Part 3: Information
What Part 3 Is¶
You read a short informational passage split into four paragraphs (A–D) and receive nine statements. For each statement, decide which paragraph supports it — or choose E: Not Stated if the idea isn't supported anywhere. Target time is ~10 minutes.
The Paragraph GPS (60–90 seconds)¶
This setup saves minutes across all nine items.
- Lead lines — Read the first sentence of each paragraph to identify the topic
- Label A–D in one word/phrase: e.g., Habitat / Features / Food / Threats
- Mark contrast markers — however, although, in contrast, on the other hand (these often host answers)
- Note proper nouns and technical terms — names, programs, species (anchors that don't paraphrase)
Tip
This is not "reading the whole passage." It's setting up a finder's map so you always know where to look.
From Statement to Answer: Locate → Verify → Decide → Defend¶
1. Locate (pick the likely paragraph)¶
- Extract 2–3 keywords from the statement
- Write one parallel term for each (e.g., elderly ↔ seniors; cost ↔ fee/charge)
- Jump to the paragraph whose topic label and anchors match best
2. Verify (read precisely)¶
- Read the target line + one sentence above and below
- Confirm every part: subject, quantity/degree, time window, cause/effect
3. Decide (choose A–D or E)¶
- If one paragraph clearly states or paraphrases the statement → choose that letter
- If no paragraph supports it after a quick sweep → consider E: Not Stated
4. Defend (prove it)¶
- Point to the exact words or a clean paraphrase that preserves meaning, strength, and scope
- If you can't, you're guessing
Parallel Terms (synonyms do the heavy lifting)¶
Writers rarely repeat the exact word the question uses.
Safe Paraphrases¶
| Category | Swaps |
|---|---|
| People & groups | elderly ↔ seniors; residents ↔ people who live here; staff ↔ employees |
| Quantities & change | increase ↔ rise/grow; decrease ↔ drop/decline; at least ↔ minimum of |
| Money & time | cost ↔ fee/charge; free ↔ no charge; before ↔ prior to; after ↔ following |
| Cause & effect | because ↔ due to/owing to; result ↔ outcome/impact |
Meaning-Changing "False Friends"¶
- will ≠ may
- must/required ≠ should/recommended
- exactly ≠ at least
- not until 5 pm ≠ no later than 5 pm
If a paraphrase changes strength, polarity, or scope, it's not support.
The "Not Stated" Filter¶
"Not Stated" is for statements the passage doesn't commit to — not for things that feel unlikely.
Three-Step Filter¶
- Feasibility check — Could this idea reasonably appear given the topics? If yes, keep searching
- Global sweep — Scan the topic sentence of each paragraph + any lines where keywords or parallels would sit
- Absence confirmed — If no paragraph states or cleanly implies the idea → choose E with confidence
Tiny Inferences Are Fine
"Evenings are often crowded" → safe inference: crowding is common after work. But "A pilot will run for two weeks" → unsafe inference: the city will expand it next year.
Where Traps Hide in Statements¶
| Trap Type | What to Watch |
|---|---|
| Quantifiers | some/most/all/rarely/often — match strength exactly |
| Time words | before/after/until/from/since — a single preposition flips truth |
| Comparatives | more/less/fewer/greater — watch the baseline (compared to what?) |
| Cause/effect | leads to vs results from — direction matters |
| Examples vs claims | A single example does not prove "all" or "usually" |
Paragraph-Choice Logic¶
- Choose A–D when one paragraph contains sufficient support (explicit or clean paraphrase)
- Choose E when no paragraph supports it
- If two paragraphs seem to contain the idea, you probably misread scope — recheck the statement for a limiting word (time, group, condition) that selects only one
Timing Plan (~10 minutes)¶
| Phase | Time |
|---|---|
| Build Paragraph GPS (map A–D) | ~1:00–1:30 |
| Items 1–5 (direct matches) | ~4:00–4:30 |
| Items 6–8 (trickier wording/inference) | ~3:00 |
| Item 9 + sweep (confirm Not Stated choices) | ~1:00–1:30 |
Checkpoint: At 5:00, aim for Q5 done. If behind, keep moving — no blanks.
Quick Error Fixes¶
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Picked the right topic, wrong paragraph | You matched a noun, not the claim. Re-read for what is said, not what is mentioned |
| Missed a quantifier | Underline strength words in both the statement and paragraph — they must align |
| Over-inferred | If you can't touch the words that justify it, it's a leap. Choose E |
| Gave up too early on Not Stated | Do the full global sweep before committing to E |
| Ran out of time | The paragraph map pays for itself — never skip it |
Micro-Routines for Practice¶
- Label sprint (60s): Read any article, write a one-word label for each paragraph
- Parallel hunt (45s): Pick a statement, list two paraphrases for each keyword
- E-check (60s): For one tricky claim, do a global sweep. If no support, explain why in ten words
- Strength audit (30s): Highlight all may/might/usually/some vs must/will/all, then rewrite to match