Why did Daniel join the cross country team?
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.
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The Finish Line
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Daniel joined the cross country team at his new school for one reason. His family had just moved to Lubbock, and running seemed like a way to meet people without having to talk very much.
He was not fast. At his first meet, he finished second to last, and he only beat one runner because she had stopped to tie her shoe. When he finally came around the last turn, his legs felt like wet sand. Most of the crowd had already gone to get snacks.
But one person was still standing at the finish line. It was Brandon, an older runner who had won the race almost twenty minutes earlier. He was clapping as if Daniel were in first place. "Keep going! You're almost there!"
Daniel never got much faster that season. But he kept showing up to practice, and by October he knew everyone's name.
At the last meet of the year, Daniel finished in the middle of the pack for the first time. He caught his breath and drank some water. Then he walked back to the finish line, and he stood there clapping until the very last runner came in.
The question
Choose the best answer.
Why did Daniel join the cross country team?
- To become the fastest runner
- Because Brandon asked him to
- Because his family runs together
- To meet people at his new schoolCorrect answer
Why “To meet people at his new school” is correct
This is a detail question about a character's reason. The story says Daniel joined "for one reason": his family had just moved, and running seemed like a way to meet people "without having to talk very much."
Why the other answers are wrong
- To become the fastest runner — The story says he was not fast and does not say he wanted to win.
- Because Brandon asked him to — Daniel meets Brandon at the first meet, after he joins.
- Because his family runs together — His family is only mentioned as having moved to Lubbock.
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.