Being able to make inferences will make you able to provide answers to questions that are not directly stated in the text.

Stephen and Joseph Montgolfier were papermakers, but they had been interested in flying for many years. One night, in 1782, Joseph noticed something that gave him an idea. He was sitting in front of the fire when he saw some small pieces of scorched paper being carried up the chimney.Soon afterwards, the brothers conducted an experiment. They lit a fire under a small silk bag, which was open at the bottom; at once, the bag rose to the ceiling. After this, Stephen and Joseph conducted many more experiments, both indoors and in the open air. Eventually, they built a huge balloon of linen and paper. On June 5th, 1783, they launched their balloon in the village of Annonay.

What evidence in the passage could lead you to infer that the Montgolfier brothers discovered how to make a hot air balloon?

Stephen and Joseph Montgolfier were papermakers, but they had been interested in flying for many years. One night, in 1782, Joseph noticed something that gave him an idea. He was sitting in front of the fire when he saw some small pieces of scorched paper being carried up the chimney.Soon afterwards, the brothers conducted an experiment. They lit a fire under a small silk bag, which was open at the bottom; at once, the bag rose to the ceiling. After this, Stephen and Joseph conducted many more experiments, both indoors and in the open air. Eventually, they built a huge balloon of linen and paper. On June 5th, 1783, they launched their balloon in the village of Annonay.

What evidence in the text could lead you to infer that the Montgolfier brothers launched the first successful hot air balloon?

Captain James Cook

Captain James Cook was an eighteenth century British explorer and navigator. He embodied the Age of Exploration, a period during which the Europeans traversed and mapped the globe. Cook discovered many unknown lands and regions during his career. He is still highly regarded today because he helped redraw the maps of the known world.

Cook was born in 1728 in a small village. His father was a farm worker of modest means. In his late teens, Cook moved to the coast and became an apprentice on a merchant ship. He studied navigation and mathematics, and he became a good sailor. Cook joined the Royal Navy in 1755. He served in North America and took part in the Seven Years' War.

In 1768, Cook sailed to the Pacific Ocean on a mission to chart Venus as it crossed paths with the Sun. His travels took him to New Zealand and then to the eastern shores of Australia where no European had ever been. Cook charted the shores and claimed the land for Britain. In 1772, he led a second voyage south in search of the southern continent. He came close to the Antarctic but never reached the coast.

Cook's third and final voyage in 1776 was to discover the Northwest Passage—the fabled route that connected the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. On the trip, Cook visited Hawaii and the northwest coast of North America. He reached the Bering Strait but was unable to pass. He returned to Hawaii where he died in 1779.

Which of the following can the reader infer from the passage above?

Read the following statement.

Algae is healthy.

Which sentence from the passage best supports this inference?

Algae

Algae is one of the oldest living organisms on earth. Algae do not flower, nor do they have stems, roots, or leaves. Algae is part of a large group of nonflowering plants that includes seaweed as well as other single-celled forms. Algae is beneficial to us in many ways.

For one, algae contains beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is a vitamin that has been shown to help fight certain types of cancer and heart conditions. Additionally, algae is an excellent source of protein. Protein is what makes people's muscles strong, and helps to grow hair, skin, and nails. Algae has also been known to help treat diabetes, allergies, and liver diseases because it helps stabilize blood sugar levels.

Aside from improving people's health, algae can also be used to clean and supplement decreasing natural resources such as water and fuel. Because algae store energy in the form of oils and carbohydrates, they can be converted to biofuel to run cars and other machinery that typically depend on gas and oil. Algae can also be used to purify wastewater, so the water can be used again for drinking, watering crops, and taking care of many other agricultural needs. Algae is truly an extraordinary resource!

Astronauts Living in Space

by Becky Bray and Patrick Meyer

Astronauts living in space do many of the same things they would do on Earth. They eat, sleep, work, wash, and have fun, just as we do on land.

The astronauts are prepared to meet the challenges of living in space. They must have a college degree in engineering and must complete at least 1500 hours of instructional flying time. They must graduate from a school for jet pilots.

They also must meet stiff requirements and undergo difficult training before they are approved for a space trip. Training in jet aircraft and simulated spacecraft prepares them to cope with the effects of weightlessness. In addition, they must be in excellent physical condition when they enter the spacecraft, and they must maintain their health during the flight.

Astronauts have to be careful when eating in the space shuttle because their food can float away. Sticky foods are the best, and crumbly food isn't sent to space. Many foods have the water removed, so they weigh less and take up less room. Before eating, the astronauts add water and squish the food and water around in a plastic bag so that it is not too dry to eat. Astronauts can add hot water for hot food, but there is no refrigerator on the shuttle, so no cold drinks.

Astronauts agree that sleeping in the shuttle is an adventure, too. Some astronauts like to float free in the shuttle to sleep, gently bouncing off a wall once in a while. Other astronauts sleep better if they are zipped into a sleeping bag. They say it feels more like sleeping in a bed on Earth. There's even a little pillow that they can fasten to their heads with a strap.

Staying clean is harder in space, too. There is no shower or bathtub on the shuttle, so astronauts have to take sponge baths. They can brush their teeth the regular way but have to be careful that toothpaste globs don't drift away.

One of the most important things astronauts must do every day in space is exercise. Without gravity, the human body starts to lose muscle and bone tissue. To keep their bodies strong, astronauts exercise using a treadmill or rowing machine.

In spite of the many similarities between living on Earth and living on the space shuttle, space is still a hostile environment for human beings. We still have much to learn about how to make our astronauts comfortable in space.

Which sentence from the article supports the idea that astronauts have to be educated?

Rattlesnakes

Scientists have studied rattlesnakes for hundreds of years, yet, there continue to be myths about these snakes.

The snake's rattle, which lends it its name, contains hard, loose parts made of the same material found in human nails. When cornered, the snake shakes its tail to make a rattling noise. Researchers used to think that the number of rattles on a snake indicates its age. However, it is now known that each time a rattlesnake sheds its skin, it adds a rattle. These snakes shed their skins about four times a year, and often the rattles break off.

Research shows that rattlesnakes have deep social ties. Mothers and babies are known to stay together until babies first shed their skin. Mothers keep their young close to them. If they sense any threat, they shake their rattles and adopt a threatening posture. Studies also show that some rattlesnake young even return to their mother's den after they have grown up.

Volumes of literature exist on rattlesnakes. It is clear, however, that more research will continue to be conducted to understand the characteristics of rattlesnakes.

What can the reader infer about rattlesnakes based on the passage?

Rattlesnakes

Scientists have studied rattlesnakes for hundreds of years, yet, there continue to be myths about these snakes.

The snake's rattle, which lends it its name, contains hard, loose parts made of the same material found in human nails. When cornered, the snake shakes its tail to make a rattling noise. Researchers used to think that the number of rattles on a snake indicates its age. However, it is now known that each time a rattlesnake sheds its skin, it adds a rattle. These snakes shed their skins about four times a year, and often the rattles break off.

Research shows that rattlesnakes have deep social ties. Mothers and babies are known to stay together until babies first shed their skin. Mothers keep their young close to them. If they sense any threat, they shake their rattles and adopt a threatening posture. Studies also show that some rattlesnake young even return to their mother's den after they have grown up.

Volumes of literature exist on rattlesnakes. It is clear, however, that more research will continue to be conducted to understand the characteristics of rattlesnakes.

What can the reader infer based on the second paragraph of the passage?