What does the end of the story show about Jayla?
Analyze and Evaluate Information and Ideas · TELPAS Grades 4–5 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 passage. Then answer the questions.
Chester and the Lead Rope
For three months, Jayla had practiced with her goat, Chester, every evening after school. The county livestock show was only one week away, and Chester still did not like to walk on a lead rope.
Chester was stubborn. When Jayla pulled the rope, he planted all four hooves in the dirt and refused to move. When she pulled harder, he sat down like a dog.
“Pulling won’t work,” said her uncle Dante, who had shown goats when he was her age. “A goat pushes against whatever pushes him. Walk beside him with a little cup of feed, and give him a bite each time he takes a few good steps.”
Jayla tried it. On the first night, Chester walked three steps. On the second night, he walked ten. By the end of the week, he trotted next to her all the way around the barn, with his ears up and his nose close to the cup.
On the day of the show, the arena was loud and crowded. Chester stopped once and stared at the people in the stands. Jayla did not pull. She waited quietly until he was ready, and then they walked on together.
Chester won a third-place ribbon. That night, Jayla pinned it to the barn door. “Next year,” she told him, scratching his chin, “we’re going for first.”
The question
Choose the best answer.
What does the end of the story show about Jayla?
- She is upset that Chester did not win first place.
- She wants to give Chester to her uncle.
- She is proud of Chester and wants to keep working with him.Correct answer
- She plans to stop showing goats after this year.
Why “She is proud of Chester and wants to keep working with him.” is correct
This asks the reader to draw a conclusion from a character's actions and words. Jayla pins the ribbon to the barn door, scratches Chester's chin, and says they are "going for first" next year. Those details together show pride in what they did and a plan to keep going, not disappointment.
Why the other answers are wrong
- She is upset that Chester did not win first place. — Pinning up the ribbon and scratching Chester's chin show she is pleased, not upset.
- She wants to give Chester to her uncle. — Nothing in the story suggests giving Chester away; she talks about next year together.
- She plans to stop showing goats after this year. — She says "Next year... we’re going for first," so she plans to show again.
Practice more of this
More reading 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.