Making Inferences

The Canadian province of Quebec was originally settled by French fur traders. Eventually, cities grew to support the fur trade. As a result, other industries (such as logging) became the main source of income for residents.

Based on this passage, you can infer that some residents of Quebec may speak which language?

• French

• Spanish

• English

Emily and Molly both auditioned for a singing role in a musical. Emily landed a spot in the musical, but Molly did not.

The reader can reasonably infer:

• The directors thought Molly was a better singer than Emily.

• The directors thought Emily was a better singer than Molly.

• Neither Emily nor Molly had a chance to sing during the auditions.

Tim and Liam both glanced around the room nervously as the teacher handed back the graded tests. The teacher handed Liam his test and smiled. The teacher handed Tim his test and asked, “What happened?”

The reader can reasonably infer that:

• Liam did not do well on the test.

• Tim did not do well on the test.

• Tim was not in school the day of the test.

Katie slammed her math textbook closed and crumpled up the piece of paper she was working on. “Ugh!” she said.

Based on this passage, what can you infer about Katie?

• Katie enjoys math.

• Katie is having difficulty with Math.

• Katie has finished her math homework.

Trudy looked down; the sound of everyone’s laughter burned in her ears. She felt her face grow warm and knew she was turning red. She wished she could just walk out of the classroom.

Based on the description, what can the reader infer?

• Trudy is embarrassed.

• Trudy is new in school.

• Trudy is very angry.

Casey loved this time of year. She loved the bright red leaves on the trees, piles of leaves on sidewalks, and the decorated pumpkins and jack-olanterns showing up on people’s steps and porches.

What season can the reader infer it is?

• Spring

• Summer

• Fall

Sammy was promoted from third to fifth grade. The teachers at his school decided he did not have to attend fourth grade at all.

The reader can infer that

• Sammy did not attend the second grade

• Sammy will not have to go through sixth grade

• Sammy did extremely well in third grade

Jonas loved going to the zoo. He especially loved visiting his favorite animal. He thought its spotted coat was beautiful and found its long, long neck very graceful. He was always amazed when one walked close to him or

stretched out to eat the leaves at the top of a tree.

The reader can infer that Jonas's favorite animal is a(n)

• elephant

• giraffe

• tiger

Timmy flicked the light switch on and off, but nothing happened. He tried to turn on his TV, but it wouldn’t come on either. He began to worry because soon it would be dark and he was in the house alone.

Based on this description, what can the reader infer?

• Timmy's parents are on vacation

• Timmy is not in his own house

• The power has gone out

Carrots are an excellent source of retinol. Retinol is a pure form of vitamin A and is essential for good vision and strong teeth. It is often found in foods such as eggs, liver, and fish. For vegetarians, the best source of retinol is carrots.

Based on this passage, what can you infer about the amount of retinol in eggs, liver, and fish?

• It is the same or greater than the amount in carrots

• It is less than the amount in carrots

• Eggs, liver, and fish do not contain retinol