OLNA - Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Reading: Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions Flashcards

A text says: 'The athlete's hands shook as she approached the starting blocks. She took a slow, deep breath.' What can be inferred?

Answer: She is nervous but trying to calm herself

Shaking hands suggest nervousness, and taking a slow deep breath is a common technique to manage anxiety.

A passage ends with: 'She placed the letter back in the envelope without reading past the first line.' What does this suggest?

Answer: She was disturbed or upset by what she read

Stopping after the first line and replacing the letter suggests the content was too upsetting to continue reading.

Which is an example of drawing a conclusion rather than finding a directly stated fact?

Answer: The text mentions rain so the character must carry an umbrella

Using a clue (mention of rain) to deduce an unstated action (carrying an umbrella) is drawing a conclusion.

A flyer reads: 'Attendance is compulsory. Contact us in advance if you cannot attend.' What can be inferred?

Answer: Missing the event without notice is unacceptable

Compulsory attendance and a requirement to give advance notice imply that unexplained absence is not acceptable.

A paragraph describes a scientist who 'has published over 50 peer-reviewed papers and received two international awards.' What conclusion can be drawn?

Answer: The scientist is highly experienced and respected

A high number of peer-reviewed publications and international awards are strong indicators of expertise and respect in a field.

In the OLNA Reading component, making inferences requires a student to:

Answer: Read between the lines using text evidence and reasoning

Inference involves combining textual evidence with logical reasoning to understand meaning beyond what is literally stated.