OAR OAR Reading Comprehension: Inferences 4 â Questions and Answers
Question 1: Read the passage: 'The city council passed the new zoning ordinance without a public hearing. Within a week, three neighborhood associations filed formal objections.' What can be inferred about the council's process?
- The council believed the ordinance was too minor to require public input.
- The neighborhood associations had been notified in advance and chose not to attend.
- Skipping the public hearing left residents feeling excluded from the decision. (Correct answer)
- The ordinance reversed a decision that most residents had supported.
Correct answer: Skipping the public hearing left residents feeling excluded from the decision.
Rapid organized objections following a bypassed hearing indicate residents felt their voices were not included in the process.
Question 2: Read the passage: 'Investigators found that the bridge inspection reports from the previous five years had all been signed by the same engineerâwho had retired two years agoâand that the signatures did not match his handwriting samples.' What can be inferred?
- The retired engineer had continued to inspect bridges part-time.
- Bridge inspections were being falsified or forged. (Correct answer)
- The engineer's handwriting had changed due to age.
- The inspection forms had been updated with a new signature format.
Correct answer: Bridge inspections were being falsified or forged.
Signatures attributed to a retired employee that do not match his actual handwriting strongly imply documents were fraudulently signed.
Question 3: Read the passage: 'Although the advertisement claimed the supplement was 'clinically proven,' the fine print noted the study involved twelve participants over two weeks.' What can be inferred about the strength of that claim?
- The supplement has been rigorously tested and is safe for general use.
- The clinical evidence supporting the claim is very limited. (Correct answer)
- The study size is standard for this type of supplement research.
- Two weeks is sufficient time to measure long-term health effects.
Correct answer: The clinical evidence supporting the claim is very limited.
A study of only twelve participants over two weeks is far too small and short to constitute strong clinical proof, making the advertisement's claim misleading.
Question 4: Read the passage: 'The expedition's supply of freeze-dried meals ran out on day eighteen. The group's journal entries after that point became shorter and less detailed.' What can be inferred about the expedition members after day eighteen?
- They found an alternative food source that kept them fully energized.
- They became less motivated to document their experience, possibly due to hunger or fatigue. (Correct answer)
- They decided to end the expedition early because of poor weather.
- Writing materials became scarce after the food supplies ran out.
Correct answer: They became less motivated to document their experience, possibly due to hunger or fatigue.
The connection between food running out and shorter journal entries implies declining energy or morale affected their ability or desire to write.
Question 5: Read the passage: 'The startup released its app with great fanfare in January. By April, the founders had stopped posting on social media about it, and the app's review page showed the last update was in February.' What can be inferred about the startup?
- The founders were quietly working on a major update to surprise users.
- The app likely encountered serious problems or failed to meet expectations. (Correct answer)
- The founders took a planned social media break after the launch.
- The app was so successful it no longer needed promotion.
Correct answer: The app likely encountered serious problems or failed to meet expectations.
A sudden halt in promotion combined with no app updates strongly suggests the product struggled after its initial launch.
Question 6: Read the passage: 'The professor handed back the midterm exams without comment and immediately began the next lecture. Several students exchanged worried glances.' What does the students' reaction suggest?
- Students were surprised the professor did not cancel class after returning exams.
- Students interpreted the professor's silence as a sign the results were poor. (Correct answer)
- Students had expected more time to study before the midterm.
- Students were confused by the next lecture topic.
Correct answer: Students interpreted the professor's silence as a sign the results were poor.
Worried glances in response to silent exam distribution suggest students feared the grades were bad and were concerned about their performance.
Question 7: Read the passage: 'Every year the museum held a gala to raise funds. This year, for the first time, the event was held in a smaller venue, the guest list was reduced, and the live orchestra was replaced by a DJ.' What can be inferred about the museum's financial situation?
- The museum was experimenting with a trendier format to attract younger donors.
- The museum was facing budget constraints and needed to reduce costs. (Correct answer)
- The gala had grown too large and was scaled back by choice.
- The original venue was undergoing renovations, requiring a temporary change.
Correct answer: The museum was facing budget constraints and needed to reduce costs.
Multiple simultaneous cost-cutting measuresâsmaller venue, reduced guest list, cheaper entertainmentâtogether suggest financial pressure rather than a stylistic choice.
OAR OAR Reading Comprehension: Inferences 4
Read the passage: 'The city council passed the new zoning ordinance without a public hearing.
Within a week, three neighborhood associations filed formal objections.' What can be inferred about the council's process?