Question
Dear Jason,
I am having lots of problems with the Inference Questions in The Critical Reading part...
I would generally eliminate 2-3 Choices but more often than not select end up selecting a wrong choice..
So any advice on how to do that part would be really appreciated.
Although advice is on the site...I still have difficulty doing these Inference Questions no matter how hard I try...So any personalized advice would be great..
Thanks
Student XYZ
Answer
Inference questions are very tricky, so don't be too concerned about finding them difficult. Regardless, let's try to improve on them though so you can do the best possible.
The key is to read passages very actively and with an alert mind. Take notes, highlight facts and underline details all over the passage. Inference questions will ask you about information that is ALMOST said but never explicitly written. So, a really basic/crude example would be if I asked you to make an inference about this...
John was born in 1978. He hopes to still be alive in 2078.
Which is the right inference? 'John was born in 1978.' or 'John is alive.'
Well, the first is stated explicitly, so while it's true, it's not an inference, and if this were in the format of an SAT question and it was choice A, we would eliminate A. Instead, since John was born just 30 years ago, and more importantly, he is able to hope for something presently, he must therefore be alive. But nowhere does it say 'John is alive.' in black and white.
So besides active reading and alert note-taking, rule out anything explicitly stated. What do you think? Try these strategies, and let me know if you see any improvement. Also feel free to email me a few actual inference questions you're having trouble with and I'll try to break them down specifically and then design strategies based on obstacles we see with those questions.
Best,
Jason
