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phinlit · 2005 June 27th, 10:16 PM

Here are three versions of English in Literature full official practice tests I've seen....

GR9964 1999, current download from gre.org
GR9564 1994-95*
1 of 2 in 3rd edition "Practicing" (1996 ed)
GR9064 1989
1 of 2 in 3rd edition "Practicing" (1996 ed)
Only test 1 of 1 in 2nd edition "Practicing" (1993 ed.)

News of additional practice materials is appreciated.

Practicing="ETS Practicing to Take the Literature in English Test"

*If you Google: "litineng.pdf" you may find online postings of old practice book.....GR9564. Alternately you can find GR9564 on some links off of archive.org, but searching ets and gre.org but there are many broken links, especially in ftp areas. Earlier versions of tests do not appear to be archived.

manusrat · 2005 July 7th, 08:38 AM

Dear Friends,

Hope you are all fine and studying hard GRE lit . I just need to know a couple of things:
1. The six Nortons you talk of, are they very different from the previous books? Or is it just divided into 6 parts so it's easier to carry? PLease tell me because where I live there is no such 6 vol Nortons! I only got hold of the 2 vol of Brit and 2 vol American Nortons. And I also got the one vol. Critical Theory and 2 vol. of World lit.

2. Is there any webwite where I can download questions of GRE Lit? Can Erin or any one from the testmagic send me some GRe Lit questions through internet?

Thank you.
manusrat

cridamour · 2005 July 8th, 08:49 AM

1. The six-volume Norton is indeed just the normal volumes, but split up to make them easier to carry. So, you haven't missed out on anything.

2. I don't think a lot of test questions are available, since the test is only organized twice a year and only paper-based, this means that ETS only makes two tests a year and they don't like to spread the questions since it's very time-consuming to make the tests and they might want to re-use some of the questions in tests afterwards. For the GRE General, there are a lot of questions available, since people take the test every day, and it's easier to come up with new questions for that one. The only tests I know of are the one on the site of ETS, the ones in the ETS book and the ones in other standardized books (which are not even real tests, but just simulations close to the real thing).

I hope this helps!

alexastack · 2005 July 14th, 05:30 PM

Has anyone compared the Longman or Oxford anthologies to the Norton? I am reluctant to spend so much on the Norton anthologies if one of the others is comparable.

cridamour · 2005 July 15th, 08:31 AM

I'm sure it would be more or less the same. If you can get an index of the Nortons, you can just check to make sure you don't skip any important authors. On amazon you can usually look inside the books and see the index.

mimkarl · 2005 July 23rd, 03:08 PM

Hi everyone:

I am a big advocate of charts and lists because they can help mold seemingly unmanageable, disparate pieces of information into a meaningful whole. I suggest creating a GRE notebook, using a large loose-leaf binder where you can put all the pieces together. Make sections, organizing information chronologically. Begin by making a chart of the sweep of literature from its beginnings, focusing on what is likely to be on the GRE subject test. This chart must be the most comprehensive, since it will be the tree upon which other branches of information will be placed. Begin with the Bible and Homer and put down the siginificant works of the imagination--drama, epics, poetry, and so forth, based strictly upon chronology. After the Aeniad, nothing of significance, as far as the GRE is concerned, shows up again until Augustine, and then you can follow the timelines based upon TOC from the Nortons and the Longman anthologies. I particularly like the Longman discussions of periods and perspectives because they are short yet informative pieces that put the literature in historical, intellectual, and stylistic contexts. This can only help when doing quick identifications on the exam, based upon "buzzwords."

After making this first comprehensive chart, make sections that chronologically chart the development of poetry, drama, epic, the novel, and so forth. Also make sections for periods, movements, and important historical events that coincide. I think a historical perspective is vital to fully appreciating literature in a way that makes preparing for and taking what is essentially a Trivial pursuit-type exam not just bearable, but exciting. Bercholt Brecht can write an antiwar play in 1939 about a war in the seventeenth century that occurs during a period that sees the literary maturation of such luminaries as Donne, Milton, and Ben Jonson and the discourse of American exceptionalism, begun in the writings of William Bradford and John Winthrop. For me, the challenge is to see the connections between eras and sensibilities, and not merely to "read through" lots of "Nortonish" stuff. It makes preparing for the subject test an exciting project, not an anxiety-ridden, summer-destroying malevolent presence looming over my future professional prospects in academia. I have more to say, but I have to go shopping. Feedback, please.

Cheers.

phinlit · 2005 July 24th, 09:34 PM

Good overall advice and what's better, great encouragement. Find myself in a bit of a lull in motivation after two months of studying. While listening to some audio lectures in the car my mind drifts into wondering why I'm not studying enough, then realizing that save for my distraction, I was studying.

Latest material ...... academicmp3audiobooks.com English Lit lectures, The Iliad audiobook, and an old REA Best Test with 6 exams. I'm still saving one of the three official version to compare with my baseline practice. Nortons are still by bible(s) with help from en.wikipedia.org and Sparknotes.

Mike

Quote:

Originally Posted by mimkarl

Hi everyone:
....It makes preparing for the subject test an exciting project, not an anxiety-ridden, summer-destroying malevolent presence looming over my future professional prospects in academia..... Feedback, please.

mimkarl · 2005 July 25th, 04:57 AM

Poets.org has some nice discussions of poetic forms, with pertinent canonical examples, and the Modern American Poetry site also has great biographical material on twentieth century poets along with many representative texts.

pkkim · 2005 July 25th, 01:54 PM

I am thrilled to see that I am not the only one whose motivation flags here and there--preparing for this test in isolation is indeed a challenge. It's a big relief to know I'm not the only one who (sometimes) inwardly groans at the sight of today's Norton "reading assignment" (the Victorians are not my favorites). I do it, and I'm glad when I'm done, but anyone who says this is easy is not living in reality.

To give a more balanced picture, I have made some progress that may be interesting with the following: I ordered the updated Cracking the GRE and Amazon has an anticipated ship date in late September.

I have turned up a great site where a candidate got a bunch of old tests and calibrated how frequently various works appear on the tests by number of questions. The URL is:

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/5187/gre.html

You can probably my first degree was in business, because I merged this list into a spreadsheet also containing all the most recommended authors from Cracking the GRE, assigned all works the right historical period, and sorted them by title so I can use Masterplots at the library to skim. Many GRE Lit veterans sing the praises of Masterplots (in the reference section at a college library), and after a few study sessions, I can certainly see why.

A helpful reading list that also has the ring of authenticity:

http://lever.cs.ucla.edu/alison/hapaxlegomena/

MIT put their literature classeware online free at:

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Literature/index.htm

And of course you can peek at the Norton's free at:

http://wwnorton.com/nael/

I was thinking of starting a new thread called "This Test is Driving Me Insane and There's Still Five Months to Go."

phinlit · 2005 July 25th, 02:43 PM

Ok here is one that is not strictly literature, but addresses some questions on the test. Interactive grammar quizes along with instruction.

http://grammar.uoregon.edu/toc.html

While it does give ye olde english examples, might not be bad to be honed on grammer while trying to find the direct object in an 8 line passage.

2005 June 27th, 10:16 PM	#21 (permalink)
phinlit I JUST got here. Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: California coast Posts: 28	Full official practice tests Here are three versions of English in Literature full official practice tests I've seen.... GR9964 1999, current download from gre.org GR9564 1994-95* 1 of 2 in 3rd edition "Practicing" (1996 ed) GR9064 1989 1 of 2 in 3rd edition "Practicing" (1996 ed) Only test 1 of 1 in 2nd edition "Practicing" (1993 ed.) News of additional practice materials is appreciated. Practicing="ETS Practicing to Take the Literature in English Test" *If you Google: "litineng.pdf" you may find online postings of old practice book.....GR9564. Alternately you can find GR9564 on some links off of archive.org, but searching ets and gre.org but there are many broken links, especially in ftp areas. Earlier versions of tests do not appear to be archived.

2005 July 14th, 05:30 PM	#24 (permalink)
alexastack I JUST got here. Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 2	Anthologies Has anyone compared the Longman or Oxford anthologies to the Norton? I am reluctant to spend so much on the Norton anthologies if one of the others is comparable.

2005 July 25th, 04:57 AM	#28 (permalink)
mimkarl I JUST got here. Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3	Online stuff Poets.org has some nice discussions of poetic forms, with pertinent canonical examples, and the Modern American Poetry site also has great biographical material on twentieth century poets along with many representative texts.

2005 July 25th, 01:54 PM	#29 (permalink)
pkkim I JUST got here. Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 19	Study Plans & Motivation I am thrilled to see that I am not the only one whose motivation flags here and there--preparing for this test in isolation is indeed a challenge. It's a big relief to know I'm not the only one who (sometimes) inwardly groans at the sight of today's Norton "reading assignment" (the Victorians are not my favorites). I do it, and I'm glad when I'm done, but anyone who says this is easy is not living in reality. To give a more balanced picture, I have made some progress that may be interesting with the following: I ordered the updated Cracking the GRE and Amazon has an anticipated ship date in late September. I have turned up a great site where a candidate got a bunch of old tests and calibrated how frequently various works appear on the tests by number of questions. The URL is: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/5187/gre.html You can probably my first degree was in business, because I merged this list into a spreadsheet also containing all the most recommended authors from Cracking the GRE, assigned all works the right historical period, and sorted them by title so I can use Masterplots at the library to skim. Many GRE Lit veterans sing the praises of Masterplots (in the reference section at a college library), and after a few study sessions, I can certainly see why. A helpful reading list that also has the ring of authenticity: http://lever.cs.ucla.edu/alison/hapaxlegomena/ MIT put their literature classeware online free at: http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Literature/index.htm And of course you can peek at the Norton's free at: http://wwnorton.com/nael/ I was thinking of starting a new thread called "This Test is Driving Me Insane and There's Still Five Months to Go."

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2005 July 7th, 08:38 AM	#22 (permalink)
manusrat I JUST got here. Join Date: May 2005 Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh Posts: 14	Dear Friends, Hope you are all fine and studying hard GRE lit . I just need to know a couple of things: 1. The six Nortons you talk of, are they very different from the previous books? Or is it just divided into 6 parts so it's easier to carry? PLease tell me because where I live there is no such 6 vol Nortons! I only got hold of the 2 vol of Brit and 2 vol American Nortons. And I also got the one vol. Critical Theory and 2 vol. of World lit. 2. Is there any webwite where I can download questions of GRE Lit? Can Erin or any one from the testmagic send me some GRe Lit questions through internet? Thank you. manusrat

2005 July 8th, 08:49 AM	#23 (permalink)
cridamour Providence-bound! Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Providence, RI Posts: 3,394	1. The six-volume Norton is indeed just the normal volumes, but split up to make them easier to carry. So, you haven't missed out on anything. 2. I don't think a lot of test questions are available, since the test is only organized twice a year and only paper-based, this means that ETS only makes two tests a year and they don't like to spread the questions since it's very time-consuming to make the tests and they might want to re-use some of the questions in tests afterwards. For the GRE General, there are a lot of questions available, since people take the test every day, and it's easier to come up with new questions for that one. The only tests I know of are the one on the site of ETS, the ones in the ETS book and the ones in other standardized books (which are not even real tests, but just simulations close to the real thing). I hope this helps!

2005 July 15th, 08:31 AM	#25 (permalink)
cridamour Providence-bound! Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Providence, RI Posts: 3,394	I'm sure it would be more or less the same. If you can get an index of the Nortons, you can just check to make sure you don't skip any important authors. On amazon you can usually look inside the books and see the index.

2005 July 23rd, 03:08 PM	#26 (permalink)
mimkarl I JUST got here. Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3	Hi everyone: I am a big advocate of charts and lists because they can help mold seemingly unmanageable, disparate pieces of information into a meaningful whole. I suggest creating a GRE notebook, using a large loose-leaf binder where you can put all the pieces together. Make sections, organizing information chronologically. Begin by making a chart of the sweep of literature from its beginnings, focusing on what is likely to be on the GRE subject test. This chart must be the most comprehensive, since it will be the tree upon which other branches of information will be placed. Begin with the Bible and Homer and put down the siginificant works of the imagination--drama, epics, poetry, and so forth, based strictly upon chronology. After the Aeniad, nothing of significance, as far as the GRE is concerned, shows up again until Augustine, and then you can follow the timelines based upon TOC from the Nortons and the Longman anthologies. I particularly like the Longman discussions of periods and perspectives because they are short yet informative pieces that put the literature in historical, intellectual, and stylistic contexts. This can only help when doing quick identifications on the exam, based upon "buzzwords." After making this first comprehensive chart, make sections that chronologically chart the development of poetry, drama, epic, the novel, and so forth. Also make sections for periods, movements, and important historical events that coincide. I think a historical perspective is vital to fully appreciating literature in a way that makes preparing for and taking what is essentially a Trivial pursuit-type exam not just bearable, but exciting. Bercholt Brecht can write an antiwar play in 1939 about a war in the seventeenth century that occurs during a period that sees the literary maturation of such luminaries as Donne, Milton, and Ben Jonson and the discourse of American exceptionalism, begun in the writings of William Bradford and John Winthrop. For me, the challenge is to see the connections between eras and sensibilities, and not merely to "read through" lots of "Nortonish" stuff. It makes preparing for the subject test an exciting project, not an anxiety-ridden, summer-destroying malevolent presence looming over my future professional prospects in academia. I have more to say, but I have to go shopping. Feedback, please. Cheers.

2005 July 25th, 02:43 PM	#30 (permalink)
phinlit I JUST got here. Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: California coast Posts: 28	Ok here is one that is not strictly literature, but addresses some questions on the test. Interactive grammar quizes along with instruction. http://grammar.uoregon.edu/toc.html While it does give ye olde english examples, might not be bad to be honed on grammer while trying to find the direct object in an 8 line passage.

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