TELPAS Practice

The word unimportant begins with un-. What does unimportant mean?

Understand Words and Language Structures · TELPAS Grades 4–5 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 text. Then answer the question.

Saving Water at Home

Most families use a lot of water every day without thinking about it. We use water to cook, to clean, to wash clothes, and to flush the toilet. In many parts of Texas, dry summers can make water scarce, so it is smart to use it carefully.

There are many easy ways to save water. Turn off the faucet while you brush your teeth. Take shorter showers. Tell an adult about a leaky faucet, since even a slow drip wastes a lot of water over time. Outside, water plants early in the morning, before the hot sun can dry the water up.

These small changes may seem unimportant, but when many people make them, they add up.

The question

Choose the best answer.

The word unimportant begins with un-. What does unimportant mean?

  • very important
  • important again
  • important before
  • not importantCorrect answer

Why “not important” is correct

The prefix un- means "not," as in unhappy or unsafe. The sentence also helps: the changes "may seem unimportant, but" they add up, which sets up a contrast. Wrong choices use the meanings of other common prefixes, re- and pre-, so the item checks that the student knows which prefix means what.

Why the other answers are wrong

  • very important — The prefix un- means not, so it makes the opposite meaning.
  • important again — Again is the meaning of the prefix re-, as in redo.
  • important before — Before is the meaning of the prefix pre-, as in preview.

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.