Arizona MERIT 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Combining textual evidence with personal experience is a logical approach to making inferences from a text because it allows the reader to connect the information presented in the text with their own knowledge and understanding of the topic. This combination enriches comprehension and makes interpretations more nuanced. When a reader utilizes evidence directly from the text, they anchor their inferences in what the author has explicitly stated, while their personal experience helps to fill in gaps, draw parallels, and deepen their insights. This approach fosters critical thinking and enables the reader to engage with the material in a meaningful way.

Using only personal beliefs would lead to subjective interpretations that might ignore important details or nuances within the text. Relying solely on the text without context may result in a rigid understanding that doesn't consider broader implications or real-world applications. Summarizing the text blindly does not engage with the material in a way that promotes deeper analysis, as it focuses on retelling rather than interpreting or inferring meaning. Therefore, the integration of textual evidence with personal experience offers a balanced and informed method for drawing conclusions from a text.