Reading Passages: Making Inferences #1

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Reading Passages: Making Inferences #1

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How to Use

After you teach your students how to make inferences as they read, give them extra practice with these passages. Students should read each passage and answer the questions, underlining text evidence as indicated.

Consider using these passages in small groups and answering the questions together. Guide students as they underline the text evidence.

When they are ready, give students similar passages to complete on their own.

*Please remember that student answers will not match the answer key. Use your best judgment when grading.

MAKING INFERENCES Name _____________________

©Anna Geiger – themeasuredmomplus.com

1. How is Max feeling at the beginning of the passage? Why? Underline your evidence in red.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

2. When does Max’s mood start to change? Underline your evidence in blue.______________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Why do you think Max is interested in his dad’s story?______________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Use your imagination, and write a few lines of Dad’s story.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Max, for the last time, turn off that video game and get in the car. It’s time to go!”

Grudgingly, Max climbed into the back seat of the car and buckled his seat belt for the long ride. As he pulled out his tablet to play his favorite game, his mom said, “No screens on this trip, Max.”

Max was outraged. “Why not?” “We can use this time to talk to each other as a family,”

Mom said gently. Max groaned and looked out the window.“This reminds me of the long car ride that we took to

Arizona when I was your age,” said Dad. Max pretended not to listen.

“We drove 15 hours from home to see the Grand Canyon. But our car broke down in the middle of the desert. We were miles from any gas station, and those were the days before cell phones.”

Max sat up in his seat. “Wow, Dad. What did you do?” he asked.

“Your grandpa opened the hood to see if he could figure out what was wrong,” said Dad. “But he could quickly see that we needed a new part if the car was going to run.”

“Didn’t you get hot?” asked Max.“Yes, it was over 100 degrees in the desert sun.”“Did you ever get to Arizona?” asked Max.“Slow down, son. Let me tell you the whole story.” Max

sat back in his seat and listened eagerly.

THE ROAD TRIP



1. Why is Ella rushing? Underline your evidence in red.

_______________________________________________

2. Why does Ella feel proud when her mom comes home?______________________________________________________________________________________________

3. What mistake does Ella make with the cupcakes? Underline your evidence in blue.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Imagine that there was one more paragraph to the story. Write it below.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ella couldn’t wait to make a birthday surprise for her mom. She searched for “best birthday cupcakes” online and printed a recipe. Ella had to hurry if she wanted to finish the cupcakes before her mom came home from work.

She quickly gathered her ingredients and assembled them on the counter. She found everything except for the sugar. Oh no … were they out of sugar? Her cupcakes wouldn’t taste like much without the cup of sugar that the recipe called for. Then she found a clear plastic container filled with white crystals. Phew!

Before long, Ella had mixed the cupcake batter and poured it into the paper cups. She carefully slid the tray into the oven.

Later, while the cupcakes cooled, Ella prepared the icing. She was adding the final sprinkles when her mom walked in the door.

“Happy birthday, Mom!” Ella exclaimed as she proudly stood behind the plate of pink frosted cupcakes.

“Oh, honey, thank you!” said Mom, as she collapsed in a chair. “A cupcake sounds perfect after a busy day at work.”

Ella poured her mom a glass of milk and handed her the biggest cupcake. Mom peeled off the wrapper, opened her mouth, and took a big bite. To Ella’s astonishment, Mom spit out the cupcake and exclaimed,“Oh, Ella! How much salt did you put in these?”

THE CUPCAKE DISASTER



1. What problem does Jonah have at the beginning of the story? Underline your evidence in red.______________________________________________________________________________________________

2. At first, how does Jonah feel about playing with his sister? Underline your evidence in blue.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

3. How does Jonah feel about playing with his sister at the end of the passage? Underline your evidence in yellow.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

4. What word would you use to describe Jonah? Why?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As Jonah sat down at the computer, his mom came up behind him.

“You’ve had enough screen time for today,” she told him. “Find something else to do.”

“But it’s raining outside!” complained Jonah.“Why don’t you build something with Legos?” asked

Mom.“I don’t feel like it,” muttered Jonah.“You have a little sister who’s looking for someone to

play with her,” reminded Mom.“Ugh. Do I have to?” “You don’t have to. But it would be a nice thing to do.”Jonah grabbed a comic book and slumped in a chair.

After reading just one page, he felt a tug on his arm.“Jonah, would you play with me?”“I’m reading right now, Melody.”“Pleeeease? I got a new game. You can be red.”Jonah looked down at his little sister and sighed. “Oh,

all right.”As the two siblings sat on the floor, they took turns

moving along the board game. “I won!” shrieked Melody. Jonah smiled at her excitement.

“Great job, Mel. Do you want to play a different game?”

NOTHING TO DO



1. How is Jenna feeling at the beginning of the story? Underline your evidence in blue.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Is this Jenna’s first recital? How do you know? Underline your evidence in red.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

3. When do things start to change for Jenna? Underline your evidence in yellow.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

4. What is the family about to do at the end of the passage? Underline your evidence in green.____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jenna buckled her seat belt and looked out the window. This was her least favorite day of the year. Even though she loved the piano, she despised recitals.

“How are you feeling, Jen?” asked her mom from the front seat.

“My stomach hurts,” Jen said miserably.Soon the family arrived. They walked into the building

and took their seats. Jenna sat straight in her chair, but her hands shook and the paper in her hands rattled. Her cheeks felt warm, and her sweater felt hot. Will it ever be my turn? she wondered desperately.

Finally, she heard her teacher announce her name.“Jenna Jasperson will be playing Canon in D, by Johann

Pachelbel.”Nervously, Jenna slid onto the bench and put her music

in front of her. She took a deep breath and placed her fingers on the keys. In two short minutes, she was done.

As the group clapped politely, Jenna collapsed in her seat with a smile. She hadn’t played perfectly, but she had done it! And now she had a whole year before she had to do this again.

After the recital, her dad put his arm around her. “You did it, Jen! Are you ready for our yearly tradition?”

“You bet!” Jenna exclaimed as the family climbed into the van. “This year I’m having mint chocolate chip.”

THE RECITAL

ANSWER KEYAnswers will vary; do not expect students’ answers to match those on the answer key.

Please use your best judgment when grading papers.



1. How is Max feeling at the beginning of the passage? Why? Underline your evidence in red.

Max is grumpy because he had to turn off his video game and can’t use screens in the car.

2. When does Max’s mood start to change? Underline your evidence in blue.His mood changes when his dad starts to tell him a story about when he was a kid.

3. Why do you think Max is interested in his dad’s story?It sounds scary to be stranded in the desert. He wants to know what will happen next.

4. Use your imagination, and write a few lines of Dad’s story.Answers will vary.

“Max, for the last time, turn off that video game and get in the car. It’s time to go!”

Grudgingly, Max climbed into the back seat of the car and buckled his seat belt for the long ride. As he pulled out his tablet to play his favorite game, his mom said, “No screens on this trip, Max.”

Max was outraged. “Why not?” “We can use this time to talk to each other as a family,”

Mom said gently. Max groaned and looked out the window.“This reminds me of the long car ride that we took to

Arizona when I was your age,” said Dad. Max pretended not to listen.

“We drove 15 hours from home to see the Grand Canyon. But our car broke down in the middle of the desert. We were miles from any gas station, and those were the days before cell phones.”

Max sat up in his seat. “Wow, Dad. What did you do?” he asked.

“Your grandpa opened the hood to see if he could figure out what was wrong,” said Dad. “But he could quickly see that we needed a new part if the car was going to run.”

“Didn’t you get hot?” asked Max.“Yes, it was over 100 degrees in the desert sun.”“Did you ever get to Arizona?” asked Max.“Slow down, son. Let me tell you the whole story.” Max

sat back in his seat and listened eagerly.

THE ROAD TRIP



1. Why is Ella rushing? Underline your evidence in red.

She wants to finish the cupcakes before her mom comes home from work.

2. Why does Ella feel proud when her mom comes home?She made a plate of cupcakes all by herself.

3. What mistake does Ella make with the cupcakes? Underline your evidence in blue.

She used salt instead of sugar.

4. Imagine that there was one more paragraph to the story.

Write it below.Answers will vary.

Ella couldn’t wait to make a birthday surprise for her mom. She searched for “best birthday cupcakes” online and printed a recipe. Ella had to hurry if she wanted to finish the cupcakes before her mom came home from work.

She quickly gathered her ingredients and assembled them on the counter. She found everything except for the sugar. Oh no … were they out of sugar? Her cupcakes wouldn’t taste like much without the cup of sugar that the recipe called for. Then she found a clear plastic container filled with white crystals. Phew!

Before long, Ella had mixed the cupcake batter and poured it into the paper cups. She carefully slid the tray into the oven.

Later, while the cupcakes cooled, Ella prepared the icing. She was adding the final sprinkles when her mom walked in the door.

“Happy birthday, Mom!” Ella exclaimed as she proudly stood behind the plate of pink frosted cupcakes.

“Oh, honey, thank you!” said Mom, as she collapsed in a chair. “A cupcake sounds perfect after a busy day at work.”

Ella poured her mom a glass of milk and handed her the biggest cupcake. Mom peeled off the wrapper, opened her mouth, and took a big bite. To Ella’s astonishment, Mom spit out the cupcake and exclaimed,“Oh, Ella! How much salt did you put in these?”

THE CUPCAKE DISASTER



1. What problem does Jonah have at the beginning of the story? Underline your evidence in red.His mom won’t let him use the computer, and he doesn’t know what else to do.

2. At first, how does Jonah feel about playing with his sister? Underline your evidence in blue.

He doesn’t want to play with her.

3. How does Jonah feel about playing with his sister at the end of the passage? Underline your evidence in yellow.

He likes playing with her.

4. What word would you use to describe Jonah? Why?Answers will vary, but an answer could look like this:Jonah is kind because he plays with his sister even when he doesn’t want to. He even asks if she wants to play another game when they’re done.

As Jonah sat down at the computer, his mom came up behind him.

“You’ve had enough screen time for today,” she told him. “Find something else to do.”

“But it’s raining outside!” complained Jonah.“Why don’t you build something with Legos?” asked

Mom.“I don’t feel like it,” muttered Jonah.“You have a little sister who’s looking for someone to

play with her,” reminded Mom.“Ugh. Do I have to?” “You don’t have to. But it would be a nice thing to do.”Jonah grabbed a comic book and slumped in a chair.

After reading just one page, he felt a tug on his arm.“Jonah, would you play with me?”“I’m reading right now, Melody.”“Pleeeease? I got a new game. You can be red.”Jonah looked down at his little sister and sighed. “Oh,

all right.”As the two siblings sat on the floor, they took turns

moving along the board game. “I won!” shrieked Melody. Jonah smiled at her excitement.

“Great job, Mel. Do you want to play a different game?”

NOTHING TO DO



1. How is Jenna feeling at the beginning of the story? Underline your evidence in blue.She is feeling nervous and sick.

2. Is this Jenna’s first recital? How do you know? Underline your evidence in red.

No. It talks about this being her least favorite day of the year, and her family has a tradition after each recital.

3. When do things start to change for Jenna? Underline your evidence in yellow.

She feels better after she finishes playing her song.

4. What is the family about to do at the end of the passage? Underline your evidence in green.They are about to go out for ice cream.

Jenna buckled her seat belt and looked out the window. This was her least favorite day of the year. Even though she loved the piano, she despised recitals.

“How are you feeling, Jen?” asked her Mom from the front seat.

“My stomach hurts,” Jen said miserably.Soon the family arrived. They walked into the familiar

building and took their seats. Jenna sat straight in her chair, but her hands shook and the paper in her hands rattled. Her cheeks felt warm, and her sweater felt hot. Will it ever be my turn? she wondered desperately.

Finally, she heard her teacher announce her name.“Jenna Jasperson will be playing Canon in D, by Johann

Pachelbel.”Nervously, Jenna slid onto the bench and put her music

in front of her. She took a deep breath and placed her fingers on the keys. In two short minutes, she was done.

As the group clapped politely, Jenna collapsed in her seat with a smile. She hadn’t played perfectly, but she had done it! And now she had a whole year before she had to do this again.

After the recital, her dad put his arm around her. “You did it, Jen! Are you ready for our yearly tradition?”

“You bet!” Jenna exclaimed as the family climbed into the van. “This year I’m having mint chocolate chip.”

THE RECITAL

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Reading Passages: Making Inferences #1