How do 'inference' and 'detail' questions differ in requiring textual evidence?

• A. Inference questions require reading between the lines; detail questions require direct evidence.
• B. They are both about factual information only.
• C. Inference questions rely on external knowledge.
• D. They are both research tasks outside the text.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is how you use the text to support your answer. Inference questions ask you to read between the lines: you look for hints in the wording, descriptions, actions, or tone that imply something not stated outright. The support for your conclusion comes from clues in the passage, tied to specific parts of the text, rather than a direct quote of a stated fact.

Detail questions, on the other hand, want exact information the author provides. You locate explicit statements, numbers, dates, names, or direct quotes—the evidence is the precise wording or facts the text presents without needing to guess or infer.

That’s why the choice saying inference involves reading between the lines and detail questions rely on direct evidence is correct. It isn’t about using outside knowledge or doing research beyond the text.