Skill
Find "unstated" Details
No description
In the TOEFL ITP Reading Comprehension section, some questions will require you to identify information that is not stated, not mentioned, or not true according to the passage. These questions test your ability to distinguish between what the passage explicitly says and what it does not say.
For this question type, three of the answer choices will reflect information that is found in the passage, while one option will present information that is absent or incorrect. Your task is to locate the choice that does not match the passage.
These questions typically appear in one of the following forms:
- Which of the following is NOT stated…?
- Which of the following is NOT mentioned…?
- Which of the following is NOT true…?
- All of the following are mentioned EXCEPT….
Although the format may vary, the strategy remains the same.
How to Approach “Unstated” Detail Questions
- Identify a key word or idea in each answer choice.
Since the question wants the unmentioned or untrue option, you must verify each choice one by one. - Scan the passage for words or ideas that match each answer choice.
These questions follow the order of the passage, which makes scanning efficient. - Confirm which statements ARE supported by the text.
These will become the incorrect answer choices. - Choose the option that is NOT supported, NOT stated, or contradicts the passage.
This is the correct answer.
Example
Passage
Dolphins use a sophisticated system of sounds and clicks to communicate across long distances. These vocalizations allow them to coordinate hunting, identify members of their pod, and signal danger. Although dolphins are highly social animals, scientists still do not fully understand the complexity of their communication patterns.
Question
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a purpose of dolphin vocalizations?
A. Identifying members of their group
B. Warning about danger
C. Locating underwater obstacles
D. Coordinating hunting activities
Correct Answer: C
The passage describes communication for group identification, hunting coordination, and danger signaling. It does not mention locating obstacles.
Exercise
Complete the following exercises to reinforce what you’ve learned:
Practice Exercises
Below are new TOEFL-style questions written specifically for this skill.
PASSAGE 1 (Questions 1–3)
The honeybee plays a critical role in agriculture because it pollinates a wide variety of crops. Without bees, many fruits, vegetables, and nuts would experience drastically reduced yields. Honeybees live in highly organized colonies in which each bee has a specific role. The queen lays eggs, worker bees collect nectar, and drones exist solely to mate with the queen.
1. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a function of honeybees?
A. Pollinating crops
B. Collecting nectar
C. Producing large numbers of eggs
D. Mating with the queen
2. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true about honeybee colonies?
A. They are organized.
B. Each bee has a role.
C. Worker bees lay eggs.
D. The queen produces offspring.
3. All of the following are stated as outcomes of losing honeybees EXCEPT:
A. lower crop yields
B. fewer fruits and vegetables
C. reduced pollination
D. extinction of all insects
PASSAGE 2 (Questions 4–6)
Marie Curie is widely known for her groundbreaking research on radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and remains the only person to have won Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields. Despite facing discrimination in the scientific community, she continued her research with determination and eventually discovered two new elements: polonium and radium.
4. Which of the following is NOT mentioned about Marie Curie?
A. She discovered more than one element.
B. She faced discrimination.
C. She won multiple Nobel Prizes.
D. She taught physics at a university.
5. According to the passage, Marie Curie accomplished all of the following EXCEPT:
A. discovering radium
B. winning a Nobel Prize
C. conducting research on radioactivity
D. inventing X-ray machines
6. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. She discovered polonium.
B. She was the first female Nobel laureate.
C. She won Nobel Prizes in chemistry and physics.
D. She received no recognition for her research.
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