SAT and ACT Reading Inference Questions - Drill #2 (FREE!)
Crush ACT Reading and SAT Reading Inference Questions with this FREE Exercise from Walker Prep!
The following free drill is designed to enhance your proficiency with Inference Questions, a common question type on ACT Reading and SAT Reading. Before trying the question, check out the strategies for ACT / SAT inferences. There’s a free preview, but access to the full strategy guide is reserved for paid subscribers. It’s definitely worth the investment. Think of it as your “skeleton key” that unlocks every Inference Question on the ACT and SAT!
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Consider the following passage:
After Grandpa Chen finished bargaining with the sidewalk fruit vendor, he took the small sack of plums in his old, wrinkled hands, and we entered Auntie's bakery. Aside from a hazy sunbeam pressing through the dusty pane of the bakery’s only window, it was quite shadowy inside, which could explain why Auntie didn't notice us right away. She was occupied with a patron, a stout, portly woman half Auntie’s height who nonetheless carried herself with an air of old-world elegance. The two women were studying a selection of pastries, debating the culinary virtues of various fillings.
We stood there next to the door for a long moment before my cousin Joe noticed our presence. He beckoned us to come to the counter and sample the cherry dumplings, which he assured us were fresh out of the oven. From his officious demeanor, I was sure he didn't realize who we were.
“Uncle Joe!” I said. He peered at me quizzically, then laughed with boyish delight, clapped his hands, and called out to my other cousin, Lucy. In her characteristic manner, she gave only a tight-lipped smile, then chided Joe for failing to properly welcome us.
Lucy ushered us towards the café table that sat next to the window, just in front of the bakery counter. She pulled out a chair and gestured for Grandpa Chen to sit. Her expression soon grew grim, wrinkles of worry creasing her forehead as Grandpa declined her invitation three times, insisting that the table must be reserved for paying customers. He waved off Lucy’s entreaties and turned toward the door in a feeble attempt to exit. After Lucy asked once more, we finally got to sit down. I was relieved, as I was worn out from our journey, and my legs were aching. Then, Joe served us hazelnut coffee and a tantalizing assortment of cream buns, nuomici, and sun cakes, along with a dainty lace parasol to shield us from the sun. From behind the counter, Lucy looked on with grudging approval.
Based on the passage, it can most reasonably be inferred that Grandpa Chen’s hesitance to accept Lucy’s invitation is:
A) insincere, as he is not truly resolute in his determination.
B) discourteous, since the family has been expecting his visit.
C) fitting, as the table is reserved for the bakery’s customers.
D) unwise, since he is worn out from haggling with the vendor.
Key Vocabulary
Determination: Firmness of purpose; resolve.
Resolute: Firm or determined; unwavering.
Insincere: 1. Not sincere; not genuine. 2. Habitually phony or dishonest
(definitions via American Heritage Dictionary)
Answer Explanations
A) insincere, as he is not truly resolute in his determination.
This answer choice draws a Necessary Inference from the passage. Given what is explicitly stated, it must be true that Grandpa Chen's hesitance to accept Lucy's invitation is "insincere," meaning not characterized by genuine determination or resoluteness. This is evident from the description of his merely “feeble” attempt to exit and his eventual decision to sit down after Lucy's repeated invitations.
The passage gives no indication that there was anything preventing Grandpa Chen from refusing Lucy’s invitation, had he been genuinely resolved to do so. Thus, it must be the case that he was not truly resolute in his determination to decline taking a seat at the table. This inference is necessarily implied by the explicit evidence provided in the passage.
For the above reasons, this answer is correct.
Vocabulary Note — It is important to remember that while "insincere" can have a negative connotation, indicating phony or immorally dishonest behavior, that definition is not the one used in this context. Here, it is used strictly to indicate that Grandpa Chen's resistance isn't fully genuine.
“Tips and Tricks” Note — A common tactic used in ACT and SAT Reading answer choices is employing words with multiple definitions or connotations. This can sometimes involve using a word in its stricter or less commonly known sense. Test writers often (correctly) assume that many students will default to the word's primary definition or fail to consider that the word may not always carry a consistently negative or positive connotation. It's crucial to be aware of this ploy when evaluating answer choices on ACT and SAT Reading questions.
B) discourteous, since the family has been expecting his visit.
It may seem plausible to think that the family was likely expecting the visit. However, the passage doesn't provide any evidence from which we can necessarily infer that this must be true.
This answer choice is an assumption rather than an Allowable Inference. Keep in mind — it is a typical "trick" of ACT and SAT Reading to present plausible interpretations, rather than Necessary Inferences, in incorrect answer choices.
For the above reasons, this answer choice is incorrect.
C) fitting, as the table is reserved for the bakery’s customers.
While Grandpa Chen claims that the table is solely for paying customers, the passage does not provide any explicit evidence to support this assertion. Given that his refusal to sit at the table is not fully genuine, we cannot deduce that his remark about the table being strictly for customers is necessarily true. If anything, the context indicates that it could just be an excuse.
This answer choice is not an Allowable Inference. Thus, it is incorrect.
D) unwise, since he is worn out from haggling with the vendor.
While the narrator indicates being worn out, this question pertains to Grandpa Chen. Nowhere does the passage state that Grandpa Chen is tired. It may seem plausible that Grandpa Chen could be tired from bargaining with the vendor. However, the passage offers no explicit evidence from which we can necessarily infer that this must be the case.
This answer choice is an assumption rather than an Allowable Inference. Keep in mind — it is a typical "trick" of ACT and SAT Reading to present plausible interpretations, rather than Necessary Inferences, in incorrect answer choices.
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To explore Inference Questions on official exams, visit the Self Prep section. You'll find a Question Type Inventory (QTI) for the tests in the Official ACT Prep Guide and the Official SAT Study Guide.