1) What is Data Reduction and why it wins marks

Data reduction means turning a long list of details into a short set of sentences that preserve meaning. Bangla: data reduction = তথ্য সংকোচন বা সংক্ষিপ্ত করা.

In IELTS Reading, this skill helps you

• grasp the big idea of a paragraph packed with examples
• keep track of groups, trends, and exceptions
• answer summary completion, matching headings, short answers, and multiple choice without getting lost

Key outcome: From 12 points you will produce 4 sentences that keep all essential contrasts, quantities, and scope.

Bangla quick notes

• scope = প্রয়োগ ক্ষেত্র বা সীমা
• contrast = তুলনা ও পার্থক্য
• exemplar = উদাহরণ হিসাবে বেছে নেওয়া আইটেম

2) The CRISP 4 Funnel: a repeatable pipeline

Use this pipeline every time you face a dense list, table, or figure caption set.

C = Collect

• Mark the 12 items quickly. Circle numbers, underline names and time markers.
• Note units and ranges. Example: percent vs absolute number. Bangla: unit = পরিমাপের একক.

R = Reduce

• Merge duplicates and near duplicates. Combine synonyms.
• Group by shared attribute: time period, category, cause, or effect. Aim for 3 to 4 clusters.

I = Integrate

• Link each cluster to one representative statistic or fact. Choose the strongest or most typical example.
• Decide the one exception or outlier to keep if it clarifies a contrast.

S = Structure

• Map clusters into a 4 sentence skeleton. See Section 3.
• Order from general to specific or from time earlier to later. Keep a single order throughout.

P = Polish

• Replace heavy wording with compact phrases. Ensure no new information. Check numbers and ranges.
• Add safe connectors: overall, in contrast, by comparison, in most cases, except for.

Time goal: 90 to 120 seconds for CRISP on a tough list.

3) The 4 sentence skeleton that fits most lists

Use this structure for your compressed output. Adapt as needed.

Sentence 1: Overview and scope

• State the topic, time frame, and the main pattern or contrast.
• Template: Overall, the set describes [topic] across [time or groups], with [main trend] and a clear gap between [group A] and [group B].

Sentence 2: Cluster A in one line

• Give the dominant group or the majority pattern with one representative detail.
• Template: Most items in [cluster A] show [shared feature], for example [item X] at [value] in [year].

Sentence 3: Cluster B and the exception

• State the second cluster or minority pattern and point to the outlier if it helps.
• Template: By contrast, [cluster B] follows [different feature], though [outlier] departs from both patterns.

Sentence 4: Precise comparison or bound

• Close with a ratio, range, cap, or turning point that unifies the set.
• Template: Across the set, values range from [low] to [high], with [key crossover or threshold] after [time].

Bangla note

• overview = সারাংশ পরিচিতি
• outlier = ব্যতিক্রমী আইটেম
• threshold = সীমা বা বাঁকবদল বিন্দু

4) Clustering lenses that make 12 points manageable

Pick one lens first. Add a second if needed, but do not switch mid summary.

1. Time lens: early, mid, late. Use for timelines, sequences, or cohort studies.
2. Category lens: types, regions, age bands, topics.
3. Cause lens: group by reason or driver words like due to, because, driven by.
4. Effect lens: group by outcomes such as increase, decline, stable.
5. Shape lens: steady rise, U shape, inverted U, flat. Useful for line like narratives hidden in text.

Bangla tip: প্রথমে একটি লেন্স নিন, পরে দরকার হলে আরেকটি যোগ করুন। এক সারাংশে এক ধরনের ক্রম বজায় রাখুন।

5) Language templates that compress safely

Quantifiers and ranges

• most, many, some, a few, almost all, a minority, roughly half
• range from X to Y, between X and Y, at least, at most, no more than

Change verbs

• increase, decrease, remain stable, vary slightly, peak in, bottom out

Comparatives

• higher than, lower than, similar to, marginally above, well below

Contrast and exception

• however, by contrast, while, whereas, except for, aside from

Caution

• appears to, tends to, is likely to, in general

Bangla quick map

• majority = সংখ্যাগরিষ্ঠ
• minority = সংখ্যালঘু অংশ
• marginally = সামান্য পরিমাণে

6) Number logic made easy for sentence framing

Convert words to math before you write.

• at most 5 → ≤ 5
• no more than 20 percent → ≤ 20%
• at least 3 → ≥ 3
• fewer than 10 → < 10
• more than double → > 2×
• about half → ≈ 50%

Safe sentence frames

• Values range between [low] and [high].
• [Group A] remains higher than [Group B] throughout the period.
• Only [subgroup] departs from the overall rise, dipping in [year].

Bangla notes

• bound = সীমা
• ratio = অনুপাত
• approximate = আনুমানিক

7) From 12 to 4 in action: Case Study A (policy examples)

Input: 12 points

1. A congestion charge was introduced in 2008.
2. Bus lanes expanded in 2010 and 2015.
3. Bike share launched in 2012 with 2,000 cycles.
4. Rail capacity rose by 18 percent after 2014.
5. Car ownership plateaued from 2011 to 2016.
6. Air quality improved slightly after 2013.
7. A river tram pilot ran in 2011 only.
8. Parking fees increased twice after 2009.
9. Park and ride sites opened in the suburbs from 2013.
10. A school travel plan reduced car trips by 12 percent in 2015.
11. Weekend bus frequency rose in 2016.
12. A freight consolidation center began in 2014.

CRISP 4

• Collect: mark dates and actions.
• Reduce: group by mode (road, bus, rail, bike, river, freight) and by time bands (2008 to 2012, 2013 to 2016).
• Integrate: choose a representative number for each cluster.
• Structure: overview, cluster A, cluster B plus exception, bound.
• Polish: avoid new info, keep scope local.

4 sentence summary
Overall, the city adopted layered transport measures from 2008 to 2016 that gradually shifted travel away from private cars. Most investments targeted mass and shared modes, including higher rail capacity after 2014, expanded bus lanes and weekend services, and a bike share launched in 2012. By contrast, road use was restrained through congestion charging and repeated parking fee rises, while freight movements were streamlined after 2014; the short river tram pilot in 2011 remained a one off. Across the period, car ownership largely stayed flat and car trips in schools fell by about 12 percent, with air quality improving slightly after 2013.

Why this works

• Two clusters: pro transit and demand restraint, plus one small pilot as an exception.
• Key numbers kept: 18 percent rail, 12 percent school trips.
• Order is time aware but not stuck on every year.

8) Case Study B (research results)

Input: 12 points

1. Sample size 1,200 adults aged 18 to 65.
2. Surveyed in three waves from 2019 to 2021.
3. 62 percent reported higher screen time in 2020.
4. Physical activity fell by 15 percent on average.
5. Sleep duration increased by 20 minutes.
6. Reported stress rose in the first wave then fell.
7. Dietary diversity declined slightly.
8. Coffee intake rose by 8 percent.
9. Tea intake did not change.
10. Older adults showed smaller changes overall.
11. Women reported more stress in wave one.
12. By wave three many indicators returned toward baseline.

CRISP 4

• Collect: note variables and waves.
• Reduce: group into behavior increases, behavior decreases, stable items, demographic differences.
• Integrate: pick representative numbers for each.
• Structure: overview, cluster A, cluster B, concluding bound or trend reversal.

4 sentence summary
Across three waves from 2019 to 2021 the study recorded widespread but uneven lifestyle shifts. Most participants increased screen time and coffee intake while sleep lengthened modestly, yet physical activity and dietary diversity fell, and tea consumption remained unchanged. Differences by age and gender were clear, with older adults showing smaller shifts and women reporting more stress during the first wave before levels eased. By the third wave many indicators had moved back toward baseline, although activity remained below earlier levels.

Why this works

• Preserves the contrast and the demographic nuance.
• Keeps one stable item to anchor the reader.
• Ends with a time based convergence statement.

9) Case Study C (mixed table and caption)

Input: 12 points

1. Hospital A has 350 beds, occupancy 92 percent.
2. Hospital B has 260 beds, occupancy 88 percent.
3. Hospital C has 120 beds, occupancy 65 percent.
4. Emergency visits up 10 percent year on year.
5. Elective surgeries down 6 percent.
6. Average length of stay 4.1 days.
7. Readmission within 30 days 7 percent.
8. Staff turnover 11 percent.
9. New telehealth clinic opened last quarter.
10. Rural outreach expanded to two more districts.
11. Supply costs rose 9 percent.
12. Caption says occupancy excludes maternity beds.

CRISP 4

• Collect: beds, rates, changes, exclusions.
• Reduce: cluster by capacity and utilization, care patterns, workforce and cost, service expansion.
• Integrate: one key percent per cluster.
• Structure: overview, cluster A, cluster B plus exception, bound.

4 sentence summary
The dataset profiles three hospitals that are operating near capacity while adjusting care and delivery models. Capacity and use remain highest at Hospital A and B with occupancy near 90 percent, although the figures exclude maternity beds, while Hospital C runs much lower at about two thirds full. Care patterns shifted as emergency demand rose by around 10 percent and elective surgery decreased, with average stays just over four days and readmissions at 7 percent. In parallel the network expanded service reach through new telehealth and rural outreach as staff turnover climbed and supply costs increased.

Why this works

• The exclusion in the caption is kept.
• Each cluster keeps a single number and a clear focus.
• The close ties service growth to pressure on resources.

10) Q and A: common doubts about reducing lists

Q1. How do I choose which numbers to keep
Keep one strong number per cluster. Prefer extremes, turning points, or official bounds stated in the text.

Q2. What if several points seem equally important
Check the question focus. If the questions ask about comparisons, keep the relative facts. If they ask about causes, keep the driver words and one example.

Q3. Can I introduce a category name that the text did not use
Yes, if it is a neutral label that summarizes items already present. Do not invent new facts.

Q4. How do I avoid copying the text
Use the paraphrase bank from Section 11. Replace verbs first, then nouns, then structure. Keep technical terms that cannot be changed.

Q5. Will this help in True False Not Given
Yes. Your four sentences act as a map. Compare each statement to the map instead of the entire paragraph.

Bangla help

• extreme = চরম মান
• turning point = বাঁকবদল সময়
• neutral label = পক্ষপাতহীন নাম

11) Paraphrase bank with Bangla notes

• increase → rise, climb, grow; উর্ধ্বগতি
• decrease → fall, drop, decline; নিম্নগতি
• remain stable → hold steady, stay level; স্থিতিশীল থাকা
• slightly → marginally, a little; সামান্য
• sharply → steeply, markedly; তীব্রভাবে
• except for → apart from, excluding, with the exception of; বাদ দিয়ে
• range from A to B → span A to B, vary between A and B; সীমার মধ্যে
• higher than → above, exceeds; বেশি
• lower than → below, under; কম
• about → roughly, approximately; প্রায়

12) Micro moves that speed up reduction

1. Bracket the noun family: Underline repeated nouns to see clusters fast.
2. Color code numbers: Circle only extremes and turning points.
3. Write one 3 word label per cluster: Example: transit boost, demand restraint, service reach.
4. Draft with placeholders: Write four template sentences, then fill with one fact each.
5. Stop at four: Extra details go to notes, not in the summary.

Bangla tip: খসড়া বাক্য আগে লিখুন, পরে তথ্য বসান। এতে চিন্তার চাপ কমে।

13) Common traps and how to avoid them

• Treating examples as new clusters. Merge them under one label.
• Mixing units such as percent with counts in the same comparison.
• Ignoring exclusions in footnotes or captions.
• Changing order mid way from time to category. Choose one sequence.
• Over qualifying with adverbs like very or extremely. Keep neutral tone.

14) Drill set A: reduce these 12 to 4

Topic: University library usage across a year.

1. Visits peak in October.
2. Lowest in July.
3. E book downloads highest in May.
4. Print loans fall after March.
5. Study room bookings up 25 percent in exam months.
6. Weekend openings extended in November and December.
7. New citation tool launched in April.
8. Workshops full in September.
9. Wi Fi complaints drop after upgrade.
10. Quiet zones added in January.
11. Alumni access expanded in June.
12. Fine free week in February.

Your task

• Cluster by time bands and by service type.
• Write four sentences with one number and one contrast.

Sample outline

• Overview: seasonal pattern with exam pressure.
• Cluster A: use peaks around May and October, room bookings up 25 percent.
• Cluster B: service changes and upgrades.
• Bound: lowest month July, longest hours in late term.

15) Drill set B: numbers and bounds correction

For each phrase, write a safe sentence using the number logic from Section 6.

1. up to 40 participants per slot
2. no more than 3 attempts allowed
3. at least 12 credits required
4. fewer than 5 complaints in April
5. more than double the 2019 value

Example

• Up to 40 participants per slot → Each slot accommodates at most 40 people.

16) One page worksheet to print and reuse

Copy this into your notebook or print for practice.

CRISP 4 Worksheet

• Topic and scope: _______________________________
• Units and time: ________________________________
• 12 items marked: yes / no
• Cluster labels (3 to 4): 1) ______ 2) ______ 3) ______ 4) ______
• Representative facts: A) ______ B) ______ C) ______ D) ______
• Exception or outlier: __________________________
• 4 sentence draft
  1. Overview: _________________________________
  2. Cluster A: ________________________________
  3. Cluster B plus exception: _________________
  4. Range or ratio: ___________________________
• Final check: units consistent, order stable, no new info.

17) Where this helps in Reading question types

Matching headings

• Your four sentences are mini headings. Pick the one that best fits the paragraph focus.

Summary completion

• A compressed view shows which words belong in gaps and which numbers are safe to insert.

Multiple choice

• Use the clusters to eliminate options based on mismatched scope or wrong trend.

True False Not Given

• Compare statements to your four sentence map. If a statement lies outside all four, it is likely Not Given.

Short answer

• Scan only the cluster that matches the question keyword to find the phrase or number.

18) Edge cases and fixes

1. Messy lists with inconsistent punctuation

• Read aloud in your head using commas where needed. Rewrite the 12 as numbered notes.

1. Mixed narrative and list

• Extract the list items first, then treat the narrative transitions as time cues.

1. Two unrelated themes

• Split the 12 into two sets of six and write two sentence pairs, then join with a contrast.

1. Hidden negatives

• Watch for no longer, not yet, unless. These flip meaning and can redefine clusters.

1. Tiny sample outlier

• If one fact depends on a very small sample, mark it but avoid letting it dominate the summary.

19) Style and clarity checklist

• Short clauses, one main idea per sentence.
• Neutral verbs, precise modifiers.
• Keep counts and percents in their own comparisons.
• Do not speculate beyond the data.
• End with a unifying range or turning point, not a new detail.

Bangla tip: ছোট বাক্য, স্পষ্ট ক্রম, নিরপেক্ষ ভাষা।

20) 7 day plan to build automaticity

• Day 1: Learn CRISP 4. Reduce one practice list.
• Day 2: Do Case Study A then invent your own 12 based on a news item and reduce it.
• Day 3: Case Study B plus Drill set B.
• Day 4: Library drill from Section 14.
• Day 5: Mixed table with a caption. Focus on exclusions and bounds.
• Day 6: Speed test. Two new lists, each under 3 minutes to produce four sentences.
• Day 7: Mock passage. Use your worksheet, then check answers.

21) Mini glossary with Bangla help

• cluster - সমজাতীয় আইটেমের দল
• bound - সংখ্যার সীমা
• scope - প্রয়োগ ক্ষেত্র
• baseline - প্রাথমিক স্তর বা সূচক
• exemplar - উদাহরণ হিসাবে নেওয়া আইটেম
• outlier - ব্যতিক্রমী আইটেম
• caption - ছবি বা টেবিলের নিচের বর্ণনা
• cohort - একই বৈশিষ্ট্যের দল
• convergence - একত্র হওয়ার ধারা
• divergence - ভিন্ন পথে যাওয়া ধারা

22) Final recall card

• CRISP 4: Collect, Reduce, Integrate, Structure, Polish.
• 4 sentences: overview, cluster A, cluster B plus exception, range or turning point.
• Keep one strong number per cluster.
• Do not change order mid summary.
• Watch units, captions, and negatives.
• Practice daily with the worksheet.

You now have a compact system to convert 12 scattered points into 4 precise sentences that preserve meaning and help you answer questions fast. Practice with the drills until the steps feel automatic.