What does Mr. Salazar mean when he says primary sources are “valuable, not neutral”?
Listen to a Classroom Conversation · ELPAC Grades 11–12 listening. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
A multiple-turn conversation between two speakers, followed by three questions.
Listen to the conversation between Mr. Salazar and Dana about her history assignment. Then answer the questions.
The Owner’s Letter
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Mr. Salazar: Dana, your source analysis uses the Hollis letter as proof that the cannery workers were satisfied with their pay. Tell me who wrote it.
Dana: Edward Hollis. He owned the cannery, I think.
Mr. Salazar: He did. Does that change how much weight you would give his opinion of the workers’ pay?
Dana: I guess he would want people to think the pay was fair. But it is a primary source, and you told us primary sources are the strongest evidence.
Mr. Salazar: I told you they are the closest to the events. That makes them valuable, not neutral. A primary source tells you very reliably what its author wanted someone to believe. Whether it was true is a separate question.
Dana: So should I take it out?
Mr. Salazar: No, keep it. It is good evidence of how the owner described conditions. Then put a source from the other side next to it. The county archive has records from the strike that year, including a list of the workers’ demands. If the workers were satisfied, that list is hard to explain.
The question
Choose the best answer.
What does Mr. Salazar mean when he says primary sources are “valuable, not neutral”?
- A source close to the events is useful, but it can still reflect its author’s interests.Correct answer
- Primary sources are more valuable than any other kind of evidence.
- Primary sources should be avoided because they are often biased.
- Only neutral sources should be used in a history paper.
Why “A source close to the events is useful, but it can still reflect its author’s interests.” is correct
This tests interpreting a speaker's distinction between two ideas a student has run together. Dana assumed 'closest to the event' meant 'most trustworthy'; Mr. Salazar separates the two, saying a primary source reliably shows what its author wanted someone to believe, which is not the same as what was true. Choices b and c each keep only one half of his phrase.
Why the other answers are wrong
- Primary sources are more valuable than any other kind of evidence. — This repeats Dana's mistaken assumption, which Mr. Salazar is correcting.
- Primary sources should be avoided because they are often biased. — He tells Dana to keep the letter, so he is not saying to avoid primary sources.
- Only neutral sources should be used in a history paper. — He suggests pairing sources from both sides, not restricting the paper to neutral ones.
Practice more of this
More listening practice for Grades 11–12, or see the ELPAC practice test for grades 11–12. For other grades, see free ELPAC practice tests by grade.
This is an independent study resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the California Department of Education or the official ELPAC program. All questions here are original practice material written to match the published task formats.