OAR OAR Reading Comprehension: Inferences 3

Question 1

Read the passage: 'The wildlife reserve recorded its highest visitor count ever last summer.
By fall, rangers noted trampled vegetation and a decrease in animal sightings near the main trails.' What can be inferred from this information?

Accepted Answer

Increased human activity likely disturbed the local wildlife habitat.

Answer

The animals migrated to a different reserve for the winter.

Answer

Rangers failed to maintain the trails properly during the busy season.

Answer

Visitors were following all posted rules about wildlife interaction.

Question 2

Read the passage: 'The senator's office declined to comment on the leaked documents. Her spokesperson said she was 'focused on her upcoming reelection campaign' and would not address 'distractions.'' What can be inferred about the senator's strategy?

Accepted Answer

She wanted to avoid public discussion of the documents' contents.

Answer

She was unaware of the leaked documents.

Answer

She planned to release her own statement about the documents later.

Answer

She believed the documents were fraudulent.

Question 3

Read the passage: 'Every time the school board meeting ran past 9 p.m., community attendance dropped significantly the following month.' What inference is best supported by this observation?

Accepted Answer

Late meeting end times discouraged residents from returning in subsequent months.

Answer

The school board intentionally scheduled long meetings to limit participation.

Answer

Community members are willing to attend meetings only when topics interest them.

Answer

The board's decisions were unpopular with most community members.

Question 4

Read the passage: 'The novel had been on the bestseller list for six months, yet critics rarely reviewed it. When one reviewer finally wrote about it, she called it 'compulsively readable but intellectually slight.'' What can be inferred about the novel's appeal?

Accepted Answer

The novel attracted a large popular audience despite lacking literary depth.

Answer

The novel succeeded primarily because of a major marketing campaign.

Answer

Critics avoided the novel because they disagreed with its message.

Answer

The author's reputation alone drove the novel's sales.

Question 5

Read the passage: 'Workers at the packaging plant wore heavy gloves, safety goggles, and respirators during their shifts. Ventilation fans ran continuously along the ceiling.' What can be inferred about the materials handled at the plant?

Accepted Answer

The materials handled were potentially hazardous to workers.

Answer

The plant packaged fragile items that required careful handling.

Answer

The protective gear was required by union contract regardless of actual risk.

Answer

The plant environment was very cold, requiring insulated clothing.

Question 6

Read the passage: 'Alicia submitted her application three weeks before the deadline. She triple-checked every document, asked two professors to review her personal statement, and sent everything by certified mail.' What does this reveal about Alicia?

Accepted Answer

Alicia treated this application as very important and wanted to minimize risk of error.

Answer

Alicia was uncertain whether she met the minimum qualifications.

Answer

Alicia was applying to satisfy someone else's expectations.

Answer

Alicia had been rejected from similar programs before.

Question 7

Read the passage: 'The coastal town's fishing industry had thrived for generations. After three consecutive years of unusually warm ocean temperatures, catch totals fell by nearly half and several fishing families sold their boats.' What can be inferred about the relationship between ocean temperature and the fishing industry?

Accepted Answer

Rising ocean temperatures negatively affected fish populations the town depended on.

Answer

Warmer waters made fishing more physically comfortable for the fishers.

Answer

The drop in catches was caused by outdated fishing equipment.

Answer

The fishing families sold their boats due to falling fish prices unrelated to catch size.