Inferences Worksheets | Reading Activities - Free Printable

Inferences Worksheet 5 – Answers and Explanations

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1. What happened to Jenna's apartment?
*Answer:* Someone broke into her apartment, trashed it, and stole her cat.

*How do you know this?*
The text states: "Jenna was shocked when she opened the door to her apartment. There were long rips in the couch... A lamp was shattered on the floor. Some picture frames were hanging crookedly, some of them had fallen off the wall..." These details show that the apartment was damaged. She also thought, "Someone broke into my apartment, trashed the place, and stole my cat!" This shows her initial belief, which is supported by the evidence. However, later she finds her cat, so the cat wasn’t actually stolen.

> Note: The inference is that someone *broke in and caused damage*, but the cat wasn't stolen — it escaped or was let out.

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2. Why is there an empty birdcage in Jenna's apartment?
*Answer:* The bird must have escaped or been let out.

*How do you know this?*
The passage says: "the door to the birdcage was swinging back and forth and there were feathers on the floor." The swinging door and feathers suggest the bird is no longer in the cage. Since the bird isn’t mentioned as being anywhere else, it’s logical to infer the bird has flown away or escaped.

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3. What is Jenna going to do with the cat?
*Answer:* She is going to lock the cat in its travel cage using duct tape because the lock doesn’t work.

*How do you know this?*
The text says: "She threw the cat back into its travel cage and tried to shut the door, but the lock wouldn’t catch. Jenna huffed and then grabbed some duct tape." This implies she intends to secure the cat using duct tape since the lock failed.

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4. What did Gail find on the receipt?
*Answer:* Gail found a receipt from the grocery store dated that morning, indicating Earl didn’t go fishing.

*How do you know this?*
The text says: "As Gail was helping Earl unpack his truck, she found a receipt from the grocery store. It was dated from that morning." This means Earl bought the fish at the store that day instead of catching it himself.

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5. Why was Gail disappointed and unsurprised with what she saw?
*Answer:* Gail was disappointed because Earl didn’t actually go fishing, but she wasn’t surprised because she already knew he wasn’t a good fisherman and likely didn’t catch anything.

*How do you know this?*
The text says: "Gail reluctantly asked, knowing that Earl was not a very good fisherman." This shows she expected him to fail at fishing. Then, finding the receipt proves he didn’t even try — he just bought the fish. So, she’s disappointed he didn’t go fishing, but not surprised because she already expected it.

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✔ Summary of Key Inference Skills Used:

- Reading between the lines: Not everything is stated directly.
- Using context clues: Details like broken items, open doors, feathers, and receipts help build conclusions.
- Connecting actions to motives: Earl’s excuse (“Jeff taught me how”) and the receipt reveal he didn’t fish.
- Understanding character traits: Gail knows Earl isn’t a good fisherman, so her reaction makes sense.

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