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%
