Why did Marcus push his bread across the table?
Listen to a Story · ELPAC Grade 2 listening. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
A multiple-turn conversation or narrative, followed by three questions.
Listen to the story. Then answer the questions.
The Loose Tooth
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Show transcript
Zara had a loose tooth. It wiggled when she ate. On Tuesday her class had carrot sticks for snack.
Zara did not want to bite down. She held her carrot and waited.
Her friend Marcus pushed his own snack across the table. It was a slice of soft bread. He did not say a word about the tooth.
Zara ate the bread. The next morning the tooth came out on its own.
The question
Choose the best answer.
Why did Marcus push his bread across the table?
- He did not like bread.
- He knew soft bread would be easier for Zara to eat.Correct answer
- He wanted Zara's carrot sticks.
- The teacher told him to share.
Why “He knew soft bread would be easier for Zara to eat.” is correct
This is the hardest kind of listening question at this grade: the reason for a character's action, where the story deliberately withholds it. The clue is the word 'soft', set against the carrot Zara cannot bite, plus the detail that Marcus says nothing about the tooth. Ask why the story bothers to tell us the bread was soft.
Why the other answers are wrong
- He did not like bread. — Nothing is said about what Marcus likes. He gives the bread away for Zara's sake, not his own.
- He wanted Zara's carrot sticks. — Marcus pushes his snack across, but the story never says he took the carrot in return.
- The teacher told him to share. — No teacher appears in this story, and Marcus acts without being asked.
Practice more of this
More listening practice for Grade 2, or see the ELPAC practice test for grade 2. 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.