Read this sentence. Fat drops began to fall, slowly at first and then in a downpour. What does the word downpour 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.
Rain at Last
For weeks, there had been no rain on the Ortiz family’s ranch near San Angelo. The grass had turned brown and crunchy, and the pond where the cows drank was almost dry. Every evening, Papá looked at the sky and shook his head.
Then one afternoon, dark clouds rolled in from the west. Fat drops began to fall, slowly at first and then in a downpour. The rain drummed on the metal roof so loudly that Luisa had to shout to be heard.
Luisa and her little sister ran out onto the porch. Papá was already there, standing at the edge with his hat off and his face turned up to the sky. He was smiling.
The question
Choose the best answer.
Read this sentence. Fat drops began to fall, slowly at first and then in a downpour. What does the word downpour mean?
- a very heavy rainCorrect answer
- a light, misty rain
- a dark cloud
- a puddle on the ground
Why “a very heavy rain” is correct
Downpour is a compound word: down plus pour. Picturing water being poured down helps. The next sentence is also a clue: the rain drummed on the roof so loudly that Luisa had to shout, so it must be very heavy rain.
Why the other answers are wrong
- a light, misty rain — The rain falls "slowly at first" and then changes to something heavier.
- a dark cloud — The clouds come first; a downpour is the rain itself.
- a puddle on the ground — The word describes how the rain falls, not water on the ground.
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.