Day 25th Topic 20 ATI TEAS Version 7 Reading – Drawing Conclusions & Making Inferences, designed to mirror the exam style.

 Day 25th Topic 20

ATI TEAS Version 7 Reading – Drawing Conclusions & Making Inferences, designed to mirror the exam style. 

Drawing Conclusions & Making Inferences for the ATI TEAS Version 7 Reading section, including the meaning, key tricks, and how to use text evidence to infer meaning not directly stated.

1.      What It Means

Term	Definition
Explicit	Directly stated in the text (you can point to the exact words).
Implicit	Suggested but not directly stated; you must “read between the lines.”
Inference	A logical guess based on text evidence + your own reasoning.
Drawing a Conclusion	A type of inference that comes at the end of a passage, tying together multiple clues.

 

Each question requires you to use text evidence to determine meaning not directly stated.

Passage 1 (Historical/Expository)
In the winter of 1777–1778, the Continental Army camped at Valley Forge. Soldiers lacked proper clothing, many without shoes or blankets. Food supplies were scarce, leading to widespread hunger. Despite these hardships, the army emerged the following spring as a more disciplined and effective fighting force, thanks in part to training under Baron von Steuben.

Question 1:
What can be inferred about the Continental Army’s condition at Valley Forge?

A) The army had adequate supplies but poor leadership.
B) Soldiers faced severe deprivation yet remained resilient.
C) Most soldiers deserted due to the harsh conditions.
D) The army was well-fed but lacked weapons.

Passage 2 (Narrative)
Maria glanced at the clock on the wall—it was already 8:47 AM. Her supervisor’s meeting started at 9:00 AM sharp. She shoved the rest of her breakfast sandwich into her bag, grabbed her laptop, and sprinted toward the elevator, narrowly avoiding a coworker carrying a stack of files.

Question 2:
What can be inferred about Maria’s situation?

A) She is running late for an important meeting.
B) She is angry at her supervisor for scheduling an early meeting.
C) She forgot her laptop at home.
D) She plans to skip the meeting altogether.

Passage 3 (Scientific/Technical)
The northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens) is considered a sensitive indicator species. When researchers observe population declines in this frog across multiple wetland sites, it often correlates with the presence of agricultural runoff containing pesticides, even when water quality tests for specific toxins are inconclusive.

Question 3:
What can be inferred about the value of this frog in environmental monitoring?

A) Its presence guarantees clean water.
B) It can signal ecological problems before other tests confirm them.
C) It is immune to pesticide exposure.
D) Its population is unaffected by human activity.

Passage 4 (Advertisement/Consumer)
NextCharge’s new battery bank weighs only 4 ounces—less than a golf ball. Yet it can fully recharge the average smartphone three times before needing a recharge itself. Competitors offer heavier banks with only two full charges. Don’t let a dead phone weigh you down.

Question 4:
What can be inferred about the intended audience for this ad?

A) People who frequently use power tools outdoors.
B) Travelers and commuters concerned about phone battery life.
C) Professional photographers needing camera batteries.
D) Office workers with constant access to wall outlets.

Passage 5 (Literary/Character Inference)
For the third time that week, Jay found himself standing outside the library’s reference section, unable to push open the door. His research paper was due in four days, and the only source that could confirm his thesis was on the other side—but so was Dr. Albright, the professor who had publicly dismissed Jay’s argument in last week’s seminar.

Question 5:
What can be inferred about why Jay hesitates?

A) He forgot his library card.
B) He fears another confrontation with Dr. Albright.
C) He has already finished his research paper.
D) The library is closed on weekdays.

Answer Key & Explanations

1.      B – Soldiers faced severe deprivation yet remained resilient.

Text evidence: lacked proper clothing, food scarce, widespread hunger (deprivation). Emerged as more disciplined (resilience). Not A (no mention of poor leadership), not C (no mention of desertion), not D (contradicted).

2.      A – She is running late for an important meeting.

Text evidence: 8:47 AM, meeting at 9:00 AM sharp, sprinted, narrowly avoiding coworker. Anxiety and speed imply lateness, not anger (B) or forgetting laptop (C) — she grabbed it.

3.      B – It can signal ecological problems before other tests confirm them.

Text evidence: sensitive indicator species, population declines correlate with pesticide runoff even when toxin tests are inconclusive. Not A (too absolute), not C (contradicted by correlation), not D (false).

4.      B – Travelers and commuters concerned about phone battery life.

Text evidence: light weight (portability), multiple charges, Don’t let a dead phone weigh you down — appeals to mobile users. Not A (power tools not mentioned), not C (camera batteries not mentioned), not D (office workers less need for portability).

5.      B – He fears another confrontation with Dr. Albright.

Text evidence: unable to push open the door despite deadline pressure, because Dr. Albright is inside — professor had publicly dismissed his argument. Emotional hesitation, not missing card (A) or finished paper (C) — paper due in 4 days.

 

ATI TEAS Version 7 Reading practice questions focused on Drawing Conclusions & Making Inferences. Each requires using text evidence to determine meaning not directly stated.

Passage 1 (Health/Medicine)
Dr. Chen reviewed the patient’s lab results for the third time. White blood cell count was elevated, but all cultures came back negative for bacterial infection. The patient reported persistent fatigue and low-grade fever for two weeks. Though no definitive diagnosis could be made, Dr. Chen decided to order an autoimmune panel before the next visit.

Question 1
What can be inferred about Dr. Chen’s current thinking?

A) The patient definitely has a bacterial infection.
B) The doctor suspects a possible autoimmune condition.
C) The lab results are completely normal.
D) The patient does not need further testing.

Passage 2 (Workplace)
For the fourth straight month, Tanaka arrived at 6:45 AM, left after 7:00 PM, and ate lunch at his desk. His coworkers frequently invited him to join their team lunches, but he always declined with a polite wave. Recently, his project manager noticed that Tanaka’s productivity had actually decreased compared to two months ago.

Question 2
What can be inferred about Tanaka’s work situation?

A) He is the most productive employee in the office.
B) Working longer hours is improving his output.
C) He may be experiencing burnout despite putting in extra time.
D) His coworkers have stopped inviting him to lunch.

Passage 3 (Social Science)
In a 2022 study, researchers observed two groups of preschool children over six months. Group A engaged in 30 minutes of unstructured outdoor play daily. Group B had no scheduled outdoor time. By the end of the study, Group A showed a 40% improvement in peer conflict resolution compared to Group B, whose conflict resolution skills remained unchanged.

Question 3
What can be inferred about unstructured outdoor play?

A) It directly teaches children specific negotiation phrases.
B) It may contribute to the development of social problem-solving skills.
C) It is less valuable than indoor structured activities.
D) It only benefits children over age six.

Passage 4 (Memoir/Personal Narrative)
My grandmother never learned to read beyond a second-grade level. Yet every evening, she would pull a worn Bible from her apron pocket, trace her finger slowly across the pages, and whisper the verses she had memorized as a girl in rural Alabama. When I asked her why she kept the book if she couldn’t read it, she smiled and said, “It’s not about the reading, child. It’s about the remembering.”

Question 4
What can be inferred about the grandmother’s relationship with the Bible?

A) She pretends to read it to impress her family.
B) The book serves as a tangible connection to her past and faith.
C) She hopes to learn to read fluently someday.
D) She keeps it only because it was a gift.

Passage 5 (Instructional/How-To)
When assembling the bookshelf, first verify that all six wooden dowels are present. Many customers skip this step and later find they cannot secure the side panels. If a dowel is missing, do not substitute a household nail—the tension will not hold. Contact customer service for a replacement kit instead.

Question 5
What can be inferred about customers who skip the initial verification step?

A) They often complete assembly faster than others.
B) They frequently encounter problems attaching side panels.
C) They usually have extra dowels from previous projects.
D) They prefer using nails instead of dowels.

Passage 6 (News/Current Events)
The town of Millbrook has experienced three consecutive years of declining property tax revenue. During the same period, the town’s public high school saw a 15% drop in enrollment, and two local manufacturing plants closed. Meanwhile, the population of residents over age 65 increased by 22%.

Question 6
What can be inferred about Millbrook?

A) The town is attracting more young families.
B) The local economy has likely weakened.
C) Property tax rates have decreased significantly.
D) New schools are being built to accommodate growth.

Passage 7 (Fiction/Character)
Lena studied the coffee cup across from her—still half full, but cold to the touch. She checked her phone again: no messages. The waitress had already cleared the plates twice. Outside, the streetlights flickered on. Lena finally signaled for the check, folded her napkin, and walked out without looking back at the empty chair.

Question 7
What can be inferred about why Lena was waiting?

A) She was waiting for a friend who never arrived.
B) She was waiting for her food to be served.
C) She was hiding from someone in the restaurant.
D) She was waiting for the restaurant to close.

Passage 8 (Biology/Environment)
Scientists studying coral reefs off the coast of Florida noticed that reefs located near inland agricultural zones had 60% less living coral cover than reefs located near undeveloped coastlines. Water samples near agricultural zones showed higher levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, though no direct dumping was observed.

Question 8
What can be inferred about the cause of coral loss?

A) Agricultural runoff containing nutrients may be harming the coral.
B) Coral near farms naturally has a shorter lifespan.
C) Undeveloped coastlines have warmer water temperatures.
D) Scientists directly observed farmers dumping chemicals.

Passage 9 (Review/Critique)
The new mystery novel Cold Water has received glowing praise for its unpredictable plot. However, several readers on online forums have noted that the final twist contradicts evidence presented in Chapter 3. The publisher has not issued a statement, but the author recently deleted her Twitter account after a surge of critical comments.

Question 9
What can be inferred about the controversy surrounding the book?

A) The author agrees with the criticism.
B) The publisher is planning a recall of all copies.
C) Some readers believe the plot contains a logical inconsistency.
D) The novel has been universally rejected by critics.

Passage 10 (Everyday Reasoning)
For two weeks, Jamal’s car made a grinding noise when turning left. He ignored it, assuming it was just the brake pads. Yesterday, the steering wheel began shaking violently during a left turn, and he heard a loud pop before the car pulled sharply to the left. He managed to pull over safely.

Question 10
What can be inferred about Jamal’s earlier decision to ignore the noise?

A) It saved him money on unnecessary repairs.
B) It allowed a minor issue to become a serious problem.
C) The grinding noise was unrelated to the steering failure.
D) He correctly identified the problem as brake pads.

Answer Key & Explanations

1.      B – Elevated WBC + negative cultures + fatigue/fever → autoimmune possibility. Not A (cultures negative), not C (WBC elevated), not D (ordering more tests).

2.      C – Long hours + declining productivity + declining social invitations → burnout. Not A (productivity dropped), not B (opposite), not D (they still invite him).

3.      B – Improved conflict resolution in Group A implies play may help social skills. Not A (no direct teaching mentioned), not C (study shows value), not D (preschool = under 6).

4.      B – Memorized verses + keeps worn Bible + “about the remembering” → sentimental/faith connection. Not A (not pretending), not C (no desire to learn), not D (not stated).

5.      B – “Many customers skip this step and later find they cannot secure side panels.” Not A (faster? no), not C (no mention), not D (using nails = incorrect substitution).

6.      B – Declining revenue + closed plants + falling enrollment + aging population → weakening economy. Not A (opposite), not C (revenue down, not rate), not D (enrollment down).

7.      A – Cold coffee + cleared plates + streetlights on + empty chair → stood up. Not B (plates cleared), not C (no evidence), not D (leaves before close).

8.      A – Less coral near farms + higher nitrogen/phosphorus (common in fertilizer runoff) → runoff likely cause. Not B (no natural difference), not C (no temp data), not D (no direct observation).

9.      C – Readers say final twist contradicts Chapter 3 → inconsistency claim. Not A (author deleted Twitter—could be frustration, not agreement), not B (no recall mentioned), not D (glowing praise from some).

10. B – Grinding noise → ignored → violent shaking + pop → serious failure. Not A (likely cost more), not C (clearly related), not D (incorrect assumption).