- English Language Test for International Students Inference in Reading Passages Questions and Answers Flashcards

Passage: "Jin had lived in Boston for ten years, yet he still wore his heaviest coat the moment October began." What can be inferred about Jin?

Answer: He is sensitive to cold weather.

Wearing a heavy coat early despite years of living there suggests he still feels the cold strongly.

Passage: "The scientist's results could not be repeated by other labs, and the journal later added a note to her article." What is most likely true?

Answer: The journal questioned the reliability of the results.

Results that cannot be reproduced and an added journal note indicate doubts about reliability.

Passage: "Tomás glanced at the empty classroom, then at the date on the board, and realized his mistake." What mistake did Tomás most likely make?

Answer: He came to class on the wrong day.

An empty room plus checking the date suggests he arrived on a day with no class.

Passage: "Unlike her coworkers, who complained about the new software, Priya spent her lunch break exploring its features." What can be inferred about Priya?

Answer: She is curious and open to new tools.

Choosing to explore the software in her free time shows curiosity and openness.

Passage: "The bakery's sign read 'Fresh bread daily,' but the loaves on the shelf were hard and dry." What does the passage suggest?

Answer: The bread may not have been baked that day.

Hard, dry loaves contradict the sign, implying the bread is not actually fresh.

Passage: "After the coach announced the starting lineup, Diego walked silently to the end of the bench and stared at the floor." How does Diego most likely feel?

Answer: Disappointed about not being chosen to start.

Sitting at the end of the bench and staring down after the lineup suggests he was left out and is disappointed.

Passage: "Many early settlers in the region built their homes on hills rather than in the fertile valleys below." Which inference is best supported?

Answer: The valleys may have flooded or been unsafe.

Avoiding fertile land suggests a danger such as flooding made valleys less safe for homes.