An inference question about a survey tests what its results support, rather than what sounds likely. Read the sentence before the blank to see which results the conclusion must connect. Then name the groups and account for every result, asking whether each finding reports a belief or something measured. Use those limits to predict the most cautious conclusion the results support that connects the findings. Wrong choices often add claims about things the survey never tested.
Hints
- Hint 1
The word Together points to more than one finding. Find both results and identify the students each result describes.
- Hint 2
Look closely at what the survey actually recorded: what did students report, and what did the researchers calculate?
Step-by-step
Connect the survey’s two findings
Step 1Separate belief from measured health
The survey compares students who bring lunch from home with students who buy cafeteria meals. What does the health finding actually show? It says 90% of the students who regularly bring lunch reported believing their eating habits are healthier, so this is a belief about health, not proof of better health. Our conclusion must keep that limit.
- Step 2
Add the spending result
What does the second result add? The same students spend about $12 less per week on food than students buying cafeteria meals. That's a calculated spending difference, not another opinion. Because the prompt says Together, let's predict a conclusion that includes both the students' health beliefs and their lower food costs.
- Step 3
Match the wording to the limits
Which wording includes both findings without claiming more? Perceived health advantages means health benefits students think they have, so it keeps the health claim tied to their beliefs. Cost savings describes the lower spending, and may avoids a guarantee. Choice D.