EIII
III. Examples 11 through 15
Two of these five examples are in the Free Practice Test, here. I have written the others to be like questions on the real test.
EXAMPLE 11
(1) The Material: A four-paragraph text about three kinds of "Electric Power Generation." The first paragraph is an introduction. The second, third and fourth paragraphs discuss power generation by three sources.
(2) What is Asked: Which element is involved in all three methods of power generation?
(3) Format: Multiple Choice
(4) The Choices:
(5) Method: You don't see any clues for the "main idea" method, and the "no skim or scan method" doesn't fit, so you decide to try the "details" method.
(6) Answer: You scan each choice to see which one is mentioned in the second, third and fourth paragraphs of the text. Only C fits.
(7) Comment: The key here is to note, in your initial skimming of the material, what each paragraph covers.
(1) The Material: A four-paragraph text about three kinds of "Electric Power Generation." The first paragraph is an introduction. The second, third and fourth paragraphs discuss power generation by three sources.
(2) What is Asked: Which element is involved in all three methods of power generation?
(3) Format: Multiple Choice
(4) The Choices:
- A. Strip Mining
- B. On a River
- C. Turbines
- D. Disposal of Used Fuel
(5) Method: You don't see any clues for the "main idea" method, and the "no skim or scan method" doesn't fit, so you decide to try the "details" method.
(6) Answer: You scan each choice to see which one is mentioned in the second, third and fourth paragraphs of the text. Only C fits.
(7) Comment: The key here is to note, in your initial skimming of the material, what each paragraph covers.
EXAMPLE 12 (This is Question 9 in the Free Practice Test)
(1) The Material: There is no material.
(2) What is Asked: Drag each phrase into the correct box to show whether it is associated with capitalism or communism.
(3) Format: Drag and Drop
(4) The Choices: There are two empty boxes labeled "Capitalism" and "Communism". There are six smaller boxes with these labels:
(5) Method: There is no material, so there is nothing to skim or scan. You have to answer using the "direct" method, comparing each choice directly against what is asked.
(6) Answer. You remember studying the "capitalism vs. communism" resources in the TOPICS section of this website. Based on what you learned there, you drag (a), (d) and (e) into the "Capitalism" box and you drag (b), (c) and (f) into the "Communism" box.
(7) Comments: A page here in the TOPICS section is useful. Be sure to drag all six labels into one box or the other. Give some thought to how you might guess with a drag-and-drop format like this.
(1) The Material: There is no material.
(2) What is Asked: Drag each phrase into the correct box to show whether it is associated with capitalism or communism.
(3) Format: Drag and Drop
(4) The Choices: There are two empty boxes labeled "Capitalism" and "Communism". There are six smaller boxes with these labels:
- (a) Profit Motive
- (b) Income Redistribution
- (c) Classless Society
- (d) Private Ownership
- (e) Competitive Markets
- (f) State Ownership of Property
(5) Method: There is no material, so there is nothing to skim or scan. You have to answer using the "direct" method, comparing each choice directly against what is asked.
(6) Answer. You remember studying the "capitalism vs. communism" resources in the TOPICS section of this website. Based on what you learned there, you drag (a), (d) and (e) into the "Capitalism" box and you drag (b), (c) and (f) into the "Communism" box.
(7) Comments: A page here in the TOPICS section is useful. Be sure to drag all six labels into one box or the other. Give some thought to how you might guess with a drag-and-drop format like this.
EXAMPLE 13
(1) The Material: An excerpt from the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
(2) What is Asked: Which statement describes the primary purpose oif the First Amendment?
(3) Format: Multiple Choice
(4) The Choices:
(5) The words "primary purpose" suggest the "main idea" method.
(6) You skim the excerpt and find that the main idea is protection of individual rights. Comparing each choice against that main idea, you see that D is nonsense, B is the opposite of the main idea, and A isn't mentioned at all. C seems to be a restatement of the main idea, so it's the best choice.
(7) Comment: None.
(1) The Material: An excerpt from the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
(2) What is Asked: Which statement describes the primary purpose oif the First Amendment?
(3) Format: Multiple Choice
(4) The Choices:
- A. It protects the right to bear arms.
- B. It increases the government's restriction of individual freedom, such as freedom of religion, etc.
- C. It protects individual freedoms, such as freedom of religion etc.
- D. It prohibits Congress from making laws.
(5) The words "primary purpose" suggest the "main idea" method.
(6) You skim the excerpt and find that the main idea is protection of individual rights. Comparing each choice against that main idea, you see that D is nonsense, B is the opposite of the main idea, and A isn't mentioned at all. C seems to be a restatement of the main idea, so it's the best choice.
(7) Comment: None.
EXAMPLE 14 (This is Question 7 in the Free Practice Test)
(1) The Material: A short text about the definition of environmental sustainability, and five graphs.
(2) What is Asked: Which three graphs relate to the concept of sustainability?Click on the three graphs you want to select.
(3) Format: Hot Spot
(4) The Choices Are the Five Graphs:
(5) Method: You might decide to try the "details" method because of the graphs. But when you try to scan the text for the labels on the graphs you don't find anything. So you shift to the "main idea" method. Skimming the text shows that the main idea is that sustainability is about overuse of natural resources.
(6) Answer. Comparing each choice against the main idea, you see that (b) and (d) are both about use of natural resources and fit well. You need one more. Choices (c) and (e) don't seem to fit at all, so you guess (a) as the third choice. You click on graphs (a), (b) and (d).
(7) Comment: Think about how you would guess on other questions with this hot-spot answer format.
(1) The Material: A short text about the definition of environmental sustainability, and five graphs.
(2) What is Asked: Which three graphs relate to the concept of sustainability?Click on the three graphs you want to select.
(3) Format: Hot Spot
(4) The Choices Are the Five Graphs:
- (a) world population growth
- (b) tropical area deforested
- (c) non-immigrant visa issuances
- (d) global oil consumption
- (e) U.S. representatives by region.
(5) Method: You might decide to try the "details" method because of the graphs. But when you try to scan the text for the labels on the graphs you don't find anything. So you shift to the "main idea" method. Skimming the text shows that the main idea is that sustainability is about overuse of natural resources.
(6) Answer. Comparing each choice against the main idea, you see that (b) and (d) are both about use of natural resources and fit well. You need one more. Choices (c) and (e) don't seem to fit at all, so you guess (a) as the third choice. You click on graphs (a), (b) and (d).
(7) Comment: Think about how you would guess on other questions with this hot-spot answer format.
EXAMPLE 15
(1) The Material: There are two texts. One is an excerpt from the Preamble to the Constitution. The other is an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence.
(2) What is Asked: According to the excerpts, which of these principles is mentioned in the Declaration of Independence but not in the Preamble?
(3) Format: Multiple Choice
(4) The choices:
(5) Method: The word "not" tells you this is is a "negative" question, which suggests using the "details" method.
(6) Answer: You scan for each choice in the Preamble. You find that B, C and D are mentioned in the Preamble, but A is not. Then you scan for A in the Declaration and find it is there. So A is the correct answer.
(7) Comment: It is quicker to start by scanning the Preamble, because you are looking for a choice that is not there. Finding it in the Declaration is just a confirmation that this is the correct answer. Be careful with negative questions, because you have to shift gears and scan for what is not there.
(1) The Material: There are two texts. One is an excerpt from the Preamble to the Constitution. The other is an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence.
(2) What is Asked: According to the excerpts, which of these principles is mentioned in the Declaration of Independence but not in the Preamble?
(3) Format: Multiple Choice
(4) The choices:
- A. the pursuit of happiness
- B. a common defense
- C. the right to vote
- D. domestic tranquility
(5) Method: The word "not" tells you this is is a "negative" question, which suggests using the "details" method.
(6) Answer: You scan for each choice in the Preamble. You find that B, C and D are mentioned in the Preamble, but A is not. Then you scan for A in the Declaration and find it is there. So A is the correct answer.
(7) Comment: It is quicker to start by scanning the Preamble, because you are looking for a choice that is not there. Finding it in the Declaration is just a confirmation that this is the correct answer. Be careful with negative questions, because you have to shift gears and scan for what is not there.
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