Preview-Making Inferences

Preview-Making Inferences

THE SECRET AGENT

By Joseph Conrad

MAKING INFERENCES

An inference is a conclusion you reach by applying logic to the evidence you are given.  Making inferences while reading is a strategy that will help you learn, remember, and apply what you have read. When you make inferences you are “reading between the lines.” This tactic is similar to what Sherlock Holmes does when he sees that Dr. Watson has a tan and makes a conclusion about where Watson has recently traveled.

You already make inferences all of the time. For example, if you go over to a friend’s house and they point at the sofa and say, “Don’t sit there; Candy came over with her baby again,” what could you logically conclude?

First, you know there must be a reason not to sit where your friend is pointing. Further, you know that the reason to not sit there is related to the fact that Cindy just visited with her baby. You don’t know what exactly happened, but you can infer enough and don’t need to ask any more questions to know that you do not want to sit there.

ASSESSMENT 1

Make groups of 4 to make the following inferences and practices:

Practice 1: Write a conclusion you could infer from the following:

1.    You see a man running and frantically waving at a bus that is pulling away from a bus stop.

2.    You are giving a speech in front of an audience and notice several people laughing and pointing at something on your pants.

3.    Your sister comes home from spending the evening with her friends, slams the front door and runs to her room while crying.

Practice 2: Read the following paragraphs and answer the questions that follow.

Redwood trees are rare. They are found only on the coastal slopes of Northern California and Oregon, and in China. Redwoods were thought to be extinct in China, but they were rediscovered by a Chinese forester in 1948.   These trees can grow hundreds of feet high and live to be thousands of years old. They are endangered due to logging, pollution, and global warming, which is reducing the amount of fog on the coast. Redwoods get their water from the fog.

Comprehension questions after reading the passage:

Which of the following can you infer from the passage?

a)    The Chinese logged the Redwoods almost into extinction.

b)    Redwood trees will continue to grow taller throughout their whole lives

c)    Using non-recyclable products will kill Redwood trees.

d)    Redwoods can only grow in places that get a lot of fog.

ASSESSMENT 2

Answer questions

INFERENCES WITH PICTURES

Why do you think this man is hiding in the dark?

Why do you think so?

What time of year was this picture taken?

How do you know?

What do you think is happening here?

How do you know?