Advanced Topics
In a nutshell: Critical reading means understanding what’s stated and what’s implied.
## Reading Between the Lines
The SSAT verbal section rewards students who can read carefully and make logical guesses (inferences) about what the author means but doesn't say directly.
### Skills for Critical Reading
- **Identifying Main Ideas:** Find what the author is really saying.
- **Recognizing Author’s Tone:** Is the passage happy, sad, angry, or neutral?
- **Making Inferences:** Use clues to figure out information that isn’t stated.
### Inference in Real Life
Inferences help you understand stories, news, and even people’s moods.
Examples
- When a character shivers and pulls on a jacket, you can infer it’s cold.
- If the author uses words like 'dismal' and 'gloomy,' you can infer a sad mood.