Practise Using Inference Skills in a Fictional text

Look at the passage below.

Energetically swinging the door open, Katie skipped down the hallway into the kitchen. She opened the fridge whilst whistling her favourite tune and took out the ingredients she needed.

How is Katie feeling?

We can use clues from the text to help us answer this question.

This is called inference.

We can infer that Katie is feeling happy because she is skipping and whistling.

The word happy wasn't actually used in the passage. We had to be detectives and use the clues to help us.

What might Katie be about to do?

We can use our inference skills to work out that Katie is about to bake or cook something.

She is getting ingredients out of the fridge.

We use the word ingredients when following a cooking or baking recipe.

In this activity, we will be answering inference questions about the story below. Read it carefully.

A Triathlon to Remember

Jay stood on the edge of the saltwater lagoon; its surface was glistening like a sheet of liquid silver under the relentless Lanzarote sun. He had spent the past six months stubbornly training for this triathlon and finally, the moment had arrived. The water whispered promises of victory and invited him in. The soothing sea sloshed around his wetsuit as he took his starting position. As the starting horn echoed through the air, Jay dived in, slicing through the water like a knife through soft butter. His powerful arms pulled him forwards with every stroke. With each breath, he could taste the tang of salt on his lips. Whenever he heard the splashes of other competitors approaching him, his salty surroundings seemed to whisper words of encouragement, urging him forward. Reaching the finishing line within seconds, Jay emerged from the water to see that he was ahead of the others. He could really win this. Catching his breath before the next section of the race, he saw the lagoon’s surface shimmering, applauding him for his efforts.

The sand crunched beneath his feet as he ran over to his bike. After mounting his bike, Jay pedalled with determination so he could keep his lead on this 40 km race. His wheels spun like a struggling windmill during a hurricane. Looking out at Lanzarote’s lava fields, Jay remembered why he picked this location for his race. It was stunning. The black and red fields were a cratered surface from outer space.  Beyond the fields, Jay noticed his next challenge: cycling up a steep hill with meandering paths. He gulped. Hills had always been his weakness and they seemed to go on forever. As the sun beat down on him like a heavy weight, his speed began to slow allowing two other cyclists to overtake him on the slope. He watched them disappear up the hill like dots in the distance. Trying not to feel disheartened, Jay pedalled on, knowing he could try and catch them once he was at the top. Reaching the top of the mountain without letting any more cyclists get ahead felt like a victory itself. Jay knew he had to catch up. He whizzed down the other side of the mountain like a jet, trying to avoid turning the wheels too much. As the road levelled out at the foot of the mountain, Jay caught sight of the second cyclist. He pedalled persistently until his legs were burning lava. Just as he approached the finishing stretch, he managed to get ahead of the other cyclist, leaving him in second place for the final challenge.

Finally, it was time for the 10 km run. His final test. With each step across the volcanic terrain, Jay felt the earth’s heartbeat beneath him pulse with his energy. The sun began to dip low on the horizon, casting long shadows that seemed to cheer him on. Jay was grateful this stretch of the triathlon was completely flat as his feet were killing him. The finish line called him like a siren's song motivating him to push past the runner in front of him. As Jay crossed the finish line, a roar of applause erupted around him. This was the best race he’d competed in.