THEME TIME
(ELA.3.R.1.2)
(ELA.3.R.1.2)
Story:
Lila had always been nervous about speaking in front of her class. Every time she practiced her speech at home, she stumbled over her words. Still, she kept practicing every night, even when she felt frustrated. On the day of the presentation, Lila took a deep breath, stood tall, and delivered her speech clearly and confidently. Her classmates clapped loudly, and Lila felt proud of herself.
Question: What is the theme of this story?
B. Practice and perseverance lead to success
Story:
Ben stared at the test booklet. His hands shook, and his stomach felt tight. He wished he had studied more, but now it was too late. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down.
Question: How does Ben feel?
Question: How does Ben feel?
A. Excited
B. Nervous
C. Angry
D. Confused
B. Nervous
Sam’s dog ran out of the yard and disappeared down the street. Sam searched the neighborhood, asking everyone if they had seen him. After hours of looking, he finally found his dog happily playing at the park.
Question: What is the best summary?
A. Sam lost his dog, searched, and found him at the park
B. Sam walked around the neighborhood
C. Sam’s dog likes parks
D. Sam talked to people
A. Sam lost his dog, searched, and found him at the park
A poem with 3 lines and a 5‑7‑5 syllable pattern is a:
A. Limerick
B. Haiku
C. Free verse
D. Sonnet
B. Haiku
“The fireflies glimmered in the dark forest.”
What does glimmered mean?
A. Jumped
B. Sparkled
C. Hid
D. Flew
B. Sparkled
Story:
Jamal loved basketball more than anything, but when he saw his elderly neighbor struggling with heavy grocery bags, he paused. He really wanted to get to the court before his friends arrived, but something inside him told him helping was the right thing to do. He carried the bags inside, and his neighbor thanked him with a warm smile. Jamal jogged to the court afterward, feeling lighter than before.
Question: What theme fits this story?
Mia loved long car rides because she could read her favorite mystery books. Her brother, however, groaned the entire time and complained that the car was too boring. Mia smiled as she turned another page, while her brother stared out the window wishing the ride would end.
Question: How do their perspectives differ?
A. Both love the ride
B. Mia enjoys it; her brother dislikes it
C. Both hate the ride
D. Mia dislikes it; her brother loves it
B. Mia enjoys it; her brother dislikes it
A girl wanted to win the art contest, but she doubted herself. She practiced every day, trying new techniques. When the contest came, she didn’t win first place, but she earned second place and felt proud of her improvement.
Question: What is the best summary?
A. Girl wanted to win → practiced → won second place
B. Girl drew a picture
C. Girl didn’t win
D. Girl quit the contest
A. Girl wanted to win → practiced → won second place
Which line shows imagery?
A. “The golden sun melted into the horizon.”
B. “I like the sun.”
C. “The sun is hot.”
D. “The sun is bright.”
A. “The golden sun melted into the horizon.”
“She was reluctant to join the game because she felt shy.”
Reluctant means:
A. Excited
B. Not wanting to do something
C. Angry
D. Tired
B. Not wanting to do something
Story:
Maria tried to dress and act like her friends because she wanted to fit in. But every time she copied them, she felt uncomfortable and unlike herself. One day, she wore her favorite bright yellow sweater even though her friends preferred dark colors. Surprisingly, several classmates complimented her, and Maria felt happier than she had in weeks.
Question: What is the theme?
A. Be yourself
B. Don’t trust anyone
C. Always follow trends
D. Being different is bad
A. Be yourself
The narrator describes moving to a new city as an exciting adventure. She talks about new parks, new friends, and new places to explore. Even though she’s nervous, she focuses on the positive parts of the change.
Question: How does the narrator’s perspective affect the story?
A. It makes the story feel scary
B. It makes the story feel positive and hopeful
C. It makes the story confusing
D. It makes the story sad
B. It makes the story feel positive and hopeful
The boy wore red shoes to school. He also carried a backpack full of books. During recess, he helped a friend who fell and hurt his knee. Later, he told the teacher what happened.
Question: Which detail is NOT important to a summary?
A. He wore red shoes
B. He helped a friend
C. He told the teacher
D. His friend fell
A. He wore red shoes
What type of poem is this?
“Roses are red, violets are blue…”
A. Free verse
B. Rhyming poem
C. Haiku
D. Narrative poem
B. Rhyming poem
“The eagle soared above the mountains, flying higher and higher.”
Soared means:
A. Walked
B. Flew high
C. Slept
D. Crawled
B. Flew high
Story:
Evan was terrified of auditioning for the school play. He imagined forgetting his lines or tripping on stage. But he practiced every night, even when he felt scared. When audition day came, he stepped onto the stage with shaking hands but spoke loudly and clearly. Even though he didn’t get the lead role, he felt proud for trying something new.
Question: What theme is shown through Evan’s actions?
A. Courage means trying even when you’re afraid
B. Only winners deserve praise
C. Acting is easy
D. Fear always stops you
During a thunderstorm, one character, Leo, pressed his face to the window, amazed by the flashes of lightning. His sister, Tessa, hid under a blanket, covering her ears. Leo thought the storm was exciting, while Tessa thought it was terrifying.
Question: How do their perspectives differ
A. Both think storms are boring
B. Leo thinks storms are exciting; Tessa thinks they are scary
C. Both think storms are dangerous
D. Leo thinks storms are scary; Tessa thinks they are exciting
B. Leo thinks storms are exciting; Tessa thinks they are scary
Poem:
The wind whispers softly,
Carrying secrets through the trees.
It dances across the meadow,
Light as a feather on the breeze.
Question: What is the best summary?
A. The poem describes the gentle movement of wind
B. The wind is loud
C. The poem is about a storm
D. The wind is dangerous
A. The poem describes the gentle movement of wind
What figurative language is used?
“The moon is a silver coin in the sky.”
A. Simile
B. Metaphor
C. Hyperbole
D. Alliteration
B. Metaphor
“The frigid air made Maya’s fingers numb.”
Frigid means:
A. Very cold
B. Very hot
C. Loud
D. Bright
A. Very cold
When Nora moved to a new school, she felt invisible. No one sat with her at lunch, and she missed her old friends terribly. Instead of giving up, Nora decided to join the gardening club. She worked hard planting flowers and watering the school garden every afternoon. Slowly, other students noticed her dedication and began talking to her. By the end of the month, Nora had made new friends who admired her kindness and effort.
Question: What is the theme of this story?
A. Moving to a new school is easy
B. Hard work and kindness help build new friendships
C. Gardening is the best hobby
D. Friends should always come to you
B. Hard work and kindness help build new friendships
During the class field trip to the history museum, Jordan was fascinated by every exhibit. He read every sign, asked questions, and took notes for fun. His friend Malik, however, thought the museum was boring. He preferred hands‑on activities and didn’t enjoy reading long descriptions. While Jordan felt excited and inspired, Malik counted the minutes until lunch.
Question: How do Jordan’s and Malik’s perspectives differ?
A. Jordan thinks the museum is boring; Malik loves it
B. Jordan enjoys the museum; Malik does not
C. Both boys dislike the museum
D. Both boys love the museum
During the school talent show, several students performed amazing acts. One student juggled colorful scarves, another played a violin solo, and a group performed a funny skit. At the end, the principal congratulated everyone for their courage and creativity. Even though not everyone won a prize, the audience cheered loudly for all the performers.
Question: What is the BEST summary of the story?
A. The talent show had many different performances, and everyone was celebrated
B. One student juggled scarves
C. The principal talked a lot
D. Only the violin player won
A. The talent show had many different performances, and everyone was celebrated
Poem:
Beneath the silver evening sky,
The river hums a lullaby.
It twists and turns through fields of green,
A quiet world, calm and serene.
Question: What is the MOOD of this poem?
Sentence:
The hikers trudged up the steep mountain trail, moving slowly and heavily as the cold wind pushed against them.
Question: What does trudged mean?