Make Inferences and Draw Conclusions About a Text’s Purpose and Meaning – Lesson 2

Time to Practice Independently!

Now we’re going to practice identifying supporting details, but with multiple choice answer choices. 

Remember:

How to Identify a Logical Inference 

1. Read the question

2. Read the paragraph

3. Identify the topic

4. Choose the inference that is supported by the most relevant evidence

Before we dive in, I want to outline the question stems associated with this skill. Check them out below: 

Question Stems 

1. Which of the following is a logical conclusion that can be drawn from the paragraph?
2. Which of the following can be reasonably deduced from the paragraph?
3. Which of the following is a reasonable conclusion about…? 

Ok, time to do some practice! 

Example 1

Read through the following question and paragraph. First, identify the topic – check yourself using the drop down below. After that, we will dive into the multiple choice!

Which of the following can be reasonably deduced from the paragraph?

On a simple level, a placebo is classified as anything that may come across as a “real” medical treatment, despite the fact that it does not contain an active substance that can have an impact on one’s health. In most cases, a placebo is a simple sugar pill, which is given to participants in a control group in medical studies. Consequently, the “placebo effect” is either a negative or positive response one has to a placebo. When negative cases occur, people may experience adverse reactions such as hives or difficulty breathing. In positive cases, however, symptoms may improve despite the fact that the patient did not take any medicine. Based on recent studies, doctors posit that the latter situation could actually be as powerful as taking medicine, especially when it comes to pain management.

Which of the following can be reasonably deduced from the paragraph?

On a simple level, a placebo is classified as anything that may come across as a “real” medical treatment, despite the fact that it does not contain an active substance that can have an impact on one’s health. In most cases, a placebo is a simple sugar pill, which is given to participants in a control group in medical studies. Consequently, the “placebo effect” is either a negative or positive response one has to a placebo. When negative cases occur, people may experience adverse reactions such as hives or difficulty breathing. In positive cases, however, symptoms may improve despite the fact that the patient did not take any medicine. Based on recent studies, doctors posit that the latter situation could actually be as powerful as taking medicine, especially when it comes to pain management.

Now that we have the topic, let’s look at the multiple choice. What can be reasonably deduced from the paragraph? Use the dropdown to check your answer!