Imagine two children, Eloise and Bartholomew, racing in the forest. Who will win—Eloise, who never stumbles because she knows the placement of every tree and all the twists and turns and hiding spots, or Bartholomew, who keeps falling down and tripping over roots because he doesn’t pay any attention to the landscape? The answer is obvious. Even if Bartholomew is a little faster and more athletic, Eloise will win, because she knows how to navigate the landscape and use it to her advantage.

This example of a race in the forest illustrates a point: in the metaphor, the forest is the structure of the SAT II, and the competition is taking the test. In this chapter we’re going to describe the “landscape” of SAT II Writing: what topics the questions cover, what the questions look like, and how the questions are organized. In the next chapter, we’ll show you the strategies that will allow you to navigate and use the landscape to get the best score you can.