Why does Mr. Ochoa explain what the horned lizard eats?
Analyze and Evaluate Information in Spoken English · TELPAS Grades 8–9 listening. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
Reporting category 3: make inferences from what was said, and work out a speaker's purpose, opinion, or what will happen next.
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The Texas Horned Lizard
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Mr. Ochoa: Today we're looking at an animal that a lot of your grandparents probably remember seeing in their backyards: the Texas horned lizard. Some people call it a horny toad, but it isn't a toad at all. It's a lizard, and it's the official state reptile of Texas.
Mr. Ochoa: Its body is flat and wide and covered in spines, with larger horns on the back of its head. Its tan, brown and gray colors help it blend in with dry, sandy ground. When a predator comes close, the lizard's first move is usually to freeze and trust its camouflage.
Mr. Ochoa: If that doesn't work, it has a surprising defense. It can squirt a stream of blood from the corners of its eyes. The blood tastes bad to predators like coyotes and dogs.
Mr. Ochoa: Now here's the part I want you to think about. Most of this lizard's diet is one thing: harvester ants. In many parts of Texas, harvester ants have disappeared, partly because of pesticides and partly because of fire ants, which were brought here from South America and push other ants out. When the ants disappeared, the lizards started disappearing, too. Today the Texas horned lizard is listed as a threatened species in the state, and it's against the law to collect one or keep one as a pet.
The question
Choose the best answer.
Why does Mr. Ochoa explain what the horned lizard eats?
- To tell students where to look for lizards
- To prove fire ants are its favorite food
- To show how losing one food hurt the lizardsCorrect answer
- To compare its diet with a toad's diet
Why “To show how losing one food hurt the lizards” is correct
This question asks the student to see a cause-and-effect connection. Mr. Ochoa signals it with "here's the part I want you to think about": the lizard depends on harvester ants, the ants disappeared, and so the lizards did too. Understanding why a speaker includes information is part of category 3.
Why the other answers are wrong
- To tell students where to look for lizards — He never tells students where to find them.
- To prove fire ants are its favorite food — Fire ants replaced the ants the lizards eat.
- To compare its diet with a toad's diet — He does not describe what toads eat.
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.