What is the most likely reason the class will plant a butterfly garden?
Analyze and Evaluate Information in Spoken English · TELPAS Grades 4–5 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 teacher talk about butterflies. Then answer the questions.
The Monarch Journey
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Ms. Reyes: Today we are going to learn about a long trip that happens right over our heads. Every fall, millions of monarch butterflies fly south across Texas. They are on their way to the mountains of central Mexico, where they spend the winter in the forests.
Ms. Reyes: Some of them travel more than two thousand miles, and each butterfly weighs less than a paper clip. Along the way they stop to rest and to sip nectar from flowers. The nectar is their fuel for the next part of the trip.
Ms. Reyes: In the spring, monarchs head north again. On the way, they lay their eggs on one kind of plant: milkweed. When the caterpillars hatch, milkweed is the only plant they can eat. Without milkweed, there would be no new monarchs.
Ms. Reyes: That is why many schools, parks, and families in Texas are planting milkweed and other flowers. Next week, our class will plant a small butterfly garden by the front office, and every one of you will get to help.
The question
Choose the best answer.
What is the most likely reason the class will plant a butterfly garden?
- To make the front office look nicer
- To stop monarchs from leaving Texas
- To grow vegetables for the school cafeteria
- To grow milkweed for monarch caterpillarsCorrect answer
Why “To grow milkweed for monarch caterpillars” is correct
This asks the student to connect two parts of the talk. Ms. Reyes explains that without milkweed "there would be no new monarchs," then says "That is why" people are planting milkweed, and that the class will plant a butterfly garden. Putting those together shows the garden is meant to help monarchs, starting with the plant their caterpillars must eat.
Why the other answers are wrong
- To make the front office look nicer — The garden may look nice, but Ms. Reyes connects it to helping monarchs.
- To stop monarchs from leaving Texas — Monarchs need to fly south for the winter; the garden is not meant to stop them.
- To grow vegetables for the school cafeteria — Nothing in the talk is about growing food for people.
Practice more of this
More listening practice for Grades 4–5, or see the TELPAS practice test for 4th and 5th 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.