Drawing Conclusions - SSAT Middle Level: Reading

Consistent practice helped Lena improve. Daily practice correlating with weekly improvements supports that consistency contributed to Lena's progress.

One that stays within what the passage supports. Conclusions that remain within passage-supported ideas are safer, avoiding unsupported extrapolations beyond the text.

It is often too strong unless the passage clearly proves it. Absolute terms like 'always' or 'never' often indicate overgeneralization, making the choice unreliable without explicit passage proof.

Mara is honest and not motivated by money. Mara's actions of returning the wallet and refusing a reward imply her honesty and lack of financial motivation.

A storm is approaching or already beginning. Details of mud, dark skies, and increasing thunder collectively suggest an impending or ongoing storm.

He is uncertain or worried about sending the message. Rereading multiple times without sending indicates hesitation, pointing to uncertainty or worry about the message.

The coach has not decided who will start. Praising effort while not naming starters implies the coach's decision on the lineup remains unresolved.

The museum expects visitors to keep noise low. Silence, whispering, and quiet signs indicate the museum's policy to maintain low noise levels for visitors.

The author is critical of the idea being discussed. Listing drawbacks, skeptical tone, and questioning benefits reveal the author's critical stance toward the idea.

The apology relieved the narrator’s guilt or stress. Feeling lighter and sleeping well post-apology suggests it alleviated the narrator's emotional burden.

The town is trying to improve the environment or livability. Actions like planting trees, adding bike lanes, and reducing traffic indicate efforts to enhance environmental quality and livability.

She is lost or unsure of her route. Repeated map checks and asking for directions imply she is disoriented or uncertain about her path.

He may feel uncomfortable despite being polite. Politeness followed by avoiding eye contact suggests underlying discomfort despite outward courtesy.

The article aims to be credible and evidence-based. Citing studies, statistics, and methods demonstrates the article's intent to establish credibility through evidence.

The character is preparing carefully for a trip or emergency. Packing essentials like food, water, and a flashlight shows deliberate preparation for potential challenges ahead.

The narrator respects the rival. Describing the rival's success with admiration rather than resentment indicates the narrator's respect.

The finding is likely reliable. Repeating the experiment with consistent results enhances the reliability of the scientific finding.

Strong: directly supported by details; weak: based on assumptions. Strong conclusions are backed by direct textual support, while weak ones depend on unsupported assumptions beyond the passage.

A judgment inferred from passage details, not directly stated. This definition accurately captures how conclusions are implicit judgments derived from explicit passage details rather than direct statements.

An idea you deduce from clues the author provides. Inferences involve deducing unstated ideas from author-provided clues, distinguishing them from explicitly stated facts in the text.

Multiple specific details from the text. Reliable conclusions rely on multiple textual details as evidence, ensuring they are grounded in the passage rather than personal bias.

Conclusion explains what is true now; prediction guesses what will happen. Conclusions interpret current or existing truths from the text, whereas predictions speculate on future events not yet supported.

You can point to exact text evidence that justifies the idea. Support from passage details means identifiable textual evidence logically justifies the conclusion without external assumptions.

A quote or specific paraphrase from the passage. Direct quotes or paraphrases from the passage provide objective evidence, unlike personal opinions which lack textual backing.