SAT Reading & Writing: Choose the best summary of a passage or paragraph
34+ practice questions in Praczo
The concept, explained
- 1
A good summary captures the passage's main claim plus its most important supporting point — nothing more, nothing less.
- 2
Eliminate choices that mention a true detail from the passage but miss its overall argument. A summary must cover the whole, not a slice.
- 3
Watch for distortions: choices that subtly change the author's stance (e.g., flip a qualified claim into an absolute one) are wrong even if most words match.
- 4
If two choices seem close, pick the one whose scope matches the passage's scope — not broader, not narrower.
- 5
Re-read the topic sentence and the final sentence; together they usually point to the passage's central claim, which the right summary must mirror.
- ✗ Choosing a summary that accurately describes one paragraph but ignores the rest of the passage.
- ✗ Picking an option that adds a detail or implication not actually in the passage just because it sounds reasonable.
- ✗ Selecting choices with extreme wording ('proves,' 'always,' 'never') when the passage is more measured.
SAT-style practice
A short passage argues that urban farming programs can reduce food insecurity in cities, but only when paired with consistent funding, education, and access to land. Which choice best summarizes the passage?
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