English 3.0.1 Notes Making observations - the process of identifying what's happening around you Making inferences - the name for the process of deciding what the information in a text means After noticing something in the text, you decide what it means by – inferring Reading that the sun is "high in the sky" and inferring that it is about noon is an inference of time. Reading that "he grinned as his boy ran the bases" and inferring that the character is a father is an inference of agency. Reading that "she enjoyed all the smells coming from the kitchen while waiting for her own food to be delivered" and inferring that the character is at a restaurant is an inference of location. Reading that "Callie tossed the ball and watched it fall through the basket a s the buzzer went off" and inferring that she is a basketball player is an inference of agency. Reading that "Callie tossed the ball and watched it fall through the basket as the buzzer went off" and inferring that she is playing basketball is an inference of action. Reading that "Callie tossed the ball and watched it fall through the basket as the buzzer went off" and inferring that she is on a basketball court is an inference of location. ****Which statement is an inference you could make from the text? Jackson noticed that a button was missing from his shirt. With his coworkers arriving soon, he needed to change quickly. “ Jackson is at the office.” ****Which statement is an inference you could make from the text? Bart could see far away from the top of th e jungle gym. He could see his bike. He also noticed two of his friends climbing up the slide. He decided to climb down so that he could join them. “ Bart is at the playground.” ****Which statement is an inference you could make from the text? Paula looked around for different types of plants. Her project was due on Monday, but she had no idea where to start. She had to find 50 different plants, but Paula knew nothing about plants. She decided to research where these plants live on the Internet first. “Paula has a computer to work on.” ****Which statement is an inference you could make from the text? Dawn is a teen who spends much of her time online, talking with many friends and sending and receiving messages. She sits on her bed and looks at her friends' pages to see what they are doing; in turn, friends visit Dawn's page to see her plans. Dawn's parents wonder if she should cut down on her busy online social life. They give her paintbrus hes and watercolors for her birthday so that she will spend more time on her favorite hobby. “Dawn enjoys painting.” ****Which statement is an inference you could make from the text? Lee is a child who has an imaginary friend. In the morning, Lee 's imaginary friend helps him with his chore of cleaning out the barn. He eats and goes to school with him. After school, he runs all over the court, chasing the bouncing objects, when Lee practices his favorite sport. He's always there when Lee needs him. Even after Lee's parents tell Lee his friend isn't real, Lee keeps playing with his friend. “Lee lives on a farm.” ****Which statement is an inference you could make from the text? Mr. King lives alone in a small apartment on the 10th floor. He works all day fixing leaky faucets and broken pipes. His social life used to be very quiet, and he had few friends. When he felt that he was too alone, he got a dog. Now Mr. King happily walks his dog around the city block every day. His dog barks excitedly every time Mr. King picks up that long, blue strap and clips it to his collar. “Mr. King's dog enjoys going for walks.” Context clues - used in the text to determine the meaning of a word. What is the most likely reason you would use context clues? To determine the meaning of a word How do definitions and examples act as context clues? They help you figure out the meaning of a wor d. **** What kind of context clue is given in the text? Her fatigue, or overwhelming tiredness, was obvious to all those around her. “Definition clue “ ****What kind of context clue is given in the text? Endoscopy, examination with an endoscope, allows doctors to see inside a body. “Definition clue” ****What kind of context clue is given in the text? A mandoline — an instrument with a flat frame and sharp blade for slicing vegetables — is used by many famous chefs. “Definition clue” ****What kind of context clue is given in the text? Minor contusions, such as bruises on shins and arms, are part of playing field hockey. “Example clue” ****What kind of context clue is given in the text? In middle school, many students begin a new a dventure as they learn to play woodwinds, such as flutes and clarinets. “Example clue” ****What kind of context clue is given in the text? Many fauna, like the passenger pigeon and the dodo bird, have been driven to extinction, meaning that none of them are alive anymore. “Definition and example clue” ****What is the best meaning of the boldfaced word? Many people do not know that Antarctica's vast expanse of ice and snow, as far as the eye can see, is really a desert. “A wide and open area” ****What is the best meaning of the boldfaced word? The restaurant owner accommodated by combining tables and assigning extra staff to the group. “Provided something needed” ****What is the best meaning of the boldfaced word? During a catastrophe, such as an earthquake or a flood, people can lose their homes. “An event that causes suffering and damage” ****What is the best meaning of the boldfaced word? Joseph found the perfect hiding place among the foliage, or greenery, in the yard. “The leaves from plants” ****What is the best meaning of the boldfaced word? The antics, or funny behaviors, of the toddlers made everyone laugh out loud, and, in return, the toddlers kept performing. “ Actions that get attention” ****What is the best meaning of the boldfaced word? Watching the turtle travel back to the ocean in the moonlight at a phenomenally, or extremely, slow speed, Marco struggled to stay awake the whole time. “Extraordinarily”
