Reading/Literature Knowledge and Skills TEST SAMPLER Grade

Transcription

1 Reading/Literature Knowledge and Skills TEST SAMPLER Grade3

2 AN ASSESSMENT SAMPLER: Grade 3 This sampler includes passages and items similar to ones found on the state reading/literature assessment. Following each passage is a series of questions; text preceding each question identifies the score reporting category (SRC) it is designed to assess. An asterisk indicates a question s correct answer. APPLES A FRUIT WITH APPEAL (INFORMATIONAL TEXT) There is an old saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Besides being a fruit that is good for you, apples taste great, too! Learn some more about this fruit by reading part of the book APPLES by Rhoda Nottridge. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF different varieties of apples in the world, and most people have their favorites. In the United States, just three varieties Delicious (also called Red Delicious), Golden Delicious, and McIntosh make up more than half of all apples grown and marketed. Granny Smiths are favored by Australians and Argentineans. Cox s Orange Pippin has long been popular in England. Apples can be divided into four groups. First there are small, sour-tasting apples called crab apples. Crab apples are not good to eat fresh, although jelly and jam can be made from some of them. There are apples used to make juice and cider and others used for baking and cooking. The best baking apples are often tart or bitter when raw but taste good when they have been cooked. The last type of apple is the dessert apple. Dessert apples vary in size, shape, and color, but all are good to eat right off the tree. Fruit growers combine the best apples in hybrid varieties. The orange-colored hybrid named Jonagold is a cross between a Jonathan and a Golden Delicious apple. The Golden Delicious apple grew by chance from a seedling. In 1914, this sweet, yellow-colored apple was entered in a contest. It was so delicious that one of the judges tracked the tree down and bought it from the surprised West Virginia farmer for $5000. To protect his investment, the new owner had a burglar-proof steel cage fitted around the tree! Oregon Department of Education 1 September, 2005

3 SRC 1 Vocabulary (Antonyms and Synonyms) This article tells you that just three varieties of apples make up most of the apples grown in the United States. A synonym for varieties is A. tastes. B. colors. C. types.* D. trees. SRC 3 Demonstrate General Understanding (Comprehend Informational Text) According to this article, apples can be divided into groups. How many groups does this story say we can divide apples into? A. Two B. Three C. Four* D. Five SRC 3 Demonstrate General Understanding (Problems and Solutions) How did the judge protect the Golden Delicious apple tree that he bought? A. He put a cage around it.* B. He hid it in his garden. C. He planted it in a greenhouse. D. He hired a guard to watch it. SRC 3 Demonstrate General Understanding (Main Ideas & Supporting Details) This article is mostly A. giving general information about apples.* B. telling how to cook apples. C. describing how to grow apples. D. discussing the importance of apples. SRC 4 Develop an Interpretation (Cause/Effect & Fact/Opinion) This article gives facts and opinions. Which statement below is an opinion? A. Apples have a great taste.* B. Jonagold is a cross between a Jonathan and a Golden Delicious apple. C. Apples can be divided into four groups. D. The Golden Delicious grew from a seedling. Oregon Department of Education 2 September, 2005

4 ROBBY (LITERARY TEXT) In ROBBY: A TRUE STORY, Catherine Roberts writes about a little black horse and some of the other horses on the farm. Read the story and answer the questions that follow. THE LITTLE BLACK HORSE was sweet and everyone liked him. But Robby was blind in one eye, and the other horses took advantage of him by coming up on his blind side and nipping at him. All groups of animals establish a pecking order, and the horses on the farm were no exception. There was the boss, then the second in command, and so on down the line. They observed this ranking at the water tank and everywhere else, and trouble came to any horse who went ahead in turn. Robby, of course, was always last in line. The horses were trained to come at the sound of a whistle. This saved the farmer long treks to the pasture, especially on cold days. Late every afternoon when the whistle blew, the horses would come galloping in for the oats and corn they knew were waiting for them. One day a new horse joined the herd. He grazed at a discreet distance from the rest, waiting to learn his proper place. Bo had come from a farm with very poor pasture and he was enjoying the long grass. That first day when the whistle blew, the others came running as usual. But Bo, who didn t know what the whistle meant, kept right on grazing. When the herd got to the top of the hill, Robby looked back and saw Bo still eating. A certain amount of reasoning must have gone on in his little black head. He knew Bo didn t understand about the whistle, so turning away from the good supper he knew was waiting, Robby went back down the hill. He nipped at Bo, getting him to run, and then herded him in after the others. Bo got his share of oats and corn that night. And from that day on, he came in with the rest at the sound of the whistle. Robby, the little horse at the end of the line, the one who was pestered and pushed around and knew what it meant to be left out, had taken the trouble to help a newcomer learn the ways of his new home. Oregon Department of Education 3 September, 2005

5 SRC 1 Vocabulary (Context Clues) The story tells you that the new horse kept right on grazing after the whistle blew. In this sentence, grazing means the new horse was A. running quickly. B. eating grass.* C. looking around. D. drinking water. SRC 1 Vocabulary (Context Clues) The story says that a whistle saved the farmer long treks. This means that the farmer didn t have to A. wait for the horses. B. hike out to get the horses.* C. get a rope for the horses. D. build high fences for the horses. SRC 3 Demonstrate General Understanding (Significant Events) How did Robby get Bo to go with the other horses to get the oats and corn? A. He pulled Bo with a rope. B. He whinnied and pawed the ground. C. He led the way to the food. D. He nipped and herded Bo.* SRC 4 Develop an Interpretation (Interpret Characterization) Which of these words best describes Robby? A. Troublesome B. Greedy C. Frisky D. Understanding* SRC 4 Develop an Interpretation (Make Predictions) What could happen the next time there is a new horse in the pasture? A. Bo will be mean to the new horse. B. The other horses will probably fight Robby and Bo. C. Robby will probably help the new horse.* D. The new horse will already know about the whistle. Oregon Department of Education 4 September, 2005

6 SRC 4 Develop an Interpretation (Determine Theme) Through this story, the author is teaching us to A. help those who are new.* B. take care of ourselves. C. follow directions. D. eat at mealtimes. SRC 4 Develop an Interpretation (Cause and Effect Relationships) Why do you think Robby helped Bo? A. Robby understood how it felt to need help.* B. Robby wanted to be bossy. C. Robby wanted to eat Bo s share of food. D. Robby liked to be mean. CREATURE FEATURES (PRACTICAL TEXT) On this graph you will see animals that lived about 110 million years ago! Some of these animals are extinct, but some of these animals exist today. Use this graph to answer the questions. Oregon Department of Education 5 September, 2005

7 SRC 2 Read to Perform a Task (Interpret Charts, Diagrams and Graphs) Which two animals from the graph are the smallest? A. American Crocodile and Black Rhinoceros B. African Elephant and Velociraptor C. Black Rhinoceros and Velociraptor* D. Giraffe and American Crocodile SRC 2 Read to Perform a Task (Interpret Charts, Diagrams and Graphs) How many feet long is the Tyrannosaurus? A. 19 feet B. 100 feet C. 30 feet D. 40 feet* SRC 2 Read to Perform a Task (Interpret Charts, Diagrams and Graphs) Which animal on the graph is thirteen feet tall? A. American Crocodile B. African Elephant* C. Triceratops D. Black Rhinoceros TOTEM POLES (INFORMATIONAL TEXT) The following information is from a book by Debra L. Seabury and Susan L. Peeples. By reading this, you will learn something about totem poles. TOTEM POLES WERE CARVED out of giant cedar trees by the Northwest Coastal Indians. A totem pole is like a book that you might read. The totem poles were a way of passing stories from one generation to another. The figures on the totem poles were symbols, usually of animals and birds. They were not worshipped. The represented a tribe, clan, family, or person. Some totem poles told about the history of a family. Still others were memorials carved to mark graves. Having a totem pole was an honor, and often families would trade all of their possessions for the honor of having a pole. Oregon Department of Education 6 September, 2005

8 After felling the cedar tree, carvers would begin by carving symbols at the top of the tree and work toward the bottom. A totem pole could be small or large. A large totem pole might be more than 60 feet high and could take two of three years to carve. The Coastal Indians used handmade tools for carving. The maul or hammer was made of stone with a wooden handle. The adz, which worked like an axe, was made with a sharpened flat, hard stone blade. And chisels for carving were made from sharpened stone or animal horn. After the totem poles were carved, they were sometimes painted with animal hair brushes. The paint colors were made from bark, coal, clay, copper, berries, and shells that were mixed with crushed salmon eggs. Black, red, blue, green, and white were the most common colors painted on totem poles. When the pole was finished, it was ready to be raised and put into place. If the totem pole was to be used for a doorway, a large hole was cut through the bottom as the entrance. To set up the giant poles the Coastal Indians dug a hole in the ground and put the bottom of the pole into the hole. Then, with many men using ropes, they pulled the pole to an upright position. SRC 3 Demonstrate General Understanding (Comprehend Informational Text) Totem poles were carved by skilled craftsmen from very large trees. About how long did it take to carve a large totem pole? A. It could take two or three years to carve a large totem pole.* B. No one knows how long it took to carve them. C. It usually took about 60 years to carve one pole. D. The carving took 5 years and the painting took 4 years. SRC 4 Develop an Interpretation (Make Predictions) The rest of the book will most likely include information about A. U.S. forests. B. Southwest U.S. cities. C. early North Americans.* D. the life cycle of trees. Oregon Department of Education 7 September, 2005

9 BIG BOY (LITERARY TEXT) Kids all over the world like to have fun. BIG BOY by Tololwa M. Mollel is a story about a boy who lives in Africa and wants to have an adventure. The boy s name is Oli, a name you may not have heard before. Oli s brother is named Mbachu. There are two words in the story that will be new to you ugali and kanga. See if you can figure out what they mean. OLI DIDN T WANT TO EAT his ugali. He didn t want to take a nap. He wanted to go bird hunting in the woods with his big brother Mbachu. His mama said no. You are too little, she told him. Oli protested and hung on to his brother but Mbachu shook him off and left for the woods, dangling his slingshot proudly around his neck. Mama spoke soothingly to Oli. Here, finish your lunch and drink some water. After lunch, singing quietly, she carried him to bed. When will I be big, Mama? Oli asked. Mama smiled. Only after many more naps, little one. I am tired of being a little one, grumbled Oli. But you are my only little one, Mama said, draping her colorful kanga over him. Who else could I sing to and tell stories? Alone in the room, Oli stared at the smoke-darkened ceiling and wished he were big. Big enough to do without a nap. Big enough to walk side by side with his big brother in the woods. No, even bigger. Big enough to lead the way, Mbachu huffing and puffing to catch up. Oli sat up and listened. All was quiet. From under the mattress, he pulled out his slingshot. Then he sneaked out of the house. Oregon Department of Education 8 September, 2005

10 SRC 1 Vocabulary (Context Clues) The story tells you that Oli protested when Mama told him he couldn t go into the woods with his brother. What was Oli doing when he protested? A. He was agreeing with his Mama. B. He was feeling happy that he was small. C. He was saying that he wasn t too little.* D. He was feeling lucky to own a slingshot. SRC 3 Demonstrate General Understanding (Identify Speaker/Narrator) Who is telling this story? A. Oli s Mama B. Mbachu C. The narrator* D. Oli SRC 3 Demonstrate General Understanding (Order of Events) Which of these happened LAST in this story? A. Mbachu went to the woods. B. Oli got out his slingshot.* C. Mama sang to Oli. D. Oli said he was tired of being little. SRC 3 Demonstrate General Understanding (Significant Events) Oli was upset because he had to take a nap. What did Oli want to do instead of taking his nap? A. He wanted to eat his ugali. B. He wanted to wear Mama s colorful kanga. C. He wanted to play with his friends. D. He wanted to go hunting.* SRC 4 Develop an Interpretation (Make Predictions) What do you think Oli probably did after he sneaked out of the house? A. He hunted for birds with his slingshot for a while.* B. He stayed away from his house for two days. C. He found his brother, and they went to the village. D. He came right back to his home to take his nap. Oregon Department of Education 9 September, 2005

11 CHEESY BISCUITS (PRACTICAL TEXT) If you like to cook, you might want to try this recipe from Susan Wohe s book called BUTTER. Cheesy Biscuits (makes about 12 biscuits) You will need: 2 cups flour 1/3 cup butter 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup milk 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated 1. Put flour in bowl. Cut in butter. 2. Add baking powder, salt, milk, and grated cheese. 3. Stir the mixture just enough for the ingredients to be combined. 4. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough so it s ½ inch thick. 5. Use a cookie cutter to cut circles into the dough. 6. Put the circles on a lightly greased baking sheet. Preheat oven to 450 o F and bake for 10 minutes or until brown. SRC 2 Read to Perform a Task (Following Directions) How will you know when the cheesy biscuits are done? A. They will be brown.* B. There will be about twelve of them. C. They won t stick to the baking sheet. D. The salt will dissolve. SRC 2 Read to Perform a Task (Following Directions) Which of these do you put in the mixing bowl first? A. Flour* B. Butter C. Milk D. Cheddar cheese SRC 2 Read to Perform a Task (Following Directions) Which of these do you use LAST when making the biscuits? A. Mixing bowl B. Cookie cutter* C. Rolling pin D. Teaspoon Oregon Department of Education 10 September, 2005

12 ALIVE AND WELL (PRACTICAL TEXT) Staying alive and being healthy don t happen all by themselves. We have to do some things to make sure we stay well. Look at this table of contents from Joy Wilt s book called KEEPING YOUR BODY ALIVE AND WELL, and then answer the questions that follow. CONTENTS 1. Introduction 5 2. A Person Needs Good Food A Person Needs Water, Air and Sunshine A Person Needs Exercise A Person Needs Rest and Sleep A Person Needs to be Clean A Person Needs Proper Clothing A Person Needs Adequate Shelter Conclusion 125 SRC 2 Read to Perform A Task (Locate Information) What page should you go to if you want to read a little bit to get an idea of what the whole book is about? A. Page 5* B. Page 41 C. Page 101 D. Page 113 SRC 2 Read to Perform A Task (Locate Information) On which page would you look to find out how many hours you should sleep? A. Page 5 B. Page 41 C. Page 83* D. Page 113 SRC 2 Read to Perform A Task (Locate Information) How many chapters are in this book? A. 123 B. 113 C. 9* D. 5 Oregon Department of Education 11 September, 2005