Question

Explain how the explicit and implicit details in the passage help the reader make the following inference: Felix will most likely cast his vote for Simone. In developing your response, make sure you identify and analyze several explicit and implicit details.

Passage: The secret-ballot election for class president was this afternoon, but Felix didn't know how he would be voting. Felix knew this was a big deal, since the class presidents had a major say in how the school was run. While Felix waited for Jamal and Simone to deliver their final speeches, he took out a charcoal pencil and pad and did a quick sketch of Simone, who paced frantically at the back of the room, wringing her hands. Simone spoke first, rambling at the beginning but then slowing down a bit. Her main focus, she said, would be getting more money for art class supplies and more space for the music program — which caused Felix to glance thoughtfully at the trumpet case next to his desk. When it was Jamal's turn, he immediately captivated the audience — tall and handsome, he seemed able to convince anyone of anything, except his best friend, Felix. That's why Jamal liked Felix — he was a freethinker. In his speech, Jamal explained how he wanted to cut back on music and the arts in favor of more science and math, which he said was important for the future of our country. The class applauded wildly, but Felix had already stopped listening and returned to his sketch of Simone.

Answer 1

The reader can make the following inference, "Felix will most likely cast his vote for Simone," because of this part of the excerpt:

"he took out a charcoal pencil and pad and did a quick sketch of Simone, who paced frantically at the back of the room, wringing her hands. Simone spoke first, rambling at the beginning but then slowing down a bit. Her main focus, she said, would be getting more money for art class supplies and more space for the music program — which caused Felix to glance thoughtfully at the trumpet case next to his desk."

Simone claims to want to get more money for art class (Felix is sitting there drawing a charcoal sketch of Simone)

Simone claims to want more space for the music class (Felix glances thoughtfully at his trumpet case)

Jamal wants to cut both art and music and put the money into science and math and even though Felix and Jamal are best friends, Felix has an interest in Simone, art, and music.