Inference / Must Be true Flashcards
What “Clue” makes you suspect inference?
The Passage is a set of facts (without a conclusion)
There’s no paradox
This does not mean that a passage with a conclusion cannot still be an inference question.
An inference can possibly occur or is likely to occur
True or false
False
An inference “Must be true” or is “certain to occur”, given the facts set forth.
It Demands “necessity” not “Possibility”
It must be fully supported by the passage
An Inference answer choice that is true in the real world is always correct.
True or false
False
Any answer choice that is plausible but is not fully supported by the passage is INCORRECT
Question stems of Inference questions
If the statement above is true, which of the following can be properly inferred/concluded?
if the information above is correct, which of the following must also be true?
IF the statements above are true, which of the following can be properly drawn?
Inference is part of which family information model?
First family information model
Where the stimulus is taken as FACTS and no additional information can be brought in.
The answer choices are determined from the stimulus
(Arrow down from stimulus to answer choices)
In Inference, an answer choice that adds additional outside info can be correct
True or False?
**False if …
**
Any inference answer choice that brings in outside info not supported by the passage is INCORRECT
True if …
the answer choice is strongly supported by the passage and must be true given the facts
The 5-step Inference/Must-be-true Execution strategy
- Carefully read and completely understand the
passage
(a) determine that the passage is a set of facts
(b) Analyse each premise/ statement, then define
the effect of each statement.
(Read every word)
(c) Take a moment to determine what each statement adds up to & how each premise
connects to each other.
(d) Examine each connection.
(e) Notice the scope of the passage (limiting words,
modifiers)
(f) Be clear on what the passage really said / didn’t
say (Do not generalise!) - Identify what the question is asking of you.
- Do a mental recap of the passage with scope,
connections and logical flow in mind before
jumping to eliminate answer choices. - Eliminate “sometimes true”, “could be true”, “definitely not true” options. Leave any option that you are not sure about
- Select the Final choice that must be true.
Broad scope indicators vs Narrow scope indicators
In Must Be True questions you are like the detective Sherlock Holmes, looking for clues in the stimulus and then matching those clues to the answer choices.
Words like “some,” “could,” and “many” encompass many different possibilities and are BROAD SCOPE indicators.
Words like “must” and “none” indicate a NARROW SCOPE indicators.
Some
Broad/Narrow scope?
Broad scope
Could
Broad/Narrow cope?
Broad scope
Many
Broad/narrow scope?
Broad scope
Must
Broad/Narrow scope?
Narrow scope
None
Broad/Narrow scope?
Narrow scope
Common Inference question traps
Test takers will change the modifiers in answer choices to test your attention to detail.
strategy - read carefully and note all modifiers.
Primary objectives of Inference/must be true question
What did you read in the stimulus?
What did the stimulus say / did not say?
what do you know on the basis of that reading?
Must Be True questions require you to read text and understand the facts and details that logically follow.
Correct answer types of Inference/Must-be-true questions
- Answers that are conclusions based on the entirety of statements in the passage
2.Answers that are fully supported by small portions of the passage (& paraphrased answers)
3.Answers supported by numerical info throughout the passage
4.answers supported by maths info in small portions of the passage
5 Incorrect answer types (Traps) of inference/must-be-true questions
- Could be true / likely to be true answers
- Exaggerated answers
- Answers that present information in the stimulus
in a distorted way- Reversed answers eg (if/then..)
- opposite answers
- the shell game
- Answers that bring new info that is not supported by the passage
- Answers that are true in real world but not
supported by the passage.
Some environmentalists question the prudence of exploiting features of the environment, arguing that there are no economic benefits to be gained from forests, mountains, or wetlands that no longer exist. Many environmentalists claim that because nature has intrinsic value it would be wrong to destroy such features of the environment, even if the economic costs of doing so were outweighed by the economic costs of not doing so.
Which one of the following choices are obviously incorrect
(A) It is economically imprudent to exploit features of the environment.
(B) Some environmentalists appeal to a noneconomic justification in questioning the defensibility of exploiting features of the environment.
(C) Most environmentalists appeal to economic reasons in questioning the defensibility of exploiting features of the environment.
(D) Many environmentalists provide only a noneconomic justification in questioning the defensibility of exploiting features of the environment.
(E) Even if there is no economic reason for protecting the environment, there is a sound noneconomic justification for doing so.
Choices (A) & (E) are obviously incorrect
Because;
the author repeats the opinions of others and never makes an assertion of his or her own.
(A) and (E) make factual assertions
Opinions ≠ Assertions/Facts
When a stimulus contains only the opinions of others, then in a Must Be True question you can eliminate any answer choice that makes a flat assertion without reference to those opinions.
“opinions” in a passage do not let us know the “actual facts” of the situation.
Passage : Many boys play ball
Ans choice: Some boys play ball …True or False?
True
If “many” boys play ball, it must be true that at least “some” boys play ball.
Inference vs Assumption
- An assumption is an unstated fact that swerves as a bridge between the premise and conclusion, While an Inference is an unstated conclusion derived mainly from the premise
- An Assumption occurs before the argument/conclusion, while the argument is being formed. While, an Inference occurs after the argument is complete
- An assumption must be true in order for the argument to be valid, While an Inference must be true based on the information presented in the argument.
Rethinking to Predict the answer is a good strategy
True / False
False
Don’t waste your time rethinking to predict.
Instead, before jumping to the answer choices, Prethink to understand connections/assumptions - try to synthesize and intimately understand the facts as well as how they connect to each other. Also know the main point and think of the authors purpose (what is he trying to make me understand?)
Inference question require you to look for a main conclusion
True or False
False
You are looking for a choice that says something that must be true given the facts stated in the passage.
True / Exaggerated?
Some of A
= All of A
Exaggerated
Some ≠ All
True or False?
Not Guaranteed ≠ Unlikely
True
Not guaranteed - Probability < 95%
Unlikely - Probability < 50%
True or False?
Guaranteed = Likely
False
Likely - Probability > 50%
Guaranteed - Probability > 95%
True or False?
Sufficient = Necessary
False
Sufficient = enough
Necessary = required but not enough
True / False?
has never been ≠ will never be
True
The past does not necessarily predict the future
Pay close attention, changes in tense can make an answer to be exaggerated
“Except” inference questions strategy
Q_ the following are inferences except…
correct answer - could be true / Must be false
Incorrect answers - must be true
Which of the following must not be true?
The correct answer to the question above will be…
correct answer - Must not be true
Incorrect answer- could be true / may be true / must be true
List Broad scope indicators
Some
Not all
May
Not always/ Rarely
Many
Probably/ Likely/ Can/ Could
Several
Few
List Narrow scope indicators
None
All
Must
Always
Only
Will/ Would
Most
Never
Every
Sole
Exclusively
How do you approach this question prompt
Which of the following is most supported by the passage?
- the correct answer** must be true** ( supported by facts in the passage whether it introduces new information or not)
- The correct answer may capture the main point or be an inference
- if i am stuck between 2 options that are supported by passage facts, i will look for clues in the question stem to decide which is the best answer (conclusion or inference)
What is “shell game”?
Shell Game: an idea or concept is raised in the stimulus, and
then a very similar idea appears in the answer choice, but the idea is
changed just enough to be incorrect but still attractive.
How do you approach “new infromation not stated in the passage” in an inference answer choice?
- I will read and understand the answer choice. What is this option saying?
- What is the logical implication of what this option is saying? What is it implying?
- Is this supported/implyed by the passage?
If it is supported - ✅
if it is not supported - ❌
True/False?
I just need to get a hand of the overall passage to answer CR questions
It happens to lot of us that as we move through a passage, we read them and try to get an overall hang of the passage. However, we must read each statement very carefully because the answer statement could just be an inference or restatement of a single statement in the passage
Is the answer choce True of False?
Passage: Some people claim apples are vegetables and not fruits
Which of the following must be true?
Ans choice: apples are vegetables
False
Opinions are not same as facts
When a stimulus contains only the opinions of others, then in a Must Be True question you can eliminate any answer choice that makes a flat assertion without reference to those opinions
Anytime i am having difficulty clearly eliminating option choices, it means….
- i do not fully undersand the passage
- i did not fully link the logic of the passage or get the authors main point
- I missed words/indicators/modifiers that made me misinterprete the passage.
When stuck between 2 answer choices in inference questions…
apply the following steps:
-
Revisit Passage & Restate the Conclusion or Key Inference
Identify the explicit evidence in the passage and what can logically follow from it without adding assumptions. -
Scope :
Ask: “Does this answer stay within the boundaries of what the passage discusses?”
Eliminate broader claims. If an answer goes beyond what is directly supported by the passage, it’s likely wrong. -
Language
Favor milder claims to strong language unless it is supported.
Look for weasel words (e.g., “may,” “could,” “possibly”) in weaker options and compare them with stronger, definitive claims in others like “will”, “would” or “must”. Ensure the strength of the claim matches the evidence. - ** Fact test**
Test Each Option Against the Evidence:
For each option, ask: “Does this logically follow from the passage’s evidence?” “Is it supported by the passage?”
If an answer requires new assumptions or overgeneralization, eliminate it. - Negation test : If you are deliberating between the last 2 options, consider what will happen if each of the choices were not true. Would the evidence no longer make sense? The answer that conflicts the most with the passage when negated is most likely to be the correct answer.
