Which of the following best describes an inference-based question?

• A. It asks about explicit facts only
• B. It asks for the author's direct claim
• C. It asks for the main point
• D. It asks what the passage implies but not explicitly stated

Answer: (D)

Inference-based questions ask you to deduce meaning from clues the author provides, going beyond what is stated directly. They hinge on reading between the lines: using evidence from word choice, tone, events, and consequences to determine what the passage implies but does not spell out. This isn’t about recalling explicit facts or repeating the author’s direct claim, nor is it simply naming the main point; it’s about what the text suggests as a conclusion or attitude based on what’s shown.

So the best description is a question that asks what the passage implies but not explicitly stated, because that captures the idea of drawing a conclusion from evidence rather than reciting facts or restating what’s clearly written.