Why can the class not play outside?
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. Play the audio while your child listens, then read the question and all three answers aloud. Your child never has to read anything here.
A Wet Day
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Show transcript
Sam: Ms. Reed, can we play outside today?
Ms. Reed: No. Look at the window. It is raining.
Sam: What can we do?
Ms. Reed: We can read books on the rug.
The question
Read the question and the three answers aloud to your child.
Why can the class not play outside?
- It is raining.Correct answer
- The bell rang.
- The rug is wet.
Why “It is raining.” is correct
A "why" question asks your child to link a reason to a result, not just repeat a fact, and that is a step up from naming what happened. Ms. Reed gives the reason right after she says no, so the listening job is to keep going past the word "no". If your child shrugs, play it again and ask "what did she say about the window?" — a smaller question often unlocks the bigger one.
Why the other answers are wrong
- The bell rang. — No bell is mentioned. A child may offer this because a bell is the usual reason recess ends.
- The rug is wet. — The rug comes up as where the class will read instead, not as a reason to stay inside. Children often answer with the very last thing they heard.
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.