Problem with Stated Detail (skill 2) Questions

A stated detail question asks about one piece of information in the passage rather than the passage as a whole. The answers to these questions are generally given in order in the passage, and the correct answer is often a restatement of what is given in the passage. This means that the correct answer often expresses the same idea as what is written in the passage, but the words are not exactly the same.

Example

The passage:

Flutes have been around for quite some time, in all sorts of shapes and sizes and made from a variety of
materials. The oldest known flutes are about 20,000 years old; they were made from hollowed-out bones with holes cut in them In addition to bone, older flutes were often constructed from bamboo or hollowed-out wood. Today’s flutes are generally made of metal, and in addition to the holes they have a complicated system of keys, levers, and pads. The instrument belonging to well known flautist James Galway is not just made of any metal; it is made of gold

The questions:

1. According to the passage, the oldest flutes
(A) had holes cut in them
(B) were made of metal
(C) were made 200,000 years ago
(D) had a complicated set of levers and pads

2. The passage indicates that James Gaiway’s flute is made of
(A) bones
(B) bamboo
(C) wood
(D) gold

Analysis:

The answers to the questions are generally found in order in the passage, so you should look for the answer to the first question near the beginning of the passage. Since the first question asks about the oldest flutes, you should see that this question is answered in the second sentence. The passage states that the oldest flutes were bones with holes cut in them, so the best answer is answer (A). Answers (B) and (D) are true about today’s flutes, but not the oldest flutes, so they are incorrect. Answer (C) is an incorrect number; the oldest flutes are 20,000 years old, not 200,000 years old.

The answer to the second question will probably be located in the passage after the answer to the first question. Since the second question is about James Galway’s flute, you should skim through the passage to find the part of the passage that discusses this topic. The answer to this question is found in the statement that the instrument belonging to well-known flautist James Galway is not just made of any metal; it is made of gold. The best answer to this question is therefore answer (D).

The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about stated detail questions.