Verbal Reasoning
Topic overview
Verbal reasoning tests the ability to locate evidence and distinguish textual facts from external common knowledge in a very short time. Reading the key words in the question stem first and then returning to the corresponding sentence or paragraph is usually more reliable than reading the whole text closely from the beginning.
Key concepts
True must be supported by the original text, False must be contradicted by the original text; when neither side has sufficient evidence, choose Can't Tell. Do not use common sense to fill gaps in the text.
Key points
- ◆Use only the given material
- ◆Pay attention to qualifiers such as all, some, may, must
- ◆Exercise restraint when no direct or necessary evidence can be found
Use the proper nouns, numbers, times and distinctive nouns in the question stem to establish anchor points. Locate first, then read the preceding and following sentences to judge, without re-reading the whole text for each question.
Key points
- ◆Keywords first
- ◆For conclusion questions, also look at the author's tone
- ◆Similar wording does not mean the same meaning
Worked examples
Try each example yourself before checking the explanation.
The original text says a certain pilot reduced paper usage in its first month, but did not compare total costs. Can it be concluded that the pilot saved on total costs?
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