Set 2: Inferences
Explanation
PASSAGE
A study found that students who were praised for effort ('You worked hard!') showed greater willingness to tackle challenging problems than students praised for ability ('You're so smart!'). The effort-praised group also displayed more resilience after making mistakes.
What does the study suggest about praise?
Detailed Explanation
This question asks you to draw a logical conclusion from the text. Effort-praised students showed 'greater willingness' for challenges and 'more resilience'—implying effort praise fosters persistence. A valid inference must be supported by evidence in the passage, even if not stated directly. Look for clues in the text that strongly suggest the answer. Avoid conclusions that require assumptions beyond what's written. Valid inferences are strongly supported by multiple pieces of evidence in the text. Be cautious of choices that go too far beyond what the passage actually states. The best inference is the one most directly supported by textual evidence.
Key Evidence:
• "greater willingness to tackle challenging problems"
• "more resilience after making mistakes"
Why others are wrong: A (The study focuses on praise type, not intelligence.), C (The passage favors effort praise, not no praise.), D (The study shows different outcomes for different praise types.).