What does Grandpa mean when he says he is feeling “under the weather”?
Understand Words and Language Structures · TELPAS Grade 3 reading. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
Reporting category 1: work out what words and phrases mean from context, and understand how sentences and word forms work.
Read the passage. Then answer the question.
Sunday Lunch
Grandpa did not come to Sunday lunch this week. He called to say that he was feeling under the weather. “I have a sore throat and a cough,” he told Mom. “I am going to drink some hot tea and rest in bed today.”
The question
Choose the best answer.
What does Grandpa mean when he says he is feeling “under the weather”?
- He is standing outside in the rain.
- He is too busy to come.
- He wants to go outside and play.
- He is feeling sick.Correct answer
Why “He is feeling sick.” is correct
This tests understanding an idiom, a phrase that does not mean what its words say. Under the weather means a little sick. Grandpa’s next words, about a sore throat, a cough, hot tea and bed, are the clues.
Why the other answers are wrong
- He is standing outside in the rain. — Grandpa is talking about how he feels, not about the weather outside.
- He is too busy to come. — He stays home to rest, not to do work.
- He wants to go outside and play. — He plans to rest in bed.
Practice more of this
More reading 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.