Question 152·Easy·Inferences
For over a decade, the Riverview Public Library has hosted a summer reading challenge designed to encourage children to read during school break. Participants earn points for every book they finish and can redeem those points for small prizes donated by local businesses. Library records show that, since the program began, the average number of books checked out by children each June and July has increased by 40 percent. This information suggests that ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
For SAT questions that ask which choice "most logically completes" a text, start by pinpointing the key facts—especially any numbers, groups, and time frames—in the sentence just before the blank. Then, summarize in your own words what kind of conclusion those facts could reasonably support. Eliminate any answer that (1) talks about a different group or time than the passage, (2) introduces new comparisons or causes not mentioned, or (3) tries to read people’s minds with strong claims about motives or feelings. Finally, among the remaining choices, pick the one that makes a cautious, direct connection to the evidence you were given.
Hints
Focus on the data in the last sentence
Reread the part about "library records." What exact change do the records show about children’s checkouts in June and July since the program began?
Watch the scope: who and when
Ask yourself: Are the answer choices talking about children and summer months at this library, or are they bringing in other groups (like adults) or different times (like the school year) that the passage never discusses?
Avoid answers that guess about feelings or comparisons
Look for choices that stick to what can be observed from records, not guesses about why children participate or how they compare to other groups. Among those, pick the one that makes a careful conclusion based only on the 40% increase in children’s June/July checkouts.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the question is asking
The sentence ends with "This information suggests that ____," so you are being asked to choose a conclusion that logically follows from the information in the passage. The conclusion must be supported by what is stated and should not add new, unsupported details.
Identify the key evidence in the passage
Focus on the concrete facts given:
- The library has hosted a summer reading challenge for over a decade to encourage children to read during school break.
- Children earn points for each book and can redeem points for small prizes.
- Library records show that since the program began, the average number of books checked out by children in June and July has increased by 40 percent. The conclusion must be tied closely to this 40% increase in children’s June/July checkouts and the time after the program started.
Eliminate choices that go beyond or outside the evidence
Check each answer against what the passage actually says:
- Choice A talks about children’s motives (they value prizes more than reading) and uses strong words like "most" and "only because." The passage never mentions children’s feelings or reasons, so this is not supported.
- Choice B talks about adult books and what happens each year, but the passage only gives data about children’s books in June and July. This changes both the group and the time frame, so it is out of scope.
- Choice C compares participating children with non-participating children and talks about reading when school is in session. The passage does not compare these groups and gives no data about the school year, so this is also unsupported. After removing these, only one answer choice matches the scope (children, summer months) and uses the given information.
Select the supported, reasonable conclusion
The remaining option, Choice D, says that the summer reading challenge has likely encouraged children to check out more books during the summer months. This fits the data perfectly: the program is meant to encourage reading, and records show a 40% increase in children’s June and July checkouts since it began. The word "likely" keeps the conclusion cautious and reasonable, making D the best and most logical completion of the text.