B1+ · Strong intermediateReading 35 minutes

Reading: inference

Oxu: məntiqi nəticə çıxarmaq

After this lesson you can

Can understand information that is suggested but not stated directly in a text.
Can identify the writer's attitude and feelings from word choice.
Can support an inference with evidence from the text.

Explanation

Inference

Inference means understanding what the writer suggests but does not say directly. Look at:

actions (he slammed the door → he was angry)
word choice (the so-called expert → the writer doubts him)
contrast (It looked great online. In reality...)
small details (a wet umbrella → it was raining)

Questions: What can we infer...? The writer implies... How does the writer feel...?

A good inference is always supported by words in the text. Don't choose answers based only on your own opinion.

Azərbaycan dilində ətraflı izah

İnference nədir?

Inference, mətndə birbaşa deyilməyən fikri ipuçlarından çıxarmaqdır. Müəllif hər şeyi açıq yazmır: 'She looked at the clock for the fifth time' cümləsi deyir ki, qadın ya tələsir, ya darıxır, ya da kimisə gözləyir, bu sözlər yazılmasa da.

Azərbaycan dilində də belə oxuyuruq, 'sözün altını oxumaq', 'sətiraltı məna'. İngiliscə mətndə isə bu bacarıq imtahanlarda xüsusi sual tipi kimi yoxlanılır.

Hansı ipuçlarına baxmalı?

Hərəkətlər: He slammed the door → əsəbidir.
Söz seçimi (müəllifin münasibəti): The so-called 'expert' → müəllif ona inanmır. Finally, the bus arrived → çox gözləyiblər.
Ziddiyyət: The hotel looked great online. In reality... → otel pis çıxıb.
Detallar: muddy boots, a wet umbrella → çöldə yağış yağır.

Müəllifin münasibəti

Müsbət: impressive, remarkable, fortunately. Mənfi: disappointing, unfortunately, so-called, claims (that). Şübhə: apparently, supposedly. Neytral: states, reports.

Sual tipləri

What can we infer about...?
The writer suggests / implies that...
How does the writer feel about...?

Diqqət: həddən artıq nəticə çıxarmayın

Düzgün cavab mətnlə sübut oluna bilməlidir. Ən çox səhv: mətndə olmayan, öz təcrübəmizə əsaslanan fikri seçmək. Hər cavabdan sonra özünüzə sual verin: Bunu mətndə hansı söz göstərir?

Keçmiş haqqında ehtimal modal felləri burada çox faydalıdır: He must have been tired. She can't have enjoyed it.

Examples

She checked her phone again and sighed. Still no message.
O, yenə telefonuna baxıb ah çəkdi. Hələ də mesaj yox idi.
Nəticə: kimdənsə xəbər gözləyir və narahatdır.
The so-called 'luxury' hotel had no hot water.
Guya 'lüks' olan oteldə isti su yox idi.
so-called, müəllif bu adla razı deyil.
Finally, after two hours, the plane took off.
Nəhayət, iki saatdan sonra təyyarə havaya qalxdı.
Finally, uzun və yorucu gözləmə.
He came in with a red face and threw his keys on the table.
O, qıpqırmızı halda içəri girdi və açarlarını masaya atdı.
Nəticə: əsəbidir.
Apparently, the new shopping centre will create 2,000 jobs.
Deyilənə görə, yeni ticarət mərkəzi 2000 iş yeri yaradacaq.
Apparently, müəllif əmin deyil.
Not a single student had finished the test when the bell rang.
Zəng çalınanda bir tələbə də testi bitirməmişdi.
Nəticə: test ya çox uzun, ya çətin idi.

Reading text: The New Job

On Monday morning, Nigar arrived at the office twenty minutes early. She had ironed her shirt the night before and checked the route twice. The receptionist glanced up from her screen, gave a polite smile and told her to wait. Forty minutes later, a tall man in a grey suit appeared. 'Ah, you must be the new designer,' he said, without offering his hand. 'Your desk is over there, next to the printer.' The desk was empty apart from an old computer covered in dust. Nobody had set up her email account, and her password did not work. At lunchtime, the rest of the team went out together. Nigar was not invited, so she ate the sandwich her mother had packed for her and read the company website on her phone. The website described the company as 'a young, friendly family of creative people'. In the afternoon, her manager finally gave her a task: to redesign a logo by Wednesday. She worked until seven, long after the others had gone home. As she was leaving, she noticed that the coffee machine had a note on it: 'Broken. Again.' On the bus home, her friend Aysel sent a message: 'So? How was the dream job?' Nigar looked out of the window for a long time before she replied. 'Interesting,' she typed. Then she deleted it and wrote, 'Tell you tomorrow.' That evening she opened her laptop and looked at the job advertisement that she had saved a month ago. The other company had offered her a lower salary, but the interviewers had asked her a lot of questions and seemed genuinely interested in her ideas. She wondered if the offer was still open.

Common mistakes

Choosing 'The writer loves the hotel' because the text describes the hotel's website as beautiful.
The writer was disappointed: the text says 'In reality' the hotel was different.
Ziddiyyət sözləri (but, in reality, however) əsas mənanı göstərir.
Choosing an answer because it is true in real life.
Choosing an answer that is supported by words in the text.
İnference öz biliyimizə yox, mətndəki ipuçlarına əsaslanır.
Thinking 'so-called expert' means the person is a real expert.
'So-called' shows the writer doubts the name or title.
so-called müəllifin şübhə və ya istehzasını bildirir.
Ignoring small adverbs like 'finally' or 'surprisingly'.
Noticing that adverbs often show the writer's feelings.
Zərflər müəllifin münasibətinin əsas göstəricisidir.

Vocabulary

apparently adverb: according to what you have hearddeyilənə görə, görünür“Apparently, the shop is closing.”
glance verb: to look at something quicklyötəri baxmaq“He glanced at his watch.”
imply verb: to suggest something without saying it directlyişarə etmək, eyham vurmaq“Are you implying that I'm lazy?”
infer verb: to reach an opinion from information that is not stated directlynəticə çıxarmaq“What can we infer about the writer's attitude?”
polite smile phrase: a smile that is friendly but not sincerenəzakət xatirinə təbəssüm“She gave a polite smile and said nothing.”
reluctant adjective: not wanting to do somethingkönülsüz, istəmədən“He was reluctant to leave his hometown.”
sigh verb: to breathe out loudly because you are tired, sad or boredah çəkmək“She sighed and closed the book.”
so-called adjective: used to show you think a name or description is wrongsözdə, guya“These so-called experts gave terrible advice.”