Why did Tony most likely keep the last piece?
Analyze and Evaluate Information in Spoken English · TELPAS Grade 3 listening. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
Reporting category 3: make inferences from what was said, and work out a speaker's purpose, opinion, or what will happen next.
Listen to the story. Then answer the questions.
The Missing Piece
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For her birthday, Marisol got a puzzle with one hundred pieces. The box showed a beach with a red and white lighthouse.
Every afternoon, Marisol worked on the puzzle at the kitchen table. Her little brother, Tony, wanted to help, but she told him he was too little.
After one week, the puzzle was almost done. But there was a hole in the middle of the lighthouse. One piece was missing!
Marisol looked under the table and inside the box. Then Tony walked in and opened his hand. There was the last piece.
Marisol laughed. “Okay, Tony,” she said. “You can put it in. Next time, we will do the puzzle together.”
The question
Choose the best answer.
Why did Tony most likely keep the last piece?
- He wanted a chance to help with the puzzle.Correct answer
- He wanted to hide it and throw it away later.
- He did not like the lighthouse.
- He thought it was a piece of candy.
Why “He wanted a chance to help with the puzzle.” is correct
This asks the student to infer a reason the story never states. Earlier, Tony wanted to help but Marisol said he was too little. Holding the last piece meant he got to finish the puzzle, and Marisol seems to understand this when she lets him put it in and says they will do the next one together.
Why the other answers are wrong
- He wanted to hide it and throw it away later. — Tony shows the piece to Marisol and smiles; he is not trying to get rid of it.
- He did not like the lighthouse. — Nothing in the story says how Tony feels about the lighthouse.
- He thought it was a piece of candy. — Nothing in the story suggests he thought it was something else.
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.