Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. The principal announced extra recess for the whole school. Students cheered and teachers exchanged surprised glances. What can you infer about the teachers?
A) They planned the extra recess together.
B) They were not expecting the announcement.
C) They do not like recess.
D) They wanted less recess time.
Cheering and looking surprised together indicate the announcement was unexpected and pleasant news.
2. Amira finished her novel in one day and immediately asked the librarian for the sequel. What can you conclude?
A) Amira did not enjoy the book.
B) The book was very short.
C) Amira found the book so engaging she wanted to keep reading.
D) The librarian told her to read the sequel.
Finishing a novel in one day and immediately seeking the sequel are strong clues that Amira was captivated by the story.
3. The farmer looked at the dry, cracked soil and shook his head. What conclusion can you draw?
A) The farm had too much rain recently.
B) The farmer is pleased with the harvest.
C) The crops may be in trouble because of the drought.
D) The soil is perfect for planting.
Dry, cracked soil combined with the farmer shaking his head are inference clues for drought damage and crop concern.
4. A passage says: "Eli always arrived early to practice and stayed late to help put away equipment." What trait does this evidence support?
A) Eli is lazy.
B) Eli is dedicated and responsible.
C) Eli is shy around his teammates.
D) Eli does not enjoy the sport.
Consistently arriving early and staying late by choice are strong clues for inferring dedication and a strong work ethic.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. Inferring a character's motive means figuring out why the character acts a certain way.
Motives are the reasons behind a character's actions — inferring them requires reading between the lines of behavior and dialogue.
2. Authors use clues such as dialogue and actions to help readers make inferences.
Authors strategically place clues through dialogue, actions, descriptions, and setting to guide reader inferences.
3. A conclusion that is supported by multiple details from the text is considered strong.
A strong conclusion is backed by multiple pieces of text evidence, not just a single clue.
4. If a character avoids eye contact and speaks quietly, you can infer the character is shy.
Avoiding eye contact and speaking quietly are behavioral clues commonly associated with shyness or discomfort.
5. Combining what the text says with your own experience helps you draw deeper conclusions.
Personal experience and background knowledge combine with text details to produce insightful, well-supported conclusions.