Why does Ms. Herrera ask Grant which quizzes he is failing?
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 Grant and Ms. Herrera in the counseling office. Then answer the question.
Dropping a Class
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Grant: Ms. Herrera, I want to drop chemistry. I keep failing the quizzes, and I think I should just take a study hall instead.
Ms. Herrera: Before we change anything, tell me which quizzes you are failing. All of them, or certain ones?
Grant: Mostly the Monday ones. I work at my cousin’s restaurant on Sunday nights, and I do not get home until after eleven.
Ms. Herrera: Then the class may not be the real problem. If you drop chemistry, you will be a lab science short for most four-year universities. Mr. Cole runs tutoring after school on Thursdays. Go for the next three weeks, and ask your cousin whether your Sunday shift could end earlier. If your scores are still low after that, come back and we will look at your schedule again.
The question
Choose the best answer.
Why does Ms. Herrera ask Grant which quizzes he is failing?
- To find out whether he has studied the material at all.
- To decide which study hall period he should be moved into.
- To find out whether something outside the class is causing his low scores.Correct answer
- To check whether Mr. Cole has graded the quizzes correctly.
Why “To find out whether something outside the class is causing his low scores.” is correct
This tests understanding why a speaker asks a question, which is only clear from what she does with the answer. Once Grant connects the Monday quizzes to his late Sunday shifts, Ms. Herrera says 'the class may not be the real problem', which shows she was looking for an outside cause. Her advice to shorten the shift confirms it.
Why the other answers are wrong
- To find out whether he has studied the material at all. — She never asks about studying; her follow-up is about his work schedule.
- To decide which study hall period he should be moved into. — She does not move him into a study hall; she advises against dropping the class.
- To check whether Mr. Cole has graded the quizzes correctly. — Mr. Cole's grading is never questioned; he is mentioned only because he runs tutoring.
Practice more of this
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