What a Mixed Question Marathon is
In several Cambridge-style tests you face a full passage with two or three types combined, for example Headings plus TF/NG plus Summary Completion. A marathon demands mode switching: gist reading for Headings, stance checking for Y/N/NG, fact matching for TF/NG, and targeted scanning for gaps. Gist is the central message of a paragraph. Scope is how wide a claim is. A paraphrase restates the same idea with different words.

Time architecture you can trust
Use 90-240-300 for one long passage.

• 90 seconds map: read the first and last sentence of each paragraph, circle names and numbers, write a 2 to 4 word gist in the margin.
• 240 seconds headings pass: solve Headings while gist is fresh.
• 300 seconds detail pass: do TF/NG or Y/N/NG, then any completion tasks. Leave one minute for review.
  Targets: 45 to 60 seconds per paragraph heading, 50 to 70 seconds per TF or Y/N item, 30 to 50 seconds per gap once the source area is located.

Order of attack that reduces re-reading

1. Headings
2. TF/NG or Y/N/NG
3. Matching Information or People
4. Summary or Sentence Completion
   Rationale: Headings build a map. TF and Y/N exploit it. Matching tasks need names and details you already boxed. Completion tasks benefit from narrowed locations.

Two proof rules that protect accuracy

• NG proof rule: mark Not Given only after you try to find a sentence that would make the statement True and one that would make it False. If neither exists, choose NG.
• Coverage rule for Headings: pick the heading that fits most lines, not the flashiest sentence.

Paraphrase anchors to pre-learn
increase or rise, decline or fall, mainly or primarily, claim or argue, predict or expect, therefore or as a result, advantage or benefit, drawback or disadvantage.

Worked Example 1 - Heading plus TF chain

Paragraph snippet
“Small hydro plants supply power to isolated valleys. Although output is modest, the systems are cheap to maintain and survive seasonal floods better than large dams. Expansion is limited by short dry seasons.”

Candidate headings
A. Limits of small-scale hydro
B. A cheaper alternative to fossil fuel
C. The promise of large dams

Best heading: A. The paragraph’s gist is benefits plus limits, with the final sentence setting a clear cap.

Linked TF items

1. Small hydro produces most national electricity.
   • Passage says output is modest. False.
2. Floods usually destroy small hydro plants.
   • Passage says they survive floods better. False.
3. Dry seasons restrict expansion.
   • Stated directly. True.

Why this helps
Solving the heading first fixed the lens, so TF checks became fast and local.

Worked Example 2 - Summary Completion anchored by the map

Summary
“Researchers compared two recycling schemes. A price based plan changed behaviour quickly, while a refill network built habits more slowly but proved more 1) ______. The study recommends piloting a 2) ______ model.”

From mapped paragraph gists
Para C gist: “fees shift habits fast, equity issues”
Para D gist: “refill builds durable habits”

Fill choices

1. durable
2. hybrid
   Reasoning: durability is in Para D’s mechanism, and “piloting” aligns with a blended recommendation.

Why this works
The margin map shortened the search. You did not scan the whole passage again.

Mini case - Nuzhat from Dhaka
Problem: Nuzhat solved items in the printed order and kept jumping back to reread paragraphs. She introduced a 90 second map and switched to Headings first. Over 8 marathons she raised accuracy from 27 of 40 to 33 of 40 and cut time from 22 minutes to 16 minutes. Her biggest gain came from the NG proof rule, which reduced random guesses.

Measurable drills

• Map sprint: take any 7 paragraph article and write a two word gist per paragraph in 90 seconds. Target 100 percent coverage.
• 8 in 8: answer 8 TF or Y/N items in 8 minutes using the NG proof rule. Log time per item and error type. Improve one metric by 10 percent weekly.
• Gap burst: practice 6 summary gaps from one paragraph in 3 minutes. Track seconds to locate the source line, not just fill the gap.

Common mistakes

• Choosing Headings by keyword echo instead of gist.
• Treating may or might as proof for Y/N or TF.
• Over-reading numbers: “about 15 percent” does not support “exactly 15 percent”.
• Switching order mid test without a reason, which breaks your mental map.
• Guessing NG after a short scan instead of applying the proof rule.

Edge cases and how to respond

• Questions not in order: Matching Information rarely follows paragraph order. Use your margin names and topic words.
• Two paragraphs sharing one theme: prefer the heading with the correct lens, for example cost vs safety, even if both mention the same topic.
• Nested opinions: a study says X but the author disagrees. For Y/N, the writer’s stance controls, not the study result.
• Dense lists: look for the sentence that generalises the list. If none, the heading naming the pattern behind the list usually wins.

Tips and tricks

• Read the option list for Headings first to preview lenses such as history, mechanism, limitation, comparison.
• Underline contrast markers like however, yet, instead; they often carry the gist.
• Box names, years, figures during the map. Those boxes become anchors for Matching tasks.
• If torn between two headings, pick the narrower one that still covers most lines.

To avoid

• Using outside knowledge to override the passage.
• Spending more than 60 seconds on a single heading choice. Dot it and move.
• Filling gaps by grammar alone when two words fit. Verify with meaning in the source sentence.
• Re-mapping from scratch for each task. One map should serve all tasks.

Glossary
Gist - the central message of a paragraph.
Scope - how broad or narrow a claim is.
Lens - the angle of analysis, such as cost or safety.
Anchor - a name, year, or unique term that helps you find a location fast.
Paraphrase - a different wording of the same idea.
NG proof rule - the two-way check that earns Not Given confidently.

Next steps
Print one past paper passage. Spend 90 seconds mapping gists. Solve Headings in 4 minutes, TF or Y/N in 5 minutes, and one Summary or Matching set in the final 5 minutes. Record time per item, number of NG decisions, and any heading you changed on review. Repeat in 48 hours and beat one number by 10 percent.

1. Actionable closing - Checklist (do and avoid)

Do

• Map the passage in 90 seconds before answering.
• Solve Headings first to lock gist.
• Apply the NG proof rule for TF and Y/N.
• Use boxed anchors to jump directly to Matching and Summary sources.
• Track time per item and error type after each set.

Avoid

• Keyword echo for Headings without checking paragraph coverage.
• Treating hedges like may or tends to as certainty.
• Over-precision on rounded data.
• Changing sequence mid passage unless evidence demands it.
• Guessing NG because you are tired; prove the absence first.

CTA: Run a full marathon today with the 90-240-300 plan. Write margin gists, solve Headings, then detail types. Log time per item, NG count, and any late heading changes. Repeat in two days and cut your average time per item by 10 percent while holding accuracy above 80 percent.