Question 130·Easy·Inferences
Ms. Ruiz, a fourth-grade teacher, noticed that her students often returned from lunchtime recess feeling restless and chatty. To address this, she began each afternoon class with five minutes of silent, independent reading. After implementing this practice for a week, she observed that the students calmed down more quickly and participated more actively in the lesson that followed. This information implies that Ms. Ruiz introduced the five-minute reading period primarily to ____
Which choice most logically completes the text?
For “primarily to” or “implies that” questions, first underline the problem or situation the author describes, then underline the action taken “to address this” and the result. Your answer should directly connect the action to fixing that original problem, without adding new goals or benefits that the passage never mentions. Quickly eliminate any choice that introduces new ideas (like liking literature or helping the teacher’s schedule) that are not clearly supported by the text.
Hints
Focus on the problem statement
Look at what Ms. Ruiz noticed about her students right after recess. What specific issue does the passage highlight?
Use the phrase “To address this”
When the passage says “To address this,” it tells you the reason for her new routine. Connect that phrase to the problem just described.
Pay attention to the observed results
After a week, what changes does Ms. Ruiz see in her students’ behavior and participation? How do those changes relate to the original problem?
Eliminate answers that add new goals
Cross out choices that mention purposes not supported by the passage, such as unrelated benefits that are never described or hinted at.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the problem Ms. Ruiz wants to solve
Read the first two sentences: the students "returned from lunchtime recess feeling restless and chatty." This is the specific problem. The phrase "To address this" tells you that whatever she does next is meant to solve that problem.
Understand what she changes and what happens
She starts "each afternoon class with five minutes of silent, independent reading." After a week of this, she notices that "the students calmed down more quickly and participated more actively in the lesson that followed." That means the reading time helps them settle and engage in classwork after recess.
Define her primary purpose based on evidence
The question asks what this information implies she introduced the reading period "primarily" to do. Her action is directly connected to fixing restlessness and improving readiness for the next lesson, not to her own schedule or to learning about students’ tastes.
Match this purpose to the best answer choice
The only choice that focuses on helping students settle and get ready to learn—moving them from being "restless and chatty" to being calm and engaged in the lesson—is “help students transition calmly from recess to classroom learning.”