TELPAS Reading and Writing, Grades 6–7 Practice Tests

Part 1

After the rainstorm, the puddles on the playground slowly ________ in the hot afternoon sun until the ground was dry again.

1. Which word best completes the sentence? (A) froze (B) flooded (C) evaporated (D) overflowed

Part 2

To find the ________ of her three test scores, Grace added the scores together and then divided the total by three.

1. Which word best completes the sentence? (A) pattern (B) average (C) fraction (D) angle

Part 3

The American colonists wanted to make their own laws. In 1776, they declared their ________ from Great Britain.

1. Which word best completes the sentence? (A) election (B) independence (C) population (D) boundary

Part 4

A magnet will ________ a steel paper clip, but it has no effect on a wooden pencil or a plastic spoon.

1. Which word best completes the sentence? (A) attract (B) dissolve (C) reflect (D) measure

Part 5

________ it was raining hard, the soccer team kept practicing on the field until the coach blew the whistle.

1. Which word best completes the sentence? (A) Because (B) Unless (C) So that (D) Even though

Part 6

Farmers in the valley depend on water from the river to ________ their crops during the long, dry summer.

1. Which word best completes the sentence? (A) harvest (B) decorate (C) export (D) irrigate

Part 7

BOOK SWAP DAY — This Friday

Do you have books you have already read? Trade them for "new" ones! First, bring up to three gently used books to the library front desk by Wednesday. A librarian will give you one ticket for each book you bring. On Friday, come to the library during lunch and trade each ticket for any book on the swap tables. After the swap, you may write a short review of your new book and post it on the library bulletin board.

1. What should a student do first to take part in the Book Swap? (A) Trade each ticket for a book during lunch on Friday (B) Write a review for the library bulletin board (C) Bring used books to the library desk by Wednesday (D) Choose three books from the swap tables

Part 8

Many people toss old batteries into the kitchen trash without a second thought. However, batteries contain metals and chemicals that can leak out in a landfill and end up in the soil and water. Many batteries can be recycled, and the metals inside can be used again to make new products. Hardware stores and city recycling centers often collect used batteries. Next time a remote control or flashlight stops working, save the old batteries in a jar. When the jar is full, take it to a drop-off spot. It is a small habit that makes a real difference.

1. What is the author's main purpose for writing this paragraph? (A) To persuade readers to recycle old batteries (B) To explain how batteries store electricity (C) To tell a story about cleaning a kitchen (D) To compare different kinds of flashlights

Part 15 — Read the article. Then answer the questions.

The Salamander That Never Grows Up

[1] With its wide smile, tiny eyes, and feathery frills, the axolotl (AK-suh-lot-ul) looks like a cartoon character. It is a real animal, though, and scientists around the world find it fascinating. The axolotl is a kind of salamander, which makes it an amphibian, like a frog or a toad.

A Lifelong Kid

[2] Most amphibians go through a big change called metamorphosis. A frog, for example, begins life as a tadpole that lives in water and breathes with gills. Later, it grows legs, loses its tail, and develops lungs so it can live on land. The axolotl is different. It keeps many of its young features for its whole life. Even as an adult, it lives only in water and keeps the feathery gills on the sides of its head. Those frills are not decoration; they take oxygen from the water. Axolotls also have simple lungs, and they sometimes swim to the surface to gulp air.

Home in the Wild

[3] Wild axolotls live in only one place on Earth: a few lakes and canals near Mexico City. As the city grew, much of the lake water was drained or became polluted. Today, wild axolotls are critically endangered, which means they are at very high risk of disappearing from the wild. Scientists and local groups are working to clean the canals and protect the places where axolotls still live.

[4] In the wild, most axolotls are dark brown or gray with small spots. This coloring helps them blend in with the muddy bottom of the canals. The pale pink axolotls that many people picture are far more common in aquariums and science labs than in nature.

A Hungry Hunter

[5] An axolotl may look gentle, but it is a skilled hunter. It waits quietly until a worm, an insect larva, or a small fish comes close. Then it opens its mouth very quickly. This sudden movement sucks in water, and the prey along with it. Because an axolotl's tiny teeth are not good for chewing, it swallows most of its food whole.

An Amazing Ability

[6] The most surprising thing about the axolotl is its ability to regenerate, or grow back, lost body parts. If an axolotl loses a leg, a brand-new leg grows in its place within several weeks, complete with bones, muscles, and nerves. Axolotls can even repair damage to their heart, spinal cord, and brain. Humans can heal a cut or a broken bone, but we cannot grow back a lost finger.

[7] That is why scientists study axolotls so closely. They hope to learn how the axolotl's cells know what to build and when to stop. One day, this knowledge might help doctors find new ways to help people heal from serious injuries. For now, the little salamander with the big smile remains one of nature's most remarkable puzzles.

1. What is paragraph 2 mostly about? (A) How frogs lose their tails and grow legs to move onto land (B) Why axolotls must swim to the surface to eat (C) How axolotls keep young features, like gills, as adults (D) How scientists measure the lungs of amphibians
2. According to paragraph 4, why are most wild axolotls dark brown or gray? (A) The color keeps them warm in cold water. (B) The color helps them hide on the muddy bottom. (C) Their food slowly turns their skin darker. (D) Pollution in the canals changes their color.
3. How does an axolotl catch its food? (A) It opens its mouth fast and sucks the prey in. (B) It chases fish and grabs them with its feet. (C) It bites insects into pieces with sharp teeth. (D) It digs in the mud until it finds worms.
4. Which phrase from paragraph 6 helps the reader understand the word regenerate? (A) “loses a leg” (B) “or grow back” (C) “within several weeks” (D) “bones, muscles, and nerves”
5. Why does the author include paragraph 7? (A) To describe what axolotls eat in the wild (B) To tell readers how to feed and care for a pet axolotl at home (C) To compare axolotls with frogs and toads (D) To explain why scientists are so interested in axolotls

Part 17 — Read the story. Then answer the questions.

The Front Page

[1] Every other Friday, the student newspaper at Cedar Ridge Middle School, The Ridge Report, appeared on a stand outside the library. This week, Ruby Carter was the student editor for the first time, and she wanted everything to be perfect.

[2] On Wednesday afternoon, the newspaper team met in Mr. Hayes's classroom. Ruby checked her list. "Sports story, done. Club news, done. Lunch menu, done. Owen, how is the front-page story coming?"

[3] Owen looked down at his shoes. "About that," he said slowly. "The science teacher I was going to interview is out sick this week. I don't have any quotes, so I don't have a story."

[4] Ruby felt her stomach drop. The front page was the most important part of the paper, and the file had to go to the printer by Thursday at four o'clock. Without a front-page story, there would be a big, empty hole right where readers looked first.

[5] "We could just print a giant photo of the school mascot," suggested Chloe, the photographer. A few people laughed, but Ruby did not. She was thinking hard.

[6] That morning, she had noticed a small crowd in the courtyard. A group of sixth graders had been kneeling beside the old flower beds, pulling weeds and planting tiny green seedlings. A handmade sign said "Future Pollinator Garden." At the time, Ruby had been in too much of a hurry to stop and ask about it.

[7] "Wait," Ruby said. "Has anyone heard about the garden in the courtyard?" Nobody had. "Then it's news," she said, grinning. "Owen, can you interview the gardeners tomorrow before school? Chloe, can you take pictures?"

[8] Owen hesitated. "Tomorrow? That's not much time to write a whole article."

[9] "I'll help you," Ruby promised. "We can work on it together at lunch."

[10] The next morning, Owen and Chloe met the gardeners at 7:30. The students explained that they were planting native flowers to feed bees and butterflies. They had raised money for the plants by selling lemonade at soccer games. Owen filled three pages of his notebook with quotes, and Chloe snapped a picture of a girl holding a seedling up to the sunlight.

[11] At lunch, Ruby and Owen sat in the empty newspaper room with their sandwiches and a laptop. Owen typed while Ruby read each paragraph aloud and suggested small changes. At 3:52, eight minutes before the deadline, Ruby clicked "send."

[12] On Friday, students crowded around the newspaper stand. On the front page was Chloe's photo under a bold headline: "Sixth Graders Plant a Garden for Pollinators." By the end of the day, three students had asked how they could join the garden club.

[13] Mr. Hayes stopped Ruby in the hall. "Good editors don't panic," he said. "They look around. You did both — well, maybe you panicked a little."

[14] Ruby laughed. "Only a little," she said.

1. What is Ruby's main problem in the story? (A) The team cannot find anyone to take photographs for the paper. (B) The front-page story is missing, and the deadline is close. (C) Owen does not want to work on the newspaper. (D) The printer says the paper is too long to print.
2. Which phrase from paragraph 4 shows that Ruby is worried? (A) “the most important part” (B) “had to go to the printer” (C) “where readers looked first” (D) “felt her stomach drop”
3. Why does Ruby say "Then it's news" in paragraph 7? (A) Nobody on the team knows about the garden yet. (B) Owen already wrote about the garden last year. (C) Mr. Hayes asked the team to write about plants. (D) The garden club asked to be on the front page.
4. What does the word hesitated mean in paragraph 8? (A) agreed right away with a smile (B) laughed loudly at the idea (C) walked quickly out of the room (D) paused because he felt unsure
5. How did the sixth graders pay for the plants? (A) They sold lemonade at soccer games. (B) They washed cars in the parking lot. (C) They sold copies of the newspaper. (D) They asked the principal for money.
6. Which sentence best tells what the story is mostly about? (A) A photographer takes pictures of the school mascot. (B) Sixth graders plant flowers to help bees and butterflies. (C) A new editor saves the paper by noticing a story at school. (D) A teacher shows students how to interview a scientist.

Part 19 — Read the article. Then answer the questions.

Power from the Sun: How Solar Panels Work

[1] Look at the roofs in almost any Texas neighborhood, and you might spot rows of dark, shiny rectangles tilted toward the sky. These are solar panels. Quietly, without any moving parts, they turn sunlight into electricity that can light a room, cool a house, or charge a phone.

Sunlight Is Energy

[2] Sunlight may seem like simple brightness, but it carries a great deal of energy. Every second, the Sun sends out enormous amounts of light and heat, and a small part of it reaches Earth. Scientists describe light as a stream of tiny packets of energy called photons. When you feel the warm sun on your skin, you are feeling the energy of photons. A solar panel is designed to catch that energy and put it to work.

Inside a Solar Cell

[3] Each solar panel is made of many smaller units called solar cells, usually arranged in rows like the squares on a chessboard. Most solar cells are made from silicon, a material that is made from quartz, a common mineral found in rocks and sand. The silicon is purified, melted, and cut into very thin slices. Each cell has two layers of silicon that have been treated a little differently, so an electric field forms where the two layers meet.

[4] When photons strike the cell, they knock tiny particles called electrons loose from the silicon atoms. The electric field pushes these free electrons in one direction. Thin metal lines on the surface of the cell collect the moving electrons and send them into wires. A flow of electrons through a wire is an electric current, the same thing that powers a lamp or a television. Scientists call this process the photovoltaic effect. "Photo" means light, and "voltaic" refers to electricity, so the name simply means "electricity from light."

From the Roof to the Outlet

[5] The electricity that comes out of a solar panel is direct current, or DC, which flows in only one direction. However, the outlets in most homes use alternating current, or AC. For that reason, a home solar system includes a box called an inverter, which changes DC into AC so that it can be used by refrigerators, computers, and other appliances.

[6] Solar panels produce electricity only when light shines on them. At night, a home might use electricity from the regular power lines, or it might use energy that was stored earlier in a large battery. On cloudy days, panels still work, but they produce less electricity because less sunlight reaches them.

Getting the Most from the Sun

[7] Where and how panels are placed makes a big difference. In the United States, panels usually face south, because that is where the Sun is for most of the day. They are also tilted at an angle so that sunlight hits them more directly. Shade from a tall tree or a layer of dust can reduce how much electricity a panel makes, so owners try to keep their panels clean and uncovered.

[8] Solar panels are not perfect. Most panels on homes change only about one-fifth of the sunlight that hits them into electricity; the rest bounces away or turns into heat. Still, they have important advantages. Sunlight is free, it will not run out, and panels do not give off smoke or pollution while they work. Many panels keep producing electricity for 25 years or more.

[9] Solar power is not a new idea. In 1958, a small satellite called Vanguard 1 became one of the first spacecraft to use solar cells. Today, solar panels power homes, schools, road signs, and even the International Space Station. As engineers find ways to make panels cheaper and more efficient, the Sun may become an even bigger part of how we power our lives.

1. What is the section "Inside a Solar Cell" mostly about? (A) Where the silicon in solar cells comes from (B) How sunlight makes electrons move inside a solar cell (C) How owners clean dust off their solar panels (D) Why homes need an inverter to use electricity
2. In paragraph 4, what does the word strike mean? (A) hit (B) avoid (C) build (D) warm
3. According to paragraph 5, why does a home solar system need an inverter? (A) It stores extra electricity to use at night. (B) It turns the panels to follow the moving Sun. (C) It changes DC electricity into AC for the home. (D) It keeps the panels from getting too hot.
4. What does the word photovoltaic mean? (A) heat from the Sun (B) electricity from light (C) light from electricity (D) power from sand
5. What happens to solar panels on a cloudy day? (A) They stop working until the sky is clear. (B) They use a battery to make more sunlight. (C) They make more electricity than on a sunny day. (D) They make less electricity than on a sunny day.
6. Based on paragraph 7, which solar panel would probably make the MOST electricity? (A) a clean panel on a north-facing roof with no shade (B) a dusty panel on a south-facing roof with no shade (C) a clean panel on a south-facing roof under a tree (D) a clean panel on a south-facing roof with no shade
7. Why does the author include paragraph 8? (A) To explain how solar panels change DC into AC (B) To describe the first satellite that used solar cells to make power (C) To show that solar panels have both weaknesses and strengths (D) To warn readers that solar panels are unsafe
8. Which sentence best summarizes the article? (A) Solar cells are made from silicon, which is made from quartz. (B) The first satellites used solar cells to send signals and pictures back to Earth. (C) Solar panels turn sunlight into electricity, and they work best in full sun. (D) Homes must use batteries at night because the panels stop working.

Part 21 — Read the story. Then answer the questions.

The Case of the Missing Trumpet

[1] On Monday morning, Caleb Ross opened his band locker and froze. His trumpet case was gone. The black case with the silver star sticker had been there on Friday afternoon; he was sure of it. The spring concert was on Thursday night, and Caleb had the solo.

[2] "Maybe someone borrowed it by mistake," said his friend Isla, peering into the empty locker. "Did you check the lost-and-found?"

[3] Caleb hadn't. Together they hurried to the front office, where a big plastic bin overflowed with jackets, water bottles, and one lonely soccer cleat. There was no trumpet case.

[4] At lunch, Isla pulled out a notebook. "Let's think like detectives," she said. "What do we know?" They made a list. The case was in the locker on Friday at three o'clock. The band room was locked on Saturday and Sunday, except for one thing: on Saturday, the school had hosted a band contest for students from other schools.

[5] "The contest!" Caleb said. "Dozens of kids were in the band room on Saturday, and our band lockers don't have locks. Somebody could have picked up the wrong case."

[6] "But lots of trumpet cases look alike," Isla pointed out. "How would anyone know it's yours?"

[7] "My name tag is inside, under the mouthpiece," Caleb said. "And the star sticker is on the outside."

[8] After school, they asked Ms. Bennett, the band director, for help. She studied the contest sign-in sheet and nodded slowly. "Three schools brought trumpet players. I'll email each band director and ask them to check for a case with a silver star sticker."

[9] The next two days were the longest of Caleb's life. He practiced his solo on an old school trumpet, but its valves were stiff, and it sounded dull. Each time he passed Ms. Bennett in the hall, she shook her head, and his hope sank a little lower. Isla tried to cheer him up by quizzing him on music facts at lunch, but even that did not help much.

[10] On Wednesday, just before the last bell, Ms. Bennett appeared at his classroom door holding a familiar black case. "A student from Pine Hill Middle School found this in her closet," she said. "She grabbed it by accident on Saturday. Her own case was sitting behind a chair in our band room the whole time."

[11] Caleb opened the latches. There was his trumpet, shining and safe, and there was his name tag, right under the mouthpiece.

[12] On Thursday night, Caleb played his solo without a single mistake. The next day, he tied a bright orange luggage tag to the handle of his case. "No more mysteries," he told Isla.

[13] Isla grinned. "Too bad. I was just getting good at solving them."

1. Why is Caleb so worried that his trumpet is missing? (A) He promised to lend the trumpet to Isla on Monday. (B) He has to play a solo at the concert on Thursday. (C) His parents bought the trumpet for him last week. (D) Ms. Bennett told him to bring it to the contest.
2. What does the phrase think like detectives mean in paragraph 4? (A) pretend to be police officers in a play (B) ask every student to open their locker (C) write a mystery story for the school (D) use facts and clues to solve a problem
3. Which clue helps Caleb figure out what probably happened to his case? (A) The lost-and-found bin was full of jackets and bottles. (B) His name tag was inside the case under the mouthpiece. (C) The old school trumpet had stiff valves and sounded dull. (D) Students from other schools used the band room on Saturday.
4. How does Caleb most likely feel in paragraph 9? (A) proud and confident (B) bored and sleepy (C) worried and discouraged (D) angry and jealous
5. Why does Caleb tie an orange tag to his trumpet case at the end? (A) So his case will be easy to tell apart from others (B) So Ms. Bennett will know it belongs to the school (C) So he can win a prize at the next band contest (D) So the Pine Hill student can find her own case

Part 22 — Read the story. Then answer the questions.

The Lunch Rush

[1] The Porter family's food truck was painted bright yellow, with the words "Porter's Kitchen" in red letters across the side. On weekdays, Mom and Dad parked it near the office buildings downtown. On Saturdays, twelve-year-old Ella got to help.

[2] This Saturday was special. The truck had a spot at the Riverside Music Festival, the biggest event of the spring. Dad had cooked brisket all night, and Mom had baked three hundred rolls. "Today could be our best day ever," Mom said as she tied on her apron.

[3] By noon, the line stretched past the lemonade stand and the face-painting tent. Ella's job was to take orders at the window. She called each order to Mom, and Mom repeated it to Dad, who made the sandwiches. But the music was loud, and people kept changing their minds. Mom had to shout. Dad got two orders mixed up. A man who had asked for no onions got a sandwich piled high with them.

[4] Ella watched the line. Some people checked their watches, sighed, and walked away. Every person who left was a sale they had lost. Her face felt hot. There had to be a better way.

[5] Then she noticed the pad of sticky notes Mom used for grocery lists, and she had an idea. Ella grabbed a marker and began writing each order on a note: the number of sandwiches, the sides, and any special requests, like "NO ONIONS." She wrote a number at the top, gave the customer a paper ticket with the same number, and passed the note straight back to Dad. Dad stuck the notes in a row along the counter and worked from left to right.

[6] Nobody had to shout anymore. Dad could see every order at a glance. When a sandwich was ready, Mom simply called out the number. Within half an hour, the line was moving twice as fast, and people stopped leaving.

[7] At four o'clock, Dad served the very last roll. Ella's feet ached, and her fingers were stained with purple marker, but the cash box was fuller than it had ever been. Mom counted the money twice, just to be sure she had not made a mistake.

[8] That evening, as they cleaned the grill, Dad held up the stack of used sticky notes. "You know what this is?" he asked. "This is a system. Big restaurants use something just like it."

[9] "It was just sticky notes," Ella said, embarrassed but pleased.

[10] "Simple ideas are often the best ones," Mom said. "And our newest sandwich still needs a name. How about 'The Ella Special'?"

[11] Ella laughed. "Only if it comes with no onions."

1. Why is this Saturday special for the Porter family? (A) Ella is helping at the truck for the very first time. (B) They are opening a new restaurant near the offices. (C) Dad is cooking brisket for the very first time. (D) Their truck is selling food at a big music festival.
2. What problem does the family have in paragraph 3? (A) Orders get mixed up because it is loud and busy. (B) They run out of rolls before the festival starts. (C) The truck is parked too far away from the music. (D) Ella does not know how to count the money.
3. Which sentence from the story shows that Ella is upset? (A) “Ella watched the line.” (B) “Nobody had to shout anymore.” (C) “Her face felt hot.” (D) “Dad served the very last roll.”
4. In paragraph 6, what does the phrase at a glance mean? (A) by looking quickly (B) by reading slowly (C) after a long time (D) with a helper's aid
5. What lesson does the story teach? (A) A simple idea can solve a big problem. (B) Loud music can ruin a busy festival. (C) Hard work always leads to sore feet. (D) Food trucks should sell only one food.

Part 9

1. Our science class has ________ three experiments about plants since January. Which word correctly completes the sentence? (A) complete (B) completed (C) completing (D) completes

Part 10

1. Of all the planets in our solar system, Jupiter is the ________. Which word correctly completes the sentence? (A) larger (B) largest (C) most large (D) large

Part 11

1. Each of the students in our homeroom have a locker in the main hallway. The underlined word is not correct. Which word should replace it? (A) having (B) are (C) has (D) were

Part 12

1. Last summer my family drived all the way to Big Bend National Park. The underlined word is not correct. Which word should replace it? (A) drove (B) driven (C) drives (D) driving

Part 13

1. Ms. Parker gave Owen and I a ride to the museum after school.

Part 14

We arrived to the museum at ten o'clock and saw many dinosaur bone.

Part 16 — Writing: Describe the Picture

• where the people are and what the place looks like
• what the family and the other people are doing
• what you think the family will do with the things they buy, and why

Part 18 — Writing: A Time You Learned Something New

• what you learned and who taught you
• what was hard or easy about learning it
• how you felt when you could finally do it

Part 20 — Writing: Choose a Field Trip

• which trip you would choose
• at least two reasons for your choice
• what you would hope to learn or do there