Name: ________________________________
Making Inferences 3

Directions: Read each passage and then respond to the questions.  Each question will ask you to make a logical inference based on textual details.  Explain your answer by referencing the text.

Chris was upset that the teacher made the new kid sit with him.  He liked to sit by himself, and he didn’t want to make any friends.  While the teacher was passing out papers, the new kid made the first move, “Hi, my name’s Sean.”  Chris replied brusquely, “That’s nice,” without looking up from the notebook on which he was doodling.  Sean paid Chris’s lack of manners no mind.  Instead, he stole a glance at the notebook on which Chris was drawing.  Sean noticed that Chris was drawing a guitar with skulls on it.  Sean asked politely, “What’s your favorite band?”  Chris ignored him.  Sean  continued, “My favorite band is The Lords of Death.”  Chris looked up at him for the first time.  “Hello, Sean, my name is Chris.  I believe that we are going to be great friends.”  Sean smiled.

1.  Why did Chris suddenly respond in a positive way to Sean’s inquiries? ________________________

How do you know this?   

2.  How did Sean know the correct approach to win Chris’s friendship? __________________________

How do you know this?   

During the California Gold Rush of 1849, the world’s supply of gold more than doubled, and hundreds of thousands of people rushed to California to find their share.  Boomtowns popped up to accommodate the visitors.  A boomtown is a community that receives sudden and explosive growth and development.  San Francisco had around two-hundred residents in 1846, and about 36,000 in 1852.  The few merchants in these boomtowns sold goods for more than ten times what they cost back East.  For example, a single pound of flour sold for as much as $17.  Not everyone who joined in the California Gold Rush got rich, but most of the boomtown merchants did.  

3.  Why were boomtown merchants able to sell their products for so much money? 

How do you know this?   

4.  How were the miners able to pay such steep prices for the goods offered by Boomtown merchants? 

How do you know this?   

Today would not be a good day for Vernon, co-owner of Vernon and Vernon’s Fry Shack, for the health inspector had just walked through the screen door that had no screen.  The flies scattered.  Vernon thought about the mousetraps in the back and wondered if they had been emptied.  “Mr. Vernon?” inquired the health inspector.  “We’ve received an anonymous tip about some unsanitary practices going on in the back.”  The cashier stared fearfully at the inspector, while the fry cook quickly looked down.  Mr. Vernon replied, “Well, our doors are always open to you, Inspector.”  The inspector took the cap off of his pen.

5.  Who reported the restaurant to the health inspector? ______________________________________

How do you know this?   

6.  What is a likely outcome of the inspection? _____________________________________________ 

How do you know this?   

Cassie rolled over in her bed as she felt the sunlight hit her face.  The beams were warming the back of her neck when she slowly realized that it was a Thursday, and she felt a little too good for a Thursday.  Struggling to open her eyes, she looked up at the clock. “9:48,” she shouted, “Holy cow!”  Cassie jumped out of bed, threw on the first outfit that she grabbed, brushed her teeth in two swipes, threw her books into her bag and ran out the door.  

7.  What problem is Cassie having? _____________________________________________________

How do you know this?   

8.  Where is Cassie going? ____________________________________________________________

How do you know this?   

Anastasia sat by the fountain in the park with her head in her palms.  She was weeping mournfully and wearing all black.  In between gasps and sobs, Anastasia cried out a name:  “Oh... John…”  And then her cell phone beeped.  Her hand ran into her purse and her heart fluttered.  The text message was from John.  She opened up the message and read the few bare words, “I need to get my jacket back from you.”  Anastasia threw her head into her arms and continued sobbing.  

9.  What relationship do John and Anastasia have? _________________________________________

Why do you feel this way?

10.  Why is Anastasia sad? ____________________________________________________________

How do you know this?