Subjects:

Objective:

To identify specific information in a text and use it to make clear decisions about whether a sentence is true or false. The student needs to have a good level of understanding to make the right decision, and understanding new vocabulary is a factor in this exercise.

In this question we are given a text with information and 10 questions with information, and we have to compare the two to decide if the sentences are true or false. We have to do this quite quickly, so we need an efficient method.

The first step is to quickly read the text without worrying about any words you don't understand. You are just trying to get an idea of what the text is about, and where different pieces of information are.

Then we need to look at the first question, understand it, identify key words, and then look at the text to find the information which is connected to these key words.

When we find this information, we compare it to the information in the sentences, to decide whether they are true or not.

Let's look at a typical exam question:

Method:

To be able to decide whether the sentences are true or false, we need to locate the exact information we need to make a decision.

The first sentence is:

1) People didn't know exactly where the Titanic was for many years.

The key information here has been shown in bold. To make the decision, we need to locate this information in the text, and when we find it, we must underline it for later.

The text says it was rediscovered, which means it was lost and then found.

Using this information we can say the sentence is true.

Let's look at the second sentence:

2) The wreck is being attacked by microscopic elements.

The key information here is attacked and microscopic elements.

Looking for this information in the text, we find the following sentence:

could this historic hulk dissolve into a rust stain on the ocean floor in the next 20 years? Scientists say that's entirely possible, thanks to seafloor currents, avid wreck explorers, and some very hungry bacteria.

The microscopic elements are the bacteria, and the attack comes from them being very hungry, so the sentence is true.

Let's look at the third sentence:

3) A rusticle is composed of frozen water under the sea.

The key information here is rusticle and frozen water.

Looking for this information in the text, we find the following sentence:

they leave behind nothing but orangey rust deposits that look like knobs and icicles and are called rusticles.

So rusticles are made of rust and not water, so the sentence is false.

Let's look at the fourth sentence:

4) Scientists are almost certain the Titanic will disappear in 15 years.

The key information here is almost certain, disappear, 15 years.

Looking for this information in the text, we find the following sentence:

Whether that will happen in 15 years or 50 is not yet clear.

The key words are not yet clear, so it is not almost certain, so the sentence is not correct.

Let's look at the fifth sentence:

5) The wreck is being eaten by more than 20 different bacteria.

The key information here is more than 20 different bacteria.

Looking for this information in the text, we find the following sentence:

this mass of metal has proven tasty to 27 different strains of bacteria.

27 different strains of bacteria are more than 20 different bacteria, so the sentence is correct.

Let's look at the sixth sentence:

6) All of these bacteria have been studied by scientists for many years.

The key information here is all studied for many years.

Looking for this information in the text, we find the following sentence:

at least one that had never been identified before.

So the two pieces of information do not agree and the sentence must be incorrect.

Let's look at the seventh sentence:

7) Some of these bacteria have a fondness for minerals like salt.

The key information here is fondness for minerals like salt.

Looking for this information in the text, we find the following sentence:

It's part of a salt-loving family that had never been seen as deep as the Titanic's resting place.

The key information is salt-loving family

so the two pieces of information agree and the sentence must be correct.

Let's look at the eighth sentence:

8) Scientists are considering lifting the Titanic to the surface.

The key information here is considering lifting the Titanic to the surface.

Looking for this information in the text, we find the following sentence:

the best idea is to bring it up from the ocean floor to stop the rusting, but that wouldn't be easy or cheap.

The key information is bring it up from the ocean floor to stop the rusting

so the two pieces of information agree and the sentence must be correct.

Let's look at the ninth sentence:

9) This idea is the most economical way to solve the problem.

The key information here is the most economical way to solve the problem.

Looking for this information in the text, we find the following sentence:

that wouldn't be easy or cheap

The key information is wouldn't be cheap

so the two pieces of information don't agree so the sentence must be incorrect.

Let's look at the tenth sentence:

10) There is strong public opinion for the Titanic to be left undisturbed.

The key information here is strong public opinion ... left undisturbed.

Looking for this information in the text, we find the following sentence:

many people think we should leave the boat and the watery remains of its unlucky passengers right where they are.

The key information is many people think ..leave the boat and passengers where they are.

so the two pieces of information agree and the sentence must be correct.

The final document should then look like this:

1 TRUE

2 TRUE

3 FALSE

4 FALSE

5 TRUE

6 FALSE

7 TRUE

8 TRUE

9 FALSE

10 TRUE