Why does Mr. Cole ask Imani for a list of her projects?
Listen to a Short Exchange · ELPAC Grades 9–10 listening. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
A two-turn exchange between two speakers, followed by a question about it.
Listen to the conversation between Imani and Mr. Cole. Then answer the question.
Asking for a Recommendation
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Show transcript
Imani: Mr. Cole, do you have a minute? I am applying to a summer research program at the university, and the application asks for a teacher recommendation.
Mr. Cole: I can write one for you. When is it due?
Imani: The application closes on the fifteenth, so about two weeks from now.
Mr. Cole: That is enough time, but I need something from you first. Send me the program description and a short list of what you actually did in chemistry this year. The projects, not the grades.
Imani: Why the projects?
Mr. Cole: Because anyone reading your file can already see your transcript. A letter is only worth sending if it says something the transcript cannot.
The question
Choose the best answer.
Why does Mr. Cole ask Imani for a list of her projects?
- He cannot remember which of his classes she was in this year.
- He needs to check that her grades are high enough for the program.
- The program requires a project list to be sent with the application.
- A letter is only useful if it adds information the transcript cannot show.Correct answer
Why “A letter is only useful if it adds information the transcript cannot show.” is correct
This tests listening for a speaker's reasoning, which here is compressed into the last two sentences of the exchange. Mr. Cole rules out grades explicitly, asking for 'the projects, not the grades', and then explains that the reader already has the transcript. The question is answered by understanding what a recommendation letter is for, not by catching a single word.
Why the other answers are wrong
- He cannot remember which of his classes she was in this year. — He agrees to write the letter immediately, and he names her chemistry class himself.
- He needs to check that her grades are high enough for the program. — He asks specifically for projects rather than grades, which rules out checking her record.
- The program requires a project list to be sent with the application. — The list is something he wants for his own writing, not a document the program requires.
Practice more of this
More listening practice for Grades 9–10, or see the ELPAC practice test for grades 9–10. For other grades, see free ELPAC practice tests by grade.
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