3rd Grade Reading PSSA Skills

Figurative Language

100

Which sentence includes a simile? A. "When I walked outside, I was as cold as an ice cube." B. "The entire dance class was standing in a line on top of our boxes." C. "Oh my, I missed my partner's box altogether and slipped!" D. "What an experience!"

What is A. "When I walked outside, I was as cold as an ice cube."

200

Which of these lines from a poem includes examples of alliteration? A. They were as different as night and day. B. Too Tall Sally and So Short Tom C. She got what she needed and nothing more. D. Why two such folks would choose to wed

What is B. Too Tall Sally and So Short Tom

300

Which line from the passage contains an example of personification? A. "On weekdays, there is only enough time for cereal and maybe some toast." B. "We stared at the biscuits. They stared back, daring us to eat them." C. "You can imagine how happy we were to have Dad home." D. "Even fried bread is probably better than left over spaghetti."

What is B. "We stared at the biscuits. They stared back, daring us to eat them."

400

Read these lines from the poem: "With So Short Tom it was much more chancy/ He'd pick up whatever struck his fancy." What does "whatever struck his fancy" mean? A. whatever physically hit him B. whatever he was interested in C. whatever he needed D. whatever someone gave him

What is B. whatever he was interested in

500

"Bea's French toast is the best invention since sliced bread!" What does this mean? A. Bea's French toast was invented after sliced bread B. Bea's French toast is better than sliced bread C. Bea's French toast is a new invention D. Bea's French toast tastes really good.

What is D. Bea's French toast tastes really good

Skills

100

Which sentence is an opinion? A. "Chimpanzees groom each other to show affection." B. "Dogs also bark, whine, growl, and howl to communicate." C. "For example, when male white-tailed deer rub their antlers against trees, glands on their heads leave a scent behind." D. "In these kinds of animal conversations, half the fun is in trying to figure out what the animals are saying to each other!"

What is D. "In these kinds of animal conversations, half the fun is in trying to figure out what the animals are saying to each other!"

200

Which sentence shows an example of exaggeration? (A) The sun was so hot it felt like the ground was turning into lava! (B) Sarah kept running, even though she was really tired. (C) Sweat dripped down her face, but she didn’t give up. (D) When she crossed the finish line, she felt happy and proud.

What is A. "The sun was so hot it felt like the ground was turning into lava!"

300

Why did the author most likely write the story of the 3 Little Pigs? A. to tell a story B. to inform about pigs C. to persuade readers to build brick houses D. to warn readers about wolves

What is A. to tell a story

400

Which sentence contains an opinion? A. "A thorough eye examination involves many different steps." B. "Being able to see is more important than being able to hear or smell." C. "Is it time to rest from the test?" D. "So let's proceed to the glasses you need."

What is B. "Being able to see is more important than being able to hear or smell."

500

"It often takes about an hour to complete, and it requires a specially trained doctor called an ophthalmologist." From this sentence, the reader can infer that A. anybody can give an eye examination B. it takes years of study to know enough to give an eye examination C. many people try to become ophthalmologists D. ophthalmologists ususally have good vision

What is B. it takes years of study to know enough to give an eye examination.

Vocabulary

100

"Winds may be hazardous. Remain indoors." What does the word "hazardous" mean? A. fast B. cold C. unsafe D. steady

What is C. unsafe.

200

"It's not something you do actively: it's involuntary." What does the word "involuntary" mean? A. not visible B. not done under your control C. not done in a healthy way D. not happy

What is B. not done under your control.

300

"Louisa pushed it open and entered the garden." Which word is an antonym of the word "entered?" A. crashed B. ran C. arrived D. left

What is D. left.

400

"In some cases bifocals or trifocals are necessary to correct the vision of a patient." In this sentence, the word correct means A. fix B. right C. change D. judge

What is A. fix.

500

Susan ate the entire pizza.  What does the word entire mean?

A. hole  

b. middle part

c. whole

d. left over  

What is C. whole

Strategies

100

Knowing the prefix "re" helps the reader know that "reappear" means A. appear again B. not appear C. appear out of thin air D. appear loudly

What is A. appear again.

200

"Such trips were often hard, though." Which meaning of the word "hard" is used in this sentence? A. firm B. stern C. solid D. difficult

What is D. difficult.

300

Knowing the prefix "dis-" helps the reader understand that "disadvantages" means A. the opposite of advantages B. big advantages C. having advantages D. full of advantages

What is A. the opposite of advantages.

400

"Grandma Bea learned this recipe from her mother, and she has passed it on to each of her children." What does this sentence suggest about Bea's French toast? A. It is easy to make. B. Anybody could make this kind of French toast. C. This recipe for French toast has special meaning. D. This French toast tastes terrible.

What is C. This recipe for French toast has special meaning.

500

"Did Peanut come through the gate? No, that was impossible." What does the word "impossible" mean? A. very possible B. not possible C. full of possibility D. state of possibility

What is B. not possible.

Mystery

100

"I lay there, motionless, for about an hour." What does "motionless" mean in this sentence? A. with motion B. moving slowly C. moving backwards D. without motion

What is D. without motion.

200

Which phrase shows an example of a simile? A. "The ground was still white with a blanket of snow." B. "Peanut disappeared from his yard two days ago." C. "He could see tracks made by tiny bird feet and by large deer hooves." D. "He was like a good luck charm."

What is D. "He was like a good luck charm."

300

What determines setting in a story other than place? A. characters B. plot C. time D. conflict

What is C. time.

400

"Jack now had a successful song." Knowing the suffix "-ful" helps the reader understand that "successful" means A. failing B. having success C. unable to have success D. someone who dislikes success

What is B. having success.

500

"Get up on stage and shine like a star!" This contains an example of A. simile B. metaphor C. personification D. alliteration

What is A. simile.