RI.4.1-Inferences
Maya noticed dark clouds filling the sky. The wind began blowing leaves across the playground. She quickly zipped her backpack and hurried toward the school doors.
Question: Which detail BEST shows that a storm may be coming?
A. Maya had a backpack.
B. Dark clouds filled the sky.
C. Maya walked toward school.
D. Leaves were on the playground.
B. Dark clouds filled the sky
Honeybees collect nectar from flowers. As they move from flower to flower, pollen sticks to their bodies and is carried to other plants. This process helps many plants produce fruits and seeds.
Question: What is the main idea?
A. Bees only eat flowers.
B. Honeybees help plants reproduce as they collect nectar.
C. All plants need honeybees.
D. Pollen is a type of seed.
B. Honeybees help plants reproduce as they collect nectar.
First, a seed absorbs water. Next, its outer covering breaks open. Then, a tiny root grows downward. Finally, a stem begins growing toward the sunlight.
Question: What text structure is used?
Chronology/Sequence
Our school should plant more trees on the playground. Trees would provide shade during recess and could make the playground cooler on hot days.
Question: What reason does the author give for planting trees?
Trees would provide shade and make the playground cooler.
Nina stared at the tall diving board. Her hands trembled as she climbed the ladder. At the top, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment, and jumped.
Question: How does Nina feel at the beginning of the passage? What detail supports your answer?
She feels nervous or afraid; her hands tremble.
Every Saturday, Mr. Lee visits the community garden. He pulls weeds, waters the vegetables, and checks the plants for insects. Before leaving, he picks ripe vegetables to donate to a nearby food pantry.
Question: Which detail BEST supports the idea that Mr. Lee helps his community?
A. He visits on Saturdays.
B. He checks plants for insects.
C. He donates vegetables to a food pantry.
D. He pulls weeds from the garden.
C. He donates vegetables to a food pantry.
Recycling keeps useful materials out of landfills. Paper, plastic, glass, and metal can often be turned into new products. Recycling can also reduce the amount of natural resources needed to make new items.
Question: Which detail BEST supports the main idea that recycling is beneficial?
A. Glass can break.
B. Landfills hold trash.
C. Recycling can reduce the use of natural resources.
D. Some products contain plastic.
C. Recycling can reduce the use of natural resources.
Frogs and toads are both amphibians, but they have several differences. Frogs usually have smooth, moist skin, while toads often have dry, bumpy skin. Frogs also tend to have longer legs.
Question: What text structure is used?
compare and contrast
Students should read every day. Regular reading exposes students to new vocabulary. It also gives readers practice understanding increasingly difficult texts.
Question: Which evidence supports the author's point that daily reading is helpful?
Reading exposes students to new vocabulary and gives them practice understanding difficult texts.
Marcus saw the wallet lying beside the sidewalk. He picked it up and noticed an address on an identification card inside. Instead of keeping it, Marcus walked three blocks to return it to its owner.
Question: What character trait BEST describes Marcus?
A. Selfish
B. Honest
C. Impatient
D. Careless
B. Honest
Desert animals have several ways to survive extreme heat. Some animals rest underground during the hottest part of the day. Others are active mainly at night when temperatures are cooler.
Question: What evidence BEST supports the idea that desert animals change their behavior to survive the heat?
They rest underground during the day or become active at night.
Sea turtles spend most of their lives in the ocean. Female sea turtles return to beaches to lay their eggs in the sand. After hatching, the young turtles crawl toward the ocean and begin their lives at sea.
Question: Which statement BEST summarizes the passage?
A. Sea turtles live only on beaches.
B. Sea turtles begin life on land but spend most of their lives in the ocean.
C. Young turtles are excellent swimmers.
D. Female turtles stay with their babies.
B. Sea turtles begin life on land but spend most of their lives in the ocean.
Heavy rain fell for several hours. Because the ground could not absorb all the water, nearby streams overflowed. As a result, several roads were covered with water.
Question: What text structure is used, and which words help you identify it?
Cause and effect; because and as a result.
Our town should create more bike paths. Bike paths give cyclists a designated place to ride instead of sharing busy traffic lanes. Cities with connected bike paths also make it easier for people to travel short distances without cars.
Question: What is the author's point, and what reasons support it?
The town should create more bike paths because they give cyclists designated places to ride and make short trips without cars easier.
Rain hammered against the cabin windows while wind shook the trees outside. Inside, Elena pulled another blanket around her shoulders and moved closer to the fireplace.
Question: How does the setting affect Elena's actions?
The cold, stormy setting causes Elena to seek warmth near the fireplace.
Beavers build dams using branches, mud, and stones. These dams slow moving water and create ponds. The ponds provide beavers with protection from some predators and give them easier access to food.
Question: Why do beavers build dams? Use two details from the passage to support your answer.
Dams create ponds that help protect beavers from predators and give them easier access to food.
Trees provide many benefits to communities. Their leaves create shade on hot days. Their roots help hold soil in place, and their branches provide homes for birds and other animals. Trees also take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen.
Question: State the main idea and give two supporting details.
Answer: Main idea: Trees benefit communities and the environment. Supporting details can include providing shade, preventing soil erosion, providing animal habitats, and releasing oxygen.
Students at Oak Hill noticed that many plastic bottles were being thrown away each day. The student council placed recycling bins throughout the school and taught students how to use them.
Question: What text structure does the author mainly use? Explain how you know.
Problem and solution. The problem is discarded plastic bottles; the solution is adding recycling bins and teaching students to use them.
School gardens can be valuable learning spaces. Students can observe plant life cycles instead of only reading about them. They can also collect measurements, record plant growth, and study insects that visit the garden.
Question: Which piece of evidence BEST supports the author's claim that gardens can be used for learning?
A. Gardens contain soil.
B. Plants need sunlight.
C. Students can measure and record plant growth.
D. Some gardens are large.
C. Students can measure and record plant growth.
Andre had practiced his speech every evening for a week. When his name was called, he slowly walked to the front of the room. His voice shook during the first sentence, but then he remembered his practice. He stood taller and spoke clearly through the rest of his presentation.
Question: How does Andre change during the passage? Use details to explain.
Andre begins nervous but becomes more confident. His voice initially shakes, but later he stands taller and speaks clearly.
Long ago, sailors depended on the stars to help them travel across oceans. By observing the position of certain stars, sailors could determine which direction they were traveling. However, cloudy weather sometimes made this method difficult.
Question: What can the reader infer about why sailors needed other navigation tools? Use evidence from the passage.
Sailors needed other tools because stars could not always be seen when the weather was cloudy.
Coral reefs cover only a small portion of the ocean floor, but they provide homes for many ocean species. Fish find food and shelter among the coral. Other organisms use reefs as places to reproduce and raise their young. Damage to coral reefs can therefore affect many different ocean animals.
Question: Which sentence BEST summarizes the passage?
A. Coral reefs are found everywhere in the ocean.
B. Fish are the most important animals living near coral reefs.
C. Coral reefs support many ocean animals, so damage to reefs can affect entire ecosystems.
D. Coral reefs are dangerous places for young animals.
C. Coral reefs support many ocean animals, so damage to reefs can affect entire ecosystems.
During winter, food becomes difficult for some birds to find. In response, certain species migrate to warmer areas where insects, seeds, and other foods are more available.
Question: Which structure BEST describes how the author organized this paragraph?
A. Chronology
B. Compare and contrast
C. Cause and effect
D. Problem and solution
C. Cause and effect
The school library should remain open for a short time after school. Some students need a quiet place to complete assignments, while others may not have easy access to books or reliable internet at home. Keeping the library open would give these students access to school resources.
Question: How does the author support the argument that the library should stay open after school?
The author explains that students may need a quiet place to work and may need access to books or internet resources.
Lena had spent weeks building her model bridge. On the morning of the science fair, she discovered that one side had broken. She frowned at the clock but immediately gathered tape, glue, and extra craft sticks. Instead of giving up, she carefully rebuilt the damaged section and arrived at the fair just before judging began.
Question: What do Lena's actions reveal about her character? Use two details from the passage to support your response.
Lena is determined/persistent and resourceful. She does not give up when the bridge breaks, and she gathers materials and rebuilds it before judging.