Why does Sofia mention the mountains around the Central Valley?
Listen to an Oral Presentation · ELPAC Grades 6–8 listening. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
A presentation on an academic topic, followed by three or four questions.
Listen to Sofia give her presentation to the class. Then answer the questions.
Tule Fog
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Show transcript
Sofia: Good morning. My presentation is about tule fog, the thick fog that fills California's Central Valley in winter.
Sofia: Tule fog is named after the tule, a tall reed that grows in the valley's wetlands. It forms on calm, clear winter nights, especially after rain has soaked the ground. As the night goes on, the ground loses heat, and the air just above it cools until its moisture turns into tiny droplets of water.
Sofia: Because the mountains around the valley hold the cold air in place, the fog can sit there for days. In the thickest tule fog, drivers may be able to see only a few car lengths ahead, which is why it has caused serious highway crashes.
Sofia: So tule fog is not just bad weather. It is the valley's shape, its wet soil and its long winter nights working together. And once you understand how it forms, you can predict when it will be dangerous.
The question
Choose the best answer.
Why does Sofia mention the mountains around the Central Valley?
- To explain where the tule reeds grow
- To show that the fog is thicker in the mountains than in the valley
- To explain why the fog can stay in place for daysCorrect answer
- To warn drivers to stay off mountain highways
Why “To explain why the fog can stay in place for days” is correct
This asks why a speaker includes a detail, not just what the detail is. Sofia says, "Because the mountains around the valley hold the cold air in place, the fog can sit there for days." The word "because" signals that the mountains are the cause of how long the fog lasts. Her conclusion repeats the idea when she names "the valley's shape" as one of three causes.
Why the other answers are wrong
- To explain where the tule reeds grow — The tule reeds grow in the valley's wetlands, not in the mountains.
- To show that the fog is thicker in the mountains than in the valley — She never compares fog in the mountains with fog in the valley.
- To warn drivers to stay off mountain highways — The highway danger comes from fog in the valley; she gives no warning about mountain roads.
Practice more of this
More listening practice for Grades 6–8, or see the ELPAC practice test for grades 6–8. 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.