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Cross-text connections | Lesson
A guide to "cross-text connections" questions on the digital SAT
What are "cross-text connections" questions?
On the Reading and Writing section of your SAT, some questions will present two short texts for you to read. The question will then ask you to compare the points of view of the authors of the two texts.
Cross-text connections questions will look like this:
How should we think about cross-text connections questions?
Cross-text connections questions give us twice as much text to consider, but both texts will cover the same subject, and this close interrelation means that each text will build your understanding of the other.
Additionally, cross-text connections questions will always focus on point of view, which allows us to read the passages with this particular aspect in mind.
Point of view
Point of view refers to the opinions and perspectives of a given person. In the context of the SAT, the point of view we'll tend to focus on is that of the author of the passage or that of specific individuals named in the passage. For instance, in our example question, we're asked to consider the views of the "theorists" from Text 1 and "Cáceres and colleagues" from Text 2.
Once we've identified the individuals whose points of view the question asks about, we'll usually need to consider whether those points of view agree or disagree.
Remember, the points of view we identify must be directly
supported by the text. Avoid choices that express opinions that are too extreme, that swap the points of view of different people, or that make claims that go beyond the specific focus of the text.
How to approach cross-text connections questions
To solve cross-text connections questions, consider following these steps:
Step 1: Summarize the texts
Read each passage closely and summarize the ideas you encounter. Try to boil each text down to one or two simple points. Give some extra attention to the point of view expressed in each text: you know the question will focus on it!
If a passage introduces a particular person, it’s a good idea to focus on the opinions of that person.
By the end of this step, you should have a short summary in mind for each of the two texts.
Step 2: Determine the relationship
Now that you have summarized the points of view that the question focuses on, you must determine how those summaries relate to one another.
- Do the points of view agree?
- Do they disagree?
- Does one point of view elaborate on or modify the other?
Answering these questions should allow you to determine how the two texts are connected to each other, and how the ideas they contain interact. Once we can state this relationship in our own words, we can move on to the next step.
Step 3: Test the choices
Compare your results to each of the choices. Which choice most closely matches the relationship between points of view that you identified? You can select this choice with confidence!
If you're still struggling to decide between the choices, try eliminating choices that go beyond what is expressed by the text or that exaggerate how extreme different points of view might be. Remember, the correct answer will be directly supported.
Top tips
Look for positives (+) and negatives (–)
Pay attention to the specific words used in a text. Are the words positive, negative, or neutral? Word choice that reveals a particular tone or attitude is highly useful for identifying point of view because it can tell us how the author (or whoever else we're focused on) feels about the subject being discussed. Positive and negative words can be particularly useful when looking for agreement or disagreement.
Stick to the text
Avoid choices that go beyond what's directly stated in the text. While it might be tempting to infer what an author's opinion might be, incorrect choices will frequently make claims that are too extreme or that cover cases not explicitly covered in the text. Don't fall into these traps!
Want to join the conversation?
Any tips on how to stay motivated and not get discouraged when studying?(100 votes)
Those who need motivation is weak. We are not. We work because we have to, not because we want to. To build the foundations for our success in the labyrinth of life is why we must continue studying. Life is a constant competition. Only being able to grind when you are "motivated" is a severe handicap. Making excuses will not stop your opponents from surpassing you. Liberate yourself from the immature mindset, and continue your grind. Don't let anything stop you.(90 votes)
As cross-text connection questions incorporate two texts, they can be quite time-consuming. Does anyone have any tips they would use for time management?(27 votes)- What I do is skim both texts and it gives me a general vibe if these texts try to contradict each other, support each other other or elaborate the topic further. I don't have a "tip" but do want you to understand this:
1) There is always a POV in both texts and its mostly either a person or a team/group.
2) The first text is mostly an introduction to the topic or idea and sometimes sets up a central claim. The second text does most of the question's work. That is where you decide if the text supports that claim/idea, elaborates on it to (justify it) or tries to negate it.
Once you understand how these questions work, your mind will automatically start becoming more proficient regarding these questions(94 votes)
What if the text is so long that it takes me several minutes to read it, somehow requires a long time？(6 votes)
Will it be better for me to read the passage from the point viewer first, instead of just reading passage 1? (Like the first example question on the top, where the question asks for the POV of the researchers in text 2.)(7 votes)- Tips on how to score high in english please??(5 votes)
do a lot of practices to get comfortable with the types of questions they ask and what they are looking to test you on. Practices on BlueBook will help alot to give you that test day experiences.(2 votes)
What I do in these exercises is I first read the second passage since it usually asks what would the person on the second passage, say about the first passage. This way, I can first see what the second person know about this topic and I can adapt his mentality so that later i ask myself, what would I (being the second guy) think if someone told me what they say on the first text.(4 votes)- It might not be relevant to ask this but can you please tell me what can I do to strengthen my grammar for the writing part and also which resources should I follow?(2 votes)
- Hi! You could try Erica's DSAT books(4 votes)
who is up 4 may 9th(3 votes)- Any tips on how to stay motivated and not get discouraged when studying(1 vote)
make sure you don't have distractions and set up an area where you can really work at a problem without being given chances to stray from the task at hand. i also like to tell myself that if i don't do it now, ill have to do it later anyways and that usually helps me finish my work. i strongly believe that if you spend enough time on a subject, it will become easier, so i try to do that as much as possible (and don't be afraid to use online or in person resources if you need help!). good luck and you got this!!(6 votes)
- in short, central ideas and details questions test you on your comprehension skills. if you thoroughly understand the two provided texts you can fully answer all the questions on this amazing topic that examines your analysis of the authors points of view. cross text connections is one of the simplest chapters though it requires profound understanding of the texts(3 votes)
