IELTS Reading: useful question about keywords

A student asked me about the following question from Cambridge IELTS 9. The student was confused about whether 'amount' was a good synonym for 'rate'. How do you think I resolved this confusion? And what is the correct answer to the question?

Question (true, false or not given?)
The amount of information that can be sent in a given time period is determined with reference to the signal strength and noise level.

Relevant part of the passage:
In particular, Shannon showed that noise set a limit on the rate at which information can pass along communication channels while remaining error-free. This rate depends on the relative strength of signal and noise traveling down the communication channel and on its capacity (its "bandwidth").

Comments

[Ameet]

Amount is the quantity or a volume of any substance. Where as, rate is change of amount within given period. When there is the change in time the amount of any substance becomes rate. For example, To determine the limits of safe functioning for a machine or electrical device.

True.

[Suzy]

rate = the amount of information that can be sent in a given time period

[Pachu]

sir, I am sure the answers are False or Not given because rate is not amount

[niuxiufeng]

I think the answer is Not Given

I don't think amount has the same meaning with rate.

[ATITI]

true

[Murad]

The answer is TRUE.

the amount of information = this rate
determined with reference to = depends on the relative

[Roxana]

The point is that 'rate=amount per time', and so the paraphrasing is correct due to the following clause in the passage:
"The amount of information that can be sent in a given time period"

[Hocuong]

In this case, the amount and the rate are covariance
So the answer is true

[moe_ta]

True

[Vishaal]

Some people prefer to live in a house, while others feel that there are more advantages to living in an apartment.
Are there more advantages than disadvantages of living in a house compared with living in an apartment?

People vary in their choices about which one is better among a house and a flat for living, and some argue that apartments offer more advantages. I think there are more drawbacks than benefits to live in a house because of the security and a sense of community reasons when I compare them against the merits of living in an apartment.

Most houses are less secure than flats as they are usually detached. That is to say, the dedicated security service is mostly unavailable in houses as this costs extra to the house owners. While this is not the case in apartments because this cost divides in between all the families living in a multi-story building, and hence affordability is not a concern for people living flats. This significantly increases the possibilities of criminal offenses, such as burglary, in houses. In 2018, for example, more than 100 cases of housebreaking were reported in my city called Vadodara, and among them, fewer than 10 incidences happened in apartment buildings.

In addition, houses usually lack a feeling of community because they are more isolated than apartments. Due to this, people living in houses usually avoid to get together with their neighbors and to maintain friendly relations with each other. On the other hand, most residents of flats daily meet or talk to the people living in their neighborhood as their apartments are usually in very close proximity or even just a wall away from their neighbors. In India, for instance, it has been noted that individuals living in houses celebrate almost all festivals only with their family members and relatives, while group celebration, including all families and their closed ones, is common for people living in apartments.

In conclusion, from the above arguments, it is pretty evident that living in a house is disadvantageous in terms of danger from criminals and a sense of unity, whereas these are the prime benefits of living in flats.

[elizabeth]

True

[THanh]

I believe the answer is True

[sakina]

The amount of information + can be sent in a given time period =rate
i guess the answer is true because of this part(can be sent in a given time period)

[Geetha]

False.

In my understanding, though amount and rate are measurable, amount refers to quantity and rate implies quality.

[Geetha]

False.

In my understanding, though amount and rate are measurable, amount refers to quantity and rate implies quality.

[Geetha]

False.

In my understanding, though amount and rate are measurable, amount refers to quantity and rate implies quality.

[Simon]

CORRECT ANSWER FROM SIMON:

TRUE

Several people above gave the correct explanation for the 'keyword' problem:

It is true that 'amount' and 'rate' are not synonyms. However, 'amount... in a given time' is a good way to define 'rate'. The student who asked me the original question missed the keywords 'in a given time'.

Just to explain a bit more, look at this example:

My work rate = the amount of work that I do in a given time (e.g. per hour)

[Eri]

I thought amount and rate arent synonyms but couldn’t explain why. Thanks you for shearing! This is not related to this question, but I am wondering if anyone could advise me if you can cross an answer and write an another answer on your answer sheet if you change your mind or do you need to erase the wrong answer properly? Sorry for asking basic question but I would love to get some advise as I’m studying on my own. Thanks in advance!

[Oleg]

Eri

"Shearing" means cutting the wool off sheep with large scissors or electric shears. "Sharing" is something different.

[Eri]

Oh, I must have spelt it wrong! Thanks Oleg

[Dan]

Hello Simon,

I am a Telecommunication engineer and quite familiar with Shannon Theory. Then the answer is True