Grade 3 ELA Practice Passages. Name:

Transcription

1 Grade 3 ELA Practice Passages Name: Fiction Passages Fiction Mentor Passage: Jump * Practice 1: Too Much of a Good Thing ** Practice 2: Cinderella ** Practice 3: The Sharing * Practice 4: Go Fish * Nonfiction Passages Nonfiction Mentor Passage: Copycat Elephants * Practice 1: Making an Egg Float in Water ** Practice 2: Dolores Huerta ** Practice 3: Eliza s Cherry Trees * Practice 4: A Race to the Rescue * Poetry Passages Poetry Mentor Passage: The Cow * Practice 1: Snowman Sniffles ** Practice 2: My Hand Was In the Cookie Jar * Practice 3: Squirrel * 1

2 Grade 3 Fiction Mentor Passage Jump! by Sara Matson 1 I rub the goose bumps on my arms as a kid struts to the end of the diving board. He gives a friend on the ground the thumbs-up and launches into a cannonball. Boing! SPLASH! He comes up laughing. 2 See, Taylor? I tell myself. It s easy. Fun. 3 Four kids to go until my turn. At the front of the line, a girl in a pink suit giggles with her friend. 4 Go! my little brother, Travis, yells to them. 5 Let s jump together, Pink Girl tells her friend. 6 The gigglers reach the sixth rung of the ladder before the lifeguard whistles. 7 Just one at a time! she shouts. 8 Pink Girl goes on alone, slowly. Will she change her mind, like I did last week? Will the lifeguard have to help her down the ladder while everyone stares? 9 In front of me, Travis hops around like a monkey. 10 Pink Girl jumps, her hair shooting out like a parachute. SPLASH! 11 Three kids to go. Travis steps on my foot. 12 Watch it! I snap. 13 Sorry. He moves away, just as Pink Girl s friend does a first-class belly flop. 14 My brother s face lights up. Did you see that? 15 I don t answer. Only two kids to go. 16 My stomach bubbles like a pot of oatmeal on the stove. 17 You don t have to do this, I tell myself. 2

3 18 But next week is the pool party, my brain argues. You ll be the only one who can t go on the diving board. 19 The board clunks, and a girl dives gracefully into the pool. Life is so unfair. 20 Travis is next. He scampers up the ladder and waves his skinny arms. Watch this! 21 I close my eyes, then open them just in time to see him hop off the end of the board. He pops out of the water, grinning. I can t help smiling, too. Nothing scares that kid. 22 The boy behind me taps my shoulder. It s my turn. 23 I count the rungs as I climb. 24 One. 25 Two, three. 26 Four, five, six. 27 Seven, eight. 28 Nine. 29 Blue water stretches out in front of me. Kids are shooting off the waterslide at the other end of the pool. A boy runs across the concrete. A lifeguard blows her whistle at him. Everywhere, everyone is moving. Except me. 30 What are you waiting for? demands a kid on the ground. 3

4 31 I step forward. The water looks so far away. 32 Then I see Travis standing by the lifeguard s chair, shivering. His eyes lock on mine. You can do it! he yells. 33 That s what I ve always told him: When he was learning to tie his shoes. Or write his name. Or ride his bike without training wheels. You can do it. 34 I take a deep breath and step out into nothing. My body drops, my stomach rises. Then my toes slice the water and I plunge deep. I flap my arms and pull myself to the surface, where my face finds the sun. I DID IT! 35 Travis is doing a happy dance. 36 I climb out, dripping. Hey, I say, like I ve been doing this forever. Let s go again. 4

5 Fiction Mentor Passage QUESTIONS Answer the questions about Jump below. 1. Read the sentence from paragraph 8. Pink Girl goes on alone, slowly. Will she change her mind, like I did last week? Will the lifeguard have to help her down the ladder while everyone stares? What does this paragraph help the reader understand about Taylor? a. It shows that Taylor dislikes Pink Girl. b. It shows that Taylor doesn t want to go off the diving board alone. c. It shows that Taylor changes her mind often. d. It shows that Taylor tried to go off the diving board last week but got scared and had to have the lifeguard help her down. 2. Why does Taylor want to try to dive again? a. She doesn t want Pink Girl to make fun of her. b. She wants to be ready for her upcoming pool party. c. She promised her brother. d. The lifeguard encouraged her to try again. 3. In paragraph 16, it says: My stomach bubbles like a pot of oatmeal on the stove. The author wrote this to show: a. Taylor s nervousness b. Taylor s sickness c. Taylor s anger d. Taylor s frustration 4. What does the story mostly show about Taylor s relationship with her brother, Travis? a. They are competitive with each other. b. Travis drives Taylor crazy. c. They encourage each other. d. Taylor often ignores Travis. 5

6 5. As she waits her turn, how does Taylor feel about jumping off the diving board? Use two details from the story to support your answer. 6

7 Fiction Practice Passage #1 Too Much of a Good Thing By Sybil Parrish 1 Zelda pressed the button on the spaceship s food maker. Normally, a food maker could make anything you wanted. All you had to do was say pizza, popcorn, or whatever and press a button. Then it would make whatever you had asked for instantly. But the food maker on the spaceship had been broken for days. Now it would only make ice cream. And the ship was still over a week away from her grandparents planet. 2 Yum! This is great, said Zelda, grinning. She sat down at the table with a heaping bowl of chocolate ice cream. 3 Well, I for one am getting tired of ice cream, grumbled Zelda s dad. A bowl of soup would taste great about now! 4 Zelda s sister Anka piped up. How can anyone get tired of ice cream? This is like a dream come true! 5 Zelda s dad sighed. We wouldn t even have this problem if we had lived two hundred years ago. 6 I know, replied Zelda. People used to fix their own food. They grew it or shopped at places called grocery stores. They never knew how great a broken food maker could be! 7 But after two more days, even Zelda and her sister were tired of ice cream. Zelda just wanted something anything that wasn t cold and sweet. 8 Suddenly, Zelda smiled and said, I have an idea! Let s fix some food for ourselves, like in the old days. We could ask to pick some vegetables from the ship s garden. It might even be fun to make our own meal! 9 Make a meal? How will we know if we re picking beans or beets or broccoli? Anka blurted out, shaking her head. And, and just how do we fix a potato? 10 That s easy! laughed Zelda. The ship s computer can help us. C mon, let s get started! 7

8 11 All the grown-ups thought the girls had a great idea, even the ship s captain. She d had her fill of ice cream, too. Just be sure to make me a big bowl of hot green beans. And add a side order of mashed potatoes! the captain joked. 12 Zelda was so excited they were going to be human food makers! She tried to remember the word once used for people who fixed meals. Then it came to her. They were called cooks. 1. What can you tell about the setting from the story? A B C D It takes place outside a restaurant. It takes place on another planet. It takes place inside a spaceship It takes place next to an ice cream shop. 2. Read these sentences from the story. How can anyone get tired of ice cream? Zelda s sister Anka piped up. This is like a dream come true! What kind of speaking voice could you use to show Anka s point of view in these sentences? A B C D an excited voice a quiet voice a mean voice a surprised voice 8

9 3. Read the sentence from the story. But the food maker on the spaceship had been broken for days. What question does this sentence answer? A How do food makers work on a spaceship? B What kinds of food does the food maker make? C Why does the food maker make only ice cream? D What does a food maker look like? 4. How does Zelda meet the challenge of having a broken food maker? A B C D She makes the best of having to eat so much ice cream She remembers that people who fix meals are called cooks. She thinks about planting a vegetable garden on the spaceship. She comes up with the idea of cooking a meal themselves. 5. Read the central message of this story. Even good things are best in small amounts. Which detail from the story supports this central message? A The food maker stops working the way it should. B People in Zelda s time no longer shop at grocery stores. C Zelda and Anka get tired of eating ice cream every day. D Zelda thinks it might be fun to be a human food maker. 9

10 6. In the first part of the story, Zelda and her dad have different points of view about the broken food maker. How does Zelda feel about the broken food maker? How does her dad feel? Use details from the text to support your response. 10

11 Fiction Practice Passage #2 Cinderella A Brother s Grimm fairy tale, retold by Annika Pederson 1 Cinderella missed her real mother. Her new stepmother made Cinderella work day and night. She cleaned and cooked, and cooked and cleaned, and cleaned some more. All the while her two new stepsisters did nothing. At night, Cinderella slept in the cold ashes by the fireplace. The ashes and cinders made her face and clothes look dirty. That is how she came to be called Cinderella. 2 One day her father was going to town. His new wife and stepdaughters told him to bring back fine dresses and jewels. He asked Cinderella what he might get for her. 3 Bring back the first branch that strikes your hat on the way home, she said. 4 Her father found this strange. But he brought her what she had asked for. 5 Cinderella planted the branch on her mother s grave. Then she cried and cried. Her many tears watered the twig. It blossomed at once into a beautiful hazel tree. A white bird sat in it. The bird told Cinderella it would grant any wish. 6 At that time, the king made plans for a great party. His son, the price, would choose a bride at the party. 7 Cinderella wanted to go. But her stepmother and stepsisters just laughed at her. You do not even have a nice dress or shoes! they said. 8 Cinderella went to the hazel tree and made a wish. The white bird gave her a gold dress with gold slippers. Cinderella put them on and ran to the party. 9 No one knew her in her beautiful new dress. But the prince liked her so much, he would dance with no one else! And she liked him. As soon as the party ended, though, Cinderella ran away. But one of her gold slippers stuck to some mud and came off. 10 The next day, the prince and his men searched for the owner of the gold slipper. But the slipper did not fit anyone, not even the stepsisters. The prince sadly asked, Is there no one else? And the family said, Only Cinderella. 11

12 11 Her foot fit easily into the slipper. At last the prince had found the lovely woman who had danced with him. So Cinderella would become his bride. As they rode to the castle, the white bird landed on Cinderella s shoulder. At last, all her wishes were coming true. 12

13 Answer the following questions. 1. What challenges does Cinderella face because of her new stepmother? A. She must find a way to leave for town with her father. B. She must keep her two stepsisters from getting new dresses. C. She must learn to love her stepmother as much as her real mother. D. She must do all the hard work while her stepsisters do nothing. 2. Read these sentences from paragraph 1 of Cinderella. She cleaned and cooked, and cooked and cleaned, and cleaned some more. All the while, her two new stepsisters did nothing. Which best explains why the author repeats the words cleaned and cooked? A. to show that Cinderella wanted to please her new stepmother B. to show that Cinderella had so much work that she could never stop C. to show that Cinderella was very good at both cooking and cleaning D. to show that Cinderella liked to keep busy to make her stepsisters happy 3. What do the stepsisters think about Cinderella wanting to go to the dance? A. They would let her go if she had better shoes. B. They are surprised she even knows how to dance. C. They feel she is foolish for thinking she could go. D. They are worried the prince will like her the best. 4. Read the sentence from paragraph 5: It blossomed at once into a beautiful hazel tree. What does the word blossomed in paragraph 5 most likely mean? A. created flowers B. grew C. bought D. wrapped 13

14 Fiction Practice Passage #3 While walking home from school, Tino often stops to visit his neighbor, Mrs. Sunday. For one visit, Tino decides to take his favorite model car with him to show her. Read The Sharing to find out more about his visit and answer the questions that follow. The Sharing By Leo Buscaglia 1 Tino brought his favorite miniature car, the Packard, to school the next day. It was the car that had taken him and his father the longest time to make, and it was his favorite. He wrapped it carefully in a handkerchief and packed it into his lunch box. 2 Mrs. Sunday was on her porch when Tino arrived. 3 Tino, what a nice surprise. Mrs. Sunday seemed very happy to see him. It made him feel good. My first visitor today, she said. 4 I brought something to show you, he said. It s a model of an old car they don t make anymore. It was called a Packard. He held it out to her. She took it carefully into her hands. 5 You made this? she asked. It s beautiful! You know, a long time ago we had a real Packard. 6 You had a real Packard? 7 I know I have pictures of it somewhere. Wouldn t it be fun to find them? Come and look, Mrs. Sunday said. Tino followed her into the living room. It was very dark inside. Still, he was surprised to see how nice it was. Everything was very old: framed photographs, paintings, vases, glasses, books, and old-fashioned lamps everywhere. 8 Let s see, said Mrs. Sunday, I think the photo albums are in that large cupboard over there, under those boxes. You can get to them more easily than I can. Tino rummaged among the boxes where Mrs. Sunday pointed. 9 That s it... there, she said. Tino carefully took out the large photo album. 10 Oh dear. Look at the dust. It s been a long time since I ve looked at this. Now, let s see. There s more light by the window. We can raise the shade. 14

15 11 Tino raised the shade. Warm sunlight streamed into the room and swallowed the darkness. 12 Mrs. Sunday said, It s much nicer with the shades raised. I can t imagine why I ve been living in the dark. 13 They settled side by side, and Mrs. Sunday opened the album. 14 Here I am with my husband, Ben, when we were first married. Can you imagine that I ever looked so young? 15 She showed him another photograph. And these are my children. 16 Quickly she turned a few more pages. Ah, here it is! she said, touching a photo of a shiny, black automobile. Just look at that! Isn t it beautiful? Riding in that car always made me feel so good. We d pile the children in on Sundays and have such a good time. I loved that Packard, she said, and now my new friend Tino has a Packard and it s his favorite, too. 17 They both laughed. These photographs are full of memories for me, Mrs. Sunday told Tino. Every picture tells its own story. My past is on every page. Tino wondered why she had tears in her eyes if her memories were as nice as she said they were. 18 Afterward they sat at the kitchen table and drank milk and ate fresh gingersnaps. Tino liked being with Mrs. Sunday. She was not like other grownups. She spoke right to him and listened to him as if he were really there. Most of all, she was interested in him and in the things he was doing. 19 You know, Tino stammered, rather ashamed, before I knew you, I was afraid of you. 20 Afraid of me? Mrs. Sunday laughed. Oh, Tino, you can see that there is so little of me to be afraid of. After a moment, she asked, And what do you think now? 21 I think you re real nice, Tino said, matter-of-factly. 15

16 Answer the following questions about The Sharing : 1. Based on the selection, what is the most likely reason Tino chooses to show his model car to Mrs. Sunday? a. It is a gift for her. b. It is important to him. c. It is like the one she made. d. It is the biggest one he owns. 2. Read the sentence from paragraph 11 below: Warm sunlight streamed into the room and swallowed the darkness. What does the sentence show about the room? a. It became cold. b. It became quiet. c. It became scary. d. It became bright. 3. In paragraph 17, what does Mrs. Sunday mean when she says, Every picture tells its own story? a. Each picture has appeared in a book. b. Each picture makes her want to read a book. c. Each picture helps her remember a happy time. d. Each picture has something written on the back. 4. What does the story mostly show about Mrs. Sunday? a. She enjoys sitting on her front porch. b. She enjoys sharing her memories with others. c. She enjoys looking through photo albums often. d. She enjoys building model cars with her friends. 16

17 5. How does Tino feel about Mrs. Sunday at the end of the selection? a. He feels proud of her. b. He feels sorry for her. c. He feels worried about her. d. He feels comfortable with her. 6. Based on the selection, explain why Tino enjoys visiting Mrs. Sunday. Be sure to include examples from the text in your response. 17

18 Fiction Practice Passage #4 Thomas and his grandfather are fishing off a pier for trout. They have been fishing for quite a while. Go Fish by Mary Stolz 1 How long do we have to be patient? Thomas asked. 2 As long as it takes, said Grandfather. 3 This didn t sound good. Thomas scowled, scratched his arm, his head, his ankle. He shifted from one leg to the other. 4 Observe, Thomas, how quietly they wait the pelicans and our friend the heron. They don t wriggle and writhe, like some I could name. 5 They don t have anything to do but wait. 6 Thomas, I ve said it before and I say it again, you are a restless boy. 7 I know, Thomas said. Grandfather? 8 Yes, Thomas? 9 When you were a boy, were you restless? 10 Grandfather tipped his head till his beard pointed at the sky. I ll cast my mind back. 11 Thomas waited. 12 Grandfather lowered his chin, looked into Thomas s eyes. I was, he said. 13 Oh, good. 14 Grandfather threw out their lines again, handed Thomas his pole. They went on being patient. 15 They d had a few strikes, but each time the fish got the bait and Thomas and Grandfather got nothing. 18

19 16 All part of the game, Grandfather would say, calmly rebaiting. 17 Thomas landed a blowfish. It came out of the water already starting on its defense. Breathing deeply, it began to puff up, swelling until it looked like a bubblegum bubble with spines. 18 Thinks he looks pretty fierce, doesn t he, Grandfather? 19 He does look fierce, for a fellow his size. Grandfather dropped the stiff little blownup blowfish into the water, where it slimmed down and swam off as if nothing unusual had happened. 20 They caught a flounder. 21 Flounders are bottom fish, and mostly spend their lives buried in sand. Their eyes are on top of their heads, they are flat as plates, and the one they caught was too small to keep. Carefully, Grandfather slid it back into the water. Too bad. Flounder were good eating. Especially the way Grandfather prepared them. 22 Thinking about Grandfather s cooking made Thomas s mouth water. 23 You re a very good cook, Grandfather, he said. 24 True. 25 I m getting kind of hungry. 26 So am I, said Grandfather. He did not sound ready to quit. 27 Thomas sighed and moved his rod gently up and down. 28 They caught a ladyfish. These are not good eating. 29 Grandfather was about to toss it back when the heron darted forward and took it right from his hand, then tossed his head up and set about swallowing. 30 Thomas watched as the bony fish went down the bird s long neck. 31 I m glad we don t have to swallow whole fish that way, he said. 32 So am I, said Grandfather. 33 Suddenly Thomas s rod dipped. A fish flipped out of the water a long way off. 19

20 34 Speckled trout, said Grandfather. A big one. Gently, now, Thomas. You don t want him to throw the hook. 35 I m trying, Thomas said, turning the reel as slowly as he could. He wished Grandfather would take over, but didn t ask. 36 Grandfather believed it was every man to his own fish. 37 Slowly, slowly, he reeled in his trout until it was close enough for Grandfather to scoop up with the net. He was willing to do that. 38 By golly, Thomas! he shouted. Look at the size of him! 39 Thomas, swelling like a blowfish, regarded his catch proudly. He ll have to go in the book, won t he, Grandfather? 40 He certainly will. A page to himself, like the snook we caught. 41 You caught. 42 All right. I caught. But this is your fish, and you are the one to write him in the book. 43 Oh, good, Thomas said happily. 44 Now let s go to it, said Grandfather. This crowd of trout is here, and we have to strike before they take off. 45 In the excitement, Thomas forgot to be tired. 46 Side by side, he and his grandfather caught fifteen trout and had to send only three of them back to sea to grow bigger and maybe be caught another day. 47 Twelve good-sized fish. Grandfather would keep out enough for tonight and tomorrow s dinner, and freeze the rest for later eating. 48 Thomas swallowed hungrily, thinking about dinner. 49 All right, Grandfather said at last. Let s go home. 50 Collecting their gear, richer by twelve speckled trout, they clanked back up the beach. 20

21 1. Which line from the best text shows Grandfather s patience? a. Thomas, I ve said it before and I say it again, you are a restless boy. b. Grandfather tipped his head till his beard pointed at the sky. c. All part of the game, Grandfather would say, calmly rebaiting. d. Grandfather believed it was every man to his own fish. 2. Based on the selection, what is the most likely reason Grandfather doesn t help Thomas reel in the fish? a. Grandfather doesn t know how to reel in trout. b. Grandfather wants Thomas to experience the challenge of reeling in a fish all by himself. c. Grandfather is angry with Thomas for being impatient. d. Grandfather is busy catching his own fish. 3. Why is Thomas swelling like a blowfish in paragraph 39? Use at least two details from the story to support your response. 21

22 4. Thomas s mood changes from the beginning of the story to the end. How does Thomas feel at the beginning of the story? How does he feel at the end? Why does his mood change? Use details from the story to support your response. In your response, be sure to explain how Thomas feels at the beginning of the story explain how Thomas feels at the end of the story explain why his mood changes use details from the story to support your response 22

23 Nonfiction Mentor Passage Copycat Elephants by Michael Thai What do elephants and parrots have in common? 1 You may have seen a talking parrot on a TV show, in a movie, or even in someone s home. The parrot has learned to copy sounds that people make. Birds are not the only animals that can copy the noises they hear. Dolphins, bats, and some apes also mimic sounds. Now we can add elephants to this list of copycats. 2 Dr. Joyce H. Poole is a zoologist. She studies the sounds of elephants. While she was in Kenya, she would hear strange noises made by Mlaika after sunset. Mlaika was a 10-yearold African elephant. 3 Mlaika lived near a highway. Dr. Poole says, I could not tell the difference between Mlaika s call and the distant truck noise. She and other scientists studied Mlaika s sounds. It turned out that Mlaika was copying the sounds of the trucks driving by. Chirping Elephants 4 Mlaika was not the only copycat elephant, Dr. Poole says. Calimero is a 23-year-old male African elephant. He spent 18 years with two female Asian elephants. Asian elephants make chirping sounds to talk with one another. African elephants usually do not make chirping sounds. But Calimero now does. He is copying his Asian elephant friends. 5 Only a few other mammals, such as bats, dolphins, and humans, have learned to copy noises around them. Many of them seem to copy the sounds of friends to create a special bond. 6 Dr. Poole says that elephants, too, need to form bonds with their family and friends. She says, They make sounds to communicate with each other. When they are separated, they use sound to keep in contact. 7 Why would Mlaika copy trucks that she heard going by on the highway? Animals that are able to mimic sounds may enjoy practicing new sounds. When they are kept outside of their natural environment, they may copy unusual sounds. That may be why an elephant would copy the sound of a truck. 8 Parrots, dolphins, humans, and elephants show that being a copycat is one way that animals and people make new friends and keep old ones. 23

24 1. Which detail about Mlaika helps explain the strange sounds she was making? a. She was an African elephant. b. She lived in Kenya. c. She lived near a highway. d. She was ten years old. 2. Which paragraph in the article shows how people are most like the animals? a. paragraph 2 b. paragraph 3 c. paragraph 5 d. paragraph 7 3. Which detail best supports the article s main idea? a. Parrots copy human sounds. b. People copy sounds and noises. c. Mlaika is one of the elephants that copy sounds. d. Dr. Joyce H. Poole studies mammals that copy sounds. 4. Read the sentence from paragraph 7. When they are kept outside of their natural environment, they may copy unusual sounds. What is the meaning of environment in this sentence? a. the work a person or animal does b. the place a person or animal lives c. the family a person or animal has d. the noise a person or animal makes 24

25 5. Read the sentence from the article. It turned out that Mlaika was copying the sounds of the trucks driving by. (paragraph 3) How does paragraph 7 support this sentence? a. It gives a new example of Mlaika copying sounds. b. It shows how Mlaika enjoyed studying the trucks. c. It gives a possible reason for Mlaika copying sounds. d. It shows how Mlaika learned to make the truck sounds. 6. Read the sentence from paragraph 6. Dr. Poole says that elephants, too, need to form bonds with their family and friends. Which action in the article best shows the forming of a bond? a. imitating a truck b. talking on television c. learning to chirp d. studying animal sounds 7. Based on information from this article, explain why elephants may copy sounds they hear. Use details from the text to support your response. 25

26 Nonfiction Practice Passage #1 Making an Egg Float in Water By Stefan Anderson You know that some things float in water and other things sink. Now use an egg, salt and water to find out why. Are you ready to get started? What You Will Need: fresh water a clear drinking glass an egg salt a spoon a tablespoon What to Do: 1. Fill the glass about half full with water. 2. Place the egg gently in the glass. Watch what happens. 3. Use the spoon to carefully remove the egg. Set the egg gently on the table. 4. Add 6 tablespoons of salt to the water. Stir until the salt disappears. 5. Place the egg gently in the glass. Watch what happens now. Fresh Water Salt Water 26

27 What happened? 1 The egg sank in the fresh water. It floated in the salt water. Why? The answer can be explained by looking at what things are made of. 2 Everything is made up of tiny bits of matter. The bits are so small that people can t even see them. 3 Some things are made of tiny bits that are packed close together. These things are dense. Other things are made of tiny bits that are spread far apart. These things are less dense. 4 In the fresh water, the egg sank. The egg was denser than the water. But when you added salt to the water, you packed more tiny bits into it. You made the water denser than the egg. This caused the egg to float. 5 A glass of salt water and a glass of fresh water don t weigh the same. Which one do you think weighs more? The glass of salt water does. Salt water is denser, which means it s made up of more tiny bits. These extra bits add extra weight. Answer the following questions based on what you read. 1. What should happen before you place the egg in the glass for the first time? A. The water should be stirred well with the spoon. B. Salt should be added to the glass of water. C. The glass should be filled about half full of water. D. The water and salt should be mixed together. 2. What is the meaning of the word remove in step 3? A. Break apart B. Stir around C. Settle down D. Take out 27

28 3. How does the picture help you understand what happens in steps 2 and 5? A. It shows how to pour an equal amount of water into each glass. B. It shows that the egg sinks in fresh water and floats in salt water. C. It shows which kinds of eggs are less dense than other eggs. D. It shows why fresh water is always clearer than salt water. 4. What does paragraph 3 under What Happened? mostly tell about? A. Why salt water weighs more than fresh water B. How to make an egg float in water C. Why we can t see the tiny bits that things are made of D. What it means when things are dense or less dense 5. Which sentence from the passage tells why the egg sank in the fresh water? A. Everything is made up of tiny bits of matter. B. The bits are so small that people can t even see them. C. The egg was denser than the water. D. You made the water denser than the egg. 6. Look back at the last paragraph of the passage. The author makes the point that salt water weighs more than fresh water. What reason does the author give to support this point? 28

29 Nonfiction Practice Passage #2 Dolores Huerta 1 Dolores Huerta has worked hard most of her life to help other people. She has helped change things so that farm workers can have a better life. 2 Dolores grew up in California. She was a good student and liked school. After she finished high school, she went to college and studied to be a teacher. After she became a teacher, Dolores noticed that many of her students were not getting enough food to eat. Some of them wore very old clothes. Dolores wondered how she could help them. 3 Dolores decided to stop teaching so that she could spend more time helping the farm workers and their families. Dolores did not want to quit her job. She liked teaching, but she thought she could help the children more by helping their families. One thing she wanted to do was to get more pay for farm workers so they could buy their children the things they needed. 4 Dolores knew that many farm workers move often from one place to another to help pick different kinds of fruits and vegetables, like lettuce and grapes. She began talking and writing about these workers. Even people who lived far from California read what Dolores wrote. 5 Getting higher pay for the farm workers was not easy. Dolores worked hard to make sure that farm workers got fair pay for their work. She knew that nothing would change unless people made new laws to help the workers. Through all her hard work, new laws were made that gave farm workers fair pay. 6 Dolores Huerta has worked for more than 30 years in many different ways to make life better for working people. She has shown how much one person can change things. 29

30 1. What does Dolores first notice about her students? A. They are hungry. B. They are sleepy. C. They are angry. D. They are sad. 2. Paragraph 3 tells mainly: A. Why Dolores quit teaching. B. Why Dolores didn t like teaching. C. Where Dolores grew up. D. Where Dolores went to school. 3. According to the text, why did the workers move often? A. to have their own farm B. to go to a better school C. to go where it was warmer D. to pick the fruit and vegetables 4. In this passage, what was the main thing Dolores wanted for the workers? A. better pay B. better clothes C. better schools D. better safety 30

31 Nonfiction Practice Passage #3 Read the excerpt from a book titled Eliza s Cherry Trees: Japan s Gift to America about a young woman who lived in Washington, D.C., in the 1800s. Then answer the questions. Eliza s Cherry Trees: Japan s Gift to America by Andrea Zimmerman 1 When she was twenty-six, Eliza bought tickets to faraway Alaska. Few tourists had ever been there. Eliza wrote reports for the newspapers back home. She loved sharing the fascinating things she saw, such as huge glaciers, spouting whales, and the native people. Eliza even wrote a book the first guidebook about Alaska. 2 When Eliza went back to Washington, it wasn t long before she started thinking about traveling again. She decided to visit her older brother, who was working in Japan. Eliza sailed across the ocean. 3 In Japan, she rode on trains, carriages, and bumpy rickshaws. She climbed mountains, ate strange foods, and visited ancient temples. Everything was so different! She studied Japanese art and learned to speak Japanese. She fell in love with Japan and its people. 4 Eliza especially loved Japanese gardens. Eliza s favorite plants, by far, were the Japanese cherry trees. Eliza called them the most beautiful thing in the world. Thousands of the trees were planted in parks and along the riverbanks. When they bloomed, the trees became clouds of pink blossoms. As the petals drifted down, it was like a pink snowfall. The Japanese people loved the cherry trees as their national symbol. Crowds gathered for picnics under the trees. People wrote poems and painted pictures to honor those sakura. 5 When Eliza came back home, she wrote a book about Japan. She wanted to share her love of Japan with other Americans. She wanted the nations of Japan and America to be friends. 6 Even though she was always thinking about her next journey, Eliza loved coming home to Washington, D.C. She was proud of America s growing capital and wanted it to look as beautiful as any city in the world. 7 She thought about the muddy land from a recent construction project in the swampy area around the riverbank. Eliza had a wonderful idea. She remembered the beautiful cherry trees in Japan. She thought, That s what Washington needs! 31

32 8 Eliza told the man in charge of the Washington parks about the wonderful cherry trees. She showed him photographs that she had taken. She told him about her plan to plant hundreds of cherry trees down by the water. He said no. He believed that they didn t need any different kind of tree in Washington. 9 But Eliza knew that sometimes when you have a good idea, you have to keep trying. So she waited. When a new parks man was hired, she told him about her good idea. He, too, said no. 10 Eliza kept traveling. She also met with friends who loved to travel. Some of these friends had started the National Geographic Society. The society was for people who wanted to learn more about the world. 11 Eliza was the first woman to have an important job there, and she helped the society grow. She wrote many articles and books. Eliza made more trips to Japan, Alaska, and Europe, and she explored India, China, Russia, and Java, an island of Indonesia. 12 Eliza also became a photographer. Not many women did that, either. She took pictures for the Smithsonian Institution and recorded people and places that Americans had never seen. 13 But Eliza didn t forget about the cherry trees, and she didn t give up. She kept trying for more than twenty years! Every time a new man was hired to be in charge of the parks department, Eliza went to tell him about her idea. Each one said no. 14 In 1909, William Howard Taft had just been elected president. Eliza had another good idea. She knew that sometimes people in politics could help get things done. She wrote a letter to the president s wife, Mrs. Taft. Eliza told Mrs. Taft about her plan to make Washington more beautiful with the lovely cherry trees. She was afraid the answer would be no again. 15 But Mrs. Taft loved the idea! With the help of Mr. Takamine, a generous Japanese scientist, they had the trees sent from Japan. 16 Everyone was happily waiting for the trees to arrive. Eliza imagined the beautiful pink clouds of blossoms that would soon be blossoming in Washington. 17 In January of 1910, two thousand cherry trees arrived. They were given as a gift from Japan s capital city, Tokyo. But there was a problem. The trees had diseases and bugs. 32

33 Inspectors were afraid they would make American trees sick. The president agreed. He signed an order for all the cherry trees to be burned to ashes. 18 Eliza was so disappointed. She was also afraid that the Japanese people would be offended. But the mayor of Tokyo said that they understood. He even joked about George Washington chopping down a cherry tree. 19 New trees were carefully grown in Japan. In March of 1912, three thousand new trees arrived. They were inspected and declared healthy! 20 On March 27, 1912, there was a small ceremony at the planting of the first two cherry trees. Eliza watched as her longtime dream was finally coming true. 21 Over the years, the trees grew, and every spring, they bloomed. People began gathering to enjoy them and to celebrate their beauty, just like in Japan. Eliza was happy to see how they helped turn Washington, D.C., into one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Answer the following questions. 1. The article includes these details about Eliza s life She wrote newspaper articles to tell others about what she saw in Alaska to inform those who had not seen these She wrote the first guidance book about Alaska She was the first woman to work at the National Geographic Society, where she wrote many articles and books What do these details help show about Eliza? a. They show that she shared the benefits of her experiences with others. b. They show she had many important jobs during her lifetime, but becoming a photographer was one of her proudest memories. c. They show that she had a careful plan for everything she did in her life. d. They show that she wasn t afraid to travel. 33

34 2. Based on the text, which word best describes Eliza? a. Impatient b. Determined c. Brave d. Fierce 3. A. Which statement best describes how the events in paragraph 13 through 15 are related to each other? a. They explain how Washington DC would change if cherry trees were planted around the city. b. They show that Eliza found a new way to get cherry trees planted in Washington DC c. They compare the ways Eliza and Mrs. Taft tried to add beauty to Washington DC d. They describe how Mr. Takmine gave Eliza the idea to bring cherry trees to Washington DC 3. B. Which sentence from the article best supports the answer in 3A? a. When they bloomed, the trees became clouds of pink blossoms. b. She kept trying for more than twenty years! c. She wrote a letter to the president s wife, Mrs. Taft. d. With the help of Mr. Takamine, a generous Japanese scientist, they had the trees sent from Japan. 4. Eliza faced many challenges as she tried to bring cherry trees to Washington, D.C. Using details from the text, describe some of the challenges she faced. 34

35 Nonfiction Practice Passage #4 A Race to the Rescue By Lisa Torrey In the winter of 1925, a deadly disease broke out in Nome Alaska. The disease was a grave threat to the children who lived there. Only one kind of medicine could stop the disease from spreading. However, the medicine was in Anchorage, Alaska. Anchorage was nearly 1,000 miles away. People were in a hurry to get the medicine from Anchorage to Nome. An old mail route linked the two towns. But the trip along the old route would be very hard. The route was covered with snow and ice. The howling winds were bitter cold. Rugged mountains also covered part of the route. Their only hope was to rely on sled dogs. Sled dogs would be able to endure the long, cold journey and get the medicine quickly to Nome. The Journey Begins More than 20 mushers, or drivers, put together teams of sled dogs. Each team played a key part in the relay to race the medicine to Nome. The first team soon left Anchorage on the first leg of the trip. Reporters wrote articles about the heroic race to deliver the medicine to Nome. People all around the world read these reports in newspapers. They followed each leg of the journey. They became caught up in the drama that was taking place in Alaska. They cheered for the dog sled teams, wanting them to succeed. Balto Leads the Way Amazingly, the team on the final stretch of the journey arrived in Nome only six days later. The musher drove his dog sled team into Nome on February 2, The team brought the medicine that would keep the children in Nome safe. A husky named Balto was at the lead. Soon people all over the world saw pictures of Balto. People everywhere recognized his black furry face, pointed ears, and sparkling eyes. 35

36 One year later, a group of people built a statue in honor of Balto. In 1926, they placed the statue in Central Park in New York City. Balto died in Over four decades later, people in Alaska wanted to honor the heroic race that brought medicine to Nome. They also wants the race to celebrate the Alaskan frontier and the important role of sled dogs. The Alaskans organized a sled dog race in It was a much shorter distance compared to the 1925 route. 1. Which sentence from the passage best supports the main idea of the passage? A. A husky dog named Balto was at the lead. B. The team brought the medicine that would keep the children in Nome safe. C. They also wanted the race to celebrate the Alaskan frontier and the important role of sled dogs. D. The first team soon left Anchorage on the first leg of the trip. 2. Paragraph 2 of the passage describes the trip from Anchorage to Nome as very hard. According to the passage, what caused the trip to be so difficult? Use details from the text to support your answer. 36

37 3. Which sentence from the passage shows why it was important to get medicine to Nome quickly? A. The disease was a grave threat to the children who lived there. B. People were in a hurry to get medicine from Anchorage to Nome. C. Each team played a key part in the relay to race the medicine to Nome. D. Reporters wrote articles about the heroic race to deliver the medicine to Nome. 4. Read the chart below that shows the events from the passage A statue of Balto was built in Central Park, New York City A sled dog race honored the historic trip from Anchorage to Nome. Which of the following sentences belongs in the blank box? A. A mail route to Nome was built. B. The first official Iditarod race was held in Alaska. C. A deadly disease broke out in Nome, Alaska. D. The lead sled dog, Balto, died. 37

38 Poetry Mentor Passage The Cow from a Child s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson, published by Charles Scribner s Sons, 1885 The friendly cow all red and white, I love with all my heart: She gives me cream with all her might, To eat with apple-tart. She wanders lowing here and there, And yet she cannot stray, All in the pleasant open air; The pleasant light of day; And blown by all the winds that pass And wet with all the showers, She walks among the meadow grass And eats the meadow flowers. 38

39 1. Based on the poem, who will eat the apple tart? A. the cow B. the reader C. the flowers D. the speaker 2. Read these lines from the poem. She wanders lowing here and there, And yet she cannot stray What is the meaning of the word stray as it is used in these lines? A. become wild B. fall down C. run away D. eat too much 3. Which words from the poem help you know that the cow lives outside? A. The friendly cow all red and white B. She gives me cream with all her might C. She wanders lowing here and there D. And blown by all the winds that pass 39

40 4. What does the cow do in the third stanza of the poem? A. The cow runs away from her home in the meadow. B. The cow feels the wind and rain and eats flowers. C. The cow runs out of cream and begins to eat a tart. D. The cow comes inside out of the wind and the rain. 5. Which line from the poem best shows how the speaker feels about the cow? A. I love with all my heart B. And yet she cannot stray C. All in the pleasant open air D. She walks among the meadow grass 6. What is the main message of The Cow? A. People can care deeply for animals. B. Animals such as cows belong outside. C. It s good to take care of yourself. D. The best things in life are free. 40

41 Poetry Practice Passage #1 Snowman Sniffles By N.M. Bodecker, Highlights At winter s end a snowman grows a snowdrop on his carrot nose, a little, sad, late-season sniff dried by the spring wind s handkerchief. But day and night the sniffles drop like flower buds ---they never stop, until you wake and find one day the cold, old man has run away, and winter s winds that blow and pass left drifts of snowdrops in the grass, reminding us: where such things grow a snowman sniffed not long ago. 41

42 1. The poet uses the words nose and grows in the first four lines of the poem. Which answer best tells why the poet uses these words? A. The words rhyme with each other. B. The words use most of the same letters. C. The words tell the reader it is winter. D. The words begin with the same sound. 2. What can you tell about the snowman from the poem? A. He is glad winter is over. B. He is sad to be melting. C. He is planning to run away. D. He is happy to see f lowers. 3. Which words from the poem begin with the same sound? A. dried by the spring B. like flower buds C. winter s winds D. in the grass 4. Read these lines from the poem. A little, sad, late-season sniff dried by the spring wind s handkerchief. Which question do these lines answer? A. When did it last snow? B. Who made the snowman? C. What time of year is it? D. How long will the snowman last? 42

43 5. Read these lines from the poem. until you wake and find one day the cold, old man as run away, Circle two words that rhyme at the end of the lines. Then explain what these lines tell about. 43

44 Poetry Practice Passage #2 Poetry Practice Passage #3 My Hand Was in the Cookie Jar by Dave Crawley My hand was in the cookie jar When Grandma wandered in. I knew she d caught me in the act. There was no way I d win. It s not my fault! I blurted out. There s nothing I could do. I heard the cookies calling me As cookies often do. Oatmeal raisins sang to me. The nut bars did the same. And chocolate chips may not have lips But still they called my name. Just take a bite. It s quite all right. Just try us, pretty please! They pleaded with me, kneeling On their little cookie knees! But Grandma wasn t angry. No, she wasn t mad at all. Kids are not the only ones To hear the cookies call. Carefully, she took the jar And placed it on the shelf. The jar is empty, Grandma said. I ate the last myself! 44

45 1. Which statement best describes the child in the poem? A. The child likes to tell jokes. B. The child enjoys baking. C. The child is a good friend. D. The child has a good imagination. 2. What is meant by the lines Kids are not the only ones/to hear the cookies call? A. Cookies can actually sing to children and adults. B. Grandma is tempted by cookies, too. C. The child in the poem loves cookies. D. Kids should share with adults. 3. Which line from the poem tells something that could not really happen? A. My hand was in the cookie jar B. I knew she d caught me in the act. C. I heard the cookies calling me D. Carefully, she took the jar 4. What happens right after the child s hand is in the cookie jar? A. The cookies sing to the child. B. Grandma walks in and sees her grandchild. C. Grandma takes the jar from her grandchild. D. The cookies plead with the child. 5. What lesson could the author of this poem be teaching us? A. It s important to share. B. Don t eat the last cookie. C. Everyone can be tempted. D. Imagination is important. 45

46 Poetry Practice Passage #3 Squirrel By Mary Ann Hoberman, A Little Book of Beasts 1. Grey squirrel Small beast Storing up a winter s feast, Hides a hundred nuts at least. 2. Nook and cranny stocked with seed Tucked away for winter s need. Acorns stuck in hole and crack. Will he ever get them back? 3. When the snow is piled up high And the year is at December, Can he really still remember Where he hid them in September? 4. I have watched him from my window And he always seems to know Where the food he hid is waiting Buried deep beneath the snow. 5. And I wonder (Do you wonder?) How he knows where he must go. 46

47 1. What is the squirrel doing in the first stanza? A. The squirrel is eating many large meals. B. The squirrel is making a nest to keep warm. C. The squirrel is digging in the deep snow. D. The squirrel is putting away food for later. 2. Read the following lines from stanza 2 of the poem Nook and cranny stocked with seed Tucked away for winter s need The author uses Tucked away to show that A. the seeds are warm in the nooks and crannies B. the seeds will fall off the tree into the winter snow C. the seeds are safely put away, to eat in the winter D. the seeds will grow in the nooks and crannies 3. Read the following lines from stanza 3 of the poem Can he really still remember Where he hid them in September Which words in stanza 4 answer this question? A. watched him from my window B. he always seems to know C. the food is hid D. Buried deep 47

48 4. Which best describes the speaker s point of view on the squirrel? A. She thinks the squirrel is clever. B. She thinks the squirrel is annoying. C. She thinks the squirrel is silly. D. She thinks the squirrel is selfish. 5. Read the last stanza of the poem. And I wonder (Do you wonder?) How he knows where he must go. Based on the stanzas that come before this last stanza, what is the speaker wondering about? Use two details from the poem to support your answer. 48

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