What do the students decide to do instead of drying the soil between tests?
Basic Understanding of Spoken English · TELPAS Grades 8–9 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 conversation.
Planning the Soil Project
Press play to listen. You can pause, rewind, and replay as often as you like.
Show transcript
Nadia: So we said we'd test which kind of soil holds the most water, right? Sand, clay and potting soil.
Jordan: Right. But I read the science fair rules last night, and every project needs at least three trials for each sample.
Nadia: Three trials each? That's nine tests, and the fair is in two weeks.
Jordan: It's not as bad as it sounds. Each test takes about twenty minutes. The slow part is drying the soil out between trials. That takes days.
Nadia: Then let's not reuse the soil. My uncle works at a garden center. If he gives us a whole bag of each kind, we can use fresh soil every time.
Jordan: That would work. And it's more fair, too. Soil we already used might be packed down, and that could change how much water it holds.
Nadia: I'll text him tonight. You make the data table, and I'll write the materials list.
Jordan: Deal. And let's take a photo of every trial. Ms. Guerrero said the judges like to see the process.
The question
Choose the best answer.
What do the students decide to do instead of drying the soil between tests?
- Run fewer tests for each soil
- Test only two kinds of soil
- Use new soil for every testCorrect answer
- Ask Ms. Guerrero for more time
Why “Use new soil for every test” is correct
This is a detail question about a decision. Nadia suggests getting a bag of each soil from her uncle so they can "use fresh soil every time," and Jordan agrees. Students need to recognize that "fresh" here means new or unused.
Why the other answers are wrong
- Run fewer tests for each soil — The rules require three trials, and they do not cut any.
- Test only two kinds of soil — They keep all three kinds.
- Ask Ms. Guerrero for more time — They never mention asking for more time.
Practice more of this
More listening practice for Grades 8–9, or see the TELPAS practice test for 8th and 9th 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.