SAT Inference: Lesson, Practice Problems & Video Explanations

1. In the early twentieth century, astronomers used photographic plates to record images of the night sky. Because these plates captured far more stars than an observer could reliably sketch by hand, they allowed researchers to compare images taken years apart and identify stars whose brightness seemed to change. However, the plates were not perfectly consistent: differences in exposure time, atmospheric conditions, and the chemical preparation of the plates could all affect how bright a star appeared in an image. For this reason, astronomers often hesitated to classify a star as variable unless its changing brightness was observed on multiple plates taken under different conditions.

Which choice best states what can reasonably be inferred from the text?

A. Some stars that appeared to vary in brightness on a single photographic plate may not actually have been variable stars.

B. Astronomers abandoned direct visual observation as soon as photographic plates became available.

C. Photographic plates were useful mainly because they eliminated the need to compare observations made at different times.

D. The chemical preparation of photographic plates was the most common cause of inaccurate star classifications.

Question 1 of 5

2. In many eighteenth-century cities, public clocks were installed in church towers or government buildings so that residents could coordinate markets, work hours, and civic events. Yet these clocks often lost or gained several minutes each week and required frequent resetting. As a result, people commonly relied not only on the public clocks but also on recurring natural cues—such as sunrise, sunset, and the ringing of bells at customary times—when planning their daily activities. Historians therefore caution against assuming that the presence of a public clock meant that every resident followed a precise, uniform schedule.

Which choice best states what can reasonably be inferred from the text?

A. Public clocks were considered less important than church bells in eighteenth-century cities.

B. Some residents likely organized their routines using approximate time markers rather than exact clock times.

C. Historians believe that public clocks prevented cities from coordinating markets and civic events.

D. Residents of eighteenth-century cities usually owned personal clocks that were more accurate than public ones.

Question 2 of 5

3. During the nineteenth century, some botanists argued that certain plants depended almost entirely on insects for pollination, while others claimed that wind carried enough pollen to make insects largely unnecessary. To test these views, researchers covered some flowers with fine mesh that allowed air to pass through but prevented insects from reaching the blossoms. In many cases, the covered flowers still produced seeds, though often fewer than nearby uncovered flowers did. These results led scientists to conclude that the importance of insects varied among plant species rather than being identical for all flowering plants.

Which choice best states what can reasonably be inferred from the text?

A. Wind pollination was eventually shown to be more efficient than insect pollination for all flowering plants.

B. Researchers used fine mesh primarily to increase the number of seeds produced by flowers.

C. For at least some plant species, insects improve seed production even if they are not strictly necessary for pollination.

D. Botanists in the nineteenth century believed that all flowers relied on the same method of pollination.

Question 3 of 5

4. When early sound recordings were first introduced, some music critics claimed that listeners would reject them because recorded performances lacked the atmosphere of a live concert. Yet sales of phonographs increased steadily, and many households that rarely attended concert halls began purchasing recordings. At the same time, live performances remained popular, especially for major premieres and celebrated performers. Historians now note that recorded music did not simply replace concert attendance but changed how audiences accessed music overall.

Which choice best states what can reasonably be inferred from the text?

A. Recorded music likely expanded access to musical performances for people who did not often attend concerts.

B. Most early music critics eventually became phonograph salespeople.

C. Live concerts declined immediately after sound recordings were introduced.

D. Households purchased phonographs mainly to hear major premieres before concert audiences could.

Question 4 of 5

5. In the early years of urban public libraries, some officials argued that only scholarly works should be collected, claiming that novels and travel narratives would distract readers from serious study. Other librarians, however, observed that when popular books were added to library shelves, overall circulation increased and many patrons who first borrowed fiction later returned to borrow histories, science texts, and biographies. As a result, several library systems gradually broadened their collections to include both educational and recreational reading.

Which choice best states what can reasonably be inferred from the text?

A. Most patrons who borrowed novels never checked out any other kinds of books.

B. Library officials who favored scholarly works opposed lending books to the public altogether.

C. Adding popular books may have helped libraries attract readers who then explored more academic subjects.

D. Travel narratives were eventually classified as scholarly works by most library systems.

Question 5 of 5

SAT Inference: Lesson, Practice Problems & Video Explanations

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