3rd Grade Reading Skills Review

Inferences

200

The Newspaper Writer

Mr. Bremen works for a newspaper called The City Times. He must always keep his eyes and ears open for interesting things to write about. Sometimes he learns about a new story at the last minute. The paper still has to be printed on time, so he must be able to write very fast.

Sometimes a story comes in at the last minute. When that happens, what must a newspaper writer remember most of all?
a. The pictures for the article must be printed quickly.
b. Every word in the article must be spelled correctly.
c. The newspaper must be printed on time.
d. The article must be written in the best way, no matter how long it takes.

c. The newspaper must be printed on time.

300

Going for a Swim

I had been working hard, but I swam two more laps. Then I decided to stop because I was getting very tired. Besides, it was nearly time for Mom to pick me up. I climbed out of the pool and went to change my clothes. As I finished, Coach Andrews and Mom came in. “You’re swimming much better, Keisha,” Coach Andrews said. “I think that soon you will be ready to swim in a race!”

Who is telling this story?

Keisha is telling this story.

400

Sam’s Search

Sam the fish woke up from his nap and decided to look for his friends. Sam glanced to the left and saw only a clump of plants. When Sam looked to the right, he saw a bubble rising up from behind a rock. “I know where they are,” he thought. Then he zoomed over to the rock and looked down.

What is the most important thing that Sam sees?

The most important thing that Sam sees is a rising bubble.

500

A Surprise at Sea

Barney and Ariel were sailing along the coast with their Uncle Frankie. Ariel looked over the boat railing. She happened to notice something in the waves. Was it a person swimming? Could it possibly be a mermaid? She started to call Barney, but the smooth, dark head vanished. Ariel blinked in confusion and asked herself if she had been dreaming. Then Barney called out, “Look at the seals!”

From this story, you can tell that _____.
a. Ariel has a good imagination
b. Barney does not really like sailing
c. mermaids are real
d. Uncle Frankie likes a good joke

a. Ariel has a good imagination.

Poetry

100

What is the rhyming patten in the poem below? The air is brisk and the wind is cold The stars are shining so bright and bold The snow has begun to pile up high Only gray clouds are in the sky. The pond is frozen deep and hard There’s even a frozen puddle in my backyard I grab my skates and head out the door Only to slip and fall to the floor!

What is AABB

200

How is the pond descibed? The air is brisk and the wind is cold The stars are shining so bright and bold The snow has begun to pile up high Only gray clouds are in the sky. The pond is frozen deep and hard There’s even a frozen puddle in my backyard I grab my skates and head out the door Only to slip and fall to the floor!

What is frozen deep and hard

400

Stuart’s Room

Stuart decided to change the order of his room. First he dragged a chair and a small table across the floor. Next he moved his toy box in front of the closet. Then he moved the box again since it looked funny and it was in the way. Stuart looked at his new arrangement. “It was better before,” he sighed.

Why did Stuart move the toy box again?

Stuart moved the toy box again because it looked funny and it was in the way.

500

Meet Mike

Mike lives on a tiny island with only ten houses. His school is in the town across the harbor. Mr. Turkle goes to town every morning and has room in his boat, so he gives Mike a ride. Mr. Turkle tells Mike stories and sometimes lets him run the boat. Mike loves his morning rides.

How many houses are on Mike's island?

There are ten houses on Mike's island.

Cause and Effect

100

Leo Helps Out

Leo heard a thud on the landing. Somebody moaned softly. “Who’s there?” he called. “Leo, can you help me?” answered Mrs. Yee. Leo ran up and found Mrs. Yee sitting on the floor. She asked him to call Mr. Yee because she had twisted her ankle and couldn’t get up. Leo did, then kept Mrs. Yee company while she waited.

Why did Mrs. Yee ask Leo to call Mr. Yee?

Mrs. Yee asked Leo to call Mr. Lee because she had twisted her ankle and couldn't get up.

200

Hide and Seek

Jacob hid at the back of the closet behind some hanging clothes, but Nancy found him after only a minute. “How did you find me so quickly?” he asked. Nancy answered, “It’s raining outside. When you came in, you had mud on your shoes and didn’t clean them, so you left footprints. I just followed the footprints.”

Why did Jacob leave footprints?

Jacob left footprints because he got mud on his shoes and didn't clean them before he came in the house.

300

Carmela on Watch

Carmela watches people carefully because she wants to be a detective and a detective has to notice even little things. Carmela notices what people do and say. If she sees something strange, she puts it into her secret book. She thinks that one day her book might help catch a robber.

Why does Carmela watch people carefully?

Carmela watches people carefully because she wants to be a detective and so she has to notice things.

400

Bill’s Feathers

Bill swept the floor three times but kept finding feathers. They were tiny and the broom made the air move, so they just kept flying away. His mother said he could not do anything else until the feathers were gone. Bill knew she meant it. “I’ll never get them all,” Bill groaned. “That’s the last pillow fight I’ll ever have.”

Why did the feathers fly away?

The feathers flew away because they were tiny and the broom made the air move.

500

Feeding the Birds

Many people feed birds because birds are so pretty and fun to watch. If you would like birds to come to your house, put out some seeds, bread, or fruit. You can throw the food on the ground or leave it outside your window. Books from the library will help you learn the names of the birds you see.

Why do people feed birds?

People feed birds because birds are pretty and fun to watch.

Strategies

100

The Invitation

Greg wanted his cousin Jim to visit him, so he wrote Jim a letter and asked him to come. Greg told Jim that he would wait anxiously for an answer. Weeks went by but no letter came. Then one day Greg was playing outside when the mail carrier walked up to him and said, “Greg, I have something for you.”

What do you think happened next?
a. Greg received some junk mail.
b. The carrier gave Greg a letter from Jim.
c. Greg wrote a letter to Jim.
d. Greg decided to visit Jim.

b. The carrier gave Greg a letter from Jim.

200

Greensleeves

Rita tried teaching her parrot Greensleeves how to talk. First she said “Hello” several times, but Greensleeves just blinked at her. Next Rita showed the bird a photograph of himself. “Parrot,” she said loudly, but Greensleeves stared quietly out the window. Then Rita had a brilliant idea. She held some bird seeds in front of the parrot. “Food!” she exclaimed. Greensleeves finally paid attention and began to make a sound.

What happened just after Rita had a brilliant idea?
a. She showed the bird a photograph of himself.
b. She held some bird seeds in front of the parrot.
c. Greensleeves blinked at her.
d. Greensleeves stared out the window.

b. She held some bird seeds in front of the parrot.

300

The Shopping Trip

Mrs. Quinones sent Angelina on a shopping trip. “I need eggs, sugar, and tomatoes,” she told Angelina. “And please don’t forget the eggs!” Angelina spent a long time in the store looking at shelves filled with cookies, ice cream, and cakes. Then she tried to remember what her mother had asked her to buy. Mrs. Quinones peeked in the grocery bag that Angelina brought home with her. “I knew it,” she sighed.

What happened just after Angelina looked at cookies, ice cream, and cakes?
a. She filled her grocery bag.
b. Mrs. Quinones sent her to the store.
c. Mrs. Quinones looked in the bag.
d. She tried to remember what she should buy.

d. She tried to remember what she should buy.

400

Charlie and the Cello Class

Charlie left school and started walking to his music teacher’s house. He had a cello class at three o’clock. Charlie stopped to talk with some friends. They kicked a soccer ball around for a few minutes. As they played, Charlie saw that the sun was behind a dark, thick cloud. Suddenly Charlie remembered his class, so he hurried to his music teacher’s house. When he got there, Charlie was soaked.

What happened first?
a. Charlie started to walk to his music teacher’s house.
b. Charlie saw a dark cloud.
c. Charlie and his friends kicked a soccer ball around.
d. Charlie stopped to talk with his friends.

a. Charlie started to walk to his music teacher’s house.

500

At the Museum

Scott thought museums were boring and walking through museums usually made his feet hurt. On a Saturday afternoon Scott’s father took him to a huge one in the city. They walked past rows of shiny rocks. “Can we go home now?” Scott asked. Then they went into the Hall of Dinosaurs. Scott gasped. The enormous skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex was standing before him. Scott spent an hour looking at the dinosaur.

What happened just before Scott gasped?
a. Scott walked past rows of shiny rocks.
b. Scott and his father went to the city.
c. Scott and his father went into the Hall of Dinosaurs.
d. Scott asked if they could go home.

c. Scott and his father went into the Hall of Dinosaurs.

Word Meanings/Origins

100

What is the meaning of the word cast in the sentence below? The cast of the play gave a party for the director. A. act of casting or throwing. B. a group of people in a production C. to come from a mold D. to shed

What is ...B. A group of people in a production

200

He teaches me how to help _____ grow.

flowers
flours

flowers

300

Jeff gave me _____ of his favorite plants.

to
two
too

two

400

I water them twice each _____.

weak
week

week

500

I make sure they get plenty of _____.

son
sun

sun