10 original Inferences questions, easiest first. Complete the text with the conclusion it most logically forces. Answer them all, then submit once to see every answer explained.
A survey of office workers found that employees who had a standing desk option available reported similar levels of reported back pain to employees without one, but employees with a standing desk reported significantly higher afternoon energy levels.
Which choice most logically completes the text?
D — having a standing desk option may influence afternoon energy levels without necessarily affecting back pain.. Since back pain was similar between groups but energy levels differed, the standing desk is linked to one outcome (energy) but not necessarily the other (back pain)—matching choice D, and directly showing choice C is false in this case.
A study of amateur photographers found that those who reviewed and critiqued other photographers' work weekly improved their own technical skills faster over two months than photographers who spent an equal amount of time practicing alone without reviewing others' work.
Which choice most logically completes the text?
A — reviewing others' work may be a more effective practice method than practicing alone.. Since practice time was equal between groups but the type of practice differed in effectiveness, this suggests the specific method (reviewing others' work) may be more effective, matching choice A without overstating that solo practice is worthless (choice D).
A city's traffic engineers found that intersections with flashing yellow left-turn signals had fewer left-turn collisions than similar intersections with standard solid green signals permitting turns, even though both types of intersections had comparable overall traffic volume.
Which choice most logically completes the text?
B — the type of turn signal provided may improve intersection safety independent of overall traffic volume.. Since overall traffic volume was comparable between the two intersection types, the difference in collisions is more likely linked to the signal type itself, supporting choice B. Choice C is an overstatement not supported by 'fewer' collisions, which doesn't mean zero.
Archaeologists excavating an Iron Age hillfort found finely worked bronze jewelry concentrated almost exclusively within a small group of burials located within the fort's inner enclosure, while burials outside the enclosure contained only simple iron tools.
Which choice most logically completes the text?
B — the individuals buried within the inner enclosure likely held a distinct social status.. Finding fine bronze jewelry concentrated only within a set-apart inner enclosure, unlike simple tools found elsewhere, suggests those individuals were treated differently—likely reflecting distinct status—matching choice B.
In a laboratory experiment, bean plants exposed to gentle daily mechanical brushing developed shorter, sturdier stems than genetically identical plants grown without any brushing, given the exact same light and water conditions.
Which choice most logically completes the text?
D — light and water conditions alone may not fully determine stem development.. Since light and water were identical but the brushing changed the stem outcome, this suggests factors beyond light and water—like mechanical stimulation—matter, supporting choice D.
A researcher comparing two groups of novice bakers found that those who measured ingredients by weight rather than volume produced more consistent results over one month than bakers who measured an equal number of recipes by volume alone.
Which choice most logically completes the text?
A — measuring by weight may be a more effective method for achieving consistent results than measuring by volume alone.. Since the number of recipes attempted was equal between groups but the measurement method differed in effectiveness, this suggests the specific method (weight measurement) may be more effective, matching choice A without overstating that volume measurement is worthless (choice D).
A study of hospital patients found that those assigned to rooms with access to natural daylight through a window reported shorter average recovery times after minor procedures than patients in otherwise identical rooms lit only by artificial light.
Which choice most logically completes the text?
B — exposure to natural daylight during recovery may be associated with faster healing.. Since the rooms were 'otherwise identical' except for daylight access, and recovery times differed, this suggests the daylight itself is associated with the outcome—matching choice B, without overstating the effect as choice C does.
A survey of remote employees found that those whose managers scheduled brief, informal video check-ins twice a week reported similar levels of reported workload to employees without such check-ins, but reported significantly less feeling of isolation from their team.
Which choice most logically completes the text?
A — informal check-ins may reduce feelings of isolation without necessarily changing an employee's perceived workload.. Since workload was similar between groups but isolation differed, the check-ins are linked to one outcome (isolation) but not necessarily the other (workload)—matching choice A, and directly showing choice C is false in this case.
A survey of office workers found that employees who had access to an on-site gym reported similar levels of reported sick days to employees without one, but employees with gym access reported significantly higher self-rated afternoon alertness.
Which choice most logically completes the text?
C — having on-site gym access may influence afternoon alertness without necessarily affecting sick day frequency.. Since sick days were similar between groups but alertness differed, gym access is linked to one outcome (alertness) but not necessarily the other (sick days)—matching choice C, and directly showing choice B is false in this case.
A study found that customers who used a pharmacy's automated prescription pickup kiosk spent less time interacting with staff but ultimately reported a similar overall satisfaction rating compared with customers who picked up prescriptions at the staffed counter, even though both groups received identical medications and packaging.
Which choice most logically completes the text?
C — interaction time alone may not be the primary factor determining a customer's overall satisfaction.. Since satisfaction was similar despite different interaction times, this suggests interaction time itself isn't the deciding factor in overall satisfaction—matching choice C logically without the overstatements in A or D.
Score:
Every question above is now marked up: the correct answer is highlighted, any wrong option you picked is flagged, and each explanation is open.
No. Every question here is original, written to the College Board's published Digital SAT Reading & Writing specification for the Inferences skill. No retired or copyrighted College Board material appears anywhere on this site.
Inferences gives you a passage ending in a blank, usually after a phrase like "therefore" or "this suggests that", and asks which choice most logically completes it. The answer is not stated in the passage, but it must follow from the passage alone.
Read to the blank and finish the thought yourself before looking at the choices. Then apply one test to each choice: could this be false while everything in the passage is true? If yes, it is not the inference. The correct answer is usually the most cautious of the four, because it is the only one the text fully guarantees.
No, and deliberately so. This drill is 10 Inferences questions back to back; a real Reading & Writing module is 27 questions in 32 minutes drawn from all eleven skills. Use a drill to fix one weakness, then take a full module to practice the real thing.
No. The SAT has no penalty for a wrong answer — a blank and a wrong guess both score zero — so answer every question, including the ones you have to guess.