How to answer Fill the Table Questions? | Reading for TOEFL PDF Download

Fill in a Table Questions

• In this kind of item, you will be given a partially completed classification table based on information in the passage. Your job is to complete the table by clicking on the correct answer choices and dragging them to their correct locations in the table.
• Fill in a Table of items to measure your ability to conceptualize and organize major ideas and other important information from across the passage and then place them in appropriate categories. This means that you must first recognize and identify the major points from the passage, and then place those points in their proper context.
• Just as for Prose Summary questions, the able reader will create a mental framework to organize and remember major ideas and other important information.
• Doing so requires the ability to understand rhetorical functions such as cause-effect relationships, compare-contrast relationships, arguments, and the like.
• When building your mental framework, keep in mind that the major ideas in the passage are the ones you would include if you were making a fairly high-level outline of the passage. The correct answer choices are usually ideas that would be included in a slightly more detailed outline. Minor details and examples are generally not included in such an outline because they are used only to support the more important, higher-level themes. The distinction between major ideas/important information and less important information can also be thought of as a distinction between essential and nonessential information.
• Passages used with Fill in a Table item have more than one focus of development in that they include more than one point of view or perspective. Typical passages have the following types of organization: compare/contrast, problem/solution, cause/effect, alternative arguments (such as theories, and hypotheses), and the like.
• Correct answers represent major ideas and important supporting information in the passage. Generally, these answers will not match specific phrases in the passage.
• They are more likely to be abstract concepts based on passage information or paraphrases of passage information. Correct answers will be easy to confirm by able readers who can remember or easily locate relevant text information.
• Incorrect answers may include information about the topic that is not mentioned in the passage or that is not directly relevant to the classification categories in the table. They may also be obviously incorrect generalizations or conclusions based on what is stated in the passage. Be aware that incorrect answers may include words and phrases that match or resemble words or phrases in the passage.

Table Rules

Tables can have 2 or 3 columns/rows containing bullets representing either 5 or 7 correct answer choices. So there are four possible types of tables, as follows:

• 2-column/row table with 5 correct answer choices
• 3-column/row table with 5 correct answer choices
• 2-column/row table with 7 correct answer choices
• 3-column/row table with 7 correct answer choices

There will always be more options than correct answer choices. Some answer choices will not be used. An answer choice can be used only once in the table. If an answer choice applies to more than one category, or to no category in a table, a row or column labeled "both" or "neither" will be available in the table for placement of that answer choice.

Scoring

• To earn points, you must not only select correct answer choices but also organize them correctly in the table. You may receive partial credit, depending on how many correct answers you choose.
  • For tables with 5 correct answers (both type 1 and type 2), you can earn up to a total of 3 points, depending on how many correct answers you select and correctly place. For 0, 1, or 2 correct answers you will receive no credit. For 3 correct answers, you will receive 1 point; for 4 correct answers you will receive 2 points; and for all 5 correct answers, you will receive the entire 3 points.
  • For tables with 7 correct answers (both type 3 and type 4), you can earn up to a total of 4 points, depending on how many correct answers you select and correctly place. For 0, 1, 2, or 3 correct answers you will receive no credit. For 4 correct answers, you will receive 1 point; for 5 correct answers you will receive 2 points; for 6 correct answers you will receive 3 points, and for all 7 correct answers you will receive the entire 4 points.

Example

(Note: The passage used for this example is the same one that was used above for the Prose Summary example question.)
Directions; Complete the table below to summarize information about the two types of art discussed in the passage. Match the appropriate statements to the types of art with which they are associated. This question Is worth 3 points.

Statements
An object’s purpose is primarily aesthetic.
Objects serve a functional purpose.
The incidental details of objects do not vary.
Artists work to overcome the limitations of their materials.
The basic form of objects varies little across cultures.
Artists work in concert with their materials.
An object’s place of origin is difficult to determine.

Drag your answer choices to the space where they belong. To review the passage click on view text.

Correctly Completed Table
Directions: Complete the table below to summarize information about the two types of art discussed in the passage. Match the appropriate statements to the types of art with which they are associated. This question is worth 3 points.

Explanation
Correct Choices:

Choice 1: An object's purpose is primarily aesthetic. (Fine Arts)

This is an example of a correct answer that requires you to identify an abstract concept based on text information and paraphrases of text information.
In paragraph 2, sentence 5, the passage states that the primary purpose of Fine Art is not function. Then, in paragraph 2, sentence 11, the passage mentions a situation in which a sculptor had to sacrifice an aesthetic purpose due to the laws of physics. Putting these statements together, the reader can infer that fine artists, such as sculptors, are primarily concerned with aesthetics.

Choice 2: Objects serve a functional purpose. (Applied Arts)

This is stated more directly than the previous correct answer. Paragraph 1, sentences 1, 2, and 3 make it clear how important function is in the applied arts. At the same time, paragraph 2 states that Fine Arts are not concerned with function, so the only correct place for this statement is in the Applied Arts category.

Choice 4: Artists work to overcome the limitations of their materials. (Fine Arts)

This is stated explicitly in the last paragraph of the passage. In that paragraph, it is made clear that this applies only to practitioners of the fine arts.

Choice 5: The basic form of objects varies little across cultures. (Applied Arts)

In paragraph 1, sentence 5, the passage states that certain laws of physics are universal. Then in sentence 7, that idea is further developed with the statement that functional forms can vary only within limits. From these two sentences, you can conclude that because of the laws of physics and the need for functionality, the basic forms of applied art objects will vary little across cultures.

Choice 6: Artists work in concert with their materials. (Applied Arts)

Tin's is stated explicitly in the last paragraph of the passage. In thatpara-gr:mh, it is made dear that this applies only to practitioners of the applied arts.

Incorrect Choices:

Choice 3: The incidental details of objects do not vary.

This idea is explicitly refuted by the last sentence of paragraph 1 in reference to the applied arts. That sentence (referring only to applied arts) states that the incidental details of such objects do vary, so this answer cannot be placed in the applied arts category. This subject is not discussed at all in reference to fine act objects, so it cannot be correctly placed in that category either.

Choice 7: An object's place of origin is difficult to determine.

This answer choice is implicitly refuted in reference to applied arts in the next to last sentence of paragraph 1. That sentence notes that both Shang Dynasty and Inca vases are identifiable as such based upon differences in detail. By inference, it seems that it is not difficult to determine an applied-art objects place of the previous incorrect answer, this idea is not discussed at all in reference to line art objects, so it cannot be correctly placed in that category either.