Where should students put the books they are returning?
Read a Short Informational Passage · ELPAC Grades 3–5 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 notice. Then answer the questions.
Library Notice
Starting October 6, the school library will open at 8:15 each morning. Please return books to the blue cart inside the door, not to the front desk. Late books do not cost any money, but you may borrow only one book at a time until the late book comes back. Ms. Tran is in the library every lunch period to help with research.
The question
Choose the best answer.
Where should students put the books they are returning?
- On the front desk
- In the reading room
- In the blue cart inside the doorCorrect answer
- With Ms. Tran at lunch
Why “In the blue cart inside the door” is correct
This is a locate-the-detail question on a short everyday notice. The answer is stated directly: return books 'to the blue cart inside the door, not to the front desk'. The front desk appears in the same sentence only to be ruled out, which is exactly the trap the question is checking for.
Why the other answers are wrong
- On the front desk — The notice names the front desk only to say that books should not be left there.
- In the reading room — The reading room is not mentioned anywhere in this notice.
- With Ms. Tran at lunch — Ms. Tran is in the library at lunch to help with research, not to collect returned books.
Practice more of this
More reading practice for Grades 3–5, or see the ELPAC practice test for grades 3–5. 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.