Video of Long Beach Cyclist Encounter Prompts Call for Investigation

Study the questions and tasks

Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.

Practice level

B2. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.

Question formats

Single choice

How to approach this practice

Read the passage for its main idea, then return to the relevant sentence or paragraph for each question. Base answers on the passage.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What is the article’s main purpose?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. To present verified facts and explain why investigation is needed
   2. To prove that ICE agents intentionally harmed the cyclist
   3. To describe new cycling regulations in Long Beach
   4. To announce the investigation’s final conclusions
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To present verified facts and explain why investigation is needed

   The article summarizes verified facts while emphasizing the need for fuller investigation.

   At this stage, the verified facts are limited: the video shows the vehicle moving toward the cyclist, ICE denies that the cyclist was hit, and the mayor has requested an investigation into the agents’ treatment of the rider.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What can be inferred about the short video?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. It records every relevant part of the encounter
   2. It may be useful but cannot establish the complete story alone
   3. It proves the cyclist caused the incident
   4. It has been rejected as unreliable evidence
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It may be useful but cannot establish the complete story alone

   The article suggests that the passage provides evidence but leaves important context unknown.

   The available footage captures an important moment, but a short video may not show everything that happened before or after it.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   In the fourth paragraph, what does “For that reason” refer to?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Officials need to compare footage with other information
   2. The mayor has requested an investigation
   3. The cyclist was not hit by the vehicle
   4. The footage was recorded in California
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Officials need to compare footage with other information

   The phrase refers to video showing actions while leaving the wider context uncertain.

   Images may provide evidence of a specific action, while still leaving questions about the wider context.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Why does the article mention the agents’ treatment of the rider?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. To explain the mayor’s reason for requesting an investigation
   2. To establish that the agents broke a specific law
   3. To identify the cyclist involved in the encounter
   4. To show that the vehicle definitely hit the rider
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To explain the mayor’s reason for requesting an investigation

   That treatment is a central reason the mayor requested an investigation.

   Long Beach’s mayor has called for an investigation into the conduct of ICE agents involved.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   How is the article organized?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. It presents facts, discusses uncertainty, and explains broader significance
   2. It compares two unrelated incidents before announcing a verdict
   3. It gives a chronological biography of the cyclist
   4. It lists legal rules without describing the event
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It presents facts, discusses uncertainty, and explains broader significance

   It moves from the incident to uncertainty, investigative needs, broader significance, and limits.

   The incident also illustrates why video can quickly become important when public officials or law-enforcement agencies are involved.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What relationship does the article establish between video and investigation?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Video can prompt investigation but may not settle responsibility
   2. Video always provides enough evidence for immediate punishment
   3. Video has no value when officials are involved
   4. Video prevents investigators from examining other evidence
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Video can prompt investigation but may not settle responsibility

   Video can begin an inquiry, but other information is needed for complete conclusions.

   For that reason, officials generally need to compare footage with other available information before reaching final conclusions.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which detail is explicitly presented as unresolved?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Who should be held responsible
   2. Where the event occurred
   3. Whether the mayor requested an investigation
   4. Whether the video shows a vehicle moving toward the cyclist
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Who should be held responsible

   The article states that responsibility and possible consequences remain unestablished.

   Further conclusions about responsibility or possible consequences are not established in the available information.

What to review next

Find the words that support each answer. For a mistake, compare the question with the evidence and identify the detail or inference you missed.

A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.

Before you practise: a worked example

Look for evidence in the text. Separate what the writer says from what you already know about the topic.

The library normally closes at six, but on Fridays it stays open until eight. When does it close on Friday?

The answer is eight. But introduces an exception to the normal closing time, so the first time mentioned is not the answer.

This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.