Question 19·Easy·Inferences
Local historian Elena Park writes that when the old railway depot was converted into the town museum ten years ago, skeptics worried that almost no one would visit. However, Park notes that attendance has grown steadily every year since its opening, outpacing projections even after ticket prices were raised. According to Park, the museum’s popularity shows that residents are "eager to engage with their heritage when given the chance."
The information in the passage best supports which inference?
For inference questions, first restate the key facts in your own words and notice any clear relationships, especially contrasts marked by words like “however” or “but.” Before looking at the choices, ask yourself, “What conclusion would a reasonable person draw from these facts alone?” Then choose the option that paraphrases that conclusion without adding new, hypothetical, or extreme claims. Eliminate any answer that contradicts the passage or brings in information (like preferences or what would have happened) that the text never mentions.
Hints
Locate the contrast in the passage
Focus on the sentence starting with “However.” How does that sentence contrast with the skeptics’ earlier worry about attendance?
Pay attention to the attendance data
What does the passage say about how attendance has changed over time and how it compares to projections, even after ticket prices went up?
Avoid bringing in new information
Look for the option that stays closest to what the passage actually discusses (skeptics, attendance, and popularity), and be wary of any answer that talks about residents’ preferences or hypothetical outcomes not mentioned in the text.
Think about whose idea is supported or challenged
Ask yourself: do the facts about attendance support the skeptics’ original view, or do they undercut it? Then look for the choice that reflects that relationship.
Step-by-step Explanation
Restate the key facts from the passage
First, summarize what the passage actually says:
- Skeptics worried that “almost no one would visit” when the depot became a museum.
- In reality, attendance has grown steadily every year.
- Attendance has outpaced projections even after ticket prices were raised.
- Park concludes that residents are “eager to engage with their heritage when given the chance.”
Identify the relationship between fears and reality
Now compare the skeptics’ expectations with what actually happened:
- Expectation: very few visitors.
- Reality: growing attendance, exceeding expectations, even with higher prices. This means the actual outcome contradicts the skeptics’ fears; their prediction did not come true.
Determine what kind of inference is supported
The question asks for an inference that is best supported by these facts. We need a statement that:
- Is about visitor interest or attendance (because that’s the focus of the data).
- Reflects that the real attendance undermines or disproves the skeptics’ original worry.
- Does not add new ideas (like what residents “would have preferred” or what “would have happened” in an imaginary scenario) that the passage never mentions.
Match the inference to the answer choices
Check each option against the passage:
- (A) contradicts the passage, which says attendance kept growing after ticket prices rose.
- (B) and (C) introduce new claims (about residents’ preferences and historical records) with no support in the text.
- (D) correctly states that the steady growth in attendance shows the original worry about low interest was wrong.
Therefore, the best-supported inference is: D) The museum’s steady attendance growth indicates that the initial skepticism about visitor interest was misplaced.