Reading: Evidence, Paraphrase and Not Given
Reading is the UTAS English Placement domain that estimates how well you extract meaning from written English at academic level. It tests main ideas, specific detail, inference, vocabulary in context and the writer's purpose. Texts may describe, explain or argue a position, and the questions reward precise reading rather than general knowledge.
Core rules
- Match the task to the reading mode. Skim for gist and headings; scan for names, dates and figures; read closely for inference and attitude.
- Expect paraphrase. The correct answer usually restates the passage in different words; an exact word match is often a trap.
- Separate True, False and Not Given. True: the passage supports the statement. False: the passage contradicts it. Not Given: the passage neither confirms nor denies it.
- Respect limits. If a summary task says 'NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS', three words scores zero even if the meaning is right.
- Use grammar. The word before or after a gap predicts whether you need a noun, verb, adjective or plural form.
Worked example
Passage: 'Although the initial trials showed promise, the treatment's effectiveness declined when administered after 48 hours, leading researchers to recommend early intervention.' Statement: 'The treatment was ineffective in all trials.' Answer: False. Reasoning: 'showed promise' contradicts 'ineffective in all'. The decline after 48 hours describes a timing effect, not total failure. If the statement were 'The treatment was tested only within the first 48 hours', the answer would be Not Given, because the passage does not say that.
Traps that cost marks
- Absolute words in options: all, never, only, always.
- Matching identical vocabulary instead of checking meaning.
- Spending too long on one item and losing easier marks later.
- Ignoring question order when the passage follows the same order.