Question

which sentence from barrio boy states the most reasonable inference and provides a valid clue to support it?

green is ernestos favorite color.
the red and the white were the same as on ours but why they liked blue better than green was just one of those peculiar things about americans.

ernesto does not know how long he will stay in tucson.
my mother and i were to go to another city called tucson and wait there until another pass and money could be obtained.

josé has a good-paying job.
josé bought us two cardboard suitcases and one for himself, and an alarm clock like the one we used to try to win in the lottery tent in mazatlan.

the hotel clerk does not know the spanish word for men.
not knowing what they meant we asked the clerk, who explained that when the sign said m-e-n it was for me.

Explanation:

Analyze the first option

The inference states "Green is Ernesto's favorite color." The supporting text discusses flag colors (red, white, blue, green) and "why they liked blue better than green," which does not logically support green being Ernesto's favorite color.

Analyze the second option

The inference states "Ernesto does not know how long he will stay in Tucson." The supporting text states they must "wait there until another pass and money could be obtained." Since obtaining a pass and money is an uncertain event with no set timeframe, this directly supports the inference that the duration of their stay is unknown.

Analyze the third and fourth options

The third option infers "José has a good-paying job," but buying cheap cardboard suitcases and an alarm clock does not support having a high-paying job. The fourth option infers "The hotel clerk does not know the Spanish word for men," but the text shows the clerk explained the English sign "M-E-N" to them, meaning the clerk knew English, not that the clerk lacked Spanish knowledge.

Answer:

• (A) Green is Ernesto's favorite color. The red and the white were the same as on ours but why they liked blue better than green was just one of those peculiar things about Americans.
• (B) Ernesto does not know how long he will stay in Tucson. My mother and I were to go to another city called Tucson and wait there until another pass and money could be obtained. (Correct answer)
• (C) José has a good-paying job. José bought us two cardboard suitcases and one for himself, and an alarm clock like the one we used to try to win in the lottery tent in Mazatlan.
• (D) The hotel clerk does not know the Spanish word for men. Not knowing what they meant we asked the clerk, who explained that when the sign said M-E-N it was for me.