Big picture
The second unseen passage in the board paper is usually informational, discursive or case-based: a factual article, a report with figures, or an argument about a social issue, sometimes with a table or chart. Questions test whether you can find the main idea, follow the argument, interpret data accurately and draw conclusions that the evidence supports.
The trap in factual passages is choosing an answer that sounds reasonable but goes beyond what the text or data actually says. This lesson shows how to stay strictly within the evidence.
Learning goals
Identify the main idea, purpose and intended audience of a passage.
Distinguish facts from opinions.
Follow the structure of an argument: claim, reasons, evidence, counter-argument, conclusion.
Read and interpret data in tables, charts and percentages.
Work out word meanings from context.
Draw valid conclusions and reject unsupported ones.
Make notes and write a summary.
Core ideas
1. Main idea, purpose and audience
Main idea: the central point of the whole passage, often stated in the first or last paragraph. Each paragraph has its own topic sentence.
Purpose: to inform (explain facts), persuade (argue a point), instruct (give steps) or evaluate (weigh pros and cons).
Audience: students, the general public, experts or policymakers; this affects the tone and vocabulary.
2. Facts and opinions
Fact | Opinion |
|---|---|
Can be checked and proved true or false | A belief, judgement or feeling |
"The survey covered 1,200 students in 2024." | "Students today spend far too much time on screens." |
Often uses numbers, dates, names and measurements | Often uses words like should, best, worst, I believe, clearly, unfortunately |
3. The structure of an argument
Part | Signal words |
|---|---|
Claim (thesis) | The main point is…, This shows that… |
Reasons and evidence | because, since, for example, according to, data show |
Contrast or counter-argument | however, although, on the other hand, critics argue |
Cause and effect | as a result, therefore, consequently, leads to |
Conclusion | thus, in short, overall, to conclude |
4. Interpreting data
Read the title, units and labels first.
Note whether figures are numbers or percentages, and over what time period.
Compare carefully: "rose from 20% to 30%" is a rise of 10 percentage points, which is a 50% increase relative to the original.
Don't confuse correlation with causation: two things rising together doesn't prove one causes the other.
5. Worked case-based passage
A survey of 1,200 senior secondary students in five Indian cities, conducted in 2024, examined how they spend time on digital devices outside school hours. Students reported an average of 4.5 hours of daily screen use, compared with 3 hours in a similar survey in 2019. Most of the increase came from short-video apps and online gaming.
However, not all screen time is the same. Students who used devices mainly for learning, such as watching lessons or practising questions online, reported better sleep and higher satisfaction with their studies than those who used them mainly for entertainment. Researchers caution that the survey shows a link, not proof that learning apps improve sleep.
The study recommends that schools teach "digital self-management": planning screen time, switching off notifications during study, and keeping phones out of bedrooms at night. As one researcher put it, "The goal is not to fear technology, but to use it on purpose."
Purpose of screen use (2024) | Share of students |
|---|---|
Entertainment (videos, gaming, social media) | 55% |
Learning (lessons, practice, research) | 30% |
Communication (messaging, calls) | 15% |
Model answers
Question | Answer and reasoning |
|---|---|
Main idea | Students' screen time has risen, but how screens are used matters; schools should teach students to manage it |
Increase in daily screen use | From 3 to 4.5 hours: a rise of 1.5 hours, which is a 50% increase |
Main source of the increase | Short-video apps and online gaming |
What share of students used screens mainly for learning? | 30% |
Is "learning apps improve sleep" a valid conclusion? | No. The researchers say the survey shows a link, not proof; other factors could explain it |
A fact from the passage | The survey covered 1,200 students in five cities in 2024 |
An opinion or recommendation | "The goal is not to fear technology, but to use it on purpose" |
Meaning of "caution" (as used) | To warn or advise care |
Purpose of the passage | To inform about survey findings and recommend a response |
6. Note-making and summary
Note-making organises the main points in a clear, short form:
a title;
headings and sub-headings numbered (1, 1.1, 1.2 …);
key points in phrases, not full sentences;
abbreviations (at least four), with a key: e.g. hrs for hours, stud. for students, edu. for education, approx. for approximately.
Sample notes:
Title: Students and Screen Time
1. Survey details
1.1 1,200 sr. sec. stud., 5 cities, 2024
2. Findings
2.1 avg. daily use 4.5 hrs (3 hrs in 2019)
2.2 rise mainly from short videos, gaming
2.3 learning use linked to better sleep, satisfaction
2.4 link only, not proof
3. Recommendation
3.1 teach digital self-management
3.2 plan screen time, mute notifications, no phones in bedroom
Key: sr. sec. = senior secondary; stud. = students; avg. = average; hrs = hoursA summary turns the notes into a short paragraph (about one third of the original) in your own words, keeping only the main points.
A reliable routine for factual passages
Read the title and any table or chart labels first.
Skim for the main idea and the writer's purpose.
For each question, locate the exact sentence or figure.
Calculate carefully with numbers and percentages.
Reject options that are too extreme, not mentioned, or confuse a link with a cause.
Use signal words to follow the argument.
Connections that matter
Unseen narrative reading uses the same three-stage strategy.
Creative and discursive writing uses the same argument structure when you write articles and speeches.
Economics: statistics teaches how to read tables and percentages.
Common mistakes
Choosing an answer that sounds true in general but isn't in the passage.
Confusing percentage points with percentage change.
Treating correlation as causation.
Writing full sentences in notes or forgetting the abbreviation key.
Treating opinions or recommendations as facts.
Revision checklist
I can identify the main idea, purpose and audience.
I can separate facts from opinions.
I can follow an argument using signal words.
I can interpret tables and calculate changes correctly.
I can draw valid conclusions and reject unsupported ones.
I can make notes with headings and abbreviations, and write a summary.