Tips: Separate what the speaker personally wants from what supporters, critics and experts say.

Why the other options are wrong:

• Raise OAS in line with seniors' real costs, and review the formula often.: Matching seniors' real costs is closer to the supporters' wish for a more generous programme. The speaker asks only for modest increases.
• Raise OAS by a modest amount, but only for seniors on low incomes.: The speaker says OAS should be increased, with better targeting. Help aimed at low-income seniors was an example from the middle-ground view, not a limit on the OAS rise.
• Raise OAS by a modest amount, once the budget officer agrees it is affordable.: The budget officer is quoted by the critics as a warning about future taxes. The speaker never makes the rise wait for the budget officer's approval.

Correct Answer: They follow average price changes, not what older adults really spend on.

Why this is correct: Supporters say OAS is tied to inflation, but the formula follows average price changes. It does not follow the real spending patterns of older adults.

Tips: Listen for the reason the supporters give, and check who says each idea.

Why the other options are wrong:

• They follow younger people's spending, not what older adults really spend on.: Supporters say the formula follows average price changes, not younger people's spending. Younger people come up later, in the Statistics Canada comparison.
• They help comfortable seniors as much as those who are most in need.: This is the critics' worry about a blanket increase. It is not the supporters' complaint about the current adjustments.
• They were only ever meant to give seniors a basic, stable foundation.: The report uses this idea to explain why OAS matters. Supporters do not give it as the reason the adjustments fall short.

Correct Answer: It shows older adults spend more on basics, and those costs beat overall inflation.

Why this is correct: Statistics Canada found that people over 65 spend more of their income on housing, utilities and healthcare. Those costs have risen faster than overall inflation.

Tips: Notice what the finding compares, and what it is compared with.

Why the other options are wrong:

• It shows older adults spend more on basics, and hydro bills are hardest to manage.: The hydro bill comes from the speaker's neighbour, a personal story. Statistics Canada does not single out hydro bills.
• It shows older adults spend more on basics, and their cheques no longer stretch far.: Seniors themselves say their cheques do not stretch as far. This is not part of the Statistics Canada finding.
• It shows older adults spend more on basics, and those costs rose faster than younger people's costs.: The finding compares these costs with overall inflation, not with younger people's costs. Younger people come up only in how much of their income goes on basics.

Correct Answer: Partly convinced, since payments lag behind costs for many.

Why this is correct: The speaker says supporters are right to some extent. Payments no longer reflect real living costs for many seniors, but affordability still matters.

Tips: Listen to how strongly the speaker agrees or disagrees, and with how many people in mind.

Why the other options are wrong:

• Doubtful, since OAS already rises with inflation.: The speaker agrees in part with the supporters. OAS rising with inflation is the supporters' starting point, not the speaker's reason to doubt them.
• Wholehearted, since seniors' hardship outweighs any cost.: The speaker agrees only to some extent. The speaker also says we should be cautious about long-term affordability, so cost still matters.
• Somewhat convinced, though the hardship seems limited to a few.: The speaker says payments fall short for many seniors, not just a few. The speaker does not play down the hardship.

Correct Answer: By saying targeted changes are generally more effective than broad ones.

Why this is correct: The economist says targeted adjustments are generally more effective than broad ones. This backs the middle-ground call for better targeting.

Tips: Listen for the exact quality the economist uses to compare the two kinds of change.

Why the other options are wrong:

• By saying targeted changes are generally cheaper to run than broad ones.: Lower overall cost comes from the policy experts' example of boosting the income supplement. The economist talks about effectiveness, not cost.
• By saying targeted changes are generally fairer to seniors than broad ones.: Fairness comes from the speaker's own closing view. The economist does not say targeted changes are fairer.
• By saying targeted changes are generally simpler to set up than broad ones.: The economist says nothing about how easy changes are to set up. Critics only say that raising OAS is not a simple fix.

Correct Answer: About 120 members.

Why this is correct: The CARP survey found that nearly 60% of seniors worry about basic expenses. Just under 60% of 200 is about 120 members.

Tips: Note the survey figure exactly, then apply it to the new group.

Why the other options are wrong:

• About 80 members.: 80 is about 40% of the club. These are the members who do not share the worry.
• About 130 members.: 130 would be 65% of 200. The number 65 in the report is an age, not the survey result.
• About 100 members.: 100 would be half of the club. The survey figure was nearly 60%, which is clearly more than half.