I don't understand the imessage question when setting up my iPad Air

What is the exact wording of the question?

IIRC, you are being asked if you want to associate email addresses and your iPhone number with iMessages and Facetime. If you don't care to use either app, you can deselect email addresses or skip that step and set it up later. If you want to use Messages and Facetime, and you do not have an iPhone, you have to use an email address as your contact at address for both apps. You can associate multiple email addresses if you want to do so.

If my assumption is incorrect or if my memory failed me, please be more specific.