The teacher says the new plants would be crowded. What does crowded mean?

Understand Spoken Words and Language Structures · TELPAS Grade 3 listening. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.

Reporting category 1: follow spoken directions and understand words and phrases as they are used in speech. On the real test some of these ask the student to click on a picture.

Listen to the teacher talk about science. Then answer the questions.

How Seeds Travel

Listen to How Seeds Travel0:45

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Mr. Turner: Plants cannot walk, but their seeds can still travel. Here are three ways that seeds move.

Mr. Turner: Some seeds are very light. A dandelion seed has soft, fluffy hairs, so the wind can carry it far away.

Mr. Turner: Some seeds have tiny hooks. When a dog runs through the grass, these seeds stick to its fur. Later, they fall off in a new spot.

Mr. Turner: Other seeds are inside fruit, like berries. A bird eats the berries and flies away. Later, the seeds come out of the bird in a new place.

Mr. Turner: If every seed fell under its plant, the new plants would be crowded. A new place gives them more room to grow.

The question

Choose the best answer.

The teacher says the new plants would be crowded. What does crowded mean?

  • Very tall and strong
  • Hidden away in the dark
  • Thirsty and needing water
  • Packed too close togetherCorrect answer

Why “Packed too close together” is correct

This tests understanding a word as it is used in speech. The teacher says that if every seed fell under its plant, the plants would be crowded, and that a new place gives them more room. The phrase more room is the clue that crowded means packed too close together.

Why the other answers are wrong

  • Very tall and strong — Crowded is about how much space there is, not how tall something is.
  • Hidden away in the dark — Crowded does not mean hidden.
  • Thirsty and needing water — Water is not part of this part of the lesson.

Practice more of this

More listening practice for Grade 3, or see the TELPAS practice test for 3rd 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.