This lesson is about how to answer identifying information (true/ false/ not given) questions in the Reading section of the test.

What does this type of question look like?

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Passage 2? In boxes 20-23 on your answer sheet write:
True if the statement agrees with the information
False if the statement contradicts the information
Not Given if there is no information on this
  1. The performance of a card trick might require pages of instruction.
  2. The audience’s perception of a trick is more important than the magician’s ability to perform it.
  3. Psychologists can make use of the tricks that magicians employ.
  4. The human brain limits information coming into it.

What are the key words in each of these statements? Discuss with your partner.

Choose whether each statement is true - there is information in the text that confirms it. Or choose false if there is information in the text that contradicts it. Or you could choose not given if there is no information about this in the text so it is neither confirmed nor contradicted.

What do I have to write in the answer sheet?

You can write either ‘True’ or ‘true’ or ‘T’; ‘False’ or ‘false’ or ‘F’, or ‘Not given’ or ‘not given’ or NG.

What am I being tested on?

This type of question tests your ability to recognise specific pieces of information in the text. It is likely to be used with more factual texts.

How should I approach this question?

  • Identify the key words in the statements and think of possible synonyms. For example, in question 20 the text tells us that ‘A card trick that lasts four or five minutes, for example, might have 20 pages of detailed text to describe exactly where to look, what to say, what to do and so on.’ ‘Detailed text’ that ‘describes ... what to do’ could also be called ‘pages of instruction’, so the answer is true.
  • Do not use your own assumptions or information to answer the question. The answer must be in the text.
  • The information will appear in the text in the same order as in the questions.
  • Look for information that either confirms or contradicts the statement. Then you can say whether it is true or false. If no information is given about the statement it is not given.
  • Be careful: sometimes some information will be given but not enough to confirm or contradict - therefore the answer will be not given. Don’t use your own assumptions to complete a piece of information.
  • If you are not sure then choose ‘not given’ and move on to the next question. If you have time at the end of the reading test you can go back and check again.

Exercise

Please open the attached exercise to continue.

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