In the third grade, I used my expertise in reading to earn a commended score on the TAAKS test. To prepare, I began reading a few months before the test date more advanced books such as The Lightning Thief and various books from the Trixie Belden series. Although I did not immediately know my score, I knew my preparation had paid off after I completed the test. The size of my vocabulary increased exponentially because I had read books beyond my grade level. I understood how to use context clues, which helped me make several inferences throughout the test. Lastly, reading different types of stories also helped me expand my comprehension skills. In turn I was able to understand the plots quickly. Knowing the TAAKS test is timed; increasing my