Reading: Evidence, Main Idea, and Inference
What the Reading section asks
The OSSLT Reading passages are short and varied: news reports, real-life stories, opinion pieces, instructions, and graphics paired with text. You are tested on whether you can find information, follow ideas, and judge what the text actually supports. The core concepts are main idea, supporting detail, explicit versus implied information, inference, point of view, tone, and text features such as headings, captions, and labels.
Traps to watch for
- True but irrelevant. An option can be factually true in the passage yet not answer the question asked. Reread the stem first, then check each option against it.
- Overreach in inference. The correct inference is the smallest step beyond the words. If an option needs extra assumptions, it is wrong.
- Strong wording. Options with always, never, all, or proves are often wrong when the passage is cautious.
- Speaker versus author. In a story, a character's opinion is not necessarily the writer's view.
- Graphic details. When a chart or photo accompanies text, questions often hinge on the caption or label, not the picture itself.
Rule of thumb: locate, then eliminate
Find the line or section that answers the question and put your finger on it. Then eliminate any option you cannot tie to that spot. This one habit defeats most distractors.
Worked example
Passage line: "The city added two bike lanes last spring; by October, downtown shop owners reported more foot traffic than in the previous year." Question: What can you conclude?
- A. Bike lanes caused all shops to raise profits. (Too strong: all, caused.)
- B. Downtown saw more foot traffic after the lanes were added. (Supported.)
- C. Shop owners opposed the lanes. (Contradicted.) B is the safe inference; it reports the link without claiming proof of cause.