What decision is the city council trying to make?
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 discussion. Then answer the questions.
A Class Discussion
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Ms. Robinson: The city council has asked our civics class for student opinions on one question. The city owns an empty lot downtown, next to the library. One plan is to turn it into a parking lot. The other is to make it a small park with trees and benches. Amy, you're first.
Amy: I support the park. Downtown has almost no shade, and in summer the sidewalks are brutal. Students already walk to the library after school, and right now there's nowhere to sit outside. A park would make people want to spend time downtown, and that helps the businesses too.
Ms. Robinson: Brandon?
Brandon: I understand wanting shade. But the reason people don't come downtown is that they can't park. My mom drives around for ten minutes every time she goes to the library, and she's not the only one. If people can't park, they won't come at all, and then a park won't help anybody.
Amy: But more parking just brings more cars. A park gives people a reason to come in the first place.
Brandon: A reason to come doesn't matter if they have nowhere to leave the car.
The question
Choose the best answer.
What decision is the city council trying to make?
- Whether the library downtown should move to a bigger building
- Whether students should be allowed to walk downtown after school
- Whether the businesses downtown should stay open later at night
- Whether an empty lot should become a park or a parking lotCorrect answer
Why “Whether an empty lot should become a park or a parking lot” is correct
This asks for the main topic, which the teacher states at the start: the city owns an empty lot, and it could become a parking lot or a small park. The wrong answers use other places and people mentioned in the discussion.
Why the other answers are wrong
- Whether the library downtown should move to a bigger building — The library is mentioned only as the place next to the lot.
- Whether students should be allowed to walk downtown after school — Amy mentions students walking downtown, but that is not the question.
- Whether the businesses downtown should stay open later at night — Amy says a park could help businesses, but their hours are never discussed.
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.