3.2 Details, Evidence, and Line References
Key Takeaways
- Detail questions ask for stated information such as dates, quantities, locations, required documents, responsible offices, or conditions.
- Evidence questions should be answered by returning to the passage and matching the option to exact wording or a very close paraphrase.
- Line-reference items require context: read the cited sentence plus the sentence before and after it whenever possible.
- For not-mentioned and except questions, check every option against the passage instead of choosing the first familiar-sounding answer.
What Detail Questions Test
A detail question asks what the passage says directly. These questions often use phrases such as according to the notice, which statement is supported, which item is required, or which choice is not mentioned. The exam is not asking what would normally happen in a government office. It is asking what this passage states.
Civil-service passages often include information that matters in real work: a deadline, an office name, a service counter, a required form, a fee amount, or a condition that triggers a different procedure. Missing one word can change the answer. May is different from must. Before noon is different from by the end of the day.
Details Worth Marking
| Detail Type | Examples | What To Track |
|---|---|---|
| Time | by 4 p.m., within 10 days, after approval | The deadline and what it applies to |
| Location | east entrance, records counter, service portal | The exact place or channel |
| Condition | if, unless, except, only when | The rule and its trigger |
| Quantity | two forms, three copies, $25 fee | The number and the noun it modifies |
| Responsibility | applicant, supervisor, inspector, clerk | Who must do the action |
Realistic Government Passage Example
A sanitation department notice says residents may request replacement trash carts through the city service portal. Requests must include the property address and the serial number printed on the damaged cart. If the cart blocks the sidewalk or street, residents should call the 24-hour dispatch line instead of submitting the online form.
A detail question might ask what information must be included in the online request. The answer is the property address and cart serial number. Another question might ask when to call dispatch. The answer is when the damaged cart blocks the sidewalk or street.
Evidence Means Support, Not Guesswork
Evidence questions ask which choice is supported by the passage. The safest answer is one you can point to. If you need outside experience to defend an option, it is probably too far from the text. Government passages are designed so that a careful reader can prove the answer from the words given.
When a choice paraphrases the passage, check that it keeps the same condition. A passage might say inspectors may reschedule when severe weather prevents safe access. A wrong answer might say inspectors may reschedule whenever an applicant asks. That choice borrows the topic but loses the condition.
Evidence Ladder
Use an evidence ladder when the options feel close. First, find the exact sentence. Second, match the actor and action. Third, confirm the condition, date, or exception. Fourth, ask whether the option changes the strength of the statement. An answer that says must when the passage says may has climbed off the ladder, even if the topic is right.
This approach also protects you on long, official-looking choices. Some options repeat several correct words but add one unsupported requirement. Read the full option, not just the familiar phrase at the start.
Line Reference Routine
- Read the question first so you know what detail you are seeking.
- Go to the cited line, sentence, or phrase.
- Read one sentence before and one sentence after it.
- Identify the subject, action, condition, and any exception.
- Match the answer to that narrow context.
Line references can be tricky because the cited words may depend on a prior sentence. If line 4 says this requirement, line 3 may tell you what this means. Do not answer from the line alone when a pronoun, phrase, or exception depends on surrounding text.
Not-Mentioned And Except Questions
For not-mentioned questions, test each answer choice. Put a mental check beside any option that appears in the passage. The correct answer is the unsupported one, even if it sounds plausible. For except questions, the correct answer may be the only option that does not follow the stated rule.
A realistic option is not the same as a supported option. A permit notice may mention application forms, proof of insurance, and payment receipts. If an answer choice says photo identification, you cannot choose it unless the passage includes it.
Key Takeaway
Detail questions reward disciplined scanning. Keep the detail attached to its condition, actor, and deadline, and return to the passage before trusting memory.
Read the passage and answer the question. The parks department says picnic shelter reservations must be made through the online recreation portal. Applicants must enter the shelter number, requested date, and estimated attendance. Groups expecting more than 75 people must also upload a parking plan before the reservation can be approved. According to the passage, which groups must upload a parking plan?
Read the passage and answer the question. A records office accepts birth-certificate requests in person, by mail, and through a secure online form. Mailed requests must include a signed application and a copy of an approved identity document. Same-day pickup is available only for requests submitted at the service counter before 3 p.m. Which request method is NOT mentioned in the passage?
Read the passage and answer the question. A building inspection notice states that inspectors will make two attempts to enter a property during the scheduled window. If no adult is present after the second attempt, the applicant must call the inspection office to choose a new date. Weather-related cancellations will be rescheduled automatically by the office. Which statement is supported by the passage?