MakingInferenceWeallhavetotakethosestandardizedtestswhereyou'representedwithalargepassageoftextandyouhavetoworkyourwaythroughthemultiple-choiceproblemsthatfollow.Mostofthetime,you'llgetquestionsaskingyoutofindthe

mainidea,determinethe

author'spurpose,understand

vocabularyincontext,and,thetopicathand,

makeinferences.Formanypeople,understandinghowtomakeaninferenceisthetoughestpartofthereadingpassage,becauseaninferenceinrealliferequiresabitofguessing.整理pptWhatexactly

is

aninference?

Step1:IdentifyanInferenceQuestionFirst,you'llneedtodeterminewhetherornotyou'reactuallybeingaskedtomakeaninferenceonareadingtest.Themostobviousquestionswillhavethewords"suggest,""imply"or"infer"rightinthetaglikethese:"Accordingtothepassage,wecanreasonablyinfer...""Basedonthepassage,itcouldbesuggestedthat...""Whichofthefollowingstatementsisbestsupportedbythepassage?""Thepassagesuggeststhatthisprimaryproblem...""Theauthorseemstoimplythat…"Somequestions,however,willnotcomerightoutandaskyoutoinfer.You'llhavetoactuallyinferthatyouneedtomakeaninferenceaboutthepassage.Sneaky,huh?Hereareafewthatrequireinferencingskills,butdon'tusethosewordsexactly."Withwhichofthefollowingstatementswouldtheauthormostlikelyagree?""Whichofthefollowingsentenceswouldtheauthormostlikelyusetoaddadditionalsupporttoparagraphthree?"整理pptStep2:TrustthePassage

Nowthatyou'recertainyouhaveaninferencequestiononyourhands,andyouknowexactlywhataninferenceis,you'llneedtoletgoofyourprejudicesandpriorknowledgeandusethepassagetoprovethattheinferenceyouselectisthecorrectone.Inferencesonamultiple-choiceexamaredifferentfromthoseinreallife.Outintherealworld,ifyoumakeaneducatedguess,yourinferencecould

still

beincorrect.Butonamultiple-choiceexam,yourinference

will

becorrectbecauseyou'llusethedetailsinthepassagetoproveit.Youhavetotrustthatthepassageoffersyouthetruthinthesettingofthetest,andthatoneoftheanswerchoicesprovidediscorrectwithoutsteppingtoofaroutsidetherealmofthepassage.整理pptStep3:HuntforClues

Yourthirdstepistostarthuntingforclues–supportingdetails,vocabulary,character'sactions,descriptions,dialogue,andmore–toproveoneoftheinferenceslistedbelowthequestion.Takethisquestion,forexample:Basedontheinformationinthepassage,itcouldbesuggestedthatthenarratorbelievesElsa'spriormarriagestobe:

A.uncomfortable,butwell-suitedtoElsa

B.satisfactoryanddulltoElsa

C.coldanddamagingtoElsa

D.awful,butworthittoElsa整理pptThewidowElsawasascompleteacontrasttoherthirdbridegroom,ineverythingbutage,ascanbeconceived.Compelledtorelinquishherfirstmarriageafterherhusbanddiedinthewar,shemarriedamantwiceheryearstowhomshebecameanexemplarywifedespitetheirhavingnothingincommon,andbywhosedeathshewasleftinpossessionofasplendidfortune,thoughshegaveitawaytothechurch.Next,asoutherngentleman,considerablyyoungerthanherself,succeededtoherhand,andcarriedhertoCharleston,where,aftermanyuncomfortableyears,shefoundherselfagainawidow.ItwouldhavebeenremarkableifanyfeelinghadsurvivedthroughsuchalifeasElsa's;itcouldnotbutbecrushedandkilledbytheearlydisappointmentofherfirstgroom'sdemise,theicydutyofhersecondmarriage,andtheunkindnessofherthirdhusband,whichhadinevitablydrivenhertoconnecttheideaofhisdeathwiththatofhercomfort.整理pptTofindcluesthatpointtothecorrectanswer,lookfordescriptionsthatwouldsupportthosefirstadjectivesintheanswerchoices.Herearesomeofthedescriptionsofhermarriagesinthepassage:"…shebecameanexemplarywifedespitetheirhavingnothingincommon…""…aftermanyuncomfortableyears,shefoundherselfagainawidow.""…theicydutyofhersecondmarriageandtheunkindnessofherthirdhusbandwhichhadinevitablydrivenhertoconnecttheideaofhisdeathwiththatofhercomfort."整理pptStep4:NarrowDowntheChoices

Thelaststeptomakingacorrectinferenceonamultiple-choicetestistonarrowdowntheanswerchoices.Usingthecluesfromthepassage,wecaninferthatnothingmuchwas"satisfactory"toElsaabouthermarriages,whichgetsridofChoiceB.ChoiceAisalsoincorrect,becausealthoughthemarriagescertainlyseemuncomfortablebasedontheclues,theywerenotwell-suitedtoherasshehadnothingincommonwithhersecondhusbandandwantedherthirdhusbandtodie.ChoiceDisalsoincorrect,becausenothingisstatedorimpliedinthepassagetoprovethatElsabelievedhermarriagestobeworthitinsomeway;infact,wecaninferthatit

wasn'tworthittoheratallbecauseshegaveawaythemoneyfromhersecondhusband.So,wehavetobelievethatChoiceCisthebest–themarriageswerecoldanddamaging.Thepassagestatesexplicitlythathermarriagewasan"icyduty"andherthirdhusbandwas"unkind."Wealsoknowthattheyweredamagingbecauseherfeelingshadbeen"crushedandkilled"byhermarriages.整理pptpracticeIwouldn'teat

afterthattwo-year-oldifIwereyou.

Inference:

Thetwo-year-oldprobablydidsomethinggrosstothefoodyouwereabouttoeatorhasacoldandyoucouldcatchit.Somethingbadwillhappentoyouifyoueatit!

ForValentine’sDay,myfantasticneighborgavehiswifeapoemthattookhimabouttwosecondstowrite.Sheesh.

Inference:

Myneighborisnotveryconsideratesincehedidn'ttakehistimewritingthepoem.

整理pptAmanran

afteraretreatingbus,wavinghisbriefcasefrantically.

Inference:

Ifshedied,Iwouldn’tgotoherfuneral.

Inference:

Jakealmostwished

thathehadn’tlistenedtotheradio.Hewenttotheclosetandgrabbedhisumbrellaeventhoughhewouldfeelsillycarryingittothebusstoponsuchasunnymorning.

Inference:

Hey!Whathappened

toalltheschoolconstructionmoneytakenfromthetaxpayers?Itpaidforthistoiletthemoneywasflusheddown.

Inference:

Asyougive

aspeechinfrontofalargeaudience,yourealizethatpeoplearelaughingbehindtheirhandsandpointingtotheregionbelowyourwaist.

Inference:

整理pptNo,Honey,I

don’twantyoutospendalotofmoneyonmybirthdaypresent.JusthavingyouforahusbandistheonlygiftIneed.Infact,I’lljustdrivemyoldrustybucketofboltsdowntothemallandbuymyselfalittlepresent.Andifthepooroldcardoesn'tbreakdown,I’llbebacksoon.

Inference:

Awomanwalks

intoahospitalclutchingherabdomenandcursingoutherhusband,whotrailsbehindhercarryingalargebag.

Inference:

You'redrivingon

thehighway,listeningtotheradio,andapoliceofficerpullsyouover.

Inference:整理pptPassagefrom:Salinger,J.D."ForEsme:WithLoveAndSqualor."

NineStories.

Little,Brown&Company,1991.Itwasaboutten-thirtyatnightinGaufurt,Bavaria,severalweeksafterV-EDay.StaffSergeantXwasinhisroomonthesecondfloorofthecivilianhomeinwhichheandnineotherAmericansoldiershadbeenquartered,evenbeforethearmistice.Hewasseatedonafoldingwoodenchairatasmall,messy-lookingwritingtable,withapaperbackoverseasnovelopenbeforehim,whichhewashavinggreattroublereading.Thetroublelaywithhim,notthenovel.AlthoughthemenwholivedonthefirstfloorusuallyhadfirstgrabatthebookssenteachmonthbySpecialServices,Xusuallyseemedtobeleftwiththebookhemighthaveselectedhimself.Buthewasayoungmanwhohadnotcomethroughthewarwithallhisfacultiesintact,andformorethananhourhehadbeentriple-readingparagraphs,andnowhewasdoingittothesentences.Hesuddenlyclosedthebook,withoutmarkinghisplace.Withhishand,heshieldedhiseyesforamomentagainsttheharsh,wattyglarefromthenakedbulboverthetable.整理pptHetookacigarettefromapackonthetableandlititwithfingersthatbumpedgentlyandincessantlyagainstoneanother.Hesatbackatrifleinhischairandsmokedwithoutanysenseoftaste.Hehadbeenchain-smokingforweeks.Hisgumsbledattheslightestpressureofthetipofhistongue,andheseldomstoppedexperimenting;itwasalittlegameheplayed,sometimesbythehour.Hesatforamomentsmokingandexperimenting.Then,abruptly,familiarly,and,asusual,withnowarning,hethoughthefelthisminddislodgeitselfandteeter,likeinsecureluggageonanoverheadrack.Hequicklydidwhathehadbeendoingforweekstosetthingsright:hepressedhishandshardagainsthistemples.Heheldontightforamoment.Hishairneededcutting,anditwasdirty.Hehadwasheditthreeorfourtimesduringhistwoweeks'stayatthehospitalinFrankfortontheMain,butithadgotdirtyagainonthelong,dustyjeepridebacktoGaufurt.CorporalZ,whohadcalledforhimatthehospital,stilldroveajeepcombat-style,withthewindshielddownonthehood,armisticeornoarmistice.TherewerethousandsofnewtroopsinGermany.Bydrivingwithhiswindshielddown,combat-style,CorporalZhopedtoshowthathewasnotoneofthem,thatnotbyalongshotwashesomenewsonofabintheE.T.O.整理pptWhenheletgoofhishead,Xbegantostareatthesurfaceofthewritingtable,whichwasacatchallforatleasttwodozenunopenedlettersandatleastfiveorsixunopenedpackages,alladdressedtohim.Hereachedbehindthedebrisandpickedoutabookthatstoodagainstthewall.ItwasabookbyGoebbels,entitled"DieZeitOhneBeispiel."Itbelongedtothethirty-eight-year-old,unmarrieddaughterofthefamilythat,uptoafewweeksearlier,hadbeenlivinginthehouse.ShehadbeenalowofficialintheNaziParty,buthighenough,byArmyRegulationsstandards,tofallintoanautomatic-arrestcategory.Xhimselfhadarrestedher.Now,forthethirdtimesincehehadreturnedfromthehospitalthatday,heopenedthewoman'sbookandreadthebriefinscriptionontheflyleaf.Writteninink,inGerman,inasmall,hopelesslysincerehandwriting,werethewords"DearGod,lifeishell."Nothingleduptoorawayfromit.Aloneonthepage,andinthesicklystillnessoftheroom,thewordsappearedtohavethestatureofanuncontestable,evenclassicindictment.Xstaredatthepageforseveralminutes,trying,againstheavyodds,nottobetakenin.Then,withfarmorezealthanhehaddoneanythinginweeks,hepickedupapencilstubandwrotedownundertheinscription,inEnglish,"Fathersandteachers,Iponder'Whatishell?'Imaintainthatitisthesufferingofbeingunabletolove."HestartedtowriteDostoevski'snameundertheinscription,butsaw--withfrightthatranthroughhiswholebody--thatwhathehadwrittenwasalmostentirelyillegible.Heshutthebook.整理pptQuestion1"Accordingtothefirsttwoparagraphs,wecanreasonablyinferthatStaffSergeantXhadtroublereadingthebookprimarilybecause…"

A.theharshglarefromthenakedbulbmadereadingdifficult.

B.theothermenhadselectedbetternovels,sohewasn'tinterestedinit.

C.hewastiredfromhistimeonduty.

D.thewarhaddisturbedhiminsomeway.Question2Whichofthefollowingstatementsisbestsupportedbythelastparagraph?

A.StaffSergeantXfeelsguiltyaboutarrestingthewomanwhowroteinthebookbyGoebbels.

B.StaffSergeantXbelievesDostoevskiabletocorrectthewar'smostawfulmistakes.

C.StaffSergeantXwantstodischargehimselffromthewar.

D.StaffSergeantXhasgonecompletelyinsane.整理pptQuestion3Theauthorusesthephrase"…likeinsecureluggageonanoverheadrack"inordertofurtherimply

A.thatStaffSergeantXwasbattlescarredinthemindaswellasinthebody

B.thatStaffSergeantXwasteeteringontheedgeofanervousbreakdown

C.thatStaffSergeantXhadgrowncompletelycarelessinhisenvironment

D.thatStaffSergeantX'shallucinationshadcausedhimtobreakfromrealityQuestion4Basedonthelastparagraph,itcouldbeinferredthatStaffSergeantX…

A.longedforlove

B.longedforaswiftresolutiontothewar

C.longedforsilence

D.longedtoleavehisstationQuestion5ThepassagesuggeststhatCorporalZ,whohaddrivenStaffSergeantXbackfromthehospital

A.wastooproudtogiveuphisoldways

B.hadnocompassionforSergeantX

C.wasafoolwhovaluedpreviousnotionsovernewideas

D.hadearnedtherespectofSergeantX整理pptInferencePractice2AnswersQuestion1"Accordingtothefirsttwoparagraphs,wecanreasonablyinferthatStaffSergeantXhadtroublereadingthebookprimarilybecause…"

A.theharshglarefromthenakedbulbmadereadingdifficult.

B.theothermenhadselectedbetternovels,sohewasn'tinterestedinit.

C.hewastiredfromhistimeonduty.

D.thewarhaddisturbedhiminsomeway.TheonlyreasonableinferencebasedontheevidentiarycluesfromthetextisChoiceD–hewasdisturbed.Infact,thepassagecomesrightoutandsays,"hewasayoungmanwhohadnotcomethroughthewarwithallhisfacultiesintact"andclarifiesthatevenfurther(soyoucanmaketheinference)withhisdistractednesswhiletryingtoread.Yes,theglarefromthebulbwasharshandyes,hewasprobablytiredfromhistimeonduty,butneitherwascauseenoughforhimtoreadandrereadtheparagraphsandsentences.So,ChoicesAandCareout.ChoiceBisoutbecauseitisaninaccuratestatement.整理pptQuestion2Whichofthefollowingstatementsisbestsupportedbythelastparagraph?

A.StaffSergeantXfeelsguiltyaboutarrestingthewomanwhowroteinthebookbyGoebbels.

B.StaffSergeantXbelievesDostoevskiabletocorrectthewar'smostawfulmistakes.

C.StaffSergeantXwantstodischargehimselffromthewar.

D.StaffSergeantXhasgonecompletelyinsane.ThebestinferencewecanmakeisChoiceA–hefeelsguilty.Theevidencecomesfromthefollowingpassageinthelastparagraph.Thespecificevidenceisinbold.It[thebookhepickedup]belongedtothethirty-eight-year-old,unmarrieddaughterofthefamilythat,uptoafewweeksearlier,hadbeenlivinginthehouse.ShehadbeenalowofficialintheNaziParty,buthighenough,byArmyRegulationsstandards,tofallintoanautomatic-arrestcategory.

Xhimselfhadarrestedher.Now,forthe

thirdtime

sincehehadreturnedfromthehospitalthatday,he

openedthewoman'sbook

andreadthebriefinscriptionontheflyleaf.Writteninink,inGerman,inasmall,hopelesslysincerehandwriting,werethewords"DearGod,lifeishell."Nothingleduptoorawayfromit.Aloneonthepage,andinthesicklystillnessoftheroom,

thewordsappearedtohavethestatureofanuncontestable,evenclassicindictment.Becausehearrestedawomanwhomheconsideredunworthyofarrest,hereturnstothewordsshewroteinthebookthreetimesinoneday,showingaguiltyconscience.Thenarratoractuallycomesrightoutandstatesthatthewordsfeltlikean"indictment"orcondemnationofhim.ChoiceBisnotimpliedinthepassage,andChoiceDisnotsupported.He'sdefinitelynothimself,butaninsanepersonprobablywouldn'thavethepresenceofmindtocompletetheactionshehasinthispassage.ChoiceC,althoughitcouldbetrue,isnotsupportedorimpliedinthepassageatall;we'dhavetostepoutsidetheconfinesofthepassagetoinferit,whichisnotgoodtestingstrategy.整理pptQuestion3Theauthorusesthephrase"…likeinsecureluggageonanoverheadrack"inordertofurtherimply

A.thatStaffSergeantXwasbattlescarredinthemindaswellasinthebody

B.thatStaffSergeantXwasteeteringontheedgeofanervousbreakdown

C.thatStaffSergeantXhadgrowncompletelycarelessinhisenvironment

D.thatStaffSergeantX'shallucinationshadcausedhimtobreakfromrealitySalingerusestheimageryofinsecureluggagetoimplyhowprecariousStaffSergeant'smentalstabilityreallywas.Hence,ChoiceBisthebestinferencewecanmake.ChoiceA,althoughobviouslytrue,isnotagoodinferencebasedonthosewords,whichiswhatthequestionasks.ChoiceCisjustananswerchoicetestingwhetherornotyou'veactuallyreadthepassage.Theluggageismetaphorical,notreal.Andsincetheluggagewasspokenaboutfromthenarrator'sperspective,andnomentionorideaofluggagecomesfromStaffSergeantXhimself,wecannotinferfromthesewordsthathewashallucinating整理pptQuestion4Basedonthelastparagraph,itcouldbeinferredthatStaffSergeantX…

A.longedforlove

B.longedforaswiftresolutiontothewar

C.longedforsi