Making Inferences – Veronica likes Me

Directions: Read each passage and then respond to the questions.  Each question will ask you to make a logical inference based on textual details.  Explain your answer by referencing the text.

Every day after work Paul took his muddy boots off on the steps of the front porch.  Alice would have a fit if the boots made it so far as the welcome mat.  He then took off his dusty overalls and threw them into a plastic garbage bag; Alice left a new garbage bag tied to the porch railing for him every morning.  On his way in the house, he dropped the garbage bag off at the washing machine and went straight up the stairs to the shower as he was instructed.  He would eat dinner with her after he was "presentable," as Alice had often said.

1.       What type of job does Paul work?

·         Paul works some kind of job that requires him to get dirty: ditch digger, miner, labourer, etc. 

How do you know this?

·         Paul's clothes are muddy everyday.

2.       Describe Alice.

·         Alice is a very clean person with a good deal of control over the household.

What in the text supports your description?

·         She requires Paul to follow a cleaning procedure and she inspects him.

3.       What relationship do Paul and Alice have?

·         They are husband and wife or mother and son.

Why do you feel this way?

Either can be supported.

Today was a special day in Ms Smith's class.  Some of the children were walking around the room, some of them were standing in small groups, and some of them were at their desks, putting finishing touches on cardboard mailboxes.  After colouring a cool flame on the side of his race car mailbox, Johnny hopped out of his chair, strutted over to Veronica's desk, and dropped a small white envelope into her princess castle mailbox.  Veronica blushed and played with her hair.  While this was happening, Bartleby was frantically trying to put a small white envelope into everyone's mailbox.  After giving one to Ms Smith, Bartleby pulled out a medium-sized red envelope from his pocket.  He blushed and tried to put it in Veronica's mailbox, but it wouldn't quite fit.  Bartleby struggled with it for a few seconds and then ran off with the envelope.  Veronica rolled her eyes and popped her gum.

1.       Why is today a special day?

·         Today is Valentine's Day and the children are allowed to distribute cards.

What in the text supports your idea?

The children are out of their seats, passing out envelopes, and eating candy.

2.       Which boy does Veronica like?

·         Veronica likes Johnny.

What in the text supports your idea?

She blushes and plays with her hair when he gives her a card.

3.       Why did Bartleby run?

·         He likes Veronica, she makes him very nervous, and / or things weren't going well.

What in the text supports your idea?

He creates a special card just for her and he blushes as he approaches her, or that the card doesn't fit.