Example:

Source: Cambridge IELTS 11, Test 3 – Reading, Passage 3, Questions 27 – 34

Strategies:

1. Read the instruction => check if you can use any letter more than once.
2. Read the list of questions and underline the key words
3. Read the first paragraph and go back to the list to see if the key words of any question are mentioned or paraphrased in it. If you cannot find any match, move on to the next paragraph.
4. If you find the key words of a question in paragraph 1, read around these key words to fully understand the meaning before you decide if that paragraph actually contains that specific information.
5. Repeat the steps above for the other paragraphs.

Tips:

• If you see this type of question on the test, do it LAST! (because you’ll have a better idea of the whole passage, i.e., where to find which details, after finishing other questions => save your time)
• If there is a note that says: “NB – You may use any letter more than once”, there must at least one paragraph/ letter that will be chosen twice. Otherwise, you’ve done incorrectly for one question at minimum.
• Answers do NOT come in the order of the paragraphs, so try to keep all the questions in mind since you may find the answer to one when looking for another. For example, you should remember you need to find which paragraph mentions a reason/ explanation, an example/ illustration/ description, a comparison, a summary, etc.
• Think of synonyms/ paraphrases for the key words in the questions
• Some paragraphs may contain the answers to more than one question while some paragraphs may not contain any answer.