Conclusions and Inferences

Jonah is from Chicago. One day, his parents decided to take a family vacation in the West. His mother wanted to visit her brother Jim whom she hadn't seen in a long time. Uncle Jim and Aunt Sally lived in Los Angeles. While there, they planned to see the ocean. Jonah was very excited because he had never been to California—or to the ocean! California is nearly 3,000 miles away from Chicago, but his parents wanted to drive.

The family prepared for their trip and packed the car. Suitcases, blankets, snacks, and books were tossed into the trunk. Jonah brought his headphones so he could listen to the music he liked. No classical music for him! Once they were on the road, he closed his eyes and dreamed about the ocean. Jonah could hear the waves washing up on the shore. He could smell the salt air and feel the cool breeze on his neck.

They drove for several days before they arrived in Los Angeles. Jonah's aunt was glad to see them, and she greeted Jonah with a big hug. The families had lunch together, but all Jonah could think about was the ocean. Finally, his uncle Jim turned to him and asked, "How would you like to see the ocean, Jonah?" Jonah responded with a shout, which made his uncle smile.

Jonah's uncle drove them to Ocean Beach and parked the car. When Jonah stepped out, he heard the crashing of the waves. The smell of the ocean filled his head, and the breeze brushed across his body. It was all just as he had imagined.

Based on the passage, what can the reader conclude about Jonah?

• He has an active imagination.

• He has decided to live in Los Angeles.

• He has never seen mountains.

• He has read books about the ocean.

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The Federal Aviation Administration (F.A.A.) has announced a 10-year, $11 billion plan to modernize the air travel system and reduce snarl. The plan is great as far as it goes. It is a mixture of dozens of improvements to be made over time. Many are already working on a trial basis, and each will do a little good. For instance, a new runway at a busy airport can add 1 percent to overall airline traffic capacity. The F.A.A. proposes building new runways at 15 busy airports. Together it says its measures should add 30 percent to total system capacity by 2010.

What can the reader infer about the author's attitude toward the F.A.A.?

• He thinks the F.A.A. is a corrupt and harmful organization.

• He is an employee of the F.A.A.

• He does not think that the F.A.A.'s proposal will be helpful.

• He thinks the F.A.A. is doing the right thing.

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The town of Madisonville, Texas was hit by a strong storm in late July. Most of the city lost power for several hours, and damage was severe in parts of the city. The Lakeside Cafe, famous for its misspelled sign saying, “Chicken-Fried Stake,” lost its roof in the storm. Amazingly, no employees or customers were injured. John Paxton, who was eating in the restaurant at the time, said, “They told us there was no way to know if it was a tornado or not. Well, I’ve never seen this kind of damage from anything but a tornado.”

Fallen limbs and downed power lines were also common problems across the city, blocking passage down dozens of streets. Crews worked for days without pause to restore power and to cut and haul away large limbs. With many businesses closed until power could be restored, hundreds of local residents found themselves stuck at home without electricity and therefore without air conditioning. Local woman Sally H. was sitting on her front porch, fanning herself with a shoe catalog. “It’s hot,” she said. “Normally, I would enjoy a day off of work, but this isn’t a normal day off.”

The hospital was able to stay open and powered by electricity generators. Furman Simms, working the front desk, said it seemed almost like a normal day. “We saw more people today than usual,” he explained, “but it wasn’t bad. We never ran out of beds. I expected it to be a lot busier.”

The reader can infer that hundreds of Madisonville residents were probably

• helped haul away tree limbs.

• glad they had generators.

• not happy to be at home.

• enjoyed not going to work.

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Marimba Music

Most people have never heard of the instrument called the marimba. It is played in many countries around the world. The marimba is a percussion instrument, a type of xylophone nearly ten feet long. The forerunner of the modern marimba comes from Guatemala. The instrument, however, is even older in its origins, which are thought to be Mayan.

The marimba consists of a set of wooden keys or bars that are hit with two or more mallets to make musical sounds. Some pieces of music require the use of up to six mallets. The instrument slightly resembles a piano, but the musician plays the marimba standing up instead of sitting down.

The marimba is not special because of its wooden bars. Instead, resonators, the metal tubes that hang beneath each bar, are what make the marimba unique. They are made in different lengths and produce different sounds and tones. Some resonators are made of aluminum, but brass is preferred. Resonators were originally made of hollowed-out gourds. The mallets also make a great difference in the quality of the sound. Softer mallets are used for the low notes. Harder mallets are used for the high notes.

It takes a great deal of skill to handle multiple mallets, two or three in each hand. Some musicians have developed special grips to help them control the mallets as they play. One of these, the Stevens method, uses four mallets, two in each hand. The grip involves holding one of the mallets with the ring and pinky fingers while the other is controlled between the thumb and the middle finger.

What can the reader infer from this article?

• A musician needs quick hands to be a good marimba player.

• The mallets used to play the marimba are usually made of brass.

• The marimba is a member of the strings section of the orchestra.

• Playing the marimba requires a minimum of two musicians.

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Emu

The emu is a large, flightless bird found in Australia. Many years ago, this bird was also found in Tasmania and King Island, but today, it is only seen on the Australian mainland. It is unofficially considered the national bird of Australia and appears on the nation's coat of arms.

The emu is the second largest bird in the world, behind the ostrich. On average, the male emu is 5.5 to 6 feet tall and weighs around 130-150 pounds. The female emu is larger and heavier than the male. The emu has a set of wings that it flaps to stabilize itself while running or hunting. The emu also has strong legs that help it cover long distances. Unlike the ostrich, the emu's feet have three toes which give it better speed and stability.

What can the reader infer about the emu's wings?

• They are not used for flying.

• They are very heavy.

• They are used to provide speed.

• They are not fully developed.

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Jesse Owens

The summer of 1936 saw the rise of a new athlete at the Berlin Olympics, the winner of four gold medals—Jesse Owens.

Jesse Owens had started his career barely a decade before in Cleveland, Ohio, as a junior high student who set new world records. There was not a single major track event that he had not won during high school, including the Ohio state championship for three consecutive years. His high school teacher was impressed with his talent and said that he was a true athlete; he predicted that Jesse would one day become very famous. Later, Jesse set two new world records at the National Interscholastic meet in Chicago. This display of talent earned him admission to Ohio State University. Jesse continued to set new records in all intercollegiate competitions. He ran for the Ohio State track team called the "Buckeyes," and because of his speed he earned the nickname "Buckeye Bullet."

In 1935, during the Big Ten Championship at Ann Arbor, Jesse was suffering from a sore back, as he had fallen down a flight of stairs. Despite the pain, he participated in the competition and set new world records in three events and tied in one. He accomplished all of this in a span of 45 minutes, which is still considered one of the greatest athletic feats in history.

At the 1936 Summer Olympics, Jesse and his relay team set a record in the 4 x 100 sprint that took other athletes 48 years to match.

To honor Jesse, an organization called USA Track and Field gives an annual award called the "Jesse Owens Athlete of the Year."

Which idea from the article shows that Jesse was one of the fastest runners of his time?

• He participated in the Berlin Olympics.

• He won several track events despite a sore back.

• He received a scholarship to Ohio State University

• He set many world records as an athlete.

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Maria woke up excited because it was her birthday! It was her own special day. Each year her mother would surprise her with a wonderful gift. Last year, her mother gave her tickets to a play that had been sold out for months. When Maria came downstairs for breakfast this morning, she saw a present next to her plate. It was wrapped in shiny gold paper with a red ribbon. She forgot all about the pancakes her mother had made for her.

"Eat your breakfast young lady," Maria's mother said with a smile.

But Maria could not wait. She looked at her mother for permission to open her present. Her mother laughed and nodded her head. Maria wasted no time and tore into the paper. Inside was the very journal she had wanted. Maria had long dreamed of becoming a famous writer and living in New York. The journal was light blue with clouds on the cover. It came with a "space pen" that wrote upside down and never lost ink. Best of all, her mother had written For My Special Girl inside the cover. Maria walked over and hugged her mother tightly.

Maria only invited Sasha and Benny, her longtime friends, to her birthday party. She felt funny about inviting the kids from her class. She was new at school and didn't know most of them. At the party, the three ate pizza and ice cream to celebrate her birthday. When they were done, they made popcorn and watched a funny movie. Maria and her friends had a great time. Even though her birthday only came once a year, Maria thought that it was worth the wait.

Based on this story, what can the reader conclude about Maria's relationship with her mother?

• Maria's mother understands what makes her daughter happy.

• Maria's mother does not show her daughter much affection.

• Maria's mother does allow her daughter to have many parties.

• Maria's mother does not want to spoil her daughter.

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The city of Dallas, Texas, passed a curfew this year restricting the movement of minors during the day. Because people under the age of 18 are supposed to be in school during the day, the curfew is meant to affect primarily children who choose to skip school or those who decide to drop out. The chief of police explained, "The idea of the curfew came up after large jumps in the rates of theft and vandalism during the day."

Several groups in the community were in favor of the measure. Others believe it is a mistake. Brenely Watson spoke on behalf of a group of concerned citizens. She said, "The police department has no proof that minors are responsible for the increased crime. Perhaps someone should look in a mirror if they really need someone to blame." Mrs. Watson has a 15-year-old son who has perfect attendance at school.

The city council voted in favor of the curfew. It is now law. The mayor praised the police department before and after the vote. "The chief needs us to do everything in our power to help the brave men and women of the police department," he said. "Stopping crime depends on more people than just those wearing badges."

Based on information in the article, the reader can infer that the Dallas police

• believe minors are responsible for the rise in daytime crime.

• believe they will catch those responsible for the rise in crime.

• believe they will never know who is responsible for the rise in crime.

• believe adults are responsible for the rise in daytime crime.

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The Flu

The flu is mainly a respiratory disease. That means it affects the lungs and airways. The virus is inhaled and comes in contact with the cells of the upper air passages. It gets into the cells that line these passages and multiplies within them. New flu viruses are then released from the infected cells and infect the other cells. The flu may spread deep within the lungs. The virus may also be carried away in air and infect other people.

Researchers and doctors try to prevent the spread of the flu through vaccinations. Most flu vaccines consist of killed flu viruses. These vaccines offer some protection but are not as effective as scientists would like them to be. During the 1970s, new kinds of vaccines were developed and became available in some parts of the world. Scientists believe such vaccines may offer better protection than killed virus vaccines do. Other methods are also being tested to produce better vaccines. In addition to vaccines, other drugs can be used to treat or prevent certain types of flu.

Most of the deaths associated with the flu are caused by infections. When the body is fighting the flu, it is not strong enough to fight the other diseases the body comes in contact with. Doctors try to control these infections with antibiotics and other drugs. If a patient gets another infection, it can affect other areas of the body like the heart, stomach, and muscles.

The reader can conclude that doctors are

• afraid to use vaccines.

• not affected by the flu.

• working to cure the flu.

• trying to spread the flu.

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Long before weight machines, stationary bikes and step aerobics became tools in any weight-management plan, people practiced yoga for spiritual and physical health. The origins of yoga predates written history. Archeologists have uncovered stone carvings depicting figures in yoga positions in the Indus Valley dating back 5,000 years or more! While it might not produce the rapid results that fast-paced aerobic exercises or high-tech weight machines do, yoga still has plenty to contribute to your weight loss program in the 21st century.

What can the reader infer from this paragraph?

• The author is a fitness expert.

• The author is a yoga instructor.

• The author has favorable feelings about yoga.

• Yoga is something everyone should try.

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