Which example shows a child following a simple request not accompanied by gestures?

• A. Throws trash in can when asked, 'Will you please throw this away?'
• B. Puts the balls in the basket when told, 'Put all the balls in the basket, please.'
• C. Goes to cubby when teacher says it's time to put coats on to go outside.
• D. Draws a picture after being asked to.

Answer: (B)

Understanding this requires recognizing a direct verbal request the child can respond to with a simple action, without any extra cues from the adult. In the example where the child is told, “Put all the balls in the basket, please,” the child simply carries out the action in response to the spoken instruction. There are no gestures, demonstrations, or multi-step requirements attached to the request, so it shows a straightforward link between hearing the word and doing the action.

Other scenarios involve either following a routine or doing something that isn’t a single, clear response to a plain verbal directive. Going to the cubby as part of a time to put coats on is about following a routine cue, not a single simple instruction to perform one action. Drawing a picture after being asked introduces an open-ended task rather than a concrete, one-step action in response to a direct verbal request. While throwing trash in the can when asked is also a verbal request, the example with the balls stands out as the clearest example of responding to a simple spoken instruction with a direct action, without any accompanying gestures.