Why does the notice tell borrowers to save their work to a USB drive or an online account?
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.
Borrowing a Laptop from the Library
Library card holders aged fourteen and older may borrow a laptop for up to three weeks. Borrowers under eighteen need a parent or guardian to sign the lending agreement in person the first time; after that, the student may check out laptops alone. There is no charge for borrowing, and a laptop may be renewed once if no one is waiting for it. Laptops must be returned to the service desk, not to the outdoor book drop, because the drop can crack the screen. Every laptop erases all saved files as soon as it is checked back in, so save your work to a USB drive or an online account before you return it. A laptop that is still out one week after its due date is reported as lost, and the borrower's card is blocked until the laptop is returned or replaced.
The question
Choose the best answer.
Why does the notice tell borrowers to save their work to a USB drive or an online account?
- The laptops cannot connect to the library printer.
- Files left on a laptop are reported as lost after one week.
- Another borrower may be waiting to renew the same laptop.
- Every laptop erases its saved files as soon as it is returned.Correct answer
Why “Every laptop erases its saved files as soon as it is returned.” is correct
This is a cause-and-effect question inside a short text. The advice to save work elsewhere follows directly from the fact stated in the same sentence: laptops erase all saved files when checked back in. Students should notice the word 'so', which links the fact to the advice.
Why the other answers are wrong
- The laptops cannot connect to the library printer. — Printing is never mentioned in the notice.
- Files left on a laptop are reported as lost after one week. — The one-week rule is about the laptop itself being late, not about files; it borrows the word 'lost' from a different sentence.
- Another borrower may be waiting to renew the same laptop. — Waiting borrowers affect whether a laptop can be renewed, not what happens to the files on it.
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.