This CKA practice question tests your understanding of services and networking. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
You run `kubectl get endpoints my-service` and see no endpoints listed. The Service's selector matches labels on pods that are running. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
The kube-proxy is not running
Why wrong: kube-proxy handles traffic, not endpoint creation.
The Service is in a different namespace
Why wrong: Endpoints and Service must be in the same namespace.
The pods are not passing their readiness probes
Only pods with a Ready status are added to endpoints.
The Service type is ExternalName
Why wrong: ExternalName Services don't have selectors or endpoints.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The pods are not passing their readiness probes
If the Service selector matches running pods but no endpoints appear, the pods might not be ready (i.e., readiness probes failing). Endpoints controller only includes pods that are Ready.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
The kube-proxy is not running
Why it's wrong here
kube-proxy handles traffic, not endpoint creation.
The Service is in a different namespace
Why it's wrong here
Endpoints and Service must be in the same namespace.
The pods are not passing their readiness probes
Why this is correct
Only pods with a Ready status are added to endpoints.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
The Service type is ExternalName
Why it's wrong here
ExternalName Services don't have selectors or endpoints.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the CKA exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Identify which CKA exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Services and Networking — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
Services and Networking practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
All CKA questions
1,005 questions across all exam domains
Certified Kubernetes Administrator CKA study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
CKA practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Practise CKA questions linked to Cluster Architecture, Installation and Configuration.
Practise CKA questions linked to Services and Networking.
Practise CKA questions linked to Workloads and Scheduling.
Practise CKA questions linked to Storage.
Practise CKA questions linked to Troubleshooting.
Practise CKA questions linked to Cluster Architecture, Installation & Configuration.
Practise CKA questions linked to Workloads & Scheduling.
Practise CKA questions linked to Services & Networking.
Practise CKA questions linked to CKA fundamentals.
Practise CKA questions linked to CKA scenario.
Practise CKA questions linked to CKA troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Services and Networking — This question tests Services and Networking — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: The pods are not passing their readiness probes — If the Service selector matches running pods but no endpoints appear, the pods might not be ready (i.e., readiness probes failing). Endpoints controller only includes pods that are Ready.
Identify which CKA exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
This CKA practice question is part of Courseiva's free CNCF certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CKA exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.