Inferences

An inference is an idea or conclusion that's drawn from evidence and reasoning. An inference is an educated guess. We learn about some things by experiencing them first-hand, but we gain other knowledge by inference — the process of inferring things based on what is already known.

Look at this example:

A man is walking a dog in a park. Another man approaches him and asks, “Does your dog bite?”

The man with the dog responds: “No, my dog does not bite.”

Suddenly the dog starts biting the other man’s ankle.

“I thought you said your dog does not bite,” the bitten man says, angrily.

What can you infer?

Practice:

Directions: Circle the letter next to the passage that best shows inference for the passage.

 

In cities throughout the country, there is a new direction in local campaign coverage. Frequently in local elections, journalists are not giving voters enough information to understand the issues and evaluate the candidates. The local news media devotes too much time to scandal and not enough time to policy.

1. This paragraph best supports the statement that the local news media
1. is not doing an adequate job when it comes to covering local campaigns.
2. does not understand either campaign issues or politics.
3. should learn how to cover politics by watching the national news media.
4. has no interest in covering stories about local political events.

 

The use of desktop computer equipment and software to create high-quality documents such as newsletters, business cards, letterhead, and brochures is called Desktop Publishing, or DTP. The most important part of any DTP project is planning. Before you begin, you should know your intended audience, the message you want to communicate, and what form your message will take.

 

2. The paragraph best supports the statement that
1. Desktop Publishing is one way to become acquainted with a new business audience.
2. computer software is continually being refined to produce high-quality printing.
3. the first stage of any proposed DTP project should be organization and design.
4. the planning stage of any DTP project should include talking with the intended audience.

 

The entire low-carbohydrate versus low-fat diet argument is so prevalent that one would think that these are the only two options available for losing weight and staying healthy. Some experts even feel that the low-carb/low-fat debate distracts us from an even more important issue—our culture's reliance on processed and manufactured foods.

 

3. The paragraph best supports the statement that
1. experts state that not all fats are equal, so we need not reduce our intake of all fats; just those that contain partially hydrogenated oils.
2. important health concerns get overlooked when we focus exclusively on the low-fat versus low-carb question.
3. low-carbohydrate diets lead to significant and sustained weight loss.
4. processed foods can lead to many adverse health problems including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity.