It's never too soon to start preparing for the SAT and ACT. From the experts at The Princeton Review, this book helps ambitious 7th, 8th, and 9th graders build the critical reading skills they need to succeed on both tests and beyond! Whether or not you like it, the truth is that scoring well on standardized tests is undeniably important in today's academic environment. The verbal portions of both the SAT and ACT test important reading comprehension skills that many students are unprepared for--or need extra help with. As parents know, the Redesigned SAT is looming on the horizon for rising high school students (those taking the exam in 2016 or beyond). The power of a single word and how it can vary in meaning depending on its surrounding context is a core skills-building component in Are You Ready for the SAT & ACT?, which directly addresses the layered analytical thinking that the Redesigned SAT requires. With this book, The Princeton Review brings you a focused, strategic approach to improving crucial reading skills for both exams. With this book, you'll find:   A Strategic Approach to Sharpening Your Skills    * Zero in on specific wording to unlock hidden info    * Pinpoint the primary purpose of reading passages    * Discover the language of argument and its implications Fun, Engaging Activities and Drills    * Identify the "puzzle pieces" that make up words    * Decpiher unfamiliar vocabulary with context clues    * Conquer difficult paragraphs by "trimming the fat"