What does Malik mean when he says he is "on the fence"?
Understand Spoken Words and Language Structures · TELPAS Grades 8–9 listening. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
Reporting category 1: follow spoken directions and understand words and phrases as they are used in speech. On the real test some of these ask the student to click on a picture.
Listen to the conversation.
Choosing an Elective
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Priya: Have you picked your elective for next year yet? The forms are due Friday.
Malik: I'm still on the fence. Choir sounds fun, but my brother says in art you get to make things out of clay, and I've always wanted to try that.
The question
Choose the best answer.
What does Malik mean when he says he is "on the fence"?
- He has not decided yet.Correct answer
- He is waiting outside.
- He does not want an elective.
- He has already picked choir.
Why “He has not decided yet.” is correct
Being "on the fence" means you cannot decide between two choices, as if sitting on a fence between two yards. Malik shows it right away by naming two classes he likes. English learners who hear only the literal words may picture a real fence.
Why the other answers are wrong
- He is waiting outside. — Read literally, a fence is outside, but here the phrase is an expression about choosing.
- He does not want an elective. — He likes both choir and art, so he does want one.
- He has already picked choir. — He is still thinking about both choir and art.
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.