TELPAS Practice

What can the reader infer from this text? “He will return the essays when more students are present”

Analyze and Evaluate Information and Ideas · TELPAS Grades 10–12 reading. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.

Reporting category 3: make inferences, draw conclusions, and think about why the author wrote a text and how it is built.

Read the text. Then answer the question.

From a Short Story

Mr. Adams looked at the clock, then at the empty seats in the back row, and then at the stack of graded essays on his desk. He picked up the stack, put it back in his bag, and said, "Let's start with the review instead."

The question

Choose the best answer.

What can the reader infer from this text?

  • Mr. Adams has not finished grading the essays yet.
  • He will return the essays when more students are present.Correct answer
  • Mr. Adams is upset because the review lesson is too long.
  • Mr. Adams wants students to sit in the back row today.

Why “He will return the essays when more students are present.” is correct

This tests inference from actions. He notices empty seats, puts the graded essays away, and changes the plan, so the reader can infer he is holding the essays until the absent students arrive. Point out that the text never states his reason; the reader builds it from the order of his actions.

Why the other answers are wrong

  • Mr. Adams has not finished grading the essays yet. — The text says the essays are 'graded', so they are finished.
  • Mr. Adams is upset because the review lesson is too long. — Nothing in the text describes the review or shows he is upset about it.
  • Mr. Adams wants students to sit in the back row today. — He notices the back-row seats are empty, but he does not ask anyone to sit there.

Practice more of this

More reading 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.