Make+Inferences+from+Mentioned+Details

In the Reading section of the iBT TOEFL test, you may sometimes be asked to answer a mul­tiple-choice question by drawing a conclusion from a specific detail or details in the passage. Questions of this type contain the words implied, interred, likely, or probably to let you know that the answer to the question is not directly stated. In this type of question, it is important to understand that you do not need to "pull the answer out of thin air." Instead, some information will be given in the passage, and you will draw a conclusion from that information. ** The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about questions testing inferences. ** IDENTIFY THE QUESTION FIND THE ANSWER ANSWER THE QUESTION  It is implied in paragraph X ... It can be inferred from paragraph X ... It is most likely that ... What probably happened ... ?





**Look at an example of an inference question. **
 * || ** Reading Passage:  Ancient Coins **
 * || ** Reading Passage:  Ancient Coins **

Long before coins were invented, metals such as gold, silver, copper, and bronze were used as a medium of exchange for trade. However, each piece of metal had to be weighed each time it was used in trade to establish its value. The Lydians of western Anatolia were the first to begin producing metal coins in standard weights, the seventh century B.C., impressing a seal into the coin to indicate its value. One such coin minted during the time of Lydian King Croesus, who ruled from 560 B.C. to 546 B.C., has been recovered by archeologists; this coin is imprinted with the heads and forelegs of two animals, a bull and a lion, who are facing each other. It was not until 525 B.C. that coins with images on both sides came into being. ||  || ** Example 1: **  It can be inferred from paragraph 1 that gold came into use as a medium of exchange ** a. ** before 700 B.C. <span style="color: #525253; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; vertical-align: baseline;">** b. ** after 700 B.C.  <span style="color: #525253; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; vertical-align: baseline;">** c. ** during the reign of King Croesus <span style="color: #525253; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; vertical-align: baseline;">** d. ** in 525 B.C. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;">In this example, you are asked to infer when gold came into use as a medium of exchange based upon stated information in the first paragraph. To answer this question, you should refer to the information about gold in the passage and draw a conclusion from that informa­tion. The passage states that long before coins were invented, metals such as gold ... were used as a medium of exchange and that the Lydians ... were the first to begin producing metal coins ... in the seventh century B.C. From this context, it can be determined that gold came into use as a medium of exchange before 700 B.C. To answer this question, you should click on the first answer. <span style="color: #525253; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, look at another example of an inference question. <span style="color: #525253; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #008080; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; vertical-align: baseline;">** Example 2: ** <span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; vertical-align: baseline;"> It is implied in paragraph 2 that coins from the time of King Croesus were all <span style="color: #525253; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; vertical-align: baseline;">** a. ** imprinted on one side only <span style="color: #525253; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; vertical-align: baseline;">** b. ** made of gold <span style="color: #525253; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; vertical-align: baseline;">** c. ** imprinted with two animals <span style="color: #525253; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; vertical-align: baseline;">** d. ** imprinted on both sides <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;">In this example, you are asked to determine what is implied about coins from the time of King Croesus, based upon stated information in the second paragraph. To answer this question, you should refer to the information about coins and King Croesus in the second paragraph. The passage mentions King Croesus, who ruled from 560 B.C. to 546 B.C. and that it was not until 525 B.C. that coins with images on both sides came into being. From this context, it can be determined that coins from the time of King Croesus were all imprinted on one side only. To answer this question, you should click on the first answer.