Grade: Grade 11 Subject: English Language Arts Unit: SAT/ACT R&W Mastery Lesson: 3 of 6 SAT: Information+Ideas ACT: Reading

Text Practice: Paired Passages

Learn

Paired passages are a staple of both the SAT and ACT. These question sets require you to analyze two related texts and understand how they connect, contrast, or complement each other.

Key Strategies for Paired Passages

  • Read Passage 1 first, then answer its specific questions before moving to Passage 2
  • Identify the relationship between passages: Do they agree, disagree, or present different aspects of the same topic?
  • Track each author's main claim and the evidence they use
  • Note tone differences - one author may be optimistic while another is skeptical
  • Look for explicit connections - words like "however," "similarly," or "in contrast"

Common Paired Passage Question Types

  1. Comparison questions: How would Author 1 respond to Author 2's claim?
  2. Synthesis questions: What do both passages suggest about [topic]?
  3. Evidence pairing: Which quotes from both passages support a given conclusion?
  4. Relationship questions: What is the primary difference between the two authors' approaches?

The COMPARE Method

Use this framework when tackling paired passages:

  • Claim: What is each author's main argument?
  • Overlap: Where do the passages agree?
  • Methods: What evidence or reasoning does each author use?
  • Purpose: Why did each author write this?
  • Assumptions: What does each author take for granted?
  • Response: How might one author respond to the other?
  • Evidence: Which specific lines support your analysis?

Examples

Example Paired Passage Set

Passage 1: A scientist argues that artificial intelligence will revolutionize medical diagnosis, reducing human error and democratizing healthcare access globally.

Passage 2: A medical ethicist expresses concern that over-reliance on AI diagnosis may erode the doctor-patient relationship and create new forms of inequality in healthcare.

Sample Question: Based on both passages, the authors would most likely agree that:

  1. AI should never be used in medical settings
  2. Technology will fundamentally change medical practice
  3. Human doctors are always more reliable than AI
  4. Healthcare inequality is primarily a technological problem

Analysis: The correct answer is B. Both authors acknowledge that AI will transform medicine - they differ on whether this transformation is primarily beneficial or concerning. Answer A is too extreme for Passage 1's author. Answer C contradicts Passage 1. Answer D oversimplifies both positions.

Practice

Complete these 10 practice items to strengthen your paired passage analysis skills.

Practice Set: Climate Change Perspectives

Read both passages, then answer the questions that follow.

Passage A:

The transition to renewable energy represents not merely an environmental necessity but an economic opportunity of unprecedented scale. Countries that invest heavily in solar, wind, and battery technologies today will dominate the industries of tomorrow. The falling costs of clean energy have already made renewables competitive with fossil fuels in many markets, and this trend will only accelerate. Those who dismiss renewable energy as impractical or economically damaging fail to recognize that the true cost of inaction - in climate disasters, health impacts, and stranded assets - far exceeds any transition costs.

Passage B:

While the goals of the renewable energy movement are admirable, its proponents often underestimate the practical challenges of a rapid transition. Our electrical grid, built over a century for centralized fossil fuel generation, cannot simply be switched to distributed renewable sources overnight. The intermittent nature of solar and wind power requires massive battery storage solutions that do not yet exist at scale. Moreover, millions of workers in traditional energy sectors deserve a realistic transition plan, not promises of "green jobs" that may take decades to materialize. A measured, pragmatic approach - including natural gas as a bridge fuel - offers a more achievable path forward.

1. The authors of both passages would most likely agree that:

  1. Fossil fuels should be eliminated immediately
  2. The energy sector will undergo significant changes
  3. Economic concerns should outweigh environmental ones
  4. Natural gas is an acceptable long-term solution

2. Unlike Passage A, Passage B emphasizes:

  1. The economic benefits of energy transition
  2. The urgency of addressing climate change
  3. Infrastructure and workforce challenges
  4. The falling costs of renewable technology

3. The author of Passage A would most likely respond to Passage B's concerns about grid infrastructure by arguing that:

  1. Grid modernization costs are a worthwhile investment
  2. The current grid is already adequate for renewables
  3. Infrastructure concerns are irrelevant to energy policy
  4. Private companies should bear all transition costs

4. Which choice best describes the relationship between the two passages?

  1. Passage B directly refutes the claims made in Passage A
  2. Both passages reach the same conclusion through different reasoning
  3. Passage B acknowledges similar goals but emphasizes different considerations
  4. Passage A presents facts while Passage B presents opinions

5. The phrase "stranded assets" in Passage A most likely refers to:

  1. Renewable energy equipment that fails to function
  2. Fossil fuel infrastructure that becomes economically worthless
  3. Workers who cannot find new employment
  4. Countries that fail to invest in technology

6. The author of Passage B uses the phrase "overnight" primarily to:

  1. Suggest that renewable advocates propose immediate changes
  2. Indicate the time needed for battery technology development
  3. Criticize the speed of current policy implementation
  4. Describe the actual timeline of grid construction

7. Which statement best characterizes the difference in tone between the passages?

  1. Passage A is pessimistic; Passage B is optimistic
  2. Passage A is urgent; Passage B is cautionary
  3. Passage A is objective; Passage B is emotional
  4. Passage A is technical; Passage B is philosophical

8. Based on Passage B, the author would most likely describe advocates of rapid transition as:

  1. Deliberately deceptive about costs
  2. Well-intentioned but unrealistic
  3. Indifferent to worker welfare
  4. Opposed to any use of fossil fuels

9. Which quote from Passage A most directly addresses a concern raised in Passage B?

  1. "an economic opportunity of unprecedented scale"
  2. "Countries that invest heavily...will dominate the industries of tomorrow"
  3. "the true cost of inaction...far exceeds any transition costs"
  4. "falling costs of clean energy have already made renewables competitive"

10. If forced to find common ground, both authors would most likely support:

  1. Immediate elimination of all fossil fuel subsidies
  2. Investment in energy technology research and development
  3. Maintaining the current energy mix indefinitely
  4. Prioritizing environmental goals over economic stability

Check Your Understanding

Review these key concepts before moving on:

  • Can you identify the main claim of each passage in a paired set?
  • Can you articulate where two authors agree and disagree?
  • Can you predict how one author would respond to another's argument?
  • Can you find specific textual evidence to support synthesis claims?
  • Can you distinguish between what authors state explicitly vs. imply?

Practice Answer Key

1. B | 2. C | 3. A | 4. C | 5. B | 6. A | 7. B | 8. B | 9. C | 10. B

Next Steps

  • Practice the COMPARE method on additional paired passage sets
  • Time yourself: aim to complete paired passages in 13-15 minutes total
  • Continue to the Writing Application lesson to practice expression skills