阅读除了需要理解文章的字面语义外，更需要透过字里行间领悟言外之意及作者的语气、态度，这就要求读者具有一定的推理能力。推理的前提就是阅读到的有关文字——可能是短语或句子或整个段落甚至整篇短文。读者必须由表及里、由此及彼，从字里行间悟出合乎作者本意的言外之意。推理的结果应是既来自于字里行间、又高于字里行间；既符合原文实际内涵，又超越实际内涵；既基于已知事实，又不仅仅是已知事实。
正确的推理要求：
1?忠于原文，切忌用自己的观点取代作者原意；
2?注意作者遣词造句的特点和倾向，客观推测作者立场、观点和写作意图；
3?由同一已知事实可推出不止一个正确的结论。
例：Apart from the obvious fact that rioters tend to come from the less well-off section of the community, there is no evidence that economic circumstances have any causal relationship with street violence.
A) There is some evidence for relating economic circumstances to street violence.
B) Not all the people in the community referred to are poor.
C) There is no evidence that economic circumstances result from street viloence.
D) All rioters come from the poorer section of the community.
本例中，只有A可由原文推知，其中Apart from所引述的正是经济环境与暴力的一种相关性；C否定了这一相关性，故与原文相悖；D与原句中“rioters tend to come from…”的原意不符：“往往”不等于“总是”；B则是原文第一部分的重述，不属推论。