Drawing Conclusions & Inferring

Drawing Conclusions Putting together a bunch of facts to find the truth

What can you conclude? North America used to be covered with forests. Settlers came and cleared forests to build farms, cities and communities. Now, there are very few forested areas in North America.

Conclusion People are responsible for North America being largely cleared of forests. How do we know this is true?

Because the paragraph says “settlers…cleared forests…” You can’t dispute what the text says

Conclusions What’s the secret of a winning cyclist? Skill, daring, and good preparation do make a difference, of course, but another answer is technology. Since bicycle races are often very close, riders need every advantage they can get. For instance, a racer might wear a suit designed so that it has no creases or wrinkles to affect the airflow. Special racing shoes are covered with a seamless silver fabric for the same reason. Aerodynamic brakes and a bike frame made to cut through the air effectively are also part of a racer’s equipment.

From this paragraph you can conclude… Cyclists like to look good when racing Many riders wear the wrong kind of clothing Air resistance affects a rider’s speed. Some riders don’t spend enough time training.

Inferring It takes facts to make an educated assumption (guess) Reading between the lines

What can you infer? North America used to be covered with forests. Settlers came and built farms, cities and communities. There are now very few forested areas in North America

Inference People are responsible for clearing the forests. Does the text actually say that the people are the ones that cleared the forests?

Making Inferences In 1829, Daniel Webster started a page program in the United States Senate. The pages are young people who work for the senators. For example, pages run errands and deliver messages. Pages are chosen by the senators of their home states. They must be 16 years old, have good grades, and show leadership qualities. Pages live near the Capitol Building and attend school. They are excused from homework when the senators work overtime. Pages get paid, but the biggest reward is the experience of working in the Senate.

What can you infer? What can you infer about a pages’ character?

Fact or Inference? Pages run errands for senators. Pages are interested in government Pages go to school. It is an honor to be a Senate page.