Which country had only a small settlement on the Texas coast for a few 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
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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.
Which country had only a small settlement on the Texas coast for a few years?
- Spain
- Mexico
- The United States
- FranceCorrect answer
Why “France” is correct
This asks for a detail stated once in the lesson. Mr. Harris says that "for a few years in the late sixteen hundreds, France also had a small settlement on the Texas coast." The other three governments each claimed all of Texas, so the words "small" and "a few years" point to France.
Why the other answers are wrong
- Spain — Spain claimed Texas for a long time, starting in the fifteen hundreds.
- Mexico — Texas was fully part of Mexico after Mexico won its independence.
- The United States — Texas joined the United States as a whole state.
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.