Read this sentence from the last paragraph. "I urge our principal to give us six minutes." What does the word urge mean?
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 passage. Then answer the questions.
Six Minutes, Not Four
At Lakeview Middle School, students have four minutes to get from one class to the next. That might sound like enough time, but for many of us, it is not. The school should make passing periods six minutes long.
Our campus is large. Some classrooms are in the main building, and others are in portable buildings behind the gym. A student who walks from the band hall to a portable has to cross the entire campus. Even walking quickly, many students arrive late, and some teachers mark them tardy.
Four minutes also leaves no time to stop at a locker or use the restroom. As a result, students ask to leave during class instead, which interrupts the lesson for everyone.
Some people worry that longer passing periods would make the school day end later. But if each class were just two minutes shorter, the extra time would fit inside the day we already have. Losing two minutes of class is better than losing ten minutes to late arrivals and hall passes.
Two extra minutes may seem small, but they would help students arrive on time and ready to learn. I urge our principal to give us six minutes.
Nadia Hassan, Grade 7
The question
Choose the best answer.
Read this sentence from the last paragraph. "I urge our principal to give us six minutes." What does the word urge mean?
- To ask stronglyCorrect answer
- To thank
- To warn
- To forbid
Why “To ask strongly” is correct
This tests a word often used at the end of persuasive writing. To "urge" someone is to push them strongly to do something. Because the whole essay argues for six minutes, the last sentence is a strong request to the person who can make the change.
Why the other answers are wrong
- To thank — Nadia is asking for a change; nothing has been given yet.
- To warn — She is not warning the principal about danger.
- To forbid — This is close to the opposite; she wants the principal to allow something.
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.