Tip #10: Article Claim to Finding Questions: Identify claim, predict claim support, simplify findings conclusions, matching claim, use elimination process

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Pre-task Strategies

1. Identify the Claim
   • Locate the hypothesis or central claim in the passage.
   • Paraphrase it in simple terms (e.g., "The plants dissolve rock to grow and get phosphorus.").
2. Predict What Would Support the Claim
   • Ask: What evidence would confirm this idea?
   • Look for findings that:
     • Demonstrate cause-and-effect (e.g., acids dissolving rock).
     • Show a necessary condition (e.g., phosphates are essential).
     • Rule out alternative explanations.
3. Simplify Each Finding’s Conclusion
   • Summarize each option in a few words.
   • Eliminate findings that:
     • Are irrelevant to the claim.
     • Only partially relate.
     • Contradict the hypothesis.
4. Match to the Claim
   • The best answer will directly support the hypothesis, not just mention related details.
   • Avoid "keyword traps" (e.g., options that mention acids but don’t link them to growth/nutrients).
5. Process of Elimination
   • Cross out clearly wrong answers first.
   • Compare remaining options to see which most strongly supports the claim.

Practice

Model Passages & Questions

Passage 1: Coral Reef Symbiosis
Corals rely on a symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic algae called zooxanthellae, which provide nutrients in exchange for shelter. A marine biologist claims that rising ocean temperatures disrupt this relationship, causing coral bleaching (algae expulsion) and starvation.

Which finding, if true, would most directly support this claim?

A) Corals in cooler waters retain their zooxanthellae longer than those in warmer waters. 
B) Zooxanthellae can survive independently outside corals for short periods. 
C) Bleached corals continue to grow if fed artificial nutrients. 
D) Warmer waters increase coral metabolic rates, raising their nutrient demands. 


Passage 2: Ancient Trade Routes

A historian argues that the Silk Road’s decline in the 14th century was primarily due to the Black Death, which reduced population and trade activity.

Which finding, if true, would most directly support this argument?

A) The Black Death killed an estimated 30–60% of Europe’s population. 
B) Silk Road trade volumes dropped sharply in regions hardest hit by the plague. 
C) Political conflicts in Central Asia also disrupted trade during this period.
D) Some cities along the Silk Road had quarantine measures to limit the plague’s spread.


Post-Task Assessments & Reflections

1. Self-Check Questions
   • Did I accurately paraphrase the claim before reviewing the findings?
   • Did I eliminate options that were irrelevant or only weakly related?
   • Did I avoid being distracted by "near-miss" options (e.g., those with keywords but no direct support)?
2. Common Pitfalls
   • Selecting findings that are related but not direct (e.g., mentioning coral growth but not temperature effects).
   • Overlooking alternative explanations (e.g., political conflicts competing with the plague argument).
   • Misinterpreting the claim (e.g., focusing on "algae" instead of "temperature-induced bleaching").
3. Reflection
   • Practice identifying causal relationships in claims (e.g., X causes Y → look for evidence of X leading to Y).
   • Prioritize findings that exclude other explanations (e.g., trade dropped only in plague-hit regions).
   • Time management: Spend 30 seconds paraphrasing the claim before tackling options.

Answer Key

Passage 1

Correct Answer: A (Directly links temperature to symbiosis disruption.)
A) Corals in cooler waters retain their zooxanthellae longer than those in warmer waters. [Shows temperature affects the relationship.]
B) Zooxanthellae can survive independently outside corals for short periods. [Irrelevant—doesn’t address bleaching.]
C) Bleached corals continue to grow if fed artificial nutrients. [Suggests starvation is the issue, but doesn’t link to temperature.]
D) Warmer waters increase coral metabolic rates, raising their nutrient demands. [Explains stress but doesn’t prove bleaching is caused by algae expulsion.]

Passage 2
Correct Answer: B (Shows cause-and-effect between plague and trade decline.)
A) The Black Death killed an estimated 30–60% of Europe’s population. [Shows severity but doesn’t link to trade.]
B) Silk Road trade volumes dropped sharply in regions hardest hit by the plague. [Directly connects plague to trade decline.]
C) Political conflicts in Central Asia also disrupted trade during this period. [Introduces an alternative explanation.]
D) Some cities along the Silk Road had quarantine measures to limit the plague’s spread. [Irrelevant to the claim.]