A decision you make after thinking about what you have read. You may have to hunt for clues so that you can understand the whole story. You can draw a conclusion about something the author has not stated by putting all the clues together.

People are always thinking of new things to sell in machines. Most machines sell snacks and drinks. But now machines even sell flowers. Machines are placed where many people will see them. For instance, lunchrooms are a good place to put snack machines. Baseball parks are a good place for drink machines. What conclusion can you make? Drinks from a machine taste best. Some machines sell things besides food. All drink machines are found in baseball parks. Machines are placed where people won’t see them.

Harold and June planted corn, beans, and carrots. June planted marigolds nearby. “I’m glad that marigold plants help keep the bugs away from the other plants,” she said. “Just keep the vegetables away from the black walnut tree,” Harold said. “Last year we planted seeds near it. Hardly anything came up there. But the rest of the garden did well. What conclusion can you make? The bugs liked to eat the marigolds. Some plants can help or hurt other plants. Marigolds are red and orange bugs. Many vegetables grew near the walnut tree.

The shaggy, little animal went up to the back door. It rattled the screen door with its front paw and then sat down. It was quiet for a while. But soon a face appeared at the door, and then there was a scream of joy. “It’s Goldie!” a girl’s voice said. “She’s come back.” What conclusion can you make? Goldie had lived at this house at one time. The animal had never seen this house before. The girl didn’t know why the animal was there. Goldie must be a dog.

Laughing makes people feel great. Some people think that laughing is the best thing in life. Now scientists have shown that laughing is good for the body, too. Laughing makes the heart beat faster. It brings more air into the body. Many people keep fit by running. But laughing is easier on the feet! What conclusion can you make? Laughing is good for your health. Swimming is very good for your body. Crying is like laughing. Laughing makes the heart beat slower.

Cora and her brother Floyd liked living in the city. They thought that city life was much more fun than country life. There were movies to see. There were parks to visit. There were museums and stores. The only thing they missed was having a horse. What conclusion can you make? They used to live in the country. They live in New York City. They have many friends. They like movies more than museums.

To test the temperature, Diana put her toe in the water. “Maybe I’ll wait a while before going in,” she thought. So she sat down and watched the sailboats near the opposite shore. What conclusion can you make? She is probably sitting on the shore of an ocean. a bathtub. a pool. a lake.

There are no more stories to read. It’s the… beginning. middle. end. The End