Poetry Inferences
From dawn to dusk in darkling air
we glean and gulp and pluck and snare,
then find a roost that’s snug and tight
to brave the long and frozen night.
The imagery in lines 3 and 4 of the poem creates a sense of —
A loneliness
B affection
C security
D acceptance
C security
What is an inference?
What do you need to support your inference?
AN educated guess and you need text evidence.
Which sentence below does NOT support the main idea? Explain your reasoning.
“Maria offered to help her mother clean the house. She vacuumed the living room and dusted the furniture. She picked up the toys in the playroom. She ate a ham sandwich for lunch. Then, she mopped the kitchen floor.”
She ate a ham sandwich for lunch.
What is the purpose of text evidence?
To support the main idea, claim, or theme of a text.
Every day after work Paul took his muddy boots off on the steps of the front porch. Alice would have a fit if the boots made it so far as the welcome mat. He then took off his dusty overalls and threw them into a plastic garbage bag; Alice left a new garbage bag tied to the porch railing for him every morning. On his way in the house, he dropped the garbage bag off at the washing machine and went straight up the stairs to the shower as he was instructed. He would eat dinner with her after he was “presentable,” as Alice had often said.
What type of relationship do Paul and Alice have that we can infer form the text? Provide text evidence.
They are husband and wife. She requires Paul to follow a cleaning procedure and she checks that it is done.
From dawn to dusk in darkling air
we glean and gulp and pluck and snare,
then find a roost that’s snug and tight
to brave the long and frozen night.
The actions described in the first stanza (lines 1–4) suggest that the speaker is —
F hardworking
G surprised
H carefree
J greedy
F hardworking
“Tommy!” Mom called out as she walked in the front door. “Tommy,” she continued shouting, “I sure could use some help with these groceries. There was still no reply. Mom walked into the kitchen to put the grocery bags down on the counter when she noticed shattered glass from the picture window all over the living room floor and a baseball not far from there. “I’m going to kill you, Tommy!” Mom yelled to herself as she realized that Tommy’s shoes were gone.
What can we infer is the reason that Tommy left? Write down evidence.
Because Tommy broke the window with a baseball and is afraid to get in trouble. " noticed shattered glass from the picture window all over the living room floor and a baseball"
Which sentence best supports the idea that chickadees take action to keep their bodies warm at night?
A This means that sometimes there is well over a 100-degree difference between a chickadee’s body and the air temperature only an inch away. (paragraph 3)
B Since they don’t have crops in which they can store food to eat later, they must eat enough each day to survive the long, 18-hour night. (paragraph 9)
C Without any feathered insulation, heat would quickly be lost and much energy wasted in attempting to keep their toes as warm as the rest of the body. (paragraph 6)
D They do not roost together in flocks as some birds do but spend the night alone. (paragraph 10)
B Since they don’t have crops in which they can store food to eat later, they must eat enough each day to survive the long, 18-hour night. (paragraph 9)
Lucy allowed herself a small smile. It hadn’t been a good start, but Rodney was definitely making her first day less terrible.
What does this paragraph reveal about Lucy at this point in the selection?
A She is unsure about Rodney’s motivation for speaking to her.
B She knows she is more critical of herself than anyone else is.
C She is beginning to feel accepted at her new school.
D She thinks Rodney will introduce her to new people
C She is beginning to feel accepted at her new school.
Miya came out of the bathroom with tears in her eyes. She ran down to the cafeteria and asked the staff if they had any rice. Fortunately for Miya, Ms. Lucille did. Ms. Lucille filled a red plastic cup about half way with white rice grains and handed it to Miya. Miya pulled a damp phone from out of her back pocket and pushed it into the dry rice grains inside of the plastic cup. She sincerely thanked Ms. Lucille and then went back to class. She felt relieved, but she was still a little worried.
What text evidence supports the idea that Miya was worried about her phone? Explain your reasoning.
"Miya pulled a damp phone from out of her back pocket and pushed it into the dry rice grains inside of the plastic cup."
"Miya came out of the bathroom with tears in her eyes. "
10 Leaving the house, she pulls hard on her leash—
her head into the wind, her nose and ears working.
At the pasture’s high fence
she thrusts head and neck past chains
linking the paired gates,
15 wedging her wide shoulders farther,
farther toward the pasture’s air—
The imagery in line 11 helps the reader —
F visualize the dog’s enthusiasm at the beginning of the walk
G understand why the speaker keeps the dog out of the open pasture
H focus on the parts of the walk that the dog finds most appealing
J appreciate the close relationship between the dog and the speaker
F visualize the dog’s enthusiasm at the beginning of the walk
Read this sentence from paragraph 4.
But even though I may never be perfect, I feel a sense of satisfaction eating a meal that I've cooked and that didn't cost me a small fortune.
The sentence suggests that the author believes cooking —
A is a good way to learn about new food
B has immediate and practical rewards
C should involve trying to make complex meals
D leads to healthier eating habits
B has immediate and practical rewards
Which sentence from the blog entry supports the idea that learning to cook is an ongoing process?
F On weekends, when I have the time, I make extra food and store it in the freezer.
G I’m not saying that all kids should be master chefs, but I do think young people should try
to understand and utilize basic cooking skills.
H While I was cooking, I started thinking about the lessons and tips my mother had tried to
teach me, and I wished that I had been more patient.
J I still make mistakes, such as scorching the vegetables or making the hamburger meat too spicy to eat.
J I still make mistakes, such as scorching the vegetables or making the hamburger meat too spicy to eat.
6 The World Peace Game Foundation, established in 2010, is “dedicated to sharing the mission of peace, developing self-awareness, and the life work of teacher John Hunter.” Hunter now spends part of his time teaching the World Peace Game to other teaching professionals through a partnership with schools in other Virginia counties. A summer academy allows students to play a two-week version of the game. Schools as far away as Hong Kong and Hawaii have embraced their own versions of the game as well. Time magazine named Hunter one of the 12 education activists to watch in 2012.
Based on the details in paragraph 6, the reader can conclude that Hunter most likely —
F thinks it is important to share the ideas and values of the World Peace Game with others
G enjoys teaching others how to facilitate the World Peace Game more than playing the game himself
H feels responsible for making sure people around the world follow the rules of the World Peace Game
J knows that students will continue playing the World Peace Game when they are older
F thinks it is important to share the ideas and values of the World Peace Game with others
“Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer. Soccer players learn how to dribble and pass the ball. They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score. Most importantly, soccer players learn how to work together with their teammates.”
Which sentence from the text BEST reveals the main idea? Explain your reasoning.
Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.
Over the years, my dog has worn a path edging a vacant field. Experience has taught her to avoid thistles and stinging nettle. 5 From thousands of walks, she’s learned where plantain are soft— to expect from pokeweed and piled stones, from certain crevices, exhilarating scents.
In the first stanza, the poet uses the words “Over the years” and “From thousands of walks” to —
A show that the dog still finds the walk exciting
B suggest that each walk follows the same sequence of events
C illustrate what the dog enjoys about going on a walk
D describe the reasons why the pasture is off-limits
B suggest that each walk follows the same sequence of events
6 The World Peace Game Foundation, established in 2010, is “dedicated to sharing the mission of peace, developing self-awareness, and the life work of teacher John Hunter.” Hunter now spends part of his time teaching the World Peace Game to other teaching professionals through a partnership with schools in other Virginia counties. A summer academy allows students to play a two-week version of the game. Schools as far away as Hong Kong and Hawaii have embraced their own versions of the game as well. Time magazine named Hunter one of the 12 education activists to watch in 2012.
Based on the details in paragraph 6, the reader can conclude that Hunter most likely —
F thinks it is important to share the ideas and values of the World Peace Game with others
G enjoys teaching others how to facilitate the World Peace Game more than playing the game himself
H feels responsible for making sure people around the world follow the rules of the World Peace Game
J knows that students will continue playing the World Peace Game when they are older
F thinks it is important to share the ideas and values of the World Peace Game with others
Still, the octopod’s discovery is exciting because it suggests that many more undiscovered species could live in the deep sea and other places on Earth.
Which sentence from the selection “Tiptoeing Scientists” is related to this idea?
A He and his team have tiptoed to the location where they last heard them singing. (paragraph 1)
B But they must look very carefully because these frogs are smaller than a fingernail. (paragraph 1)
C The tiny amphibians were incredibly difficult to catch because they jump like crickets. (paragraph 4)
D In spite of the countless challenges, new tiny frogs are being found among the planet’s habitats that have previously been understudied. (paragraph 5)
D In spite of the countless challenges, new tiny frogs are being found among the planet’s habitats that have previously been understudied. (paragraph 5)
Living in between two ways
of speaking
and hearing
makes me feel as divided
5 as the gaps between
languages.
The simile in stanza 1 (lines 1–6) helps show that the speaker —
F wants to learn different languages in order to communicate with others
G feels torn between two different worlds that have little in common
H wants to go home again and not have to speak or listen to anyone
J feels annoyed by having to spend so much time listening to others
G feels torn between two different worlds that have little in common
1 The first-day jitters were impossible to ignore as Lucy Falls walked through the tall glass doors of her new school. Though she was excited for the opportunity to study cinema at the School of the ARTS, she now wondered if she had made a terrible mistake by transferring in the middle of the year. Trying to shake off the early morning’s frustration, she wiped her clammy hands on her navy sundress and focused her attention on finding her first-period class.
2 Finishing her paperwork had taken forever. The office aide had instructed her to go back through the foyer and take the staircase on the right down to the basement. Just as Lucy started walking, the bell for first period rang, sounding to her like a signal of doom.
Why are the events in paragraphs 1 and 2 important to the plot?
F The events reveal Lucy’s regrets about registering at a new school.
G The events explain Lucy’s reasons for not liking her new school.
H The events hint at Lucy’s confusion as she walks to her first-period class.
J The events set the conditions for Lucy’s attitude as the school day begins.
J The events set the conditions for Lucy’s attitude as the school day begins.
Living in between two ways
of speaking
and hearing
makes me feel as divided
5 as the gaps between
languages.
At least we’re finally
on our way to the farm,
where there will be more animals
10 than people, and I won’t have to struggle
to understand old folks.
In stanza 2 (lines 7–12), the reader can infer that the speaker feels —
A irritated that she does not have better communication skills for the experiences she has
B concerned that she must continue to talk with people who speak different languages
C confident that she will not feel separated from those in her family who speak a different language
D relieved that she is going to a familiar place where there will be less conflict
D relieved that she is going to a familiar place where there will be less conflict
5. But for all the dangers they encountered, they also met with awe-inspiring sights and experiences. Scaturro noted in his journal that for much of their time on the Nile in Sudan, they saw “absolutely not a single other tourist, adventurer, traveler, or any other westerner.... Basically, we have had the entire Nile River to ourselves. What an adventure.”
Based on paragraph 5, the reader can infer that for Scaturro and Brown —
F the satisfaction of traveling the Nile River outweighed the dangers it presented
G the Nile River provided a place to get away from modern life
H the journey along the Nile River was a challenging test of their survival skills
J the sights along the Nile River were better experienced on film than in person
F the satisfaction of traveling the Nile River outweighed the dangers it presented
Living in between two ways of speaking and hearing makes me feel as divided as the gaps between languages. 10 At least we’re finally on our way to the farm, where there will be more animals than people, and I won’t have to struggle to understand old folks. 15 As we bump along a muddy track in Tío1 Darío’s battered jeep, I inhale the scent of roadside flowers that grow tall and weedy, rooted in mud the color of blood. 20 Red soil. Green hills. White cows. Horses of so many shades that the colors can’t be counted. 25 Everything looks just as wild and free as I’ve half-remembered and half-imagined. It’s as if my other self has been here all along— 30 the invisible twin who never left this island and never will.
Which lines from the poem best identify the source of the speaker’s conflict?
F Living in between two ways/of speaking/and hearing (lines 1–3)
G At least we’re finally/on our way to the farm, (lines 7–8)
H Horses of so many shades/that the colors can’t be/counted. (lines 22–24)
J Everything looks just as wild and free/as I’ve half-remembered (lines 25–26)
F Living in between two ways/of speaking/and hearing (lines 1–3)
It’s as if my other self has been here
all along—
30 the invisible twin
who never left this island
and never
will.
What is the poet suggesting by referring to the speaker’s “invisible twin”?
F The speaker has a sister living on the island whom she is looking forward to seeing.
G The speaker feels a bond with the land, and she believes it will always be her homeland.
H The speaker feels lonely on the island, and she wishes her family were there to share the experience with her.
J The speaker looks forward to spending time with close friends while she visits her homeland.
G The speaker feels a bond with the land, and she believes it will always be her homeland.
4 In Papua, New Guinea, scientist C. I. Moore also recently discovered a miniature frog. At only about 6.858 millimeters, it may be even smaller than the ones Pie found. This frog’s brownish-green hue provides excellent camouflage. Moore first discovered the frog by its unique call. His team began picking up leaf litter and putting it in plastic bags until they caught sight of the new frogs. The tiny amphibians were incredibly difficult to catch because they jump like crickets.
5 In spite of the countless challenges, new tiny frogs are being found among the planet’s habitats that have previously been understudied. “That’s what’s exciting about this field,” declares Moore. “You know that new species such as these are going to continue to be discovered.”
Based on paragraphs 4 and 5 of the selection “A Ghostly New Creature,” what can be concluded about the study of newly discovered animals?
A Identifying a new species requires careful analysis of an animal.
B Scientists are searching constantly for unknown types of animals.
C Studying ocean animals is easier than studying land animals.
D Most animal research is conducted by government agencies.
B Scientists are searching constantly for unknown types of animals.