What did Texas do after it had been its own country for almost ten years?
Basic Understanding of Spoken English · TELPAS Grades 6–7 listening. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
Reporting category 2: understand the main points and important details of spoken stories and informational passages, about everyday life and school subjects.
Listen to the lesson.
Six Flags Over Texas
Press play to listen. You can pause, rewind, and replay as often as you like.
Show transcript
Mr. Harris: You may have heard people say that six flags have flown over Texas. That means that over more than three hundred years, six different governments have claimed this land.
Mr. Harris: First came Spain, which claimed Texas starting in the fifteen hundreds. For a few years in the late sixteen hundreds, France also had a small settlement on the Texas coast. Then, in eighteen twenty-one, Mexico won its independence from Spain, and Texas became part of Mexico.
Mr. Harris: In eighteen thirty-six, Texas broke away from Mexico and became its own country, the Republic of Texas, for almost ten years. After that, it joined the United States. During the Civil War, Texas was part of the Confederacy, and after the war it became part of the United States again.
Mr. Harris: Each of these governments left something behind. That is one reason so many Texas cities have Spanish names, like San Antonio and El Paso, and why so many Texans still celebrate traditions that come from Mexico.
The question
Choose the best answer.
What did Texas do after it had been its own country for almost ten years?
- It became part of Mexico again.
- It joined the United States.Correct answer
- It won its independence from Spain.
- It joined the Confederacy right away.
Why “It joined the United States.” is correct
This tests following the order of events in a history lesson. Mr. Harris says Texas was the Republic of Texas "for almost ten years. After that, it joined the United States." Many events and governments are named in a short time, and the phrase "after that" is the signal the student needs.
Why the other answers are wrong
- It became part of Mexico again. — Texas broke away from Mexico before it became its own country, and it did not go back.
- It won its independence from Spain. — Mexico won independence from Spain, before Texas was its own country.
- It joined the Confederacy right away. — Texas joined the Confederacy later, during the Civil War.
Practice more of this
More listening practice for Grades 6–7, or see the TELPAS practice test for 6th and 7th 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.