What is a strong piece of evidence to support an inferred idea?

• A. Explicit statements in the text that support the inference.
• B. Personal opinions not in the text.
• C. A random guess.
• D. A statement from a different book.

Answer: (A)

To support an inferred idea, you want evidence that comes directly from what the author wrote. Explicit statements in the text are the strongest because they state clearly something about a character, a situation, or a cause-and-effect relation. When the author directly describes a feeling, motive, or reason, your inference has solid footing and isn’t left as a guess. For example, if you infer that a character is nervous, a line like “she kept fidgeting and kept glancing at the door” gives a concrete, stated clue that backs that inference.

Other options don’t fit as well because they aren’t tied to what the text actually says. Personal opinions not in the text aren’t evidence you can point to in the reading. A random guess isn’t supported by the text at all. A statement from a different book isn’t relevant to the current text and doesn’t support the inference about it. So the best evidence comes from explicit statements the author provides.