Test sposobnosti zaključivanja u okviru testa TOEFL

Dragi čitatelji i čitateljice,

Zadaci koji spadaju u skupinu “inference”, oni su u kojima morate doći do nekog zaključka na temelju pročitanoga. Razlikuju se od tipa zadataka u kojima vas traže neki konkretan detalj ili informaciju iz teksta.

Primjer zadatka

Evo konkretnog primjera na ulomku iz teksta The Terrestrial Planets (preuzeto s: https://tstprep.com/100-reading-questions-for-the-toefl-test-pdf-included/):

The terrestrial planets are quite different from the giants. In addition to being much smaller, they are composed primarily of rocks and metals. These, in turn, are made of elements that are less common in the universe as a whole. The most abundant rocks, called silicates, are made of silicon and oxygen, and the most common metal is iron. We can tell from their densities that Mercury has the greatest proportion of metals (which are denser) and the Moon has the lowest. Earth, Venus, and Mars all have roughly similar bulk compositions: about one third of their mass consists of iron-nickel or iron-sulfur combinations; two thirds is made of silicates. Because these planets are largely composed of oxygen compounds (such as the silicate minerals of their crusts), their chemistry is said to be oxidized.

When we look at the internal structure of each of the terrestrial planets, we find that the densest metals are in a central core, with the lighter silicates near the surface. If these planets were liquid, like the giant planets, we could understand this effect as the result of the sinking of heavier elements due to the pull of gravity. This leads us to conclude that, although the terrestrial planets are solid today, at one time they must have been hot enough to melt.

Differentiation is the process by which gravity helps separate a planet’s interior into layers of different compositions and densities. The heavier metals sink to form a core, while the lightest minerals float to the surface to form a crust. Later, when the planet cools, this layered structure is preserved. In order for a rocky planet to differentiate, it must be heated to the melting point of rocks, which is typically more than 1,800 F.

Pitanje: Which of the following can be inferred/implied about the past temperatures of terrestrial planets?

A) At a point, their temperatures were at least 1,800 F or higher

B) At a point, their temperatures were below 1,800 F

C) Their temperatures currently range a great deal

D) Their temperatures have remained the same throughout time

Kako do točnog odgovora?

Točan odgovor je A, a dokaze za njega nalazimo na dva mjesta. Prvi je u drugom odlomku, koji kaže: “although the terrestrial planets are solid today, at one time they must have been hot enough to melt”. A drugi dokaz nalazi se u trećem odlomku: “the melting point of rocks, which is typically more than 1,800 F”. Dakle, ovdje ste morali posebno paziti, jer odgovor niste mogli naći na jednom mjestu: u jednoj rečenici, pa čak ni u istom odlomku, što je češći slučaj.

Kako eliminirati ostale ponuđene odgovore?

Analiziramo li odgovor B, vidimo da nije točan jer su temperature ispod 1800 F trenutačno, a ne prethodno stanje stvari (ne treba nam stoga prošlo vrijeme). Za odgovor C nemamo dokaza u tekstu, ne spominju se oscilacije u sadašnjim temperaturama, a odgovor D daje netočnu informaciju.

Na što treba pripaziti kod ovakvih zadataka?

Ako informaciju možete pronaći u tekstu, onda se ne radi o izvođenju zaključka, pa to ne može biti točan odgovor. Ipak, točan odgovor treba se temeljiti na dokazima ili informacijama prisutnima u tekstu, a ne na nečemu što biste sami zaključili o istoj temi.

Savjet za kraj

Ovaj tip pitanja jedan je od zahtjevnijih u Readingu, pa imajte na umu da ćete na njega možda potrošiti više vremena. Možete ih zato rješavati posljednje ili – ako vam baš ne ostane vremena – pogađati.

Lora Tomaš

Kada ne drži tečajeve u IRO-u, Lora piše i prevodi.

Više o profesorici možete pronaći OVDJE.