What does Isaac do at Mr. Larson's shop?
Basic Understanding of Spoken English · TELPAS Grades 10–12 listening. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
Reporting category 2: understand the main points and important details of spoken stories and informational passages, about everyday life and school subjects.
Listen to the story. Then answer the questions.
A Story
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Show transcript
When Isaac was fifteen, his grandfather gave him an old pocket watch that no longer worked. Isaac was disappointed. He had hoped for money for new shoes.
"Take it to Mr. Larson on Main Street," his grandfather said. "Ask him to show you how to fix it. Don't let him fix it for you."
For three Saturdays, Isaac sat at the back of the small repair shop. Mr. Larson showed him how to open the case, how to clean each tiny gear, and how to use tweezers without losing the screws. On the third Saturday, the watch started ticking.
Isaac ran home to show his grandfather. The old man listened to the ticking, nodded, and handed the watch back.
"The watch was never the gift," he said.
The next month, Mr. Larson offered Isaac a part-time job.
The question
Choose the best answer.
What does Isaac do at Mr. Larson's shop?
- He learns how to repair the watch himself.Correct answer
- He sells the watch to buy new shoes.
- He waits while Mr. Larson repairs the watch.
- He cleans the shop in exchange for a new watch.
Why “He learns how to repair the watch himself.” is correct
This is a basic understanding question about the events of a story. The grandfather's instruction, 'Don't let him fix it for you', and the description of Isaac learning each step show that he does the repair himself.
Why the other answers are wrong
- He sells the watch to buy new shoes. — He wanted money for shoes, but he does not sell the watch.
- He waits while Mr. Larson repairs the watch. — His grandfather said not to let Mr. Larson fix it for him, and Isaac does the work.
- He cleans the shop in exchange for a new watch. — He cleans gears inside the watch, not the shop, and gets no new watch.
Practice more of this
More listening practice for Grades 10–12, or see the TELPAS practice test for 10th–12th grade.
This is an independent study resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Texas Education Agency or the official TELPAS program. All questions here are original practice material written to match the published test design.