Inference 1
There is more quartz in the world than anyone kind of feldspar, but the feldspars as a group are five times more common than quartz.
(A) One type of quartz is five times more plentiful than feldspar.
(B) Quartz is less common than feldspars.
(C) The most common type of feldspar is as plentiful as quartz.
(B) Quartz is less common than feldspars.
Illegible handwriting does not indicate weakness of character, as even a quick glance at the penmanship of George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, or John Kennedy reveals.
(A) Washington, Roosevelt, and Kennedy all had handwriting that was difficult to read.
(B) A person’s handwriting reveals a lot about that person.
(C) The author believes that Washington, Roosevelt, and Kennedy all had weak characters.
(A) Washington, Roosevelt, and Kennedy all had handwriting that was difficult to read.
The term “neon light” was originally applied to a particular type of vapor lamp using the inert, colorless gas neon. A long tube was filled with neon, which then became luminous at low pressure when an electric current was passed through it. The lamp then emitted the characteristic reddish-orange light of neon. Today, the term “neon light” is given to lamps of this general type which may be filled with a variety of gases, depending on the color that is desired. Argon, for example, is used to produce blue light. Colors can also be altered by changing the color of the glass tube. The tubes must be quite long in all these lamps to produce light efficiently. As a result, high voltages are required. Neon tube lamps are not practical for indoor illumination, but they have found widespread outdoor use in glowing, colorful advertising signs.
What inferences can you make?
______ 1. The inert gas neon is reddish-orange in color.
______ 2. The meaning of the term “neon light” has changed over time.
______ 3. Today’s “neon lights” never actually contain neon.
______ 4. All types of “neon lights” work on the same general principles.
______ 5. When stimulated by electricity, different types of gas may produce different colors.
______ 6. Modern “neon lights: are more efficient than those used in the past.
______ 7. The primary market for neon lights is businesses rather than private households.
2. Inference
4. Inference
5. Inference
7. Inference
7.
A legend is a popular type of folk tale. In some ways, legends resemble myths, another type of folk tale. But myths describe events from antiquity and usually deal with religious subjects, such as the birth of a god. Legends tell of recognizable people, places and events and often take place in comparatively recent times. Some legends are based on real persons or events, but many are entirely fictional. The legends of the superhuman accomplishments of Paul Bunyan and Pecos Bill are imaginary, while the legends about Washington and Lincoln are mostly exaggerations of real qualities those two presidents had. All societies have legends. Most legends began as stories about the heroes of a particular region, occupation, or ethnic group. For example, John Henry was a legendary hero of black Americans, and Casey Jones of railroad workers. Over time, however, these figures have become national heroes.
What inferences can you make?______ 8. Both legends and myths can be classified as folk tales.
______ 9. Myths generally take place in comparatively recent times.
______ 10. The stories of Paul Bunyan and Pecos Bill are not true, but they are based on actual people.
______ 11. Legends about Washington and Lincoln are not entirely fictional.
______ 12. John Henry and Casey Jones are today well-known only by small groups of people.
8. Inference
11. Inference
Natural flavorings and fragrances are often costly and limited in supply. For example, the vital ingredient in a rose fragrance is extracted from natural rose oil at a cost of thousands of dollars a pound; an identical synthetic substance can be made for 1% of this cost. Since the early twentieth century, success in reproducing these substances has created a new industry that today produces hundreds of artificial flavors and fragrances. Some natural fragrances are easily synthesized; these include vanillin, the aromatic ingredient in vanilla, and benzaldehyde, the aromatic ingredient in wild cherries. Other fragrances, however, have dozens, even hundreds of components. Only recently has it been possible to separate and identify these ingredients by the use of gas chromatography and spectroscopy. Once the chemical identity is known, it is often possible to synthesize them. Nevertheless, some complex substances, such as the aroma of fresh coffee, have still not been duplicated satisfactorily. Many of the chemical compounds making up these synthetics are identical to those found in nature, and are as harmless or harmful as the natural substances. New products must be tested for safety, and when used in food, must be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The availability of synthetic flavors and fragrances has made possible a large variety of products, from inexpensive beverages to perfumed soap to used cars with applied “new car odor.”
What inferences can you make?
______ 13. Natural rose fragrance is 100 times more expensive to produce than artificial rose fragrance.
______ 14. Vanillin is easier to synthesize than benzaldehyde.
______ 15. In general, the more components there are in a fragrance, the harder it is to synthesize.
______ 16. Once a substance has been chemically analyzed, it can always be easily synthesized.
______ 17. Only recently has it been possible to satisfactorily synthesize the aroma of fresh coffee. ______ 18. Not all synthetic flavors are harmless. ______ 19. Synthesized substances must be tested for safety only if they are used in food.
______ 20. Synthetic fragrances can be sued to make a used car smell like a new one.
13. Inference
15. Inference
18. Inference
20. Inference
I wouldn't eat after that two-year-old if I were you.
Inference: The two-year-old probably did something gross to the food you were about to eat or has a cold and you could catch it. Something bad will happen to you if you eat the food.
For Valentine’s Day, my fantastic neighbor gave his wife a poem that took him about two seconds to write. Sheesh.
Inference: My neighbor is not very considerate (and not actually fantastic) because he didn't take his time writing the poem.
A man ran after a retreating bus, waving his briefcase frantically.
Inference: The man had to take that bus to work and he was running late. He wanted the bus driver to stop the bus so he could get on it.
If she died, I wouldn’t go to her funeral.
Inference: I'm extremely angry with this woman for some major reason because one of the worst things a person can do is hate someone after they have passed away.
Jake almost wished that he hadn’t listened to the radio. He went to the closet and grabbed his umbrella even though he would feel silly carrying it to the bus stop on such a sunny morning.
Inference: Jake heard that it was going to rain later in the day but that was hard to believe on a very sunny morning.
Hey! What happened to all the school construction money taken from the taxpayers? It paid for this toilet the money was flushed down.
Inference: The school district is wasting taxpayer money.
As you give a speech in front of a large audience, you realize that people are laughing behind their hands and pointing to the region below your waist.
Inference: You forgot to zip up your fly or you have something on your pants.
No, Honey, I don’t want you to spend a lot of money on my birthday present. Just having you for a husband is the only gift I need. In fact, I’ll just drive my old rusty bucket of bolts down to the mall and buy myself a little present. And if the poor old car doesn't break down, I’ll be back soon.
Inference: The wife is hinting to her husband that she wants him to buy her a new car for her birthday.
A woman walks into a hospital clutching her abdomen and yelling at her husband, who trails behind her carrying a large bag.
Inference: The woman is in labor/going to have her baby.
You're driving on the highway, listening to the radio, and a police officer pulls you over.
Inference: You've broken the law in some way while driving.