Supporting Inferences About Informational Texts Iready Answers

Mastering iReady Informational Text: A Comprehensive Guide to Supporting Inferences

iReady's informational text assessments challenge students to go beyond simple comprehension and delve into the art of inference. This means drawing conclusions based on evidence presented in the text, rather than explicitly stated information. Mastering this skill is crucial for academic success, and this guide will equip you with strategies, examples, and practice to confidently tackle iReady's informational text inference questions.

Understanding Inferences in Informational Texts

Before diving into strategies, let's solidify our understanding of inferences. An inference is a logical conclusion drawn from evidence and reasoning. In the context of informational texts, this means using clues within the text—facts, details, descriptions, and implied meanings—to figure out something that isn't directly stated. Think of it as detective work: you're using the clues provided to solve the mystery of the text's unspoken messages.

Key Differences between Explicit and Implicit Information:

• Explicit information: Stated directly in the text. Easy to find and identify.
• Implicit information (inferences): Not directly stated; you need to read between the lines and use your reasoning skills to understand.

Strategies for Answering Inference Questions on iReady

Successfully answering inference questions on iReady requires a multi-step approach. Here's a breakdown of effective strategies:

1. Read Carefully and Actively:

This is the foundation of all successful reading comprehension. Don't just passively read; engage with the text actively. Annotate as you read, underlining key details, circling unfamiliar words, and jotting down brief notes in the margins. This active reading will significantly aid your ability to identify supporting evidence for your inferences.

2. Identify Key Details and Supporting Evidence:

Once you've read the text, revisit it to identify key details that are crucial to understanding the main idea. Focus on facts, statistics, examples, and descriptions. These are the building blocks you'll use to support your inferences. Highlight or underline these details to make them easily accessible.

3. Understand the Author's Purpose and Tone:

The author's purpose (to inform, persuade, entertain) and tone (serious, humorous, sarcastic) significantly influence the meaning of the text. Recognizing these aspects will help you draw more accurate inferences. Consider why the author wrote the text and how they chose to present the information.

4. Ask Questions:

Actively asking questions as you read is a powerful strategy. Ask yourself:

• What is the main idea of this paragraph/section?
• What can I infer from this detail?
• What is the author implying without explicitly stating it?
• What conclusions can I draw based on the evidence?

5. Look for Clues in Word Choice:

Pay close attention to the author's word choice. Specific vocabulary can subtly reveal the author's feelings or intentions. For example, using words like "unfortunately" or "shockingly" indicates a negative tone, while "remarkably" or "exceptionally" suggest a positive tone.

6. Consider Contextual Clues:

Contextual clues are essential for understanding implicit meanings. Consider the surrounding sentences and paragraphs to better understand the meaning of a particular word or phrase. The overall context will often help illuminate the author's intended message.

7. Eliminate Incorrect Answer Choices:

Once you've formulated your inference, carefully review the answer choices provided by iReady. Eliminate any options that are directly contradicted by the text or lack sufficient supporting evidence. Focus on options that align with the key details and the overall tone and purpose of the text.

Example: Applying Inference Strategies

Let's examine a short excerpt and apply these strategies:

Excerpt: "The old lighthouse keeper squinted at the churning sea. The storm had intensified, the waves crashing against the rocks with ferocious energy. He nervously checked his weathered lantern, its glass clouded with salt spray."

Question: What can we infer about the lighthouse keeper's feelings?

Applying the strategies:

1. Read carefully: Note the descriptive words: "churning sea," "intensified," "ferocious energy," "nervously checked."
2. Identify key details: The storm is intense, the waves are powerful, and the keeper is checking his lantern nervously.
3. Understand the author's tone: The tone is tense and apprehensive.
4. Ask questions: How would someone feel during a fierce storm in a remote lighthouse? What does the keeper's action of nervously checking his lantern suggest?
5. Look for clues in word choice: "Nervously" and "ferocious" highlight the anxiety and danger of the situation.

Inference: We can infer that the lighthouse keeper is feeling anxious, worried, and possibly afraid due to the severity of the storm.

Practice Questions and Answers: Boosting Your Skills

Here are some practice questions to help you hone your inference skills. Try to answer them before checking the explanations:

Passage 1: "The archaeologist carefully brushed away the dust, revealing a beautifully preserved mosaic. Its vibrant colors were surprisingly intact, despite centuries buried beneath the earth."

Question 1: What can you infer about the mosaic's age?

Answer 1: The mosaic is very old, likely hundreds of years old, given the phrase "centuries buried beneath the earth."

Passage 2: "The politician avoided direct eye contact, his voice wavering as he responded to the journalist's questions. He repeatedly shifted his weight from one foot to the other."

Question 2: What can you infer about the politician's demeanor?

Answer 2: The politician appears nervous, evasive, and possibly dishonest due to his body language and hesitant speech.

Passage 3: "The sales figures were significantly lower than projected. The marketing team decided to hold an emergency meeting."

Question 3: What can be inferred about the reason for the emergency meeting?

Answer 3: The low sales figures prompted the emergency meeting to discuss strategies to improve sales performance.

Advanced Inference Techniques for iReady Success

Let's explore some more advanced techniques to elevate your inference skills to the next level for more challenging iReady questions:

Recognizing Figurative Language:

Figurative language (metaphors, similes, hyperbole) often conveys implicit meaning. Understanding these figures of speech is crucial for accurate inference. For example, "The city was a concrete jungle" uses a metaphor to suggest a harsh and impersonal environment.

Making Predictions Based on Evidence:

Based on the details provided, you can often predict what will happen next or what the author will discuss later. This prediction, based on strong evidence, can contribute to your understanding of implicit meanings.

Identifying Cause and Effect Relationships:

In many informational texts, events are linked by cause-and-effect relationships. Recognizing these relationships is key to drawing logical inferences. For example, if the text states "The heavy rain caused flooding," you can infer that the rain was the cause, and the flooding was the effect.

Considering the Audience:

Understanding the intended audience of a text can help you understand the author's choices and draw more nuanced inferences. For example, a scientific article written for experts will use different language and make different assumptions than a science article written for children.

Consistent Practice for iReady Mastery

Consistent practice is the key to mastering inference skills. Regularly engage with informational texts of varying complexity. Use practice materials beyond iReady to broaden your exposure and challenge yourself with different styles of writing. The more you practice, the more confident and accurate your inferences will become.

By diligently applying these strategies and practicing regularly, you'll develop a strong foundation for successfully interpreting and analyzing informational texts on iReady and beyond. Remember, inference is a skill that develops over time with consistent effort and focused practice. Good luck!