A Mom's car was outside.
B Maya was at soccer practice.
C There were balloons and a gift.
Passages 4–6
NAME:
DATE:
PASSAGE 4
Sam held the crunchy waffle cone tightly, but a sticky white drip had already escaped and was running quickly down his thumb. He tried to lick it off, but three more drips started falling toward his clean new sneakers. The afternoon sun was beating down on the sidewalk, making the air feel like it was coming from an open oven. Sweat beaded on Sam's forehead as he watched his snack transform into a puddle on the pavement.
1. What can you infer about what Sam is eating?
A A hot ear of corn.
B An ice cream cone.
C A bowl of hot chili.
2. Which clue best supports this?
A The air felt like a hot oven.
B He was wearing new sneakers.
C It was white, sticky, and in a cone.
PASSAGE 5
For months, the house at the end of the block had been silent with a "For Sale" sign in the front yard. This morning, a massive white truck with the words "Reliable Movers" was backed into the driveway. Two strong men were carrying a heavy sofa up the steps, while a woman directed them toward the living room. Several boxes labeled "Kitchen" and "Books" were on the porch, and a young boy was carrying a birdcage inside.
1. What can you infer about what is happening?
A Someone is moving in.
B The house is being painted.
C There is a yard sale.
2. Which clue best supports this?
A A boy had a birdcage.
B The house had been silent.
C A moving truck was in the driveway.
PASSAGE 6
Lily had been working on a puzzle for three days. Almost every section was finished, except for one small, empty spot in the middle. She searched through the box twice, but the blue piece was nowhere to be found. Just then, she noticed her cat, Whiskers, batting something cardboard-shaped across the floor in the hallway. Whiskers suddenly swiped it under the heavy kitchen refrigerator.
1. What can you infer about the missing puzzle piece?
A It was never in the box.
B It is under the refrigerator.
C It is stuck to Lily's hand.
2. Which clue best supports this?
A Lily worked for three days.
B The scene was underwater.
C The cat swiped it under the fridge.
Passages 7–9
NAME:
DATE:
PASSAGE 7
"I definitely didn't eat the last chocolate chip cookie," Toby said as he walked into the kitchen with his hands behind his back. His little sister, Emma, pointed a finger at him and giggled. Toby's face was very red, and there was a small, dark brown smudge right on the edge of his chin. As he spoke, a few tiny, golden-brown crumbs fell from his lips and landed on his white t-shirt. On the counter, the glass cookie jar sat wide open and completely empty.
1. What can you infer about Toby?
A Emma ate the cookie.
B Toby ate the cookie.
C Toby is sick.
2. Which clue best supports this?
A Emma giggled at Toby.
B The jar was on the counter.
C He had crumbs on his shirt.
PASSAGE 8
When Clara pulled back the curtains, she couldn't believe her eyes. The entire world outside had been transformed into a sparkling white wonderland. The branches of the oak tree were bowing low under a fluffy weight, and the car looked like a giant marshmallow. Her dad was already dressed in his thickest coat and boots, and he was carrying a wide shovel toward the front door. Clara immediately began hunting for her mittens and wool hat.
1. What can you infer about what happened outside?
A It snowed overnight.
B It rained hard.
C The neighbors painted the car.
2. Which clue best supports this?
A Dad had a shovel and heavy coat.
B The car was in the driveway.
C Clara pulled back the curtains.
PASSAGE 9
The sun had set, and the only light came from the orange embers of the small fire. Sarah and her brother were zipped snugly inside their thick sleeping bags, listening to the chirping of crickets outside the thin green fabric walls of their shelter. Above them, Sarah could see the shadows of tree branches dancing in the wind against the moonlight. Her dad clicked on a flashlight and began checking the latches on the heavy cooler.
1. What can you infer about Sarah's location?
A In a hotel room.
B In a tent in the woods.
C Sleeping at home.
2. Which clue best supports this?
A They used a flashlight.
B They were in a fabric shelter.
C There was a fire.
Passages 10–12
NAME:
DATE:
PASSAGE 10
Noah stood back from the tall wooden easel and squinted at his work. His fingers were covered in streaks of crimson and emerald green, and there was a tiny smudge of sky-blue on his nose. Beside him, a glass of murky water held brushes, and a tray was filled with swirls of colorful, sticky paste. He carefully dipped a thin brush into yellow and added one final dot to the center of the flower on his paper. He took a deep breath, smiled, and began searching for a place to let it dry.
1. What can you infer about what Noah was doing?
A Noah was painting a picture.
B Noah was planting a garden.
C Noah was washing dishes.
2. Which clue best supports this?
A He took a deep breath.
B He had paint and brushes.
C He was using a glass of water.
PASSAGE 11
Suddenly, the television screen went black, and the hum of the air conditioner stopped instantly. The living room was plunged into total darkness. Mrs. Gable tried to flip the light switch by the door, but nothing happened. From the kitchen, the low buzzing sound of the refrigerator had also vanished, replaced by an eerie silence. Outside, the streetlights were dark. Mrs. Gable carefully felt her way toward the kitchen drawer where she kept the emergency candles.
1. What can you infer about what has happened?
A It became nighttime.
B The electricity is out.
C The TV is broken.
2. Which clue best supports this?
A The TV screen went black.
B No lights or appliances worked.
C Mrs. Gable found candles.
PASSAGE 12
The only sound in the room was the soft thump-thump of footsteps on the carpeted floor and the rustle of a turning page. Row after row of tall shelves stretched toward the ceiling, filled with thousands of books. A woman at a desk was scanning cards and sliding books onto a metal cart. Someone walked past a sign that showed a finger over a pair of lips. Jack carefully pulled a heavy book from a shelf and sat down at a small table.
1. What can you infer about Jack's location?
A In a grocery store.
B In a quiet library.
C At a movie theater.
2. Which clue best supports this?
A Jack chose a book.
B It was quiet with thousands of books.
C A woman was at a desk.
