Name: ________________________________
Making Inferences 1

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.

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 stairs to the shower as he was instructed.  He would eat dinner with her after he was “presentable,” as Alice had often said.  

1.  What type of job does Paul work? ____________________________________________________

How do you know this?   

2.  Describe Alice: ___________________________________________________________________

What in the text supports your description? 

3.  What relationship do Paul and Alice have? _____________________________________________

Why do you feel this way?

Valerie opened up the letter from the military department.  She felt the pit of her stomach drop to the bottom of the earth before she even opened it.  She knew it was news about John.  As she read the first line, she thought of all of the lunches she had packed him and all the nights she tucked him in his bed and warded off the nighttime monsters.  The man carrying the flag put his hand on her shoulder.  She thought of the day that John signed up for the military.  Her tears wet the letter.  She stopped reading after the first line.

4.  What does the letter say? ___________________________________________________________

How do you know this?   

5.  What is Valerie’s relationship to John? ________________________________________________

What in the text supports your description? 

“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.

6.  What happened to the window? ______________________________________________________

How do you know this?   

7.  Why did Tommy leave? ____________________________________________________________

What in the text supports your description? 

Ruby sat on the bed she shared with her husband, holding the letter.  There was something thrilling and, at the same time, terrifying about the letter.  Ruby read the letter again, reminding herself that she really did have what it takes to reach her goal.  After all these years of waiting, was she finally going to take the opportunity she had been denied those many years ago?  Ruby tucked the letter back under the mattress.  No, today wasn’t the day to tell Max.  She had to wait until just the right moment; a good day when Max was full of smiles and hope and good humor.  Maybe once spring arrived, carrying with it the promise of sunshine and more work, she would muster the courage to approach her husband.

8.  What does the letter say? ___________________________________________________________

What in the text supports your idea?

9. Describe Max: ____________________________________________________________________

What in the text supports your idea?