Correct Answer: helping absorb mid-to-high frequency sounds like voices
Passage Reference: panels can help with mid-to-high frequencies
Why this is correct: Cho says panels “can help with mid-to-high frequencies”, such as voices and TV dialogue. That is the clearest benefit anyone gives them.
Tips: Be careful with big words like “all”, “every” and “fully”. The text often gives a smaller, more careful claim.
Why the other options are wrong:
- stopping all footstep thumps from above: Cho says panels rarely stop low thumps from footsteps above.
- making every apartment fully soundproof: Panels help only with some sounds. They cannot make any apartment fully soundproof.
- eliminating structure-borne noise in every building: Cho warns, “Foam is not magic against structure-borne noise.”
Correct Answer: stop low thumps from structure-borne impact noise
Passage Reference: they rarely stop low thumps from footsteps above
Why this is correct: Cho says panels “rarely stop low thumps from footsteps above.” Cho adds that foam is not magic against structure-borne noise.
Tips: For “will not” questions, look for negative words such as “rarely” or “not” in that person’s sentences.
Why the other options are wrong:
- help with voices and TV dialogue: Cho says panels can help with voices and TV dialogue. This is something they do well.
- be easy for renters to install: Easy installing is the makers’ claim, and Cho does not argue with it.
- last more than a year or two: Cho never talks about how long panels last.
Correct Answer: clearer quiet-hour lease rules and faster bylaw enforcement
Passage Reference: He wants clearer lease language on quiet hours and faster bylaw enforcement
Why this is correct: Delaney wants clearer lease language on quiet hours and faster bylaw enforcement. Both ideas focus on rules, not home fixes.
Tips: Words like “wants” and “prefers” show a person’s focus. Read the sentence that starts with “He wants” or “She wants”.
Why the other options are wrong:
- handing every tenant a foam kit: Delaney thinks tenants expect too much from DIY fixes. Handing out foam kits is not his plan.
- banning white-noise machines in every building: White-noise machines are part of Nguyen’s advice. Delaney never talks about banning them.
- removing carpets from all rental units: Carpets are never discussed. Rugs actually helped Lal sleep better.
Correct Answer: rugs, door seals, and white-noise before costly wall builds
Passage Reference: She recommends rugs, door seals, and white-noise machines before expensive full-wall builds
Why this is correct: Nguyen recommends rugs, door seals and white-noise machines “before expensive full-wall builds.” Cheap steps come first.
Tips: When the question says “starts with”, watch for order words like “before” and “first”.
Why the other options are wrong:
- building a full studio wall before anything else: Nguyen puts expensive wall builds last, not first.
- ignoring diagnosis and buying the first foam panels: Nguyen starts with rugs and seals, not foam. Nobody tells renters to skip checking the noise.
- suing noisy neighbours before trying anything cheaper: Nguyen wants city mediation that is faster than court, not a lawsuit.
Correct Answer: diagnose whether noise is airborne or impact
Passage Reference: stresses diagnosis first: is the noise airborne or impact?
Why this is correct: Siddiqi stresses “diagnosis first.” The question is simple: is the noise airborne, or does it come from impact?
Tips: The word “first” in the question often appears in the text too. Scan for it next to the person’s name.
Why the other options are wrong:
- buy the thickest foam available: Siddiqi warns that wrong products waste money. Buying comes after you understand the noise.
- cancel the lease and move out: Siddiqi never suggests moving. The advice is about finding the type of noise.
- remove the door seals for airflow: Door seals are part of Nguyen’s advice. Siddiqi never says to remove them.
Correct Answer: cheap foam alone rarely fixes the problem
Passage Reference: tried cheap foam cubes and heard little change
Why this is correct: Lal tried cheap foam cubes and “heard little change.” Sleep only got better after a thick rug and sealed gaps.
Tips: “Like the student renter” tells you to find the student in the text. Then read what that person learned.
Why the other options are wrong:
- thick rugs make little difference: It is the reverse. After Lal added a thick rug and sealed gaps, sleep improved.
- sealing gaps makes rooms too stuffy: Sealing gaps helped Lal sleep. Nobody complains that rooms get stuffy.
- white-noise machines keep neighbours awake: White-noise machines are one of Nguyen’s cheap tips. Nobody says they bother neighbours.
Correct Answer: the wrong products waste money
Passage Reference: Wrong products waste money
Why this is correct: Siddiqi says it plainly: “Wrong products waste money.” That is why checking the noise comes first.
Tips: Short sentences in a text are easy to miss but often carry a key warning. Read every sentence near the person’s name.
Why the other options are wrong:
- most ads hide the install cost: The ads promise an easy install. Nobody talks about hidden costs.
- cheap panels can be a fire risk: Fire and safety risks are never mentioned in the text.
- renters rarely read the lease: Siddiqi never talks about leases. Lease rules are Delaney’s topic.
Correct Answer: tenants overestimate DIY fixes
Passage Reference: argues tenants overestimate DIY fixes
Why this is correct: Delaney argues that tenants overestimate DIY fixes. In other words, home fixes do less than tenants expect.
Tips: The word “argues” often introduces someone’s main opinion. Copy that opinion into your own words before you look at the options.
Why the other options are wrong:
- landlords should pay for rugs: Delaney never offers to pay for anything. Rugs come from Nguyen’s advice.
- foam panels are a fair fix: Delaney thinks tenants expect too much from DIY fixes. Praising foam does not fit his view.
- noise is rarely a real problem: Delaney takes noise seriously enough to push quiet-hour rules and bylaw tickets.
Correct Answer: city mediation faster than court
Passage Reference: Nguyen wants city mediation that is faster than court
Why this is correct: Nguyen wants city mediation that is faster than court. Bylaw tickets are slow, so this fits the commenter’s point.
Tips: Read the sentence before the blank. It often tells you what problem the answer should solve.
Why the other options are wrong:
- free foam for every tenant: Nguyen recommends rugs and seals, not free foam. Nguyen never asks the city for it.
- stricter fines for landlords: Fines are not Nguyen’s idea. Delaney is the one who pushes bylaw tickets.
- longer quiet hours at night: Quiet hours are part of Delaney’s lease rules. Nguyen asks for faster mediation.
Correct Answer: free walk-through checklists
Passage Reference: Siddiqi offers free walk-through checklists for co-ops
Why this is correct: Look at the last paragraph. Siddiqi offers free walk-through checklists for co-ops, which fits “building or co-op” in the comment.
Tips: Match a place word in the comment, like “co-op”, to the same word in the text. It often leads you straight to the answer.
Why the other options are wrong:
- discount foam coupons: Nobody offers coupons. Lal even plans to skip buying more foam.
- a quiet-hours hotline: A hotline is never mentioned in the text.
- free soundproof doors: Nguyen suggests door seals, but nobody offers free doors.
