Factual Passages — Explained
Detailed Explanation
What is the unit of evidence?
The useful unit is a complete claim, not an isolated keyword. A claim normally has an actor, an action, an object and any qualification that limits it. In the invented sentence “During the trial, the library lent tablets to registered adult members”, the actor is the library, the action is lending, the object is tablets, and the restrictions concern the trial period and registered adults.
An option about giving tablets permanently to every resident changes several parts of that claim despite retaining the attractive words library and tablets.
Read a factual question as a request to retrieve a particular claim. Locate the relevant sentence, then read its immediate context. Pronouns such as “they”, exceptions introduced by “unless”, and contrast words such as “however” can move the answer beyond the line containing the keyword. A precise answer survives this contextual check without requiring a guessed motive.
How should a passage be mapped?
Consider this original practice passage: “A town tested evening library hours in four branches for six weeks. Visits rose in three branches. The fourth branch recorded no change. The report recommended extending the trial before deciding whether to keep the new hours.” A compact map is: intervention—longer hours; coverage—four branches; duration—six weeks; outcome—three rises and one unchanged; decision—extend the trial.
The map supports “Most participating branches recorded more visits.” It contradicts “Visits increased at every branch.” It does not establish that readers preferred electronic books, that total borrowing rose, or that evening hours became permanent. These distinctions require no knowledge of actual library policy. The passage supplies its own evidence boundary.
Why are paraphrases often correct?
A paraphrase changes expression while preserving meaning. “Recorded no change” can become “remained at the earlier level”, provided the same measure and period are retained. “Three of four” can become “a majority of the participating branches”. Neither expression authorises “nearly all libraries in the town” because the passage does not state how many libraries exist outside the trial.
Test each proposed paraphrase in both directions. Does the passage support the option? Does the option add an extra promise, cause or universal claim? The first question catches contradictions; the second catches embellishment. Word overlap alone answers neither question. A distractor may quote nearly the entire sentence and alter only “some” to “all”. That small alteration is enough to make it wrong.
How do qualifiers change an answer?
Time, extent and certainty are part of the content. “Initially” does not mean “throughout”. “May” does not mean “will”. “At least five” permits five or more; it does not establish exactly five. “Only registered members may borrow” makes registration necessary for borrowing, but does not say every registered member actually borrows. “Not all” means at least one exception; it does not mean none.
Negation deserves a separate check. If a report “did not establish that the measure caused the improvement”, the report has withheld a causal conclusion. It has not proved that the measure had no effect. An option claiming either certain success or certain failure would go beyond that statement. Keep the author's degree of commitment intact even when a stronger answer sounds more decisive.
Can a question require a small calculation?
Yes, when the calculation is fully determined by stated figures. Suppose an invented passage says that 48 applications were received and 12 were incomplete. The number not classified as incomplete is 36. That subtraction is licensed by the text. It does not establish that all 36 were approved, because completeness and approval are different stages.
Write the noun beside the number: applications, people, visits or households. If one household can submit two applications, an application count cannot automatically become a household count. Likewise, an increase from 40 to 50 is ten units and 25 percent of the initial value. Calling it a ten percent increase confuses an absolute difference with a relative change.
What happens when two sentences qualify each other?
An invented notice says: “All registered students could use the reading room. During repairs, the upper floor was closed.” A correct summary preserves both the general eligibility and the temporary physical restriction. It should not turn the closure of one floor into a closure of the whole room or treat eligibility as proof that every student visited.
Make a two-column note when necessary: general rule and exception. If an option cites only the general rule while the question concerns the repair period, it is incomplete. If the question asks about the permanent rule, an option treating a temporary restriction as permanent is also wrong. The question's time frame decides which evidence is relevant.
How can elimination stay disciplined?
Classify each option as supported, contradicted or not established. Contradicted means the passage supplies evidence against it. Not established means the passage leaves it open. Both categories can be rejected when the question asks what the passage states, but they are not interchangeable in an explanation.
Before choosing, identify the exact supporting phrase and the question's operator: correct, incorrect, except or according to the passage. For a negative question, the unsupported option may be the required answer. A final qualifier check is more useful than rereading the entire passage without a purpose. The goal is a traceable relation between the selected option and a specific textual claim.