Why does Mr. Mitchell say, "You're both thinking about who would use it"?
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.
Listen to the class discussion.
The Empty Lot
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Mr. Mitchell: The city council wants to hear from the public about the empty lot on Pecan Street. One plan is a skate park. The other is a community garden. Nadia, which would you choose?
Nadia: The garden. A lot of families near there live in apartments, so they don't have yards. A garden would give them a place to grow their own vegetables.
Jordan: But kids in that neighborhood have nowhere to skate. Right now they skate in the grocery store parking lot, and the manager keeps chasing them out.
Mr. Mitchell: Interesting. You're both thinking about who would use it. Is there any way to have both?
Jordan: Maybe. The lot is pretty big. We could put a small skate area on one side and garden beds on the other.
Nadia: I'd support that, as long as the garden gets the side with the most sun.
The question
Choose the best answer.
Why does Mr. Mitchell say, "You're both thinking about who would use it"?
- To point out what their reasons shareCorrect answer
- To tell them their ideas are wrong
- To end the discussion
- To choose the skate park
Why “To point out what their reasons share” is correct
This question asks about a speaker's purpose in a discussion. Mr. Mitchell notices that both students care about the neighbors who would use the lot, and then asks, "Is there any way to have both?" That pushes them toward the shared plan they agree on at the end.
Why the other answers are wrong
- To tell them their ideas are wrong — He calls their ideas "interesting" and does not reject them.
- To end the discussion — He keeps it going with another question.
- To choose the skate park — He does not pick either plan.
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.