Let’s go step by step through each question.
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Passage A:
> Karl looked all around the crowded shopping mall. There was no sign of his mother anywhere. A terrible fear gripped him and tears of panic began to well up in his eyes.
Question 1: It seems reasonable to conclude that:
a. It is the day before Christmas.
→ Nothing in the text mentions Christmas or holidays. So this is not supported.
b. Karl is lost.
→ He’s looking for his mom, can’t find her, feels fear and panic — this strongly suggests he’s separated from her and doesn’t know where she is → that means he’s lost. This fits.
c. Karl has been kidnapped.
→ The text says nothing about anyone taking him. He’s just alone in a crowd. Kidnapping is too extreme without evidence.
✔ So,
b. Karl is lost is the most reasonable conclusion.
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Passage B:
> The buzzing and grinding noises had stopped and were replaced by a high-pitched whir. Zach removed his pencil and closely inspected the tip. It still wasn't sharp enough. Zach pushed the pencil back into the sharpener. The high-pitched noise returned. Zach withdrew the pencil and took another look at the tip. It was just as dull as before.
Question 1: Based on the text, which of the following is the correct inference?
a. Zach needed a no. 2 pencil to write his answers on a test.
→ The text never mentions a test or what kind of pencil he needs. We don’t know why he’s sharpening it. So this is an assumption not backed by the text.
b. Zach was using an electric pencil sharpener.
→ The text describes “buzzing and grinding noises” then a “high-pitched whir” — these are sounds typical of an electric device (not manual). Also, he pushes the pencil *into* the sharpener and pulls it out — consistent with how you use an electric one. Manual sharpeners usually involve turning a crank. So yes, this is a reasonable inference.
c. None of the answers are reasonable.
→ But b IS reasonable, so this is wrong.
✔ So,
b. Zach was using an electric pencil sharpener is correct.
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Question 2: Which of the following is the correct evidence for the given statement?
Statement: *Sharpening the pencil did not make any difference to the tip of the pencil.*
We need to pick the sentence from the passage that proves this.
a. Grinding noises were replaced by high-pitched whir.
→ This talks about sound changes during sharpening — not about whether the pencil got sharper. Not relevant.
b. The pencil was just as dull as before.
→ YES! This directly says that after sharpening, the pencil tip didn’t improve — it was still dull. That’s direct evidence supporting the statement.
c. None of the above.
→ But b works, so this is wrong.
✔ So,
b. The pencil was just as dull as before is the correct evidence.
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Final Answer:
A.1 → b
B.1 → b
B.2 → b
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of evaluating an argument worksheet.
