About Inferences
True / False:
An inference is an answer we find in a book.
False
Which person in the story was a mile-tall lumberjack?
(You must answer with the character's full name.)
Paul Bunyan
Why did the men feel nervous the next day, after sleeping in the log cabin?
They saw that the sun was stuck.
Who is the narrator of the story?
Kim is the narrator. We see the mother call to her daughters "Kim and Nila." Then, we see the narrator talk about her "younger sister Nila", so we know Kim is the narrator.
"The perfect ingredient" tasted like oatmeal raisin cookies to Kim. It tasted like peppermint ice cream to Nila.
Is this possible? What does this tell us about the perfect ingredient?
It's not possible in real life.
"The perfect ingredient" isn't a real thing.
True or False:
An inference is a guess about something we don't know based on things we already know are true.
True
She dug holes to plant new trees.
Did the men ask Paul Bunyan to help them solve the problem of the stuck sun?
No. They asked Jane to solve the problem.
Who cooks dinner for the family?
The father and the mother both cook dinner for the family. They take turns cooking. Sometimes mom cooks, sometimes dad cooks.
Why did the milk pitcher leave a sticky ring on the counter top?
Food ingredients (milk, water, flour, and eggs) were all mixing together and making a sticky mess at the bottom of the pitcher.
True or False:
Making inferences is a skill that is only useful in reading.
False
What can we infer from reading: "This tale tells how Jane saved the day"?
We can infer that Jane will solve the story's problem.
How did Jane solve the problem of the stuck sun?
She pulled down the cabin's smokestack so that the sun could go over the cabin.
How do the sisters feel about their family's new diet?
They don't like the new diet. They eat a lot of salad, but they don't eat their favorite foods anymore.
What does the word "runny" mean?
It means something is mostly liquid, not solid. You probably can't bake it.
Which person is making an inference:
A doctor adding what he learned in medical school with what sick patient says in order to find out what is wrong with the patient.
...or...
A person checking a weather app in order to find out what the weather will be like tomorrow.
The doctor is making an inference. The other person is just searching for available facts.
Early in the story, Paul Bunyan's workers were tired. How did Jane say they could solve that problem?
They could build a log cabin for all of the workers to sleep in.
The men were nervous that the sun would burn up their cabin.
What is at least one other problem that could be caused by the sun being stuck in one place?
How do the sisters feel about their dad?
The sisters love their dad. They don't like the new diet, but they eat it because they know their dad needs to eat it. And they don't want him to eat the new diet all alone and feel sad.
What kind of flavor did the cream cheese have?
It had a sweet flavor. We know that because Kim said that adding cream cheese would give their new snack a sweeter flavor.
What can be inferred from the following pieces of information:
A student takes several tests at school.
The student goes home feeling happy and excited.
The student thinks they did very well on the tests.
Jane was so big that even as a young child, she played in (how many?) states at once.
She played in three states at once.
What can we infer about the story, since we know that it says Paul Bunyan and Jane were giants, and that the sun got stuck behind a log cabin?
We can infer that the story is not true. It is complete fiction.
How does Kim feel about Nila?
Kim thinks Nila is an annoying younger sister. She thinks Nila complains, grumbles, and whines a lot.
What will Kim and Nila have to do after the end of the story?
They'll have to clean up the kitchen.