Inferences and Conclusions — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. The museum guide dimmed the lights and asked everyone to be quiet before pressing play on the projector. What can you infer is about to happen?
A) The museum is closing for the day.
B) A film or presentation is about to begin.
C) The guide lost the remote control.
D) Visitors are not allowed to watch videos.
Dimming the lights, asking for quiet, and pressing play on a projector are the exact steps someone takes before showing a film or presentation.
2. "I should have listened to the weather report," Sam muttered as he wrung water from his shirt. What conclusion can you draw?
A) Sam forgot to do his laundry.
B) Sam was caught in the rain without preparation.
C) Sam enjoys playing in puddles.
D) Sam spilled a drink on himself.
Sam's soaking wet shirt and his regret about ignoring the weather report prove he was caught in the rain without an umbrella or jacket.
3. The coach benched the star player after he yelled at the referee. What can you infer about the coach?
A) The coach does not like the star player.
B) The coach wants the team to lose.
C) The coach values sportsmanship over winning.
D) The star player asked to sit out.
Benching the best player for yelling at the referee shows the coach cares more about respectful sportsmanship than winning the game.
4. A passage says: "Nina kept a journal, wrote poetry, and spent her free time at the library." What trait does this evidence support?
A) Nina is athletic and competitive.
B) Nina is creative and loves reading and writing.
C) Nina prefers spending time outdoors.
D) Nina does not enjoy being alone.
Keeping a journal, writing poetry, and spending free time at the library all involve reading and writing, which reveal that Nina is a creative person who loves words.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. When you infer a character's feelings, you look at how the character acts and what the character says.
A character's actions and words are the two biggest clues to feelings, because people show emotions through what they do and say.
2. A conclusion that contradicts most of the evidence in a passage is probably incorrect.
If a conclusion goes against most of the evidence in the passage, it is probably incorrect because strong conclusions must match the majority of the facts.
3. The setting of a story can give readers clues about the mood or feeling of a scene.
A story's setting -- like a dark forest or a sunny beach -- creates a mood that tells readers how the scene is supposed to feel.
4. Strong readers revise their inferences when they encounter new information later in the text.
Good readers stay flexible and update their inferences whenever new information in the text changes or adds to what they understood before.
5. If a narrator describes a character's hands trembling before a speech, the character is likely feeling nervous.
Trembling hands before a speech is a physical sign of stage fright, which tells readers the character is feeling nervous about speaking.