Conclusions, Inferences, and Generalizations
Many people in the United States have seen the advertisements warning against movie and music
piracy. Hollywood studios are adamant that piracy must stop, and they are working with law enforcement to
put an end to illegal copying and downloading of movies and music. Hollywood is waging a war against
movie pirates. Now, it is time for Bollywood to join the fight.
Bollywood, the informal name for the movie industry in India, loses millions of dollars a year from piracy.
Copyright laws are not strongly enforced, and the movie audiences are not educated. These two things must
change in order to end the piracy in Bollywood.
Pirated CDs and DVDs are selling on Indian streets for less than $1. Movie tickets in India are priced at
about $3. Cost-conscious consumers are quick to buy pirated DVDs over going to the theaters. This means
over $400 million dollars in losses for India's entertainment industry. Bollywood is the world's largest film
industry, based on ticket sales. It is worth over $2.1 billion and is estimated to more than double by 2011.
Dan Glickman is the president of Motion Pictures Association of America (MPAA). He said, "The
industry needs strong laws to support copyright. [The industry needs] strong enforcement of those laws." He
also said that people who break the laws need stiffer punishments.
The MPAA represents major movie companies in the world. It guesses that copyright theft cost $1.2
billion in the Asia-Pacific region last year. Worldwide losses are estimated at $6 billion.
Bollywood films have grown in popularity lately around the world. This has led to a huge bootlegging
increase in Britain, the U.S., and Pakistan.
Some Indian studios have gone after the pirates with police help. But these steps have not achieved much.
Experts say this is due to weak law enforcement and a lack of awareness. Breaking copyright laws can get a
person sent to prison for up to three years. Most pirates get away with paying a large fee.
Glickman urges Bollywood to move toward enforcing copyright laws more strongly. He says it is
important for people who love movies to understand that buying pirated movies hurts movie makers. It
makes it hard for them to make new films. Movie makers agree that it is time for Hollywood and Bollywood
to join together in the fight against DVD and CD piracy.
1. What does the author mean when he or she says, "Now, it is time for Bollywood to join the fight"?
A. Bollywood is not ready to come up with stricter copyright laws because it does not have the money.
B. Bollywood needs to work with other movie industries around the world to end DVD and CD piracy.
C. Bollywood is not as important as Hollywood, so it does not matter that Bollywood movies are pirated.
D. Bollywood should be fighting for lower ticket prices to help those who cannot afford theater prices.
February 2 marks the annual kick-off for Job Shadow, a national program that gives high school students
the opportunity to follow a workplace mentor through his or her daily work routine. Students learn how the
information they study in class relates to the real world. On-the-job experience helps to reinforce some
students’ career paths, while it challenges others to reevaluate their goals. Job shadowing is available in many
different fields, and programs work hard to match students with mentors in the students' areas of interest. In
the past, students have shadowed nurses, pharmacists, pilots, radio broadcasters, and veterinarians. Mentors
can answer questions about education, work schedules, pay and benefits, and job outlook. Additionally,
students in job shadowing programs learn important networking skills, which can lead to internships and job
offers further down the road. Depending on the program, a job shadowing experience can last from one hour
up to five days.
2. From the description of the Job Shadow program, the reader can infer that
A. job shadowing provides a shortcut to earning advanced degrees.
B. job shadowing takes place only in medical and entertainment fields.
C. job shadowing hurts students because they must be absent from class.
D. job shadowing causes some students to change their career goals.
3. Which inference does the information in this passage support?
A. Job shadowing programs provide high school students with a much-needed salary.
B. Job shadowing programs guarantee high school students a good job when they graduate.
C. Job shadowing programs look for mentors who work in fields that pay high salaries.
D. Job shadowing programs choose mentors who are knowledgeable about their fields.
Marie Marvingt
by J. Robbins
Marie Marvingt was one of the most accomplished women in France’s history. She was born in Aurillac,
France in 1875. When she was only five years old, her father encouraged her to start competing in sports. She
became an athlete who participated in many sports, including mountain climbing, swimming, boxing, football,
and rifle shooting.
Even though Marie could compete and win awards in many sports, there were some sports that people
thought were only for men. Marie tried to enter the Tour de France, a long distance bicycle race, in 1908.
However, she was told that women were not allowed to race with men. She waited for the men to finish the
race, and then she rode the entire course on her own. Two years after she rode the Tour de France course,
Marie became the third woman in the world to earn her airplane pilot’s license.
During World War I, Marie used her unique talents to serve her country. She volunteered to fly bombing
missions and became one of the first women to fly an airplane in a combat mission. Marie also served as a
nurse with the Red Cross. Her experiences during the war led Marie to campaign for the use of airplanes as
air ambulances. As both a pilot and a nurse, Marie knew that many soldiers’ lives could be saved if they could
be flown from the battlefield to the hospital. She worked for many years to develop programs and training for
the use of air ambulances in France and other countries across the world.
Marie was not a woman to let age slow her down. She continued to fly airplanes, and at the age of 80, she
earned her helicopter pilot’s license. Over the course of her lifetime, Marie won over 30 awards and medals
for her athletic ability, her aviation skills, her medical service, and her courageous acts during wartime. She
also earned the nickname, "The Fiancée of Danger." Marie Marvingt died in 1963 at the age of 88. In the
years since her death, her home country of France has celebrated this amazing woman by naming streets,
schools, and apartment complexes after her.
4. Based on the text, what logical inference can be made?
A. Marie Marvingt was influenced by her father at an early age.
B. Marie Marvingt served as a Red Cross nurse until her death.
C. Marie Marvingt was a strong supporter of women's suffrage.
D. Marie Marvingt preferred piloting helicopters to flying airplanes.
5. The reader can infer from this passage that Marie Marvingt
A. was the first woman pilot.
B. was strongly patriotic.
C. won the Tour de France.
D. drove the first ambulance.
6. This passage supports which of the following inferences?
A. The invention of the helicopter was influenced by Marie Marvingt.
B. Women in France had fewer rights than women in other countries.
C. The French people were proud of Marie Marvingt's accomplishments.
D. Piloting a helicopter was much simpler than piloting a fixed-wing airplane.
Exit
by J. Robbins
"What are you doing here, Drood?" asked Pickwick as he and his best friend entered the Chuzzlewit
Museum. Drood was sitting on a bench with a sketchpad on his lap, and he barely glanced up at his
classmates.
"Obviously, I am expanding my cultural horizons," Drood replied with a disdainful sniff. "I wouldn't
expect someone like you to understand."
"That's a silly thing to say," laughed Dorrit as she tried to peer over Drood's shoulder at his sketchpad.
"We are spending our Saturday at the museum, so obviously we like culture, too."
"You can't possibly understand culture at the deep, philosophical level that I do," Drood said as he
adjusted his black beret. "Everyone knows that I'm the most intelligent student at Nickleby High School.
Someday I will be the most famous art journalist in the world."
"What exactly are you sketching?" Pickwick asked, trying to hide his smile.
"I am sketching this artist's amazing representation of an exit sign," said Drood. "This artist has managed
to capture the spiritual longings of mankind in this simple yet profound piece of artwork." Dorrit burst into
laughter.
"You are sketching an actual exit sign," she told her classmate between giggles. "I can't believe you
mistook this for a piece of artwork." Drood gasped in astonishment as he realized that she was correct.
"Let's be fair to Drood," said Pickwick. "No one—not even the curators—can find their way around this
museum. The artwork looks like it was arranged by a circus monkey."
"I think I'd better be going," Drood muttered, his face as red as the sign he had been sketching. Pickwick
and Dorrit smiled as they watched him slink out of the museum.
7. What generalization can the reader make about the Chuzzlewit Museum?
A. It offers free admission.
B. It is often crowded.
C. It is close to Nickleby High School.
D. It is very disorganized.
8. What can be inferred about Drood after reading this passage?
A. He is planning to become an artist after graduation.
B. He wants other people to have a high opinion of him.
C. He is jealous of Dorrit and Pickwick's close friendship.
D. He thinks the artwork in the museum is pretentious.
"The next presenter is...Katy Rios," Mr. Tucker announced. Gina watched her best friend move to the
front of the room. Katy was presenting on Marie Antoinette. Gina would be next, presenting her research on
Elizabeth I. Gina smiled as Katy started her speech.
"One of the most impressive monarchs in England was Queen Elizabeth I," Katy began. Gina almost fell
out of her chair. That was exactly how her speech was supposed to start, not Katy's! She sat at her desk with
her mouth open, unable to believe what happened.
The class applauded Katy's presentation. Mr. Tucker started to announce Gina's name, but before he
could finish, the bell rang. Katy raced out of the door, but Gina sat rooted to her desk. She could not move,
could not speak.
Mr. Tucker walked down the aisle to Gina's desk. "Is something wrong, Ms. Lang?"
Gina tried to speak several times. Finally, she mumbled, "That was my speech."
"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you."
Gina took a deep breath. "The speech that Katy gave was mine. She was supposed to present on Marie
Antoinette. I spent weeks researching and even had pictures to show the class."
Mr. Tucker asked to see Gina's speech. He looked at the two speeches. Katy's speech was identical to
Gina's in every way except her source list. Gina's source list was detailed, full of sources and explanations for
the sources. Katy's was a short list of five books with no explanation.
"Thank you, Ms. Lang," Mr. Tucker said. "I will take care of this from here."
Gina nodded and left the room. She did not know what she would say when she saw Katy next.
9. What conclusion can the reader draw about Gina?
A. She does not like teachers.
B. She is a very honest person.
C. She is a not a very good friend.
D. She did not write a good speech.
4400 Mayfair Street Apt. 1222
Lake Fork, MS 45659
December 29, 2010
Mr. Albert Roothsburg
Cyberdyne Cell Phone Company Headquarters
1012 Springfield Ave. Suite 11
Central City, MS 45659
Dear Mr. Roothsburg:
Last week I attempted to purchase a new cell phone at your store in Lake Fork, MS. However, I left the store
without a new cell phone and with a determination to never set foot in your store again. When I entered the
store, I was hoping to be met by a salesperson who could explain your company's cell phone plans since I
wanted to find the best deal. There were three people behind the counter when I arrived, but not one of them
looked up when I walked in. Additionally, they were all talking on their personal cell phones instead of paying
attention to customers. I decided to try to find a new cell phone on my own. Unfortunately, the display cases
were locked, and the brochures from the "Which Cyberdyne Plan is Right for You?" stand had not been
refilled.
After several minutes of wandering through the store, I attempted to attract the attention of a salesperson to
help me, and I was told that I would have to find the information myself. I explained that I was asking for
help because I couldn't find the information I needed. The salesperson rudely responded that if I couldn't
find it by myself, I needed to find another store to patronize. I think the employees at the Lake Fork store
should be reprimanded for their discourteous and unprofessional behavior. I sincerely hope that this was an
isolated incident and not representative of the Cyberdyne Cell Phone Company. I have recently purchased a
new cell phone from TechTime, and I plan to recommend their friendly service to all of my friends and
family members.
Best regards,
Mary Debevoise
10. What can the reader conclude about the author of this letter?
A. She doesn't understand cell phone technology.
B. She has doubts about working for Cyberdyne.
C. She expects salespeople to be very helpful.
D. She speaks rudely to employees of stores.