TELPAS Practice

What does Ruben mean when he writes, "if I keep my grades up"?

Understand Words and Language Structures · TELPAS Grades 6–7 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 letter. Then answer the questions.

A Thank-You Letter

Dear Dr. Salinas,

Thank you for coming to Career Day at Westfield Middle School last Thursday. I was the student in the front row who asked the most questions, so you might remember me.

Before your talk, I thought being a veterinarian meant playing with puppies all day. I did not know that you also do surgery, take X-rays, and study how medicines work in different animals. When you said that a cat's body can react to some medicines very differently than a dog's, I was surprised. I had never thought about that.

The part I liked best was your story about the horse with the injured leg. You said it took six weeks of treatment before she could walk normally again, and that her owner cried the first time she trotted across the field. That story showed me that your job takes patience, not just a love of animals.

My mom says that if I keep my grades up, I can volunteer at the animal shelter on Saturdays next summer. I am going to start with my science grade, which needs some work.

Thank you again for answering all of my questions, even the one about snakes.

Sincerely,

Ruben Ortiz

The question

Choose the best answer.

What does Ruben mean when he writes, "if I keep my grades up"?

  • If he puts his report cards on a high shelf
  • If he keeps getting good gradesCorrect answer
  • If he shows his grades to his mom every day
  • If he takes harder classes next year

Why “If he keeps getting good grades” is correct

This tests a common phrase. To "keep your grades up" means to keep earning good grades. The next sentence, about starting with his science grade "which needs some work," confirms that the phrase is about doing well in school.

Why the other answers are wrong

  • If he puts his report cards on a high shelf — This is a literal reading of "up"; the phrase is about how good his grades are.
  • If he shows his grades to his mom every day — Showing grades is not what the phrase means.
  • If he takes harder classes next year — The phrase is about grades staying good, not about which classes he takes.

Practice more of this

More reading 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.