Why does the notice ask employees to report a spill even after they have already cleaned it up?
Read a Short Informational Passage · ELPAC Grades 9–10 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.
Notice: Stockroom Safety
All employees assigned to the stockroom must complete the ladder safety module before their first shift there. Closed-toe shoes are required at all times, and sandals are not permitted past the swinging door. Any box weighing more than forty pounds carries a yellow label. Do not lift a yellow-labeled box on your own; use the rolling cart or ask a second employee to help you. Report every spill to the shift lead immediately, even if you have already cleaned it up, so that it can be entered in the log. Employees under the age of eighteen may not operate the baler or the forklift under any circumstances.
The question
Choose the best answer.
Why does the notice ask employees to report a spill even after they have already cleaned it up?
- So that the spill can be entered in the log.Correct answer
- Because employees are not permitted to clean spills themselves.
- Because the shift lead has to inspect the floor before work continues.
- Because the cleaning supplies are kept in a locked cabinet.
Why “So that the spill can be entered in the log.” is correct
This asks for the stated reason behind a rule, which a workplace notice usually attaches with 'so that'. The sentence gives the purpose directly: reporting keeps a record in the log, which is why the rule holds even when nothing is left to clean. Students who assume the instruction implies criticism of the employee pick one of the other answers.
Why the other answers are wrong
- Because employees are not permitted to clean spills themselves. — The notice takes for granted that an employee may have cleaned the spill; it only requires that the spill still be reported.
- Because the shift lead has to inspect the floor before work continues. — No inspection of the floor is mentioned anywhere in the notice.
- Because the cleaning supplies are kept in a locked cabinet. — The notice says nothing about where cleaning supplies are stored.
Practice more of this
More reading 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.
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.