Why does Mia give the fish only one small spoon of food?

Read a Short Informational Passage · ELPAC Grade 1 reading. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.

A brief factual text — a notice, a label, a set of instructions — followed by questions.

The question

Choose the best answer.

Why does Mia give the fish only one small spoon of food?

• AThe fish are not hungry.
• BToo much food makes the water dirty.Correct answer
• CShe has only one spoon.
• DThe fish are very small.

Why “Too much food makes the water dirty.” is correct

This is a cause-and-effect question, and the card states the cause outright in its fourth sentence. Young readers often answer 'why' questions from general knowledge instead of from the text, so the useful move is to ask what happens if Mia gives too much food and then read that one sentence back together.

Why the other answers are wrong

• The fish are not hungry. — The card says Mia feeds the fish every day, so hunger is not the issue.
• She has only one spoon. — The card mentions one small spoon as the right amount, not as the only spoon available.
• The fish are very small. — The size of the fish is never given; the reason in the text is about the water, not the fish.

Practice more of this

More reading practice for Grade 1, or see the ELPAC practice test for grade 1. For other grades, see free ELPAC practice tests by grade.