A plausible option is one that sounds like something the passage could say. Supported means the passage actually says it, or gives clear evidence for it. The skill here is to decide, and then explain in one sentence, why an attractive option fails.
This lesson follows identifying the correct detail. There you ruled out options that reuse words. Here you rule out options that reuse ideas.
How do I test whether an option is supported?
- Find the evidence line. Point to the words in the passage that would prove the option.
- Compare strength. Is the option stronger, wider or more certain than the line?
- Compare who, what and when. Is it about the same person, group and time?
- Name the gap in one sentence: too strong, opposite, not mentioned, different person, different time, invented reason.
If you cannot find an evidence line at all, the option is not supported.
Worked example
The new bus service starts on Monday. It will run every 20 minutes from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and tickets will cost RM2 for students. A survey last month showed that most passengers wanted a late-night service, but the council says it cannot afford one yet.
Question: Which statement is not supported by the text?
A The service will begin at the start of the week. B Students will pay RM2 for a ticket. C The council will soon introduce a late-night service.
Step 1, find evidence for A: “starts on Monday”. Supported.
Step 2, find evidence for B: “tickets will cost RM2 for students”. Supported.
Step 3, find evidence for C: the nearest line is “the council says it cannot afford one yet”. That says the council cannot afford it now. It does not say a date, and “soon” is not in the text.
Step 4, name the gap: C is too strong. It turns “yet” into a promise.
Answer: C. The text says the passengers want a late-night service, but it never says the council will introduce one soon.
The mistake to watch for
Mistaken answer: “Adults will pay more than students”, chosen as the supported statement.
It sounds natural, because student tickets are usually cheaper.
But the passage gives only the student price. It says nothing about adults, so this is a not stated option. The correction is to hunt for the words, not the general idea.
Check yourself
Amir trains four evenings a week and recently won a regional race. His coach says he could reach the national final next year if he keeps improving.
Which one of these is supported? Give the gap in each wrong option.
A Amir will compete in the national final next year. B Amir won a regional race. C Amir trains every evening.
Show answer
B is supported: “recently won a regional race”.
A is too strong. The text says “could” and “if he keeps improving”, which is not certainty.
C is contradicted by detail. The text says four evenings a week, not every evening.
Follow-up: write one sentence explaining why “Amir’s coach thinks he is the fastest runner in the country” is unsupported.
Show answer
Sample: “The coach only says Amir could reach the national final, which is not the same as being the fastest runner in the country, and that claim is not in the text.”
Where this leads next
You have now covered the five skills in reading for specific information. Put them together in the mixed practice set, and use the summary selection studio to practise choosing only the points that answer a question.
Explaining why an option fails is also a good way to show your teacher how you read. In online one-to-one English as a Second Language tuition, that explanation is often where a repeated habit becomes visible.