SAT Prep - Critical-Reading

Inference questions ask you to use your reasoning skills to determine something else that must be true, based on the information contained in the passage.

The correct answer to inference questions will usually be one-step away from the passage.  In other words, it should not be difficult to explain why you are able to infer the information contained in the correct answer.  You should be able to explain why the correct answer must be true, based on the information in the passage, with one simple sentence.  The correct answer will be something that is always true based on this information- otherwise, it would not be an inference that you could make from the passage. 

Let's look at an example using our Spider passage:

 (1)  The Spider has a bad name: to most of us, she represents an odious, (2)  noxious animal, which every one hastens to crush under foot.  Against (3)  this summary verdict the observer sets the beast’s industry, its (4)  talent as a weaver, its wiliness in the chase, its tragic nuptials and (5)  other characteristics of great interest.  Yes, the Spider is well (6)  worth studying, apart from any scientific reasons; but she is said to (7)  be poisonous and that is her crime and the primary cause of the repugnance (8)  wherewith she inspires us.  Poisonous, I agree, if by that we understand (9)  that the animal is armed with two fangs which cause the immediate death (10) of the little victims which it catches; but there is a wide difference (11) between killing a Midge and harming a man.  However immediate in (12) its effects upon the insect entangled in the fatal web, the Spider’s (13) poison is not serious for us and causes less inconvenience than a Gnat-bite.  (14) That, at least, is what we can safely say as regards the great majority (15) of the Spiders of our region.