ELPAC Practice

Where should Mia look next?

Listen to a Short Exchange · ELPAC Kindergarten listening. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.

A two-turn exchange between two speakers, followed by a question about it.

Sit with your child. On the real test an examiner runs this one-to-one, so you take that role. Play the audio while your child listens, then read the question and all three answers aloud. Playing it a second time is fine.

The Lunch Box

Listen to The Lunch Box0:12

Press play to listen. You can pause, rewind, and replay as often as you like.

Show transcript

Mia: Mr. Vega, I cannot find my lunch box.

Mr. Vega: Did you look in your backpack?

Mia: Yes. It is not there.

Mr. Vega: Then look on the blue shelf by the door.

The question

Read the question and the three answers aloud to your child.

Where should Mia look next?

  • in her backpack
  • on the blue shelfCorrect answer
  • under the desk

Why “on the blue shelf” is correct

A short exchange asks your child to follow two people talking and hold on to the last thing said. Play it twice if you need to; a five-year-old listening in a second language often catches the meaning only on the replay, and that is not cheating. If your child says "in her backpack", they took in the first idea and stopped there, so ask "and then what did Mr. Vega tell her?" and play just the last line.

Why the other answers are wrong

  • in her backpack — The backpack is where Mia already looked, and she says her lunch box is not there. Children very often answer with the first place they hear.
  • under the desk — No desk is mentioned. This is a plausible classroom place, which is why it is tempting when a child is guessing.

Practice more of this

More listening practice for Kindergarten, or see the ELPAC practice test for kindergarten. 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.