Jump to content
Urch Forums

Study Material


Recommended Posts

I'd like to know if anyone here has a good suggestion as to which versions of Norton Anthologies to use to review British and American Literature? In my case, the anthologies will be my starting point, since I haven't had any overview courses in literature (only topical courses, since I majored in applied linguistics), I'll need to start studying a lot, especially of the old stuff! I think the best ones are the shorter version for Am Lit, and the one discussing the main authors for Brit Lit. And do you think the anthology of lit criticism would be a good idea to invest in? And then there's poetry as well, of course... Should I really buy all four Nortons, or are there any other options? Finally, I was also wondering whether the "Cracking the GRE Lit test" is useful, and what it contains? Whether it has a list of authors to study etc. Because even if I get the Nortons, I will never be able to study all of it (for all 4 books!!!)!

Waiting for Godot, (I hope this time, he's going to show up!);)

Cri

XXX

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Replies 51
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I've just ordered "Cracking the GRE Literature Test" (Princeton Review), I'll let all of you sneaky viewers who don't post know what it's like as soon as I receive it. In the meantime, don't be shy and post something if you're thinking of taking the GRE Lit Test :) . Let's all keep each other company!!!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't forget to study some general items of British History, such as the succession of kings! On some questions, you'll need to situate a text by saying during the reign of which king/queen it was written. Try to study each author/style in connection with the era it belongs to.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You will NOT be sorry you ordered Cracking the GRE Literature in English test by Doug McMillan--it is rated by a wide margin the very best preparation for this test on Amazon.com. Better, I have it, have read it, and would credit it for giving me the nerve to even attempt the test AT ALL.

 

Surprise! When I took the preliminary test, I did much better than I expected. Naturally, this made "Cracking's" credibility soar with me.

 

One caveat: A new edition is coming out in September, probably to accommodate widespread criticism that none of the test prep materials properly address modern theories of criticism, postmodern ideas, etc.

 

In the US the test will not be administered again until November and December of 2005 and April of 2006 (probably; they don't actually announce the dates until August).

 

I figure this gives me time to cram down the Norton, since I figure they can't very well dump Shakespeare, Dickens, and Milton altogether when writing the test. Then I will immediately buy the new "Cracking" and get...well...cracking.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Pkkim!

I have been waiting for someone else planning to take the GRE Lit Test for nearly a month, so you can imagine I am very happy to see your post!!! I'm still waiting for the "Cracking..." to arrive, but I've already started going through an overview of Brit and Am Lit and I plan on going through some poetry first, since I don't know much about that.

I'm also planning on taking the next test (which will be somewhere in November). I figure they cannot change too much in the material to study for the test, only in the type of questions, or in the focus. So you've heard they are going to throw in more literary criticism? Let me know. And which Nortons are you using? The full 4-volume one for Brit Lit? Is it worth it? Or too much?

I'm not a TestMagic-loner anymore!!! :D [clap]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Try this trick!

 

Go to Amazon.com, enter a search for "GRE Literature in English" and several prep books will pop up. When I did this, I systematically read ALL the reviews.

 

Most people liked "Cracking" but complained that late 20th century got short shrift in ALL the prep material and thus caused MUCH anguish when the real test arrived. Some of the posters sound pretty bitter, actually. (This gap is what I hope the revised "Cracking" this fall will remedy.)

 

Everyone on Amazon dumps all over (you'll see) REA's prep book but I stumbled across a copy in a bookstore just yesterday, and frankly, I'll buy it next time I'm in the store. It's not anything like as good as "Cracking" on the test context, it's true, but seems to contain lots of that good old practice, practice, practice.

 

I'm taking the GRE general test in two days, and then I'm going full-out on Literature in English. I've started (again, using amazon.com) ordering the relatively new Norton broken up into six little volumes. I figure it will remove some inner resistance (ie: excuses) to study when I can't complain that the book weighs five pounds, like the "big" Nortons!

 

Rather whimsically, I started at the 20th century and am moving "backwards to Beowulf" one volume at a time, buying them used at amazon.com.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello - I'm at the tail-end of the grad school application process, and I can't stress enough just how helpful the "Cracking" book was with my studies. Don't waste money on the REA guide, and, if you can find a copy, do try to get one of the ETS study books. They're out of print, but they contain 3 old (real) tests that you can use for practice.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

:2cents: As far as anthologies are concerned, I'd go with Norton for American Lit and Longman for British Lit. I've found that the Longman anthologies are more thorough than Norton. Plus, used copies of the Longman anthologies are relatively inexpensive online, and that's always a good thing!:tup:
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello there!

This is my first visit @ tests magic. It's good to find many others like me. I want to write my exam in November. About study material I found a lot of information from your messages. I have just started reading the Nortons. There very little materials available where I live. I think for people like me the 4Norton volumes and the internet is a good source for GRE in Lit. I couldn't find not a single book on GRE in Lit. Though a lot of general GRE books are available. Can any one tell me if it's a good idea to write both the exams in November. Do you think it's going to be too hectic? I plan to write the general GRE by the end of November and subject GRE in the due time to be posted. What about following the undergrad syllabus of Princeton/Harvard/Yale university? I'll be very happy to receive some mails from any one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd like to know if there is any source where I can practice the difficult part of GRE in Lit where they ask questions on Lit analysis/grammar. I guess these are the most critical and time consuming questions? Can any one suggest how to practice them or where I can find more of these practice questions?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Practice tests are in the Study Guide by ETS which you can download online: www.gre.org (go to Subject Test, practice material, Literature). On top of that, you can find a practice test in the "Cracking the GRE..." book (available at amazon.com) and the ETS Book to prepare for the GRE (currently out of print, but you can find it second-hand on amazon). I don't know if you can order things from amazon, maybe the transport costs are high to Bangladesh, but the books themselves are not really expensive and give a lot of information...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello fellow Grad School aspirants...

 

I'm wondering if a better tactic for studying might be the Norton Anthology of Theory & Criticism. I know that a relatively minor percentage of the questions (well, less than they'd like us to believe, anyway) actually relate directly to criticism & theory, but I was thinking that as far as giving more in depth criticism than is offered by other anthologies or by sparknotes, etc, this might be the way to go, as one would receive a good survey of Western Lit through the criticism in this anthology, in addition to getting all the background & analysis. I haven't actually looked at it, and thought I'd ask for some advice before I order it unseen, as it is a pretty hefty & expensive tome. Anybody have any thoughts or reccomendations?

 

Thanks in advance, and I'm glad this is out here for those of us who feel somewhat isolated in our interests...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you Cridamour for answering to my mail!

 

Yes, I have written to Amazon. Infact the service for the post is free of cost! It is difficult to buy things without a credit card and often things get lost by the post. So I am thinking of asking some family friends. I know it is bothersome for busy people but I can't find any other ways. I've been to Dhaka USIS and they have the ETS practice book. Thanks God! I wish they had other collections. I hope studying the 4Nortons and the Critical Theories of Nortons, Edith Hamilton's Mythology and skeeming though the internet will help. What about 20th century literature? Do you know any good internet link? Please let me know. It seems they give a lot of questions on the 20th century writers,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, 20th Century is really a problem. Most practice guides don't cover it, for the reason that they don't know what the people at ETS are going to ask on the GRE Lit Test. I think it is difficult to select in 20th century authors, but maybe we can start a list of authors (20th century) we think are important and not just for our personal interests, but overall. You're never going to get questions on really recent things, but you could get questions on authors from the 2nd part of the 20th century. I think the obvious ones are still included in most practice books: Virginia Woolf, Joseph Conrad, Sylvia Plath (poetry and The Bell Jar), Toni Morrison, T.S. Eliot, William Faulkner, Allen Ginsberg, James Joyce, Malcolm Lowry (usually "Under the Volcano"), Maya Angelou, ... I guess some of these started in the 19th century, but were still writing in the 20th. It's difficult to give a full list of these. Maybe others should post suggestions and then we'll get to a more complete list. For the 20th Century, what you need to focus on are the masterpieces, or books generally predicting to become masterpieces. I think that you shouldn't waste time trying to get an idea of all of the new books out now (or from the past 10-20) years. I think they would only ask something that "new" if the author is an important prize-winner, e.g. Toni Morrison (1993 Nobel Prize) or so. Hope this helps!:)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi every one!

It's been a long time I haven't visited this page. So how's your study going on? It very hot in Bangladesh, just unbearable this summer! I was thinking if we could study together the same things. I mean we could at least speak about the things we have read. For example last week I read some important poetry from Old English. I think I have covered almost all of it. This week I have started to read the important authors of Middle English , now I am reading Chaucer. This could boost our confidence.

The other day some one was saying that the REA guide is not a good one because it does not give good explanation. I don't think it's necessary because we can figue that ourselves. Some days ago I got hold of that book, it has six GRE questions, at least I we can get a feel of the actual exam from the questions of that book.

By the way can any one tell me what edition is the latest edition of Cracking the GRE in English Literature (ETS), is it 4th/5th edition? Is it really coming up in September? Then may be I can order one for myself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi everyone. I recently finished my GRE general test and am now getting ready to take the English subject test this fall.

How exactly would you recommend that I use the Norton Anthologies? I have both British and American editions and the mere idea of perusing the two in depth gives me a headache.

Please give me some advice on the best way to manage my study time over the next 5 months

(Keep in mind I work full-time as well. I see it will be a difficult summer)! Thank you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the British one will be the most important one. As far as American Lit is concerned, you never really know what's going to be on the test. I would start with some Brit Lit. Try to get the Old Eng and Middle Eng parts out of the way. Or do some poetry. Of course, if this becomes too much, then I guess it's a good idea to move over to something you're really passionate about, whatever that may be, within the scope of the test material, of course ;) . I think using the "Cracking the GRE" as a starting point for which parts of the Anthologies to go through is probably a good idea. It's nearly impossible to say what they are not going to ask, but you can make good guesses about what they are more likely to ask... GOOD LUCK!!!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi everyone! Those of you who are having problems with the 20th century writers I think u can focus only on the poets and novelists, just leave out the essayists and playwrights! It's just not possible to know everything. Tim Wood's 20th century novelists by routledge could be a good source of reading material. It's not a thick book and gives brief information on the writer's style, work and life. Checking the Nortons anthology of the 20th century poetry is fine. The Norton also has two volumes for comparative literature. You can go through the contents page and have some brief idea on the names of authors from different geographical area and dates as well. And the Nortons also have a single volume on criticism and theory from Plato to present. Hope this helps.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...