What does the last line of the story show about Nicole?
Analyze and Evaluate Information and Ideas · TELPAS Grades 8–9 reading. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
Reporting category 3: make inferences, draw conclusions, and think about why the author wrote a text and how it is built.
Read the story. Then answer the questions.
The Knight
Nicole had been the best chess player at Pecan Grove Middle School for almost two years. She had a folding board with felt on the bottom of every piece, a notebook full of openings, and a habit of finishing games before her opponents had finished their snacks.
So when a sixth grader named Josh sat down across from her at the first club meeting of the year, she barely looked up. He was small, and the sleeves of his hoodie hung past his fingers. He moved his first pawn without seeming to think about it at all.
Twenty-five minutes later, Nicole's king was trapped in a corner, and she could not see how it had happened.
"Good game," Josh said, holding out his hand. Nicole shook it quickly and began putting the pieces away, though nobody had asked her to. Her face felt hot. Around them, other players had stopped their own games to watch.
That night she replayed the game on her kitchen table, move by move, from memory. Near the tenth move, Josh had given up a knight for no reason she could understand. She had taken it gladly. Four moves later, the trap had closed.
He had let her take it. He had wanted her to.
At the next meeting, Josh was setting up a board by the window when Nicole walked over with her notebook. She did not sit down right away.
"That thing you did with the knight," she said. "Can you show me?"
Josh looked surprised, then pleased. He pushed the board an inch toward her side of the table.
"Only if you show me how you finish games so fast," he said. "Mine take forever."
Nicole laughed, and this time she pulled out the chair.
The question
Choose the best answer.
What does the last line of the story show about Nicole?
- She wants to beat Josh in a rematch.
- She is now willing to learn from Josh.Correct answer
- She is still upset about losing.
- She is tired after a long day of chess games.
Why “She is now willing to learn from Josh.” is correct
This item asks about the meaning of a final action. Earlier, Nicole "did not sit down right away." When she laughs and pulls out the chair, she accepts Josh's offer to trade lessons. The change from standing to sitting shows her change in attitude.
Why the other answers are wrong
- She wants to beat Josh in a rematch. — She has come to learn his move, not to beat him.
- She is still upset about losing. — She laughs, which shows her bad feeling has passed.
- She is tired after a long day of chess games. — Pulling out the chair shows she is joining him, not that she is tired.
Practice more of this
More reading 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.