What is a statement about textual evidence you should know for answering questions?

• A. Information directly from the passage used to support an answer.
• B. A general summary of the passage.
• C. A guess about what might be true.
• D. An opinion about the topic.

Answer: (A)

Textual evidence is information directly from the passage used to support an answer. It can be a quoted sentence or a precise paraphrase that accurately reflects what the text says. Using this kind of evidence keeps your reasoning tied to the text, showing exactly why your conclusion follows from what is written rather than from guesswork or outside ideas. When you answer questions, look for parts of the passage that state facts, describe actions, or reveal motives that directly justify your claim, then cite or paraphrase them to back up your point.

General summaries, guesses about what might be true, or opinions about the topic do not provide the specific support the question asks for, because they aren’t tied to concrete text in a way that proves your answer.