READING SKILL 4: FIND “UNSTATED” DETAILS

READING

SKILL 4: FIND “UNSTATED” DETAILS

This type of question really means that three of the answers are stated, mentioned, or true in the passage, while one answer is not. You should note that there are two kinds of answers to this type of question: (1) there are three true answers and one that is not true according to the passage, or (2) there are three true answers and one that is not mentioned in the passage.

 

Example from the Paper TOEFL Test The passage: In English, there are many different kinds of expressions that people use to give a name to anything whose name unknown or momentarily forgotten. The word gadget is one such word. It was first used by British sailors in the 1850s and probably came from the French word gachette, which was a small hook. In everyday use, the word has a more general meaning. Other words are also used to give a name to something unnamed or unknown, and these words tend to be somewhat imaginative. Some of the more commonly used expressions are a what-s’ye-call-it, a whatsis, a thingamabob, a thingamajig, a doodad, or a doohickey.

The question: Which of the following is NOT true about the word gadget? A.                 It is used to name something when the name is not known. B.                 It was used at the beginning of the nineteenth century. C.                 It most likely came from a word in the French language. D.          Its first known use was by British sailors.

This question asks for the one answer that is not true about the word “gadget,” so three of the answers are true and one answer is not. Answer (B) is the one answer that is not true; the passage states that the word “gadget”…… was first used by British Sailors in the 1850s, which is in the middle of the nineteenth century, so answer (B) is the best answer to this question.

The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about “unstated” detail questions:

TOEFL EXERCISE 4: Study each of the passages and choose the best answers to the questions that follow.

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-2)

Blood plasma is clear, almost colorless liquid. It consists of blood from which the read and white cells have been removed. It is often used in transfusions because a patient generally needs the plasma portion of the blood more than the other components.

Plasma differs in several important ways from whole blood. First of all, plasma can be mixed for all donors and does not have to be from the right blood group, as whole blood does. In addition, plasma can be dried and stored, while whole blood cannot.

1

All of the following are true about blood plasma EXCEPT that A.       it is a deeply colored liquid B.       blood cells have been taken out of it C.       patents are often transfused with it D.       it is generally more important to the patient than other parts of whole blood

2

Which of the following is NOT stated about whole blood A.        it is different from plasma B.        it cannot be dried C.        it is impossible to keep it in storage for a long time D.        it is a clear, colorless liquid

PASSAGE TWO (Questions 3-4)

Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman was an American journalist at the turn of the century who wrote for the newspaper New York World under the pen name Nellie Bly, a name which was taken from the Stephen Foster song Nelly Bly. She achieved fame for her exposes and in particular for the bold and adventuresome way that she obtained her stories.

She felt that the best way to get the real story was from the inside rather than as an outside observer who could be treated to a prettified version of reality. On one occasion she pretended to be a thief so that she would get arrested and see for herself how female prisoners were really treated. On another accession she faked mental illness in order to be admitted to a mental hospital to get the real picture on the treatment of mental patients.

3

Which of the following is NOT true about Nellie Bly? A.        Nellie Bly’s real name was Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman. B.        Nellie Bly was mentally ill. C.        The name Nellie Bly came from song. D.        The name Nellie Bly was used on articles that Seaman wrote.

4

Which of the following is NOT mentioned as something that Nellie Bly did to get a good story? A.        She acted like a thief. B.        She got arrested by the police. C.        She pretended to be ill. D.        She worked as a doctor in a mental hospital

 

PASSAGE THREE (Questions 5-6)

Dekanawida’s role as a supreme lawgiver in the Iroquois tribe has given him the status of demigod within the Indian nation. Born into the Huron tribe, Dekanawida caused great fear in his parents, who tried to drown him in his youth after a prophecy was made indicating that he drowning but later left his parents’ home and tribe to live among the Iroquois.

One of his achievements with the Iroquois was the institution of a law among the Iroquois that virtually ended blood feuds among the nation’s families. Wampum, strings of beads made of polished shells, was valued commodity in the Iroquois culture; according to policies established by Dekanawida, wampum had to be paid to the family of a murder victim by the family of the killer. Since the killer was also put to death, the family of the killer had to pay the victim’s family in wampum for two deaths, the death of the murder victim and the death of the killer. These strict policies implemented by Dekanawida helped to establish him as a wise lawgiver and leader of the Iroquois nation.

5

According to the passage, Dekanawida was NOT A.       a lawmaker B.       a Huron by birth C.       a near deity D.       drowned when he was young

6

Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage about wampum? A.        It was used extensively by the Huron. B.        It had a high value to the Iroquois C.        It was given to a murder victim’s family. D.        It was made of polished shells.

ANSWER KEY

1	A	6	A
2	D
3	B
4	D
5	D