A Spine-Tingling, Score-Raising Tale of Suspense

New mystery novel from Kaplan can give students the verbal edge they need on the SAT

New York, NY (January 2003)-Each year, more than a million high school students face the onerous task of drilling vocabulary words in hopes of raising their SAT Verbal scores. In fact, 41% of students responding to a recent Kaplan survey reported that most of their preparation for the SAT Verbal section involved learning new vocabulary words. Kaplan's new book, The Ring of McAllister: A Score-Raising Mystery Featuring 1,046 Must Know SAT Vocabulary Words (Kaplan, Inc./Simon & Schuster; January 2003; price: $13.00) offers students a unique and refreshing way to acquire a high-scoring vocabulary. By weaving 1,046 key SAT words (printed in boldface, with definitions in a glossary) right into an entertaining mystery, author Robert Marantz makes the task of mastering a more powerful vocabulary painless and easy.

The Ring of McAllister is a supernatural mystery set in small-town USA. It tells the gripping tale of Will Lassiter, a typical teenager trying to make sense of his friendships and dreaming of life beyond his small town. But when strange lights appear in the long-abandoned mansion next door, Will's life begins to take on a mystifying dimension. And when the mansion's new owner suddenly disappears, things get downright alarming.

In recent years, SAT Verbal scores have remained flat or have fallen slightly. What makes the SAT Verbal section such a challenge? For one thing, vocabulary. All three Verbal question types (sentence completions, analogies, and critical reading questions) depend on the breadth of one's vocabulary. Though students aren't asked to define words on the SAT, knowing what difficult words mean can determine success on the Verbal section of the test.

"According to national statistics, high school students are spending a growing percentage of their classroom day on math while the amount of time devoted to English language arts and grammar is dwindling," says Seppy Basili, VP at Kaplan. "This lack of focus on verbal skills may be hurting students when they face the SAT, and it is where Ring of McAllister can help."

Plot of Ring of McAllister
Nearly every small town has a "haunted house," and Red Fork, PA is no exception. Stone Manor, a once magnificent mansion, has surrendered itself to time and the elements. After everyone known to have lived there met with mysterious tragic ends, it remained unoccupied for decades. No one dared near it.

Young Will Lassiter, who lives next door, knows especially well how eerie Stone Manor can be. As a young boy of 10, he entered the place to retrieve a ball and still hasn't recovered from the experience. It was bad enough he had to enter the dilapidated house alone, but then, he was sure he encountered a ghost.

Today, Will is 17, and by most accounts, a typical teenager. Restless, he feels alienated from his childhood friends and longs to travel the world. That is, until Laura Perez, the girl of his dreams, surprisingly moves into Stone Manor next door. At first, life couldn't be more perfect for the two friends, but it's not long before things get bizarre. Will begins having nightmares about Stone Manor, and unexplained "accidents" take place around town. And then, when Laura's father disappears, it becomes clear that something strange is going on. And with that, the two proceed to take things into their own hands.

The Ring of McAllister is available wherever books are sold.

About the Author: Robert Marantz is an Ivy League graduate and former Kaplan employee now immersed in the world of film and television screenwriting. He currently makes his home is Los Angeles.

ABOUT THE BOOK
The Ring of McAllister: A Score-Raising Mystery Featuring 1,046 Must Know SAT Vocabulary Words
By: Robert Marantz
Kaplan Publishing, January 2003
ISBN: 0-7432-3520-7
Price: $13.00

About Kaplan Test Prep and Publishing: Kaplan Test Prep is a premier provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools, and businesses. With 1,200 classroom locations throughout the U.S. and abroad, Kaplan has served three million students over 60 years. Its nationally recognized courses for more than 35 standardized tests include entrance exams for secondary school, college, and graduate school, as well as English language and professional licensing exams. Kaplan also offers online test prep and admissions services at www.kaptest.com. Kaplan Publishing, a division of Kaplan's Test Prep and Admissions business, is a joint venture between Kaplan, Inc. and Simon & Schuster. Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO).

Press Contact:
Lori Duggan Gold
PR Manager for Kaplan Publishing
lori_duggangold@kaplan.com
212-492-5903 or 212-698-4669

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