Medic Mind Verbal Reasoning

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Theory & Technique

Mock Questions

Step-by-Step Guides

Detailed Explanations

Verbal Reasoning

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Lesson

Page

Lesson 1: Introduction to Verbal Reasoning

4 Lesson 2: True, False, Can’t Tell

7 Lesson 3: Using Inferences

11 Lesson 4: Extreme Language

13 Lesson 5: Keyword Approach

16 Lesson 6: Passage Adjustments

21 Lesson 7: Writer Questions

24 Lesson 8: Type 1 Statement Questions

28 Lesson 9: Type 2 Statement Questions

32 Lesson 10: Scientific and Factual Passages

34 Lesson 11: Timing Strategies

35 Lesson 12: Reverse Questions

38 Lesson 13: Timing Contingencies

39 Lesson 14: Causation vs. Correlation

41 Lesson 15: Verbal Reasoning - Test Day

43 Lesson 16: Tips from the Experts

45 Lesson 17: Summary & Overview

47 Verbal Reasoning Mock

55

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What is Verbal Reasoning?

The Verbal Reasoning subtest assesses your ability to read and think carefully about information presented in passages and to determine whether specific conclusions can be drawn from information presented.

Why do they test it?

Doctors and dentists need excellent verbal reasoning skills in order to understand complex information and communicate this clearly and simply to patients is essential. Medical practitioners must also be able to interpret findings from published materials and apply this to their own practice. It is essential they are able to critique such materials and draw their own conclusion as to the validity of any findings.

What are the different question types?

There are 5 types of Verbal Reasoning Question:

Introduction to Verbal Reasoning

Lesson 1

To gain a brief understanding of the different question types in Verbal

Reasoning and the timing for this intense section.

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•

True, False, Cannot Tell- the question stem is a statement, and you have to choose

either True, False or Cannot Tell

•

Type 1- the question stem has a specific question, and you have to choose which of the

four similar statements is correct.

•

Type 2- the question stem is generic, and you have to choose which of the four

unrelated statements is correct.

•

Writer- the question asks something related to the author of the passage, whether it be

his overall opinion, strongest point, or something else. Question format can be Type 1, 2 or TFCT.

•

Reverse- the question involves a negative, e.g. which of the following is least likely, or

not true. Question format can be Type 1, 2 or TFCT.

What are the main challenges of Verbal Reasoning?

• Timing- you have under 2 minutes to answer four questions relating to a fairly large passage. Therefore you have to be efficient, quick and decisive.

• Reading the passage- at normal reading pace it would take you 2 minutes to read the passage alone, so you need to use our Keywords Approach to succeed in the questions. • Variety of questions- the huge range of verbal reasoning makes it very difficult to apply a single approach. There is a different Medic Mind approach specific for each question type, and without lots of practice this can at first seem intimidating.

External Knowledge

Introduction to Verbal Reasoning

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Consider the question statement:

“Barack Obama was elected as President of the USA in November 2008”.

You may know that this is true from your own knowledge. You can use this to help you knock out the option ‘False’, but the answer can still be ‘Can’t Tell’ if there is no explicit mention of this fact in the passage.

You can still use external knowledge, however, if you are careful. If you know this fact is true in real life, then it is quite likely that it will not be False in this UKCAT passage, as most passages are derived from real articles. But we cannot rule out Can’t Tell. 

Introduction to Verbal Reasoning

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True, False, Can’t Tell

True means that the statement is correct based on the passage.

• A statement can be true if it is directly stated in the passage. This is the simplest to find, and should be an easy mark.

• A statement can be true if it is an inference from the passage, even if it is not directly stated. Here there is a blur between True and Can’t Tell.

False means that the statement contradicts the passage. Again, it may not be

explicitly shown to be wrong, but instead you can detect it using an inference. • A statement might go against the passage, either factually or in terms of

general opinion

• A statement could take something in the passage and extend it too far - e.g. the passage says ‘one of the few suppliers in the market’ and the statement says ‘the only supplier’.

Can’t Tell means that you cannot be certain based on the information on the

passage.

• A statement could go beyond the information in the passage.

• A statement may be True or False from your own knowledge, but you cannot choose based on your external knowledge. If it is not in the passage, it has to be Can’t Tell.

True, False, Can’t Tell

Lesson 2

Be able to define True, False and Can’t Tell statements and know

how to differentiate between them

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Types of True

1. Directly Stated

A statement can be true if it is directly stated in the passage. This is the simplest to find, and should be an easy mark.

Statement: WhatsApp is owned by Facebook.

Passage: ‘Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, sanctioned the acquisition of WhatsApp’.

2. Inference

A statement can be true if it is an inference from the passage, even if it is not directly stated. Here there can often a blur between True and Can’t Tell.

Statement: ‘Altitude are one of the better social media management firms in the UK’ Passage: ‘Altitude has grown significantly since its launch. To date, a vast number of firms are using Altitude to boost their online marketing strategy’

Types of False

1. Contradiction

A statement might go against the passage, either factually or in terms of general opinion.

2. Statement Goes Too Far

A statement could take something in the passage and extend it too far

Statement: ‘Krandon are the only supplier of Amaroo Extract left to date’

True, False, Can’t Tell

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Types of Can’t Tell

1. External Knowledge

“Barack Obama was elected as President of the USA in November 2008”.

You may know that this is True from your own knowledge. You can use this to help you knock out the option ‘False’, but the answer can still be ‘Can’t Tell’ if there is no explicit mention of this fact in the passage

True

Direct

Match

Inference

Beyond

Passage

Contradiction

Statement

Too Extreme

Can’t Tell

False

True, False, Can’t Tell

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Practice 1: True, False, Can’t Tell Questions

Sports in UK Schools

On 17th February 2013, at the annual Sports Conference conference, Government has been accused of "turning its back on school sport" and undermining the Olympic legacy six months after the Games.

Shadow Sports Minister Clive Efford MP told the BBC: "What has gone on in school sport is absolutely disastrous.” Education Secretary Michael Gove is expected to announce a new strategy for school sport later this month.

Efford continues: ‘We need a long-term strategy blueprint to get sport into our schools. If we don't, we're storing up a huge problem for ourselves, for the economy and for the NHS. Doing nothing isn't an option’. Despite record investment in elite and community sport, the Government has made some cuts in schools sports. Ministers say they are spending £1bn on youth sport over the next five years through Sport England.

But the government has abolished ring-fenced funding for the national School Sport Partnerships (SSPs) and ended recommendation for two hours of PE in schools each week. The SSP network enabled well-equipped 'hub' secondary schools to lend PE teachers to those that needed them, especially primary schools.

1. The Olympic Games began in August 2012.

A. True B. False C. Can’t tell

True, False, Can’t Tell

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Using Inferences

There is a fine line between True and Can’t Tell. Consider this passage and the four associated statements:

• “UCL Medical School is one of the best in the UK”

True- you can infer from the positive comments that UCL

medical school is one of the best in the UK.

• “UCL Medical School used to be worse than it is now”

True- the passage references recent investment in a library and

more modern lecture theatres as reasons for UCL’s development, so we can infer that it has improved.

• “UCL Medical School is the best in the UK”

Can’t tell- we can suspect this based on inferences from the passage, but we cannot be Example Passage

“UCL Medical School has become one of the most popular institutes in the UK. With recent investment in a new Medical Library, and development of the lecture theatres UCL is becoming a genuine dream medical school for any UK applicants”

Using Inferences

Lesson 3

Know when you can and can’t use inferences to judge whether

something is True or Can’t Tell.

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• “The recent project to build a new Library has been a full success”

Can’t tell- we can tell that it has made a difference to UCL and the quality of the medical

school, but it is too far to say that it has been a ‘full success’. We do not know about costs, how long the project took based on estimations, or other related issues.

Using Inferences

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Analysing the Type of Language

For True, False, Can’t Tell questions you can look at the type of language used to help you decide on the answer. You can look for extreme and mild phrases.

Examples of extreme phrases

Extreme phrases tend to be False or Can’t Tell. “Will always”

“Definitely” “Always” “Every time” “Biggest” 

Examples of mild phrases

Mild phrases tend to be True. “Might”

“Could”

“One of the (best)” “Sometimes” 

Extreme Language

Lesson 4

Learn to use the Medic Mind Extreme Language approach to help

you predict and guess answers wherever appropriate.

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• “Seeing a product used in a popular television programme will always increase the demand for the product”

‘Will always’ is very definitive language, so the answer is more likely to be Can’t

Tell or False. If the statement said ‘might’ or “sometimes’ then the answer is more likely to be True.

• “Nike running shoes are the best shoes in the sports market”

‘Best’ is again extreme language. If the statement said they are ‘one of the best’, it

is less extreme and more likely to be true.

Practice 2: Extreme Language Questions

Sports in UK Schools

On 17th February 2013, at the annual Sports Conference conference, Government has been accused of "turning its back on school sport" and undermining the Olympic legacy six months after the Games.

Shadow Sports Minister Clive Efford MP told the BBC: "What has gone on in school sport is absolutely disastrous.” Education Secretary Michael Gove is expected to announce a new strategy for school sport later this month.

Efford continues: ‘We need a long-term strategy blueprint to get sport into our schools. If we don't, we're storing up a huge problem for ourselves, for the economy and for the NHS. Doing nothing isn't an option’. Despite record investment in elite and community sport, the Government has made some cuts in schools sports. Ministers say they are spending £1bn on youth sport over the next five years through Sport England.

But the government has abolished ring-fenced funding for the national School Sport Partnerships (SSPs) and ended recommendation for two hours of PE in schools each week. The SSP network enabled well-equipped 'hub' secondary schools to lend PE teachers to those that needed them, especially primary schools.

Extreme Language

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Extreme Language

Lesson 4

2. Two hours of PE are no longer done at any UK schools

3. Michael Gove has some control over sports in schools.

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Medic Mind Method: Keyword Approach

You will not have the luxury of being able to read the passage. The biggest mistake students make is trying to read too much, and therefore falling heavily short of time.

We teach our students to follow the Keyword Approach:

1) Read only the first two lines of the passage.

By reading the first part of the passage you can gauge the topic of the passage, which will help you when choosing a relevant keyword. You will see the value in this later.

2) Read the question and pick a keyword

Pick a keyword from the statement or question. This keyword will help you find the information you are looking for in the passage.

3) Search for the keyword in the passage

Look for the keyword in the passage. When you find it, read from the sentence before the keyword, to the sentence after. This small section of the passage should contain your answer.

4) Eliminate the wrong answers

Knock out the wrong answers, and select the correct one.

Choosing a Good Keyword

• Key words should not appear all over the passage, because it won’t narrow down any information for you!

• Dates, numbers and nouns (with capitalised letters) make very good keywords because

Keyword Approach

Lesson 4

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• The keyword does not necessarily have to be a ‘word’. It can instead be a ‘phrase’, or a selection of two words.

Importance of Step 1 of the Keyword Approach

Imagine you had a passage about the growing popularity magazines. Each paragraph discussed different types of publication, such as sport magazines, travel magazines, or cooking magazines.

“Magazines relating to football are becoming increasingly popular” • True

• False • Can’t Tell

From the passage topic, we know that ‘magazine’ will not be a good keyword as it appears in most paragraphs. Whereas ‘football’ would be a brilliant key word.

Now reverse the situation.…

Imagine the passage was all about football. Each paragraph explored different elements of the sport, such as football on TV, local academies, football literature and magazines. In this scenario, a good keyword is ‘magazine’, and a weak keyword is ‘football’.

This shows you the value of reading the first 2 lines of the passage to gauge the general topic and help you pick the right keyword.

Keyword

Keyword Approach

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Keywords appearing multiple times

When you find the keyword, look for the answer in the sentences around it, as per the Keyword Approach:

• If you find a reference to the question information, then you can be generally satisfied that you have found the right section of text. Choose the answer and move on.

• If you do not find a reference to the question information, then you may be inclined to choose ‘Can’t Tell’ and move on. But the keyword may appear again later on in the passage, so do a quick scan to see if there are multiple references

Keywords that do not appear in the passage

Sometimes the keyword will not appear in the passage. In this situation you have to assess the passage and decide on your approach appropriately.

If you believe that the answer is ‘Can’t Tell’, choose this and move on.

If you feel that the answer is still hidden somewhere, try a different approach to find it:

• Check again- if you have rushed your search, it is sometimes worth scanning the

passage again for the keyword.

• Synonyms- you should search for synonyms or rephrasing of the keyword. For example, the keyword ‘holiday’ may instead appear as ‘vacation’ or ‘trip’.

• Alternative keyword- you can choose a different keyword if you are confident the

passage will have a reference to the information in the question.

Keyword Approach

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Practice 3: Spotting Keywords

The Final Straw for Recyclers

A waste disposal firm has stepped into the row over hard-to-recycle products by demanding a tax on plastic drinking straws.

The firm, BusinessWaste, says manufacturers should revert to old-style paper straws, which biodegrade. Plastic straws were described as "the ultimate in human wastefulness" by the firm. It follows news that the most hated products for recyclers are Pringles and Lucozade Sport. BusinessWaste's spokesman Mark Hall said: "A plastic straw has a lifespan of around 20 minutes, and then it's thrown away. "Where recycling facilities exist, most pubs and bars don't bother separating out used straws to recycle because it's fiddly, and - frankly - they've been in the mouth of a stranger. They are pretty much the ultimate in human waste, and a problem that can so easily be solved with very little effort.”

The firm suggests a 5p plastic straw tax, in the footsteps of the plastic bag tax, which has radically cut the use of single-use bags. It also takes aim at adults who use drinking straws. Mr Hall added: "Face the facts, you're not eight years old. Only kids need a straw with their fizzy pop. Why on earth do you need a straw in your Gin and Tonic?

A plastic bottle tax was considered by the government earlier in the year but abandoned after manufacturers pointed out the costs in establishing proper recycling schemes.

4. Which of the following is true?

A. Plastic straws are non-biodegradable

B. Gin and Tonic is normally served with a plastic straw. C. Lucozade Sport are against the move to tax plastic straws D. Restaurants do not re-use plastic straws.

Keyword Approach

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Practice 4: Spotting Keywords

The Rise of Contactless Payment

The use of contactless payments in the first half of the year outstripped use in the whole of 2015 as consumers switched from cash to cards.

Spending and the number of transactions on contactless were higher in January to June than all of last year, figures from the UK Cards Association show. Contactless now accounts for 18% of card spending - up from 7% a year ago, the data shows. The average contactless transaction is for £8.60. This suggests that marketing by the card companies to encourage the use of contactless for small retail purchases - particularly food and drink - has worked.

Use is high in London, reflecting the common use of contactless by commuters on the capital's transport system. Cash is still the most common method of payment despite the increasingly popularity of contactless card use and online shopping. "Contactless cards are firmly entrenched as the preferred way to pay for millions of consumers, who expect to be able to use them for everyday purchases," said Richard Koch, head of policy at the UK Cards Association.

The one-off spending limit on contactless cards rose from £20 to £30 in September last year, but some major retailers do not accept this method of payment. Research by Barclaycard earlier this year suggested that Britons over the age of 60 were the fastest growing group of people taking to contactless card payments.

5. The majority of people spend above £8 on a contactless transaction.

Keyword Approach

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Spotting Slight Adjustments

Question statements may be very similar to phrases in the passage, and this can often trick you into choosing the wrong answer. Therefore it is essential to read the sentences around the keyword carefully, word to word, from the start to end.

Remember, you are skim reading to find the keyword. But once you have found the keyword, you are reading the sentence before to sentence after very carefully.

A good keyword would be ‘two-thirds’, bearing in mind that you may have to look out for a

Example Passage

“The number of speeding tickets issued in the UK has grown significantly with the implementation of new technology in modern cars. The technology enables cars to accelerate much more efficiently, and often the driver does not realise the high pace they are travelling at.

Mark Watson, in the Road and Traffic Incidents Report, described his shock that ’65% of electric cars have been built with this new technology’. With the media fixation on modern safety and with widespread scrutiny of any single accident, it is becoming more important than ever to drive safely and carefully.”

Nearly two-thirds of cars have been built with the new technology discussed in the passage. A. True B. False C. Can’t tell

Passage Adjustments

Lesson 6

Remember that passage and statement can have a slight adjustment

that changes the interpretation of the answer entirely.

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You could easily fixate on the terms ’65%’ and ‘cars’, and be tricked into thinking this statement is True. However, there is a slight adjustment in the passage, because the passage discusses ‘electric cars’ whereas the statement is generic to all ‘cars’. The answer is therefore Can’t Tell.

Other Examples of Passage Adjustments

How can I spot a Passage Adjustment?

• If you ready very carefully around the keyword, you should avoid the trap of a Passage Adjustment.

• If you see the exact same wording between statement and passage, be on the alert. In most cases the passage will have synonyms and reworded the correct answer. If the statement is ‘The annual increase in interest rates has led to…’, and the passage has

Passage Question Statement Analysis

“2015 brought a rise in temperature in London”

“In 2015, temperatures in the UK increased’

Can’t Tell - the statement

is true for London, but not the whole of the UK

“With new features such as fingerprint detection and a wider screen, the iPhone is slowly

becoming one of the key dominant players in the mobile phone

market”

“The iPhone has the biggest share of the market”

Can't Tell- it has a big

share, but we do not know that it is the biggest

“Ristorante Pizza has a received glowing reviews in this morning’s BBC Food Blog. The blog

described the quality standard of the pizza, and cited the user-friendly packaging as a big bonus”

“Ristorante Pizza has easy-to-use

packaging, and is easy to cook quickly”

Can't Tell- even though the

first point is right, and the second could be plausible, we cannot be sure that it is easy to cook rapidly.

Passage Adjustments

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Practice 5: Passage Adjustments 

A waste disposal firm has stepped into the row over hard-to-recycle products by demanding a tax on plastic drinking straws.

The firm, BusinessWaste, says manufacturers should revert to old-style paper straws, which biodegrade. Plastic straws were described as "the ultimate in human wastefulness" by the firm. It follows news that the most hated products for recyclers are Pringles and Lucozade Sport. BusinessWaste's spokesman Mark Hall said: "A plastic straw has a lifespan of around 20 minutes, and then it's thrown away. "Where recycling facilities exist, most pubs and bars don't bother separating out used straws to recycle because it's fiddly, and - frankly - they've been in the mouth of a stranger. They are pretty much the ultimate in human waste, and a problem that can so easily be solved with very little effort.”

6. There are currently no proper recycling facilities for plastic straws.

A. True B. False C. Can’t Tell

7. The government had considered enforcing a tax on plastic straws in 2017.

A. True

Passage Adjustments

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Introduction to Writer Questions

Writer Questions are centred around the writer’s opinion. For example:

• Which of the following would the author most likely agree with?

• Which of the following does the author cite as a reason for the recession? • The author’s strongest stated opinion is…

For these questions we should only worry about the view of the author, not facts or statistics unless the writer has given an opinion on them.

Writer Question Approach

You can use the keyword approach again for Writer Questions. It is, however, particularly important to do step 1 thoroughly, and it is often worth reading the last few lines of the passage too:

1. Read the first two lines and last two lines of the passage to understand the general author opinion

2. Pick a keyword from the question statement

3. Search the passage to find the keyword. Read from the sentence before to the sentence after.

4. Eliminate the incorrect answers and select the correct one.

Writer Questions

Lesson 7

Adapt your approach for Writer Questions to help you find the writer’s

strongest opinion, the overall conclusion or simply identify an opinion.

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Finding the Conclusion of the Passage

The conclusion is the overall opinion of the passage. It can often be found at the end in the last paragraph, but the writer may also mention it in the first sentence of the passage and go on to discuss and justify the conclusion throughout the passage.

Finding the Writer’s Strongest Opinion

• The writer’s most strongly stated opinion will tend to be found in the conclusion of the passage, so that is the best place to look.

• The strongest stated opinion may be mentioned the most number of times, or it could be a topic discussed in the most detail.

• When a question asks you for the writer’s strongest opinion, all of the options may be views held by the author. Therefore if you find a reference to statement A, for example, do not automatically assume that is the answer. You should check each option and find the strongest view.

• Ideally the strongest view will be surrounded by an indicator phrase: ‘Most important of all…’

‘The most pressing issue…’ ‘…. is very important’

Timing for Writer Questions

Author questions can be quite time-consuming because to understand the writer opinion you sometimes have to read several lines. Therefore be wary not to spend too much time on them if you cannot reach the answer.

Writer Questions

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Official UKCAT Passage: Writer Questions 

Unlike the rest of the questions in the book, this is not a Medic Mind Question. Instead it is an official past UKCAT Question from the UKCAT website. We want to show you how to apply our techniques to a past exam question beyond just the Medic Mind Questions which fill the rest of this book.

Decline in Golf

The team turned up at the usual time — 9:15 on Saturday morning. Though it had rained for most of the summer, leaving the ground soft and very muddy, the course was still open for play. Under these conditions the green keepers would have normally closed the course in order to preserve the greens. However, due to the economic downturn, many ‘normal’ things no longer happen.

Golf clubs have been hit hard in these financially difficult times, with many now offering huge discounts to encourage membership. Many clubs are forced to keep the grounds open when they may have normally closed so that ‘pay and play’ members can support the club and add to the takings. More affluent clubs are surviving by diversifying and opening their facilities for private hire and various other functions and events.

Traditionally golf has always been seen as the sport for those with more time and money on their hands. It has very much been the domain of the male population, in particular those who have clinched important business deals while playing 18 holes. In more recent years it has won favour with a wide variety of people from different walks of life, and involved more women than ever before. However it is a leisure activity and when finances are tight, people are choosing not to spend large sums on membership fees and even on ‘pay and play’.

Even older retired people are feeling the pinch of financial uncertainty and golf is once again seen as a luxury that people can live without in order to save money. This is unfortunate as we have a larger population of older people than ever before. If more affordable, golf is a beneficial activity in terms of exercise and social

interaction, both of which are so important to an ageing population who may suffer from loneliness and depression.

Writer Questions

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8. Which change would the author most likely make in order to increase the popularity of golf?

A. Extend opening hours B. Returf the green

C. Reduce membership rates

D. Introduce discounts for businesses

9. According to the passage, the author believes that golf:

A. Is accessible to everyone B. Should be a luxury

C. Is a man’s game D. Improves well-being

10. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

A. Playing golf is now the best exercise for elderly people B. Playing golf is cheaper now than it ever has been C. Fewer people play golf now than have done previously D. More women play golf now than businessmen

11. The author suggests that which of the following is happening as a result of the economic downturn?

A. Golf clubs are looking for alternative ways of generating income B. Only the more affluent golf clubs are surviving financially

C. All the clubs are now staying open when conditions are unfit for play D. More of the population are suffering from loneliness and depression

Writer Questions

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Variety of Questions in Verbal Reasoning

One of the trickiest aspects of Verbal Reasoning is the sheer variety of questions you get. This requires you to continually adjust your approach.

• Type 2 Statements are the most time pressurised because you have to pick multiple keywords. We will explore these in Lesson 8.

• Type 1 Statements are still very time pressurised, although you can normally find a single keyword in the question stem. We will explore these in this lesson.

• Writer Questions require lots of reading, and they can be quite tricky. To find a fact you might have to read one line, but to find an opinion you might have to read a whole paragraph, so Writer Questions are time pressured.

• Scientific and Factual Passages tend to have good keywords, even if the passages seem quite abstract. They are therefore less time pressured than Writer Questions. • True, False, Questions are the least time pressurised type of question.

True, False, Can’t Tell Writer Questions

Scientific and Factual Passages Type 1 Statement Questions Type 2 Statement Questions

In cre a si n g T ime Pre ssu re

Type 1 Statement Questions

Lesson 8

Be able to approach Type 1 Questions by selecting a single keyword in

the question stem, but working quickly to assess 4 statements in time.

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True, False, Can’t Tell questions have 3 options (True, False, Can’t Tell). Statement questions have 4 options (all different statements). 

Type 1 Question

Type 2 Question

Type 1 Statements

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Challenges of Statement Questions

• You have to read 4 statements = time-consuming • The statements can be unrelated = confusing

• Each statement may need its own keyword = time-consuming

• There are four options instead of three = difficult to eliminate or guess

Type 1 Statement Questions

Although tougher than True, False, Can’t Tell questions, General Questions are manageable if you follow our step-by-step approach.

The Type 1 Statement question has a question with four statements relating to the topic. There is a common theme amongst the four answer options, as they all relate to the question in a similar way.

Type 1 Question Approach

We have learnt the Keyword Approach so far. This is the same technique we will use for each question type, although we have to adapt it slightly.

For a Type 1 question the challenge is greater because you have more information to assess - 4 statements instead of 1.

Yet again, follow the same approach:

1. Read the first two lines of the passage to understand the general topic 2. Pick a keyword from the question statement

3. Search the passage to find the keyword. Read from the sentence before to the sentence after.

Type 1 Statements

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Sometimes the route to the correct answer will be by eliminating the wrong answers. This is a particularly useful tactic for General Questions. Be on the look out for anything that doesn’t seem right for a statement. Once you see a slight doubt, be quick to eliminate.

Practice 6: Type 1 Questions 

A waste disposal firm has stepped into the row over hard-to-recycle products by demanding a tax on plastic drinking straws. The firm, BusinessWaste, says manufacturers should revert to old-style paper straws, which biodegrade. Plastic straws were described as "the ultimate in human wastefulness" by the firm. It follows news that the most hated products for recyclers are Pringles and Lucozade Sport. BusinessWaste's spokesman Mark Hall said: "A plastic straw has a lifespan of around 20 minutes, and then it's thrown away. "Where recycling facilities exist, most pubs and bars don't bother separating out used straws to recycle because it's fiddly, and - frankly - they've been in the mouth of a stranger. They are pretty much the ultimate in human waste, and a problem that can so easily be solved with very little effort.”

12. Which of the following is not a view expressed by Mark Hall in the passage?

A. Plastic straws do not get recycled enough by pubs and bars

B. The plastic bag tax is a successful example of a scheme which should also be used for plastic straws.

Type 1 Statements

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Type 2 Statement Questions

In Type 2 Statement Questions there will be no keyword in the statement of the question. Instead, the statement will be generic, for example:

• Which of the following statements is true?

• Which of the following statements is the author most likely to support?

Type 2 Question Approach

As the statement is generic, you won’t be able to find a keyword in the question stem. Therefore you have to look at the statements to find your keywords.

1. Read the first two lines of the passage to understand the general topic 2. Find a keyword for the first statement, and search.

3. Repeat for each statement, knocking them out one by one until you find the answer. • If two statements are remotely related, you may be able to use a single keyword for

each.

• Start with the statement which you suspect is right using your gut instinct, rather than always starting with A.

• If you cannot find a keyword for a statement be ruthless and move on to the next statement. Unlike the previous question types, with Type 2 you have multiple keywords, so you do not have time to check again, look closely for synonyms or try a different keyword for the same statement.  

Type 2 Statement Questions

Lesson 9

Be able to approach Type 2 Questions by selecting a keyword for each

statement, and decide tactically which statement to assess first.

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Practice 7: Type 2 Questions 

The Rise of Contactless Payment

The use of contactless payments in the first half of the year outstripped use in the whole of 2015 as consumers switched from cash to cards. Spending and the number of transactions on contactless were higher in January to June than all of last year, figures from the UK Cards Association show. Contactless now accounts for 18% of card spending - up from 7% a year ago, the data shows. The average contactless transaction is for £8.60. This suggests that marketing by the card companies to encourage the use of contactless for small retail purchases - particularly food and drink - has worked.

Use is high in London, reflecting the common use of contactless by commuters on the capital's transport system. Cash is still the most common method of payment despite the increasingly popularity of contactless card use and online shopping. "Contactless cards are firmly entrenched as the preferred way to pay for millions of consumers, who expect to be able to use them for everyday purchases," said Richard Koch, head of policy at the UK Cards Association.

The one-off spending limit on contactless cards rose from £20 to £30 in September last year, but some major retailers do not accept this method of payment. Research by Barclaycard earlier this year suggested that Britons over the age of 60 were the fastest growing group of people taking to contactless card payments.

13. Which of the following statements can be inferred from the passage?

A. People use contactless cards more often than cash payments. B. London has the highest number of contactless users in the UK. C. The majority of Britons using contactless payment are over 60. D. Contactless payment is often used for purchasing transport

14. Which of these statements about contactless payment is false?

A. Many people consider contactless as their ideal payment method

B. Transport for London have security concerns over contactless transactions on the underground.

Type 2 Statements

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What is a Factual Passage?

Some passages will be very factual heavy, often based on scientific topics.

• These passages can be quite abstract and difficult to understand. Therefore it is more important than ever to not waste time reading too much

• Keywords can be much easier to find, because factual passages include more figures, dates and specialised terms.

Timing for Factual Passages

Scientific passages will be easier to handle than opinion based writer questions, even if they are harder to understand.

With opinion passages, you have to read several lines to grasp a single point, but with scientific passages the answers tend to be concentrated in single lines.

Medic Mind Tip for Factual Passages

Do not get bogged down in the technicalities of factual or scientific terms. The UKCAT loves to throw difficult terms and language at you, but often these terms are distractors. Focus on the keyword and essential information.

Scientific and Factual Passages

Lesson 10

Be able to recognise factual passages, and ensure you do not get

overwhelmed by abstract facts and difficult language.

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Guessing and Moving On

Some questions will require more than 30 seconds, and it can be worth spending those extra few seconds to secure the mark.

But how do you know whether you should invest the extra time?

• If you have eliminated 1 option by the 30 second mark, then guess out of the remaining 3 and move on

• If you have eliminated 2 options by the 30 second mark, you have done most of the work so it is worth spending an extra 15 seconds to get the right answer.

First Question in a Set

If you are doing the first question in a set, bear in mind two things:

• Spending extra time on the first question in a set will help you understand the passage more, which will help you for the remaining three questions. Whereas spending extra time on the fourth question in a set will have no future benefit, so be more stringent.

• If you are stuck on the first question, you can always move on to the next three and you might discover the answer as you learn more about the passage. Pressure of Time!

1

2

3

4 Timing Tips

Lesson 11

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Flagging Questions

In the UKCAT you can flag a question and return back to it later. However, you should be careful when you use this function:

• Never flag without putting in an answer, even if it is a guess. If you do not get time to come back, at least you will then have an answer prepared

• If you flag the 1st or 2nd question in a set, try to come back to it quickly when you have finished the 4th question in that set. This will save you time, because it can be quite difficult to re-familiarise yourself with a passage at the end.

Flagging Function

Timing Tips

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Using the whiteboard for flagging

Before you start the test, number your white board 1 to 44. During the exam when you flag questions you want to distinguish between the questions you completely guessed, and the ones you would ideally like more time over:

• If you completely guessed a question, put an G (guess) next to the relevant number. You want to return to these first.

• If you answered a question but were not 100% sure over the answer and would like more time to re-check, put an U (unsure) next to the relevant number. You want to return to these last, only if you have luxury time (quite rare).

By doing this, you avoid having a situation whereby you finish with lots of flagged questions, and unsure on what to return to first.

 

Timing Tips

Lesson 11

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What is a Reverse Question?

In the UKCAT most Statement Questions will ask you to pick the ‘true statement’ or the ‘author’s opinion’. However, sometimes you might see a Reverse Question, whereby the question is flipped on its head.

For example:

Which of the following is ‘not true’?

Which of these is not an opinion held by the author?

Reverse Question Approach

Reverse Questions can be tricky. Here are some tips from the Medic Mind Experts for questions asking you to find the ‘False’ Statement:

• Identify the reverse- first and foremost make sure that you detect the reverse question, and realise that you are looking for a ‘false’ statement rather than a ‘true’ one. Many UKCAT candidates barely read the question stem and hence miss this crucial point. • Work by elimination - try to find Statement A in the passage, if it is present and true,

knock it out. Do this for every statement, and the one left could be your answer.

• Time pressures - with normal statement questions you are looking to match one statement with the passage. Here you might have to find 3 statement references to knock them all out. This is very time consuming, so don’t be scared to flag and move on after 30s.

Reverse Questions

Lesson 12

Recognise Reverse questions and understand the variation that can

present in this question type.

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Variation in Reverse Questions

The approach can vary depending on the type of reverse question.

The below table can get slightly theory-heavy, so don’t get bogged down by it. In effect, it is showing you that the correct answer can either be False (and be found in the passage), or Can’t tell (and not necessarily found in the passage).

Question Stem Correct option Incorrect options Advised Method

“Which of the following is not mentioned by the author?”

Can’t Tell

The statement will probably not be mentioned in the passage. True The other 3 statements will be mentioned in the passage. Work by elimination only "Which of the following is false?” False

You might find a reference in the passage which contradicts the statement.

True or Can’t Tell

These can be True or Can’t Tell. In effect, they don’t all have to be mentioned in the passage. Work by elimination + finding which statement is contradicted in the passage “Which of the following is not an opinion held by the author?”

Cant’ Tell or False

This is a blend of the first two. It may not be mentioned or could be

contradicted.

True or Can’t Tell

Again this is a blend of the above. The author may mention these 3 and not the correct answer, Work by elimination + finding which statement is contradicted in the passage

Reverse Questions

Lesson 12

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What if you are running out of time?

With the techniques you have learnt today, we hope that you will not run out of time on the Verbal Reasoning. But from our research a huge proportion of candidates fail to finish Verbal Reasoning each year, even if they have finished during most mock tests.

Therefore we have devised two contingency strategies for you. It is to be prepared for a situation where you have to do 10 questions in 2 minutes incase it does arise.

Contingency Strategy 1: Rabbit Pace

You have 5 minutes left to answer 15 questions.

• Extreme Language- use this technique and the Keyword approach together. You can still look for keywords, but be much more ruthless and answer based on Extreme Language if the passage doesn’t give you quick hints.

• Be unforgiving- you cannot hesitate with knocking out now. You don’t have time to double-think your answer.

• No time to check incorrect options- if you think A is the answer, then you can double check A with the passage, but do not go through the incorrect options to make sure they are false.

Timing Contingencies

Lesson 13

Learn Medic Mind’s Timing Contingencies for when you are really short of

time, and develop a guessing strategy.

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Contingency Strategy 2: Cheetah Pace

You have 5 minutes left to answer 20 questions.

In this scenario you have to use the above approaches, but be even more ruthless and fast. In addition to the Rabbit Pace tips, here are our tips to get to Cheetah pace:

• No time to check even correct answer- if you think A could be the

answer, then you do not even have time to make 100% sure. Just go on the hint or gut instinct and move on.

• Do not leave any question unanswered- if you have 10 questions in one minute, then

make sure you have at least put an answer down for each one.

Random Guess vs. Quality Guess

Many UKCAT candidates would spend 4 minutes rush answering 12 question, and then 1 minute choosing option A for each of the remaining 8 questions. This is a random guess.

We would suggest spending 3 minutes rush answering, and then spend extra time guessing. You can then have a few seconds per question to guess based on Extreme Language, common sense, and your gut instinct. This is a quality guess, and it can make a huge difference to your score.

For example, for the question below, we can use extreme language to knock out A and B, and general knowledge to knock out D. Of course this is a far from fool-proof method for getting the correct answer, but it is the best way to guess effectively.

Timing Contingencies

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Correlation and Causation

In the UKCAT they will try to trick you by putting two sentences next together which are not actually related. This emphasises the importance of reading carefully once you have found the keyword.

Correlation vs. Causation Example

Causation is when X has caused Y “Since 2002, the rise in smoking has led to an increase in the number of patients suffering heart attacks”

Correlation is when X and Y have both

changed in a certain way, but they could be completely unrelated.

“Since 2002, there has been a rise in the number of smokers and the number of patients suffering heart attacks”

Correlation vs. Causation

Lesson 14

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Opinion vs. Fact

In the UKCAT you need to distinguish between the use of opinion and fact. Of course, every passage has a writer, and technically you can say that nothing is fact as it is based on the credibility of the author. However, we always assume that the passage is correct. So only consider something opinion if it is quoted or shown to be someone’s opinion.

The answer to this question is Can’t Tell. The passage cites a correlation, but it is an opinion of Mark Alderwield rather than something based on research. Additionally, the language used in the statement is quite extreme, so even if research has been done we cannot be sure there is causation.

Laptops in Classrooms

“Mark Alderwield has expressed his concern about the use of laptops in school classrooms. With the technological advancements of the modern era, we are seeing students bringing laptops, iPads and other gadgets to the school classroom. Originally a place for the traditional pen and paper, many are questioning the effect these gadgets are having on classroom concentration.

Mr. Alderwield says ‘Concentration in classes has declined significantly due to the use of laptops. Many students play games or explore the internet, whilst the teacher assumes they are making notes on the lesson content. It is essential that the government places a ban on laptops in school classrooms to prevent a predictable decline in student grades’.

“The use of laptops in classrooms affects concentration”.

A. True B. False C. Can’t Tell

Correlation vs. Causation

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When will this section be?

Verbal Reasoning is the first section on test day. You will most likely be very nervous, so settle yourself down before you click ‘Start’.

What will I get in the test?

• Whiteboard - as with all other sections you get your whiteboard the write on. Re-visit the section on Timing Tips for our guidance on how to use it effectively.

• Flag Function - you can mark the question to re-visit after. Again, refer back to Timing Tips for guidance on how to optimise this feature.

• Breaks - between each section you can take a break, and as the Instruction Time only

Verbal Reasoning - Test Day

Lesson 15

Be prepared for Test Day and plan your Verbal Reasoning revision

effectively using our week by week revision plan.

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Consolidate techniques

Consolidate the techniques you have learnt on with us. Read through this course guide in detail, and make sure you understand each tutorial. Use questions to supplement the theory.

3 weeks to go - Practicing Questions

It is time to really work on the theory with hundreds of questions. Initially, you do not want to worry too much about timing, but instead on getting the theory correct. Make sure you are using the Keyword Approach correctly, spotting Passage Adjustments, looking for Extreme Language.

2.5 weeks to go - Focus on Timing

You now want to work to the UKCAT timer. Verbal Reasoning is the most time pressured section, so you need to become disciplined and learn to work fast. You can also work on the skill of skim reading by using newspapers or journals.

2 weeks to go - Full Mock

Work on doing mock after mock for Verbal Reasoning. You need to get into the rhythm of working to the UKCAT time pressures.

1.5 weeks to go - Revisit Theory

Use our online tutorials and course booklet to re-visit theory before the course day. You will find that you understand and visualise the techniques in a completely different way than before, and you will realise how far you have come!

1 week to go - Build Concentration

Verbal Reasoning requires intense concentration, so you need to build up your concentration. Practice doing three Verbal Reasoning mocks back-to-back.

3 days to go - Adapt to Test Conditions

You should have been working to UKCAT timing before, but now you should really replicate the exact format. Use a whiteboard or A4 sheet of paper. Go to your local library and do a section on the old-fashioned computers they tend to have there - it is harder to read and navigate on these, and this is what the UKCAT computer will be like.

1 day to go - Consolidate and Relax

Consolidate the techniques by scanning through the 20 tutorials (hopefully you will be good at scan reading by now!), and then relax!

Test Day - Do three practice passages

You need to get yourself into the right mindset for Verbal Reasoning. 1 week 1.5 weeks 2 weeks 4 weeks 3 weeks 2.5 weeks 3 days 3 days Test Day 1 day

Verbal Reasoning - Test Day

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1. Do Not Panic

“When you first do a mock and barely finish half the questions in the time it is terrifying”

Verbal Reasoning can be very overwhelming at first due to the time pressures you face. When you first begin, you are probably not applying the correct techniques and are falling in to the timing traps the UKCAT springs. Do not panic. Along with Abstract Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning is the section which sees the most improvement with practice.

2. Use the Keyword Technique

“To begin with I was stubborn and insisted on reading the passage. I soon realised this was a recipe for disaster”

It is not in your nature to skip the passage in a comprehension question. And it feels uneasy at first. But the Keyword approach is the only way to success in Verbal Reasoning.

Remember to adapt the approach based on the question type you have. For example, for Type 2 Statement questions you have to pick a different keyword for each statement.

Tips from the Experts

Lesson 16

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3. Don’t be Afraid to Guess

“I found myself spending 2 minutes on a single question due to my stubborn desire to answer every question correctly”

You may be used to answering every question in an exam. And this can be the biggest downfall for some very bright candidates, because they are often unwilling to move on after 30 seconds. Be strict with yourself throughout - it is in your own good!

4. Have a Flexible Approach

“Having specific theories for each question type is invaluable, but each question is different so you have to adapt”

Each question you face will be different. We suggest using the keyword approach throughout, but if you have a statement question for a 7 line passage, it may not be time efficient to pick a separate keyword for each option and search. It could be faster to read the passage to find the answer. On Test Day the Medic Mind techniques will be of incredible use to you, but also have room for flexibility.

5. Be Ready for the Start

“I began the test a nervous wreck, and all the techniques I learnt went out of the window for the first 10 minutes. Once I finally settled down, I had wasted half my time!”

Before you begin you have to calm yourself down. Revisit the techniques in your head. Do not panic and resort to new techniques you have never used before. The ‘Verbal Reasoning -

Tips from the Experts

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Lesson

Objective

1

Gain a brief understanding of the diﬀerent question types and the timing of the _section.

2

Be able to define a True, False and Can’t Tell statement.

3

Know when you can and can’t use inferences to judge whether something is _{True or Can’t Tell.}

4

Be able to spot extreme phrases by looking at qualifiers such as ‘might’ and _{‘always’ to help you determine whether something is True, False or Can’t Tell.}

5

Learn Medic Mind’s Keyword Approach

6

Understand that the passage and statement will have a slight adjustment that _{changes the meaning and interpretation of the answer entirely.}

7

Be able to know how to approach writer questions

8

Be able to know how to approach Type 1 Statement Questions.

9

Be able to know how to approach Type 2 Statement Questions.

10

Be able to diﬀerentiate between a scientific and factual passage and adapt _{your approach accordingly.}

11

Learn Medic Mind’s Timing Strategies to save you time in the exam.

12

Be able to know how to approach Reverse Questions

13

Learn Medic Mind’s Timing Contingencies when you are really short of time.

14

Be able to diﬀerentiate between correlation and causation.

15

Know how to approach Test Day

?

Summary and Overview

Lesson 17

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Lesson 1: Introduction to Verbal Reasoning 

Timing

• 21 minutes • 11 passages • 44 questions

• 30 seconds per question

Different Question Types

• True, False, Can’t Tell • Type 1 Statement • Type 2 Statement • Writer

• Reverse 

Lesson 2: True, False, Can’t Tell

• A statement can be True if it is directly stated or it is an inference from the passage

• A statement can be False if it is directly contradicted or you it has gone beyond the information of the passage.

• A statement can be Can’t Tell if you cannot be certain based on the passage. You cannot use external knowledge.

Lesson 3: Using Inferences

• You can infer from the passage information to deduct that a statement is true, even if it is not directly stated.

• Often there can be a split between True and Can’t Tell

• Use the wording of the question to help you determine whether an inference can become true, or whether it is too big an assumption.

Summary and Overview

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Lesson 4: Extreme Language

Lesson 5: Keyword Approach

Step by Step Technique

1. Read the first two lines of the passage 2. Pick a keyword from the question stem

3. Find the keyword in the passage, and read from the sentence before to the sentence after

4. Eliminate the wrong answers and select the correct one.

Using the Keyword Approach

• Good keywords are dates, numbers and nouns. • Keywords should not appear all over the passage

• The keyword can be a phrase or a synonym of the statement word • If a keyword doesn’t appear in the passage, you can:

Search again for the same keyword Pick and alternative keyword

Look for synonyms

Mild Phrases

Extreme Phrases

Tend to be True Tend to be False or Can’t Tell

Might, could, sometimes, one of the best Will always, definitely, every time, the best “Sea levels will rise in the next 10 years” “Sea levels will most likely rise in the next

10 years”

Summary and Overview

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Lesson 6: Passage Adjustments

• Sometimes the passage and statement will be very similar but there will be a slight adjustment, as small as one word, which changes the answer completely.

• If you see the exact same wording for most of the sentence in both the passage and statement be on alert for a passage adjustment

• Remember - scan quickly to find your keyword, but once you have found it read very carefully.

Lesson 7: Writer Questions

• An example of a Writer question is “Which of the following would the author most likely agree with?”.

• Spend slightly more time reading the passage if required for Step 1

• The last paragraph is the most likely place to find the conclusion or strongest opinion of the passage

• Writer questions can often be time consuming and it can be difficult to pick good keywords. So if you have to move on after 30s, do so.

Lesson 8: Type 1 Statement Questions

• In Type 1 questions you can find a keyword in the question stem, and the statements are related around the question stem

• Statement questions are time consuming so be careful not to spend too long

Summary and Overview

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Lesson 9: Type 2 Statement Questions

• In Type 2 questions the question stem is generic, so you need to pick a different keyword for each statement. The statements are likely to be unrelated.

• Type 2 questions are even more taxing, as you have to pick 4 keywords. Yet again, be wary of spending too long.

• You have to be ruthless in eliminating, and you will not have time to double check.

Lesson 10: Scientific and Factual Passages

• Scientific and Factual passages can be difficult and abstract. To avoid getting confused, ignore unnecessary terms and information which is there to distract and confuse you. • Keywords should be easier to find, as date and scientific terms are easier to find. In

general the keyword approach works well for these passages, in contrast to Writer questions where you may have to read several lines to gauge the point.

• Type 2 questions are even more taxing, as you have to pick 4 keywords. Yet again, be wary of spending too long.

Lesson 11: Timing Strategies

Guessing and Moving On

By the 30 second mark:

• If you have eliminated 1 out of 4, just guess and move on. • If you have eliminated 2 out of 4, invest an extra 15 seconds.

First Question in a Set

• Spending extra time on the first question of a set will help you understand the passage

Summary and Overview

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Flagging Questions

• Never flag without putting a guess down at the very minimum

• If you were stuck on the first question, go back to it at the end of the fourth question, rather than at the end. It can be difficult to re-familiarise yourself with the passage if you get time at the end.

• Use the whiteboard to write down which answers were complete guesses (G) or answers you were unsure about (U).

Lesson 12: Reverse Questions

• An example of a Reverse question is “Which of the following is not true?”. • Working by elimination is the best technique for Reverse questions

• The correct answer may be False or Can’t Tell. The incorrect answer can be True or Can’t Tell. Identify what you are looking for because this will help you choose the right approach (see the table in Lesson 11).

Lesson 13: Timing Contingencies

Strategy 1: Rabbit Pace (5 minutes - 15 questions)

• Use the Extreme Language technique to work quickly • Be unforgiving with knocking out - do not hesitate.

• Do not check the incorrect options when you have an answer.

Strategy 2: Cheetah Pace (5 minutes - 20 questions)

Summary and Overview

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• Opt for quality guessing rather than random guessing. So leave 2 minutes to guess the remaining few using Extreme Language and your gut instinct, rather than 1 minute to select A for every question.

Lesson 14: Causation vs. Correlation

• Causation is when X has caused Y.

• Correlation is when X and Y have both changed in a certain way, but they could be unrelated.

• Causation does not mean correlation.

• In the UKCAT there may be an opinion from a person in the passage on link between X and Y. This does not mean a correlation or causation exists - it is just opinion.

• They may place two sentences next to each other, and you assume there is a link whilst speed reading.

Lesson 15: Verbal Reasoning - Test Day

Test Day

• In the test you will have a whiteboard to use for your working • The flag function on screen enables you to mark difficult questions

• You can take breaks between sections before you begin the instruction time

Week by Week Plan

• 4 weeks to go- consolidate techniques by reading through the course booklet and example questions