Making Inferences in Informational Texts

In recent history, hundreds of animals have ceased to exist. Thousands of other species are currently endangered. Humans are responsible for a large majority of this mass extinction. Deforestation, pollution, and over-hunting are damaging and destroying our natural resources at an alarming rate.

Decreasing diversity is harmful for plants and animals as well as humans. Experts estimate that nature generates up to $33 trillion in revenue every year. This includes plants and animals acting as a food source, helping to recycle waste, and acting as a key component in important medications. Many scientists believe that if humans continue on this path, half of the Earth’s species could die off by 2100.

Which information is explicit in the text?

• If humans continue along this path, Earth's species will definitely die off by 2100.

• Rainforests contain the greatest assortment of animal species threatened by extinction.

• Extinction is a natural process that human beings should not try to interfere with.

• A consequence of plant extinction is losing key ingredients to important medicines.

Answer explanation

The text explicitly states that nature generates revenue through plants and animals, which includes their role in important medications. Thus, losing plant species would directly impact the availability of key ingredients for medicines.

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In recent history, hundreds of animals have ceased to exist. Thousands of other species are currently endangered. Humans are responsible for a large majority of this mass extinction. Deforestation, pollution, and over-hunting are damaging and destroying our natural resources at an alarming rate.

Decreasing diversity is harmful for plants and animals as well as humans. Experts estimate that nature generates up to $33 trillion in revenue every year. This includes plants and animals acting as a food source, helping to recycle waste, and acting as a key component in important medications. Many scientists believe that if humans continue on this path, half of the Earth’s species could die off by 2100.

Which information is implicit in the text?

• If humans do not cease destructive activities, half of the Earth's species will surely die off by 2100.

• Animal extinction is harmful, but not quite as bad as plant extinction.

• Plants and animals serve as food sources, help to recycle waste, and act as medicinal ingredients.

• Humans can avoid a mass extinction by cutting pollution and preserving natural resources.

Answer explanation

The text implies that by reducing pollution and preserving natural resources, humans can prevent mass extinction, as it highlights the consequences of current destructive activities and the potential for recovery.

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In general, people don’t like to be told what to do. People don’t like their choices to be restricted. When someone tells someone else what to do, that person usually wants to do the opposite. Reverse psychology takes advantage of this mental quirk. It works because humans have a natural, negative response to being told what to do.

Which paraphrase from the passage supports the claim that reverse psychology is based on people's dislike of restrictions?

• People typically have a poor reaction when they are not explicitly told what to do.

• Reverse psychology relies on the quirk that people don't like to be told what to do.

• People commonly give a negative response to a negative command.

• none of the above

Answer explanation

The correct choice, 'Reverse psychology relies on the quirk that people don't like to be told what to do,' directly supports the claim by highlighting that reverse psychology is based on this dislike of restrictions.

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In what we may call the "prescientific days," people felt sure about how to interpret their dreams. When they were remembered after awakening, they were regarded as coming from either friendly or hostile higher powers. With the rise of scientific thought, myth transferred to psychology. Today, most educated people believe that dreams come from the dreamer's own mind.

However, psychology has not yet offered a way to interpret dreams. How or why they occur, how they are related to our waking life, and why they contain often strange and unrealistic events are questions that have not been answered. There are two questions to ask regarding dreams. First, what is happening to the dreamer physically as the dream? Second, what does the dream tell about the person’s emotional or psychological state?

Which evidence from the passage supports the claim that science has not yet answered all our questions?

• In what we may call the "prescientific days," people felt sure about how to interpret their dreams.

• With the rise of scientific thought, myth transferred to psychology.

• Psychology has not yet offered a way to interpret dreams.

• Today, most educated people believe that dreams come from the dreamer's own mind.

Answer explanation

The statement 'Psychology has not yet offered a way to interpret dreams' directly supports the claim that science has not answered all our questions about dreams, highlighting the ongoing gaps in understanding.

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My main purpose in writing this little book was to place in permanent form a description of my wonderful preservation from death in a chance encounter with a Royal Bengal Tiger. My life had been adventurous up to that time. I had shot big game of various kinds. But this episode, so marvelous in itself, so important in its influence upon my later life and character, marks the close of my career as a hunter of big game.

What can you infer based upon the hunter's actions after encountering a Royal Bengal Tiger?

• There is a reality show based upon Sheffield's adventures in India.

• This was the most intimidating animal that the hunter had ever faced.

• This military officer left his post to illegally hunt for big game.

• The Royal Bengal Tiger was an endangered species in Bengal, India.

Answer explanation

The hunter describes the encounter with the Royal Bengal Tiger as marvelous and significant, indicating it was a profound experience. This suggests it was the most intimidating animal he faced, leading to his decision to stop hunting.

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A documentary is a film, television program, or audio broadcast that provides a record of a particular subject, issue, or event. Documentaries almost always use non-fiction subjects to inform their audience of current issues. Documentary subjects range from sports to art, philosophy to science, and technology to nature. Over the last two decades, the documentary form has tackled such current public issues as health care, the fast food industry, cigarette smoking, graffiti art, and U.S. involvement in foreign wars. Filmmakers have scoured the globe to cover natural events such as penguin migrations in Antarctica, wild dog hunts in equatorial Africa, and ants in South American jungles. The Civil War, the Olympics, and even Mother’s Day are all significant events covered by documentary directors.

Which choice would you NOT infer is a documentary?

• American Superhero: The Blockbuster Movie

• The American Revolution: The Series

• Illegal Drugs in America: An Investigation

• Terrorists and America: A Special Report

Answer explanation

The choice 'American Superhero: The Blockbuster Movie' suggests a fictional narrative rather than a non-fiction subject, which is characteristic of documentaries. The other options focus on real issues and events.

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Year-round schooling is a much more effective way for students to attend school. Studies show that students who attend year-round school perform better because there is more time to process content as opposed to rushing through the curriculum. Teachers enjoy this schedule as well because they have more time to plan lessons for shorter class periods. And students are more effective during shorter classes because it means less stagnant time sitting at a desk. Year-round schooling also means shorter semesters followed by longer breaks. Less time attending school followed by more time off has been statistically shown to allow students more time to process and recall academic material.

Which of the following sentences is weak evidence for the claim that year-round schooling improves student learning?

• Studies show that students who attend year-round schools perform better because there is more time to process the content...

• Less time attending school followed by more time off has been statistically shown to allow students more time to process and recall academic material.

• Teachers enjoy this schedule as well because they have more time to plan lessons for shorter class periods.

• ... students are more effective during shorter periods because it means less stagnant time sitting at a desk.

Answer explanation

The statement about teachers enjoying the schedule due to planning time does not directly support the claim of improved student learning, making it weak evidence compared to the other options that focus on student performance.

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A robot may be defined as a self-controlled device consisting of electronic, electrical, or mechanical units. More generally, it is a machine that functions in place of a living agent. Robots are especially desirable for certain work functions because, unlike humans, they never get tired; they can endure physical conditions that are uncomfortable or even dangerous; they can operate in airless conditions; they do not get bored by repetition; and they cannot be distracted from the task at hand.

Which conclusion could you draw from this text?

• Self-controlled robots do not work well with humans.

• Humans enjoy performing repetitive tasks.

• Robots are advantageous for tasks in the harsh environment of space.

• Working with distracted robots is dangerous.

Answer explanation

The text highlights that robots can operate in harsh conditions, such as airless environments, making them advantageous for tasks in space. This directly supports the conclusion that robots are beneficial for such tasks.

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Like the flag of the United States, the national flag of the Philippines uses red, white, and blue. The Philippine flag has one blue stripe and one red stripe with a white, triangular field on the left side. At each corner of the triangular field, there is a gold star. These stars surround a gold sun with a total of eight rays near the center.

For the people of the Philippines, the blue stripe represents truth and justice. The red stripe stands for patriotism and bravery, and the white field represents unity and equality. The stars in the triangular field represent the three groups of islands that make up the territory of the Philippines. The eight rays of the sun stand for the eight provinces that began the revolution to free the country from Spain in 1896.

According to the text, which of these statements is true?

• The Philippine nation is very large in area.

• The Philippines are home to many people.

• The Philippines were once under Spanish rule.

• The Philippines have never been conquered.

Answer explanation

The text states that the Philippines began a revolution to free themselves from Spanish rule in 1896, confirming that they were once under Spanish control. This makes the statement 'The Philippines were once under Spanish rule' true.

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Like the flag of the United States, the national flag of the Philippines uses red, white, and blue. The Philippine flag has one blue stripe and one red stripe with a white, triangular field on the left side. At each corner of the triangular field, there is a gold star. These stars surround a gold sun with a total of eight rays near the center.

For the people of the Philippines, the blue stripe represents truth and justice. The red stripe stands for patriotism and bravery, and the white field represents unity and equality. The stars in the triangular field represent the three groups of islands that make up the territory of the Philippines. The eight rays of the sun stand for the eight provinces that began the revolution to free the country from Spain in 1896.

Which of these details shows that the Philippine people value unity and equality?

• The design of the national flag has a white field.

• The country is made up of small islands.

• The design of the national flag has a red stripe.

• The country is on a very large island.

Answer explanation

The design of the national flag has a white field, which represents unity and equality for the people of the Philippines. This detail directly reflects their values, distinguishing it from other elements of the flag.

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