OAR Reading Comprehension: Inferences Questions and Answers Flashcards

A historian writes: 'The treaty was signed in June, yet by September, both nations had doubled their military spending and repositioned troops along the border.' What can you infer about the treaty?

Answer: It was likely ineffective at reducing tensions between the nations

Increased military spending and troop repositioning shortly after signing suggest the treaty failed to ease hostilities.

A report notes that a pharmaceutical company fast-tracked clinical trials, skipping the typical Phase II testing, and the FDA issued an unusual number of post-market safety warnings for the resulting drug. What inference is most supported?

Answer: Skipping Phase II testing may have allowed safety issues to go undetected before release

Bypassing a standard testing phase followed by multiple safety warnings suggests the skipped phase would have caught those issues.

A passage states: 'Although the volcano had been dormant for centuries, seismologists recently detected a series of small earthquakes beneath it, and nearby hot springs have increased in temperature by 12 degrees.' What can you infer?

Answer: The volcanic system may be showing signs of renewed activity

Increased seismic activity beneath a volcano combined with rising hot spring temperatures are classic indicators of potential volcanic reactivation.

An article mentions that a country banned single-use plastics in 2022, and by 2025, ocean plastic debris measured along its coastline had decreased by only 5%. What can you infer?

Answer: Other significant sources of ocean plastic pollution exist beyond the country's single-use plastic ban

A minimal reduction despite a full ban suggests that other sources, such as international pollution or industrial waste, contribute significantly to coastal debris.

A biography describes how an inventor filed patents in chemistry, electrical engineering, and agricultural science, and corresponded regularly with leading figures in all three fields. What can you infer about the inventor?

Answer: The inventor was a polymath with expertise spanning multiple disciplines

Filing patents across diverse scientific fields and corresponding with experts in each indicates broad, genuine expertise characteristic of a polymath.

A news article reports that a city's public transit ridership increased by 35% after introducing a free-fare program, but overall traffic congestion in the city did not decrease. What can you infer?

Answer: The free-fare program attracted riders who previously walked or biked rather than those who drove

Increased ridership without reduced congestion suggests the new riders were not former drivers but came from other non-car transportation modes.