Module 3 · Lesson 4
Part 3: paragraph roles, reference words, and not-given evidence
Match statements to paragraphs by function and distinguish silence from contradiction.
Direct answer
Reading for Information rewards a paragraph map. Give each paragraph a short role label, resolve reference words, and match statements by meaning. Choose not given only when no paragraph states or strongly implies the claim—not when the text states the opposite.
This lesson includes the explanation, method, worked example, mistakes, mastery activities, and an internal practice handoff you need for this skill.
Why this skill matters
Paragraph mapping gives longer texts a searchable architecture. A role label such as ‘current problem’ or ‘funding limitation’ preserves meaning more effectively than copying a sentence. The same map helps resolve paraphrases and distinguish a contradicted statement from one whose required evidence never appears.
What you will be able to do
- Label paragraph roles
- Resolve references
- Match paraphrased meaning
- Distinguish not given from contradiction
Use this repeatable method
- 1Write a three-to-six-word role beside each paragraph.
- 2Circle reference words and identify their nouns.
- 3Paraphrase the statement before searching.
- 4Use not given only after checking all plausible paragraphs.
Role labels reduce rereading
Origin story, present problem, proposed solution, and research limitation are more useful than copying the first sentence.
Not given means absent
If the text says attendance increased, a statement saying it decreased is contradicted, not absent. If it never discusses attendance, it is not given.
Build the skill deliberately
Begin without answer choices or a model response. Write a three-to-six-word role beside each paragraph. Circle reference words and identify their nouns. Paraphrase the statement before searching. Use not given only after checking all plausible paragraphs. Then apply the same sequence to a fresh item or prompt: Map four paragraphs before viewing statements. For every not-given answer, write what evidence would have been needed but is absent. Record what you did, where the process became uncertain, and the single decision you will repeat or change next time. This final note turns the activity into evidence for your next study session.
Paragraph map
Weaker approach
Search only for the word costs and choose the first paragraph containing money.
Stronger approach
A history of urban gardens; B current food-access problem; C volunteer training model; D funding uncertainty. Statement about unresolved costs → D.
Why it works: The role map locates meaning before exact wording.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Searching only for exact words from the statement.
- Calling a statement not given when the text states the opposite.
- Ignoring what pronouns and reference phrases point back to.
End-of-lesson activities
Apply what you learned
Complete a fill-in-the-blank, a true-or-false decision, and a multiple-choice scenario. You will see an explanation for every answer.
Course glossary · 15 essential terms
Open this whenever a lesson uses an unfamiliar study or language term. Definitions are written for this course.
- Baseline
- A controlled first attempt used to identify current patterns, not to predict a guaranteed official result.
- CLB-oriented
- Preparation discussed in relation to Canadian Language Benchmarks without claiming that an unofficial activity issues a CLB or CELPIP result.
- Cohesion
- The clear flow between sentences and paragraphs created by logical order, reference, repetition, and appropriate connectors.
- Collocation
- Words that commonly occur together, such as meet a deadline, raise a concern, or reach an agreement.
- Concession
- A point from another side that a speaker or writer acknowledges before qualifying it or returning to the main position.
- Constraint
- A condition that limits a possible answer, such as time, cost, eligibility, location, or availability.
- Distractor
- An incorrect answer designed to appear plausible, often by repeating words while changing the underlying meaning.
- Evidence
- The exact word, sentence, audio cue, visual detail, or task requirement that supports a decision.
- Inference
- A conclusion strongly supported by available clues even when it is not stated in exactly the same words.
- LRWS
- Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking—the four skills assessed in CELPIP-General.
- Paraphrase
- The same meaning expressed accurately with different vocabulary or sentence structure.
- Register
- The level and style of language chosen for a relationship and purpose, such as friendly, neutral, firm, or professional.
- Stance
- A person's position or judgment on an issue, including the degree of support, opposition, or uncertainty.
- Task family
- A recurring question or response type that requires a specific decision process, such as Reading for Viewpoints or Giving Advice.
- Transfer
- Applying a strategy or correction successfully to fresh material rather than only recognizing it in a familiar example.
Practice action
Map four paragraphs before viewing statements. For every not-given answer, write what evidence would have been needed but is absent.
Open Reading practice