Making Inference

​Making Inferences

Multiple Choice

Mrs. Strauss was taking attendance.

"Gabby?"

"Here."

"Emma?"

Two girls said, "Here," at the same time. Mrs. Strauss continued.

"Max?"

There was no response. A few kids turned around and saw that Max's seat was empty.

What inference can be made based on information in this passage?

• There are two girls named Emma in this class.

• Mrs. Strauss does not know her students' names.

• No one in the class is named Max.

Multiple Choice

To earn a driver's license, students must show they understand how to operate a vehicle. They must pass a written test first, followed by a road test. During the road test, they must obey traffic signals, streets signs, and official rules of the road. An employee of the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will ride with students to evaluate their driving abilities. The employee will also note if the driver fastens his/her seatbelt and adjusts the car's mirrors.

What inference can be made based on information in this passage?

• To get a driver's license, only a written test is required.

• A DMV employee decides if a driver has passed the road test.

• It is unlikely that anyone passes the road test.

Multiple Choice

Millions of high school students take Advanced Placement (AP) courses in high school. AP courses are more challenging than other courses and are offered in many subjects including U.S. history, biology, and calculus. Students who pass an AP exam can earn college credit. These tests are scored on a scale of one to five, with one being the best possible score.

What inference can be made based on information in this passage?

• A score of five on the AP exam will probably not earn college credit.

• Advanced Placement courses are abbreviated as AdPla.

• The only AP courses offered in most high schools are U.S. history and biology.

Multiple Choice

Mr. Farraf wrote his name on the board and told the class, "I'm not only your substitute teacher. I'm also a palindrome."

"You're a palindrome too, Bob," said Whitney.

"I am not!" yelled Bob. His cheeks flushed with pink. "Stop teasing me."

"She's not," explained Mr. Farraf. "A palindrome is a word spelled the same forward and backward."

What inference can be made based on information in this passage?

• Whitney dislikes Bob.

• Mr. Farraff did not know Bob's name was a palindrome.

• Bob was embarrassed.

Multiple Choice

After bundling up, Victoria struggled to pull on her snow boots.

"Need some help?" her mom asked. She was looking at the school district's website.

"No thanks," Victoria replied. She gazed out the window at the heavy snowfall.

"Honey, I know you worked hard to get dressed for school," Victoria's mom said, pointing to the computer screen, "But you can take everything off!"

What inference can be made based on information from this passage?

• The snow had turned to rain.

• Victoria hates the snow.

• School was canceled because of the weather.

Multiple Choice

The school library was under construction. To prepare for it, many books were moved to one side of the gym. Some books were temporarily put in boxes in the basement.

Walter went to the gym to look for the book about tiger attacks. He knew the school had this book because his friend Eddie had borrowed it a few weeks ago. Walter could not find the book on the shelf. The librarian said it was not checked out.

What inference can be made based on information from the text?

• Eddie forgot to return the book.

• The book was in the school basement.

• The library never had a book on tiger attacks.

Multiple Choice

"Race you to the tree and back!" Sarah said to Symir.

On the count of three, the two were off. Sarah took the lead. From behind, Symir noticed something.

"Sarah! Your shoelace. It's untied!" he shouted between heavy breaths.

"Oh!" Sarah stopped to tie it, and Symir stopped while she did that. When she started to run again, so did he. Sarah won the race.

What inference can be made based on information from the passage?

• Symir waited for Sarah to tie her shoelace so it would be a fair race.

• Symir untied Sarah's shoe before the race so he could beat her.

• Sarah cheated to win the race.

Multiple Choice

Recess is a time for kids to take a break from sitting at their school desks. If the weather allows, they go outside to get some exercise. Running around and playing sports gets their blood pumping. For many students, it is a chance to recharge. When they go back to their schoolwork, they are able to concentrate easier.

What inference can be made based on information from the passage?

• Recess is not as important as reading and math.

• Recess is healthy for kids.

• Recess is many kids' favorite time of day.

Multiple Choice

For students who like running, many decide to join their school's cross country team. Cross-country runners compete on an open course that might include sidewalks, grass, or rocky dirt. The courses are generally between one and three miles long. Cross-country is often an autumn sport. Runners wear a vest or t-shirt and shorts. Sometimes they wear special running shoes called spikes.

What inference can be made based on information from this passage?

• Cross-country races are not held indoors.

• A cross-country course is usually no longer than 100 feet.

• Cross-country athletes run the fastest on grass.

Multiple Choice

A group of people held a conference in 1939 to discuss how children got to school. At that conference, they discussed national standards for school buses and created a special yellow color for them. Its official name is National School Bus Glossy Yellow. They also decided to use black writing on the yellow because that color combination is easy to see in the dim light of early mornings.

What inference can be made based on information from the passage?

• School buses are painted yellow so they will be safer.

• School buses are not visible in dim light.

• School buses have always been painted yellow.

Multiple Choice

Miriam was afraid to tell her parents that she lost her key to the back door of the house.

"It's okay, Miriam," her brother said. "We will get a new door. Or we can just stop using that door altogether."

"But that will be just as inconvenient," Miriam said. "Can't we just make a new key at the hardware store?"

• Miriam's brother was angry that she lost the key.

• Miriam figured out an easy solution to the lost key.

• Miriam and her brother don't agree on anything.

Multiple Choice

On the first day of 7th grade, Carlos looked over his class schedule.

"Great news," he whispered to his friend, Gina, who was sitting next to him. "It looks like I don't have to take math this year. Do you?"

"Yes. And I'm sure you do too," she replied. "Let me see that."

Glancing at Carlos' schedule, she said, "Very funny. You have algebra every day during 3rd period."

What inference can be made based on information from the passage?

• Gina did not know how to read a class schedule.

• Gina and Carlos are in the same math class.

• Carlos did not know that algebra is a type of math.

Multiple Choice

Mark the fictional character that would have made the statement.
"Goodness! Who brought all the big dogs today? A furry little princess like me can't prance around the park with them here. I guess I'll just have to sit and look pretty."

• big dog
• little dog
• squirrel
• stick

Multiple Choice

Inference Riddle: Birds fly south for me. I am a season when people build snowmen, the days are short and the nights are long.

• I am summer.

• I am winter.

• I am spring

• I am autumn.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence BEST supports the idea that Jack is feeling sleepy?

• Jack went to bed late because he was at a birthday party.

• Jackʼs eyes were droopy and his eyelids felt really heavy.

• Jack put his head down on the desk.

• Jack was not paying attention to the lesson.

Multiple Choice

What is wrong with Carol?

• She is upset because she has been waiting on hold for a long time.
• She is sick and calling in to work.
• She hit her head.
• Her coffee is too hot!

Multiple Choice

Mia stamps her feet and crosses her arms. What can you infer about how she feels?

• Joyful

• Angry

• Lonely

• Tearful

Multiple Choice

Leah's mother ices the cake. She puts eight candles on the cake. After she sets the cake on the table, everyone sings to Leah. The lit candles make her face glow. Leah blows out the candles and smiles.
What can you infer about what day it is?

• Leah did well on a test.
• It is Leah's mom's birthday
• It is Leah's birthday.
• Leah's favorite food is cake.

Multiple Choice

Ana carefully filled the bird feeders in her backyard. The many trees that grew on her property were home to various kinds of birds. Ana enjoyed watching the birds and listening to them as they came to eat the seeds she provided for them.

This story does NOT tell.....

• where the bird feeders are located.

• what kind of food Ana give the birds.

• what kinds of birds come to the bird feeders.

• where the birds lived.

Multiple Choice

Until 1996 the Sears Tower was the tallest building in the world, with more than a hundred stories.

The Sears Tower is probably...

• as tall as the Empire State Building

• no longer the tallest building in the world

• taller than any other building

• still the highest building in the world

Multiple Choice

It is located in Chicago, whose nickname is the Windy City.

It can be inferred from the passage that Chicago...

• has moderate weather

• is generally warm

• usually has a lot of wind

• has humid weather

Multiple Choice

On a windy day, the top of the building can move back and forth as much as three feet every few seconds. The inside doors at the top of the building open and close and water in sinks sloshes back and forth.

It is implied in the passage that the upper-level doors in the Sears Tower open and close because...

• the building was poorly constructed

• people go in and out so often

• the building move in the wind

• there is water in the sinks

Multiple Choice

The most common last name in the English-speaking world is Smith, which was taken from the job of working with metals. A silversmith, for example, is someone who works with the metal silver.

It can be inferred from the passage that family names...

• were always taken from the area where a family lived

• were short names

• had little or no meaning

• could be taken from jobs

Multiple Choice

A silversmith, for example, is someone who works with the metal silver. Historical records indicate that the use of this last name is at least 700 years old.

Which of the following is implied about the Smith family name?

• It is definitely not more than 700 years old

• It existed 600 years ago

• It did not exist 500 years ago

Multiple Choice

Today, there are more than 3.3 million Smiths living in the United States and perhaps another million Smiths living in other English-speaking countries worldwide.

In England there are probably...

• more Smiths than there are in the United States

• more than a million Smiths

• fewer than a million Smiths

• no families with the name of Smith