not know or do not remember a particular word
• Do not panic or try stubbornly to get the word, just  use circumlocution, or go around it
• For nouns (percha/hanger), describe what the object looks like ( un triángulo con un gancho/a triangle with a hook), what it is made of (alambre/wire, madera/wood, o plástico/plastic), what it is used for (para colgar la ropa/to hang clothes), or where you can find it (en el armario/in the closet)
• For adjectives, use opposites (ella no es tímida/she is not shy= she is outgoing)
• For verbs, use the results of the action
• Convey your message with the proper spelling or pronunciation and in a grammatically correct way

DESCRIBE THE PROCESS FOR WRITING A MEMO

• A memo (short for memorandum) is usually a short, concise written piece used at work to inform, instruct, or remind about a particular subject
• Memos do not have to be very formal, but they do not tend to be too informal either
• They must be very clear
• The heading of a memo should start with the date, the recipient, and the sender
• Include a Subject line at the beginning stating, in a few words, the topic of the memo (see the example below)
• Use short paragraphs and simple sentences
• Include lists and use specific vocabulary
• Avoid the passive voice and unnecessary details
• Memos do not include a salutation and signature at the bottom
• EXAMPLE: see below

• MEMORANDUM
• July 13, 2012
• To: Paul Johnson
• From: Lisa Smith
• SUBJECT: Personnel changes

DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF WRITING A DESCRIPTION OR PROCESS

• A description answers the question, "What does it look (smell, sound, taste, or feel) like?"
• A description can be subjective or objective, depending on whether you use your emotions and personal bias
• A description can be organized relative to space, as from right to left or from top to bottom; from the whole to the parts, as when you describe the general shape of a face and then the eyes, mouth, nose, etc., or for emphasis, where you start with the most important or relevant traits and then go into other features.

• When you explain how to perform a task or how something works, you are describing a process
• The first step would be to analyze and fully understand the process
• Once familiar with the process you can describe it in a chronological or in a spatial way
• The method you choose will depend on your subject
• Chronologically, you will explain the different steps as they occurred in time, first to last.
• Spatially, you will organize the information relatively to its physical position (from left to right, for example)
• Clarity is very important in describing a process -- make sure that you provide any needed context for the steps you include in your description 

DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF WRITING E-MAILS AND LETTERS FOR PERSONAL AND BUSINESS PURPOSES

• E-mails and letters communicate in writing for personal and for business purposes
• In both letters and e-mails the format and style will depend on the relationship between the sender and the recipient
• Family members and friends will use a very informal, colloquial language with each other
• E-mails or letters sent to a company asking for a job will be formal and structured
• Read your assignment carefully, and determine how the sender and recipient are related
• Use the degree of formality that matches that connection
• Whether formal or informal, organize your thoughts and present them in a clear, logical manner
• Start with an appropriate salutation and end with a signature

DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF WRITING NARRATION PIECES AND COMPARISON AND CONTRAST PIECES

• A narration answers the question, "What happened?"
• The subject is developed as a story or a sequence of events
• The events can be real or fictional
• A narration is commonly organized in chronological order
• Narrations are usually written in the first or third person
• Since you will be writing about situations that might occur at different times, make sure you use the right tenses for all verbs and that they reflect the different points in time associated with each action

Comparison and contrast pieces describe similarities and differences among ideas, people, or things

The introduction should state the subjects and a general description of what features you will compare

For the body, the two most commonly used ways to develop comparisons and contrasts are subject-by-subject and point-by-point

In subject-by-subject, each subject is discussed separately, fully describing one and then the other

When using this method, keep the order of the elements you compare in the same order for both subjects

In the point-by-point method, the two subjects are discussed at the same time, each element covered for both subjects side by side

Examples are usually very useful to clarify ideas in this kind of piece

Finish the piece with your conclusion

DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF WRITING CAUSE AND EFFECT PIECES

• Cause and effect or cause and consequence pieces answer the question "Why?"
• You will analyze and present why something happened or what is likely to happen in the future
• The prompt may ask you to focus on the causes (Why did this happen?) or the effects (What happened because of...?)
• It is very important that you keep your ideas well organized
• Do not mix causes and effects
• To avoid confusions and misinterpretations, keep each cause or effect and its supporting information in the same sentence or paragraph
• Cohesion words are useful for this type of piece, such as :
• since, because, consequently, as a result, therefore, for this reason, because of, due to, and so.
• Refer to the list of cohesion words and phrases in the previous chapter (Subtest II)

DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF WRITING PERSONAL OPINION PIECES

• You may be asked to develop a piece based on your own personal opinions about a certain subject
• In the introduction, you should start by briefly stating your point of view
• The body of the piece should describe your opinion in detail, explaining and justifying it, and refuting any objections
• The body should also include examples and material from other sources to support your opinion
• Do an outline to make sure your arguments are organized in a clear, logical manner
• Avoid using an aggressive tone and attacking other perspectives
• Finish the piece restating your opinion and adding possible future actions, if applicable

PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TO SYSTEMATICALLY FOLLOW THE WRITING PROCESS FOR ANSWERING A WRITTEN PROMPT

Below is a prompt similar to those you may see on your test.

Following the prompt are examples of how to follow the writing process to successfully complete the task.

Algunas personas creen que las clases en las artes (música, teatro, arte visual, etc.) son un gasto de recursos y que es más importante que los estudiantes reciban mucha instrucción en las ciencias, las matemáticas, y la tecnología.  ¿Está usted de acuerdo con esta posición? Apoye su posición con ejemplos especifícos. Escriba un mínimo de 120 palabras.

• Purpose: share my position on whether or not arts classes are a waste of time in 120+ words
• Audience:  general
• Vocabulary and grammar:  subjunctive: Es importante que; Es menester que; indicative: es mi opinión que, creo que, si; future: what will happen if.....
• My position: Proveer clases en las artes no es un gasto de recursos sino una inversión en el futuro de nuestros estudiantes y de nuestra sociedad.

PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE OF OUTLINING IN THE WRITING PROCESS

 Algunas personas creen que las clases en las artes (música, teatro, arte visual, et.) son un gasto de recursos y que es más importante que los estudiantes reciban mucha instrucción en las ciencias, las matemáticas, y la tecnología.  ¿Está usted de acuerdo con esta posición? Apoye su posición con ejemplos especifícos.  Escriba un mínimo de 120 palabras.

OUTLINE:

• Intro w/my position
• Derechos de los estudiantes
• Tener la oportunidad a experimentar a muchas posibilidades
• Tener la oportunidad a elegir para sí mismo lo que le gusta
• Carreras que requieren artes y ciencias
• Arquitectura
• Diseño gráfico
• La que gana/pierda la sociedad
• Artes populares (películas, libros, música)
• Arte "alta" - gran obras

Conclusión: Estudiar las artes es importante al desarrollo personal de los estudiantes, abre las puertas a muchas carreras, y enriquece nuestras vidas con lo que provee

PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE OF BRAINSTORMING IN THE WRITING PROCESS

Algunas personas creen que las clases en las artes (música, teatro, arte visual, etc.) son un gasto de recursos y que es más importante que los estudiantes reciban mucha instrucción en las ciencias, las matemáticas, y la tecnología.  ¿Está usted de acuerdo con esta posición?  Apoye su posición con ejemplos específicos.  Escriba un mínimo de 120 palabras.

Specific examples/points brainstorming:

• los estudiantes tienen el derecho de ser (exposed? Don't know Spanish word. Tener la oportunidad a experimentar?) a muchos tipos de actividades y empleos.  No es bueno si elijamos para ellos.
• La sociedad no tendrá películas, música, libros si no permitamos que los niños aprendan las artes.  Estas cosas enriquecen las vidas de todos.
• Muchas carreras requieren una mezcla de habilidad artística y científica/tecnológica(arquitectura/diseño gráfico)