Practice Test Reflection (Blog Post #2)

This first practice test definitely gave me an idea of the direction I need to move in during the next two trimesters. From the very first question it was challenging. Really, the hardest part of it was staying attentive, and engaged in the text. I love to read, but when I say I love to read I mean I love to read about things that are interesting to me. I'm not used to reading essays and monologues and sonnets, so my mind wanders while I'm reading and I end up not having a clue what I just read. I then take up any extra time I may have had to search for the answers to each question, rather than knowing them in the first place. My first goal (to be achieved by the end of first trimester at the latest): stay engaged in the text so that I don't have to hunt down answers.

Along with my difficulty in staying engaged, I also don't have much prior knowledge about literature. Of course I read some of the classic books in past english classes, and have had some minor experience with poetry, but none quite like this. After taking the test and looking at the answers I noticed that one of my strengths is recognizing symbols in poetry. I cannot, however, identify the different types of poetry, and I could use a refresher on the literary techniques. With that I have goal number two: By mid-october, be able to identify the different types of poetry and look over common literary techniques.

There was one text which I did overwhelmingly better on than any other passage, it was the essay about poets and language, by Percy Bysshe Shelley. As I mentioned before, I am much more engaged in reading when I find the topic interesting. I found this topic to be both interesting and understandable--while there were literary techniques, the passage over-all was not abstract. I was able to recall much of what I read, and because of that I found the exact answers much more quickly than I did in the other passages. Even though I enjoyed this topic more than the others, I hurried to finish the test on time, and I skimmed portions of the essay as with the four previous texts. Goal number three: take the time to read each passage thoroughly so that the questions are easier to answer (this goal is alongside goal number one). 

I do miss details here and there, especially when I skim, but I do pretty well on the questions that ask about the authors tone, or about the feeling of the passage. I can keep an open mind while I am reading, and answer the inference questions when they come. What I really need is more practice. Goal number four: complete at least three other timed multiple choice questions by the end of the first trimester in order to overcome the time barrier and get more practice. I definitely don't have all of the qualities of an effective reader, but I believe I can gain the skills necessary if I practice.