Strategies for IELTS Reading: TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN

One of many problems in Reading Section is deciding whether a statement is True or False based on the passage. Basically, we still use the same strategy for this type of sentence as we already did with fill in the blank questions. There are several difference but the focus is still on the keywording and paraphrasing. Take a look at an example below:


Passage 2

The Nature of Sleep

Sleep is a naturally recurring state of mind and body characterized by disengagement from surroundings, relaxed muscle, lower blood pressure, as well as more regular breathing and heart rate. Despite the fact that sleep is something that naturally happens, it has a major impact in our overall quality of life.

Sleep is internally influenced by our daily biological clock or commonly referred as circadian rhythm. The amount of sleep needed by adults is different from that of babies. Infants need at least 16 to 18 hours of sleep a day, then the time spent for sleeping decreases gradually as one grows older. It is believed that the ability to sleep declines with aging, and this may be a key factor why many adults suffer from sleep deprivation problems.

Despite the prevalence of internal factors affecting humans' sleep, external factors have become the main concerns related to sleep. Sleep disorder is said to be affected mostly by external factors such as light's effect, anxiety, medical conditions, sleep environment, and medication as well as the use of other substance. Light affects humans' sleep both directly by making it more difficult for them to sleep and indirectly by means of affecting their internal clock and hence, changing their preferred time to sleep. Anxiety and stress level become the one of the most common reason why somebody finds it hard to sleep nowadays. This is due to the fact that our body is programmed to stay awake when facing dangerous or stressful situations, causing the inability to enter what's so called the deep sleep state.

The motivation to fall asleep is built gradually during the daylight. Longer waking time naturally results in higher drive to sleep. However, the drive is compromised by consumption of certain substance like caffeine, although it depends on individual tolerance level and the amount of caffeine being ingested. Sleep environment is another factor that becomes more and more prevalent nowadays. This particularly happens in urban setting where noise pollution is made worst by the increasing number of vehicles, industry, and residence designed extremely close one another.

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading passage 2?

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. Heart beat is still on the same level as humans fall asleep

2. Babies spend most of their time sleeping during the daylight

3. Light becomes the most important factor of sleeping since it can affect humans' sleep in two different means

4. Humans' body gives no respond in a situation full of danger or psychological pressure

5. The drive to sleep is considerably enhanced by substance that has stimulant effect

6. The effects of caffeine works differently in different individuals

Strategies for Reading

1. Read and understand the instruction

2. Read the questions and find the keywords

3. Find the paragraph that contains the information. Remember that IELTS passage is always well structured. When you are working on question number 1, you will logically find the answer in paragraph 1 or paragraph 2 and not the others. When you are working on question number 4 and finding the answer in paragrah 4 or 5, then you will logically move on to next paragraphs when doing the question number 5. Note that the questions move along with the paragraph and hence going back to previous paragraphs is not likely to happen.

4. Find the sentence that contains the information. Remember that you are more likely to find the answers in the main idea of paragraph, and it usually lies either in the first or last sentence. However, it is still possible that you will find the answer in the middle of paragraph, although it is not likely to happen.

5. Find the paraphrased keywords in the passage. Remember that the paraphrasing is not always word for word paraphrasing. Types of different paraphrasing will be discussed in the next post, so keep yourself updated.

6. Decide whether the statement is true, false or not given by using these rules:

a. If you have three keywords and all of them are true, then the answer is TRUE

b. If you have three keywords and one of them (or more) is false, then answer is FALSE

c. If you have three keywords and one of them (or more) is not explained in the pasage, then answer is NOT GIVEN

Discussions
Note: * indicates that there is no equivalent paraphrase for the word

#indicates that the words/phrases are not paraphrased

1. Heart beat is still on the same level as humans fall asleep

Keywords: Heart beat, same level, fall asleep

Paragraph: Paragraph 1

Sentence: First sentence

Paraphrased keywords: heart rate, more regular, sleep

Answer: False. It is said that blood and heart rate is more regular when someone falls asleep. The phrase 'on the same level' makes the whole statement false.

2. Babies spend most of their time sleeping during the daylight

Keywords: Babies, sleeping, daylight

Paragraph: Paragraph 2

Sentence: In the middle of the paragraph

Paraphrased keywords: Infants, sleep, *

Answer: Not Given. There is information about the time spent by babies for sleeping everyday. But there is no information whether the sleep is mostly at night or during the daylight. The word 'daylight' makes the statement qualifies for option Not Given.

3. Light becomes the most important factor of sleeping since it can affect humans' sleep in two different means

Keywords: Light, most important factor, two different means

Paragraph: Paragraph 3

Sentence: In the middle of the paragraph

Paraphrased keywords: #, *, directly by making it more difficult for them to sleep and indirectly by means of affecting their internal clock

Answer: Not Given. The passage states that light can affect humans' sleep directly and indirectly, but there is no information whether light is the most important factor

4. Humans' body gives no respond in a situation full of danger or psychological pressure

Keywords: Body, no respond, danger and psychological pressure

Paragraph: Paragraph 3

Sentence: Last sentence

Paraphrased keywords: #, *, dangerous or stressful situations

Answer: False. It is stated that humans' bodies are programmed to give a respond when facing dangerous or stressful situations by staying awake

5. The drive to sleep is considerably enhanced by substance that has stimulant effect

Keywords: Drive to sleep, enhanced, substance, stimulant

Paragraph: Paragraph 4

Sentence: In the middle of the sentence

Paraphrased keywords: Drive, *, caffeine

Answer: False. The passage states that sleep is deprived by stimulant substance such as caffeine. The word 'enhanced' makes the statement false.

6. The effects of caffeine works differently in different individuals

Keywords: effects, caffeine, different individuals

Paragraph: Paragraph 4

Sentence: In the middle of the paragraph

Paraphrased keywords: *, #, individual tolerance

Answer: True.  It is stated that the effect of cafeine consumption depends on individual's tolerance and the amount of caffeine ingested

For Reading Strategies for fill in the blank questions, go to this link

Strategies for Reading: Fill in the blank