{"id":16526,"date":"2018-04-23T19:19:34","date_gmt":"2018-04-23T19:19:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy?page_id=16526"},"modified":"2026-03-25T11:29:36","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T16:29:36","slug":"acknowledging-the-unknown","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/acknowledging-the-unknown\/","title":{"rendered":"Acknowledging the Unknown When Reading"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t\t<div id=\"mmDeferVideoEncompass_q-sEgPFaovE\" style=\"position: relative;\">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.webp\" type=\"image\/webp\">\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.png\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> \n\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\" id=\"videoThumbnailImage_q-sEgPFaovE\" data-source-videoID=\"q-sEgPFaovE\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.png\" alt=\"Acknowledging the Unknown When Reading Video\" height=\"464\" width=\"825\" class=\"size-full\" data-matomo-title = \"Acknowledging the Unknown When Reading\">\n\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<style>img#videoThumbnailImage_q-sEgPFaovE:hover {cursor:pointer;} img#videoThumbnailImage_q-sEgPFaovE {background-size:contain;background-image:url(\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/updated-acknowledging-the-unknown-when-reading-64beca4010a9b.webp\");}<\/style>\n\t\t\t<script defer>\n\t\t\t  jQuery(\"img#videoThumbnailImage_q-sEgPFaovE\").click(function() {\n\t\t\t\tlet videoId = jQuery(this).attr(\"data-source-videoID\");\n\t\t\t\tlet helpTag = '<div id=\"mmDeferVideoYTMessage_q-sEgPFaovE\" style=\"display: none;position: absolute;top: -24px;width: 100%;text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;font-size: small;border-top: 1px solid #fc0;\">Having trouble? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v='+videoId+'\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to watch on YouTube.<\/a><\/span><\/div>';\n\t\t\t\tlet tag = document.createElement(\"iframe\");\n\t\t\t\ttag.id = \"yt\" + videoId;\n\t\t\t\ttag.src = \"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/\" + videoId + \"?autoplay=1&controls=1&wmode=opaque&rel=0&egm=0&iv_load_policy=3&hd=0&enablejsapi=1\";\n\t\t\t\ttag.frameborder = 0;\n\t\t\t\ttag.allow = \"autoplay; fullscreen\";\n\t\t\t\ttag.width = this.width;\n\t\t\t\ttag.height = this.height;\n\t\t\t\ttag.setAttribute(\"data-matomo-title\",\"Acknowledging the Unknown When Reading\");\n\t\t\t\tjQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoEncompass_q-sEgPFaovE\").html(tag);\n\t\t\t\tjQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoEncompass_q-sEgPFaovE\").prepend(helpTag);\n\t\t\t\tsetTimeout(function(){jQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoYTMessage_q-sEgPFaovE\").css(\"display\", \"block\");}, 2000);\n\t\t\t  });\n\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t<\/script>\n\t\t\n<p><script>\nfunction gzC_Function() {\n  var x = document.getElementById(\"gzC\");\n  if (x.style.display === \"none\") {\n    x.style.display = \"block\";\n  } else {\n    x.style.display = \"none\";\n  }\n}\n<\/script><\/p>\n<div class=\"moc-toc hide-on-desktop hide-on-tablet\">\n<div><button onclick=\"gzC_Function()\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/toc2.svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"show or hide table of contents\"><\/button><\/p>\n<p>On this page<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<nav id=\"gzC\" style=\"display:none;\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Known_and_Unknown_Information\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Known and Unknown Information<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Examples\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Examples<\/a>\n<ul><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h3\"><a href=\"#Example_1\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Example #1<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h3\"><a href=\"#Example_2\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Example #2<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h3\"><a href=\"#Example_3\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Example #3<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#InPerson_Context\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">In-Person Context<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"accordion\"><input id=\"transcript\" type=\"checkbox\" class=\"spoiler_button\" \/><label for=\"transcript\">Transcript<\/label>\n<div class=\"spoiler\" id=\"transcript-spoiler\">\n<p>Hello, and welcome to this Mometrix lesson on acknowledging the unknown!<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Known_and_Unknown_Information\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Known and Unknown Information<\/h2>\n<p>\nThe title itself sounds daunting, I know, but don\u2019t get ahead of yourself making assumptions. When we\u2019re talking about acknowledging the unknown, we\u2019re talking about analyzing arguments; we\u2019re looking at <strong>known information<\/strong> in an argument and understanding that we can\u2019t draw conclusions about that information unless it\u2019s expressly given to us.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re examining the missing links and disconnected information in our example sentences. In other words, we\u2019re going to learn how to differentiate between <a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/fact-or-opinion\/\">fact and mere assumption<\/a> when looking at an argument or piece of text.<\/p>\n<p>When analyzing an argument, you can only draw conclusions from the information that is given. If information is not given but <strong>assumed<\/strong>, this information is invalid and cannot be deemed credible because it was not expressly given in the original statement.<\/p>\n<p>Now, you might be wondering, why is it important to differentiate between known and <strong>unknown information<\/strong>?<\/p>\n<p>Distinguishing between known and unknown information in an argument allows for accurate and plausible conclusions to be drawn from said argument. Otherwise, if a reader assumes information that is not given, the reader runs the risk of <strong>misinterpreting<\/strong> the information they are trying to understand. <\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Examples\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Examples<\/h2>\n<h3><span id=\"Example_1\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Example #1<\/h3>\n<p>\nLet\u2019s try to look at an example and see if we can come up with some conclusions from the information.<\/p>\n<div class=\"transcriptcallout\" style=\"text-align: left;\">John thinks gelato tastes better than ice cream. Gelato is not the same thing as ice cream.<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nFirst, we\u2019ll examine what do know based on the given information and then we\u2019ll look at what you don\u2019t, or can\u2019t, know.<\/p>\n<p>From these sentences, we know:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>John prefers gelato<\/li>\n<li>He thinks it tastes better than ice cream<\/li>\n<li>Gelato is not ice cream<\/li>\n<li>Ice cream is not gelato<\/li>\n<li>Ice cream tastes different than gelato, according to John<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When I think about this, my first questions are how do they taste different? What is the difference between the two? Why does he prefer one over the other? Is there any real difference between the two?<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s natural for our minds to begin trying to fill in missing information and connecting links that may not necessarily be present in an argument or text. We can only form conclusions on gelato and ice cream based on the information that was given in the sentences.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Example_2\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Example #2<\/h3>\n<p>\nNow, let\u2019s look at an example that is not necessarily an argument but from a piece of literature.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a small excerpt from Ray Bradbury\u2019s <em>Fahrenheit 451<\/em>:<\/p>\n<div class=\"transcriptcallout\" style=\"text-align: left;\">\u201c&#8230;he flicked the igniter and the house jumped up in a gorging fire that burned the evening sky red and yellow and black.\u201d<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nLet\u2019s first examine what we do know based on the information given and then we\u2019ll look at what we don\u2019t or can\u2019t know.<\/p>\n<p>From this quote, we know:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>There is a man<\/li>\n<li>We know that there is a house that has been set on fire<\/li>\n<li>We also know that the man set the house on fire.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>All of this information has been given to us in this quotation. I don\u2019t know about you, but when I read this information, the first thing my mind wants to do is fill in the gap of why the man set this house on fire. However, no matter how badly I wish I could piece together that information, I can\u2019t do so based on the little that we know.<\/p>\n<p>Another unknown in this situation is the man. Who is the man? Because it is not given in this quote, we cannot assume anything about him. I wonder whose house he\u2019s just burned down. It is tempting to try to create a backstory for this man and his situation, but unless you\u2019ve read the book before and have learned that information from experience, we have to accept that missing information as unknown.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Example_3\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Example #3<\/h3>\n<p>\nLet\u2019s try one more example:<\/p>\n<div class=\"transcriptcallout\">Karen prefers to take the bus around town. She does not usually drive her car.<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nIn this example, we know:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>There is a woman named Karen<\/li>\n<li>She prefers taking the bus around town<\/li>\n<li>She has a car<\/li>\n<li>She does not usually drive her car<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Now, as for the information we don\u2019t know and can\u2019t come up with explanations for:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Why does she prefer the bus?<\/li>\n<li>Why doesn\u2019t she drive her car instead?<\/li>\n<li>What is the road layout of her town?<\/li>\n<li>Is this for environmental reasons? Merely personal preference?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It\u2019s hard not to ask ourselves these questions and to try and justify an answer based on the two sentences we are given. But, as we mentioned with the first example, any answer we could possibly come up with would be considered invalid because it is not given to us in the original sentences.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"InPerson_Context\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>In-Person Context<\/h2>\n<p>\nIt\u2019s worth noting that this concept applies a little differently when speaking directly to someone. When speaking to someone, you can rely on body language and personal knowledge to fill in the informational gaps of someone\u2019s argument. However, when you are reading an argument, you don\u2019t necessarily have all of the <a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/context\/\">context clues<\/a> needed to draw conclusions not otherwise mentioned.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>\nIt\u2019s important to learn the skill of separating known and unknown information from each other because one day, you\u2019ll have to <strong>analyze arguments<\/strong> or literature of some sort. If you analyze the information falsely and insert your own assumptions, you have then lost all credibility for your ability to examine information as it is given.<\/p>\n<p>I know it\u2019s a little tricky to get the hang of forcing your mind not to wander while reading and just stay true to the text, but when you master that skill, you&#8217;ll take your analysis and comprehension to the next level!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"home-buttons\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/reading-comprehension\/\">Return to Reading Comprehension Videos<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Return to Reading Comprehension Videos<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":185969,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-16526","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"page_category-reading-comprehension-videos","7":"page_category-video-pages-for-study-course-sidebar-ad","8":"page_type-video","9":"subject_matter-english"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16526","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16526"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16526\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":279181,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16526\/revisions\/279181"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/185969"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16526"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}