What must a student do before starting a job?
Read a Short Informational Passage · ELPAC Grade 2 reading. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
A brief factual text — a notice, a label, a set of instructions — followed by questions.
Read the job chart. Then answer the questions.
Class Garden Jobs
Our class has three garden jobs. The Waterer fills the can and waters the beds on Monday and Thursday. The Weeder pulls weeds on Friday. The Picker takes ripe tomatoes to the kitchen. Sign your name on the chart before you start a job.
The question
Choose the best answer.
What must a student do before starting a job?
- Fill the watering can
- Ask the teacher
- Pick the ripe tomatoes
- Write their name on the chartCorrect answer
Why “Write their name on the chart” is correct
The question turns on the word 'before', which sets the order of two actions inside one sentence. Children who read the sentence as a simple instruction often report the job instead of the step that comes first. Ask the child to find 'before' in the chart and say which action sits on each side of it.
Why the other answers are wrong
- Fill the watering can — Filling the can is part of the Waterer's job itself, so it comes after signing in, not before.
- Ask the teacher — Asking a teacher is a sensible classroom habit, but the chart never mentions it.
- Pick the ripe tomatoes — Picking tomatoes is one of the three jobs, and the rule about signing in applies to all of them.
Practice more of this
More reading 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.