OAR OAR Reading Comprehension: Inferences 5

Question 1

Read the passage: 'The diplomat arrived at the summit without an interpreter and spent much of the opening session staring at his phone under the table.' What can be inferred about the diplomat's engagement at the summit?

Accepted Answer

The diplomat was poorly prepared and disengaged from the proceedings.

Answer

The diplomat was fluent in all languages spoken at the summit.

Answer

The diplomat was actively documenting key points for his home government.

Answer

The diplomat's government had withdrawn its support for the summit's agenda.

Question 2

Read the passage: 'The athlete's coach said nothing after the race, simply handing her a towel and walking away. Later, a teammate overheard the coach on the phone saying, 'We need to go back to basics.'' What can be inferred about the athlete's performance?

Accepted Answer

The coach was dissatisfied and felt the athlete needed fundamental retraining.

Answer

The athlete had performed exceptionally well and the coach was planning celebrations.

Answer

The coach was distracted by other team business unrelated to the race.

Answer

The athlete had performed adequately but could improve on advanced techniques.

Question 3

Read the passage: 'After the neighborhood convenience store installed security cameras, incidents of shoplifting decreased by 60 percent over three months.' What is the most reasonable inference?

Accepted Answer

The visible cameras deterred potential shoplifters from attempting theft.

Answer

The store hired additional security staff alongside the cameras.

Answer

The cameras caught shoplifters, who were then prosecuted and jailed.

Answer

The store reduced the quantity of high-theft items it stocked.

Question 4

Read the passage: 'The company announced a 'strategic restructuring,' which would eliminate two departments. The CEO emphasized that the remaining team was 'stronger and more agile than ever.' What can be inferred about the eliminated departments?

Accepted Answer

Those departments were cut, likely meaning layoffs for their employees.

Answer

Those departments had voluntarily merged with other teams.

Answer

Employees in those departments will be promoted to new roles.

Answer

The departments were moved to a different office location.

Question 5

Read the passage: 'Whenever the wind shifted direction during the outdoor concert, audience members on the east side covered their noses.' What can be inferred about what was east of the concert venue?

Accepted Answer

A source of unpleasant odor was situated to the east.

Answer

A popular food stall was located to the east of the audience.

Answer

The eastern side of the venue had poor acoustics.

Answer

The wind from the east carried cold air that chilled the audience.

Question 6

Read the passage: 'The town's only grocery store closed last year. A recent survey found that 40 percent of elderly residents reported skipping meals at least once a week.' What can be inferred about the relationship between these two facts?

Accepted Answer

The store's closure made it significantly harder for elderly residents to access food.

Answer

Elderly residents prefer home-cooked meals and always have.

Answer

The survey results reflect a long-standing trend unrelated to the store closure.

Answer

Elderly residents are choosing to diet, which explains the skipped meals.

Question 7

Read the passage: 'The scientist published her findings in a peer-reviewed journal, but included a section titled 'Limitations,' noting that her sample size was small and the study was conducted in a single region.' What does including a 'Limitations' section suggest about the scientist?

Accepted Answer

She was transparent about the boundaries of her conclusions and their generalizability.

Answer

She was uncertain whether her results were correct and expected them to be disproven.

Answer

She was required by the journal to identify weaknesses regardless of study quality.

Answer

She planned to retract the study if criticized by other researchers.