School Improvement in Maryland

Sample Items: Reading Grade 3

 (1) Selected Response Sample
Read the story ''Being a Fish'' and answer the following question.

This story mainly tells _____.

  1. how fish are different from people
  2. how many kinds of fish there are
  3. where fish can be found
  4. how fish swim

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_009.xml

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 (2) Selected Response Sample
Read the story ''Being a Fish'' and answer the following question.

Which question does the article answer?

  1. Do fish have teeth?
  2. How can I catch a fish?
  3. Do fish sleep?
  4. What does cold-blooded mean?

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_010.xml

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 (3) Selected Response Sample
Read the story ''Being a Fish'' and answer the following question.

You would most likely find an article like this in a book about _____.

  1. farm animals
  2. water fun
  3. sea life
  4. fishing

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_011.xml

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 (4) Selected Response Sample
Read the story ''Being a Fish'' and answer the following question.

How do fish hear?

  1. With ears
  2. By feeling
  3. By tasting
  4. By smelling

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_012.xml

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 (5) Selected Response Sample
In this question, there are three words. Decide which word is made up of two words. Then mark the space for the answer you have chosen.

  1. rescue
  2. windowsill
  3. vegetable

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_013.xml

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 (6) Selected Response Sample
Read this question and choose the best answer. Then mark the space for the answer you have chosen.

In which word does tri mean three?

  1. trip
  2. countries
  3. tricycle

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_014.xml

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 (7) Selected Response Sample
Look at the word with the underlined letters. The underlined letters stand for a sound. Decide which of the other three words has the same sound in it. Then mark the space for the answer you have chosen.

crayon

  1. break
  2. ready
  3. bean

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_015.xml

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 (8) Selected Response Sample
Look at the word with the underlined letters. The underlined letters stand for a sound. Decide which of the other three words has the same sound in it. Then mark the space for the answer you have chosen.

bounce

  1. four
  2. brown
  3. soup

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_016.xml

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 (9) Selected Response Sample
Look at the word with the underlined letters. The underlined letters stand for a sound. Decide which of the other three words has the same sound in it. Then mark the space for the answer you have chosen.

sure

  1. silver
  2. crash
  3. pass

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_017.xml

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 (10) Selected Response Sample
Choose the word or group of words that means the same, or about the same, as the underlined word. Then mark the space for the answer you have chosen.

To sprinkle is to _____.

  1. boil
  2. drag
  3. pound
  4. scatter

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_018.xml

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 (11) Selected Response Sample
Choose the word or group of words that means the same, or about the same, as the underlined word. Then mark the space for the answer you have chosen.

The bill for our electricity arrived.

In which sentence does the word bill mean the same thing as in the sentence above?

  1. That duck has a large bill.
  2. Did Maida pay this bill yet?
  3. The store will bill you for this wood.
  4. Congress will vote on the bill.

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_019.xml

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 (12) Selected Response Sample
Choose the word or group of words that means the same, or about the same, as the underlined word. Then mark the space for the answer you have chosen.

The people began applauding to show Anne that they liked her singing. Applauding means _____.

  1. whispering
  2. calling
  3. clapping
  4. chattering

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_020.xml

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 (13) Selected Response Sample

Which word has the same sound as the letter g in the word orange?

Orange

  1. sang
  2. gold
  3. jet

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_029.xml

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 (14) Selected Response Sample

In which word does the letter c have the same sound as it does in the word cabin?

Cabin

  1. cellar
  2. doctor
  3. race

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_030.xml

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 (15) Selected Response Sample

In which word do the letters st have the same sound as they do in the word stone?

Stone

  1. stuck
  2. short
  3. split

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_031.xml

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 (16) Selected Response Sample

In which word do the letters sm have the same sound as they do in the word smart?

Smart

  1. stem
  2. stump
  3. smell

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_032.xml

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 (17) Selected Response Sample

In which word do the letters th have the same sound as they do in the word third?

Third

  1. they
  2. thin
  3. there

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_033.xml

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 (18) Selected Response Sample

Which word has the same sound as the letters sh in the word wash?

Wash

  1. nation
  2. sandwich
  3. sweep

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_034.xml

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 (19) Selected Response Sample

In which word does the letter a have the same sound as it does in the word snap?

Snap

  1. state
  2. handle
  3. straw

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_035.xml

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 (20) Selected Response Sample

In which word does the letter a have the same sound as it does in the word lady?

Lady

  1. garden
  2. candle
  3. able

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_036.xml

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 (21) Brief Constructed Response Sample
Read the article 'Follow That Horse' and answer the following question.

Explain how information in the article shows how Cuddles changed Dan's life. In your response, use information from the article that supports your explanation.

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_021.xml

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 (22) Brief Constructed Response Sample
Read the article 'The Pudding Like a Night on the Sea' and answer the following question.

Explain how the father probably feels at the end of the story. In your response, use details and examples from the story that support your explanations. Write your response on your answer document.

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_022.xml

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 (23) Brief Constructed Response Sample
Read the article 'The Pudding Like a Night on the Sea' and answer the following question.

Read what Julian says in paragraph 4.

Huey and I guarded the pudding.

Explain whether guarded is a good word for Julian to use to describe the boys' actions in this story. In your response, use words and phrases from the story that support your explanation. Write your answer on your answer document.

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_023.xml

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 (24) Brief Constructed Response Sample
Read the article 'Protecting the Pandas' and answer the following question.

The author says that giant pandas are "special creatures." Explain whether the word special is a good word to use to describe the giant panda. In your response, use information from the article that supports your answer. Write your answer on your answer document.

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_024.xml

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 (25) Brief Constructed Response Sample
Read the article about toys from the past 'Schoolyard Toys'. Then answer the following.

Explain how you know "Schoolyard Toys" is nonfiction. In your response, use information from the article that supports your explanation. Write your answer on your answer document.

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_025.xml

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 (26) Brief Constructed Response Sample
Read the article about toys from the past 'Schoolyard Toys'. Then answer the following.

What text feature could have been added to help a reader better understand the information in the section titled "Hoops?" In your response, use information from the article section called Hoops that supports your answer. Write your answer on your answer document.

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_026.xml

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 (27) Brief Constructed Response Sample
Read the article about toys from the past 'Schoolyard Toys'. Then answer the following.

Explain whether or not the words in this article makes these toys sound like toys you would like to play with. In your response, use information from the article that supports your explanation. Write your answer on your answer document.

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_027.xml

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 (28) Brief Constructed Response Sample
Read the poem 'When You Can Read'. Then answer the following.

Explain how the speaker of the poem feels about reading. In your response, use details and examples from the poem that support your explanation. Write your answer on your answer document.

/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_ela_3_028.xml

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