Reading Benchmark #2 3rd Grade

Read the passage. Then answer the following questions.

Francis Marion
In 1780, the war was going badly for the Patriots, especially in the South. When the British captured Charleston, South Carolina, Francis Marion was one of the few officers who escaped. Marion knew something had to be done. He gathered about 200 of the best men he could find and formed a team.
Francis Marion counted on speed and bravery to fight the larger British forces. He moved his band through South Carolina's thick woods and swamps. From there, they would begin a surprise attack on the Redcoats, and then disappear back into the murky swamps. From then on, Marion was known as the Swamp Fox. Marion's team helped win the final battles of the war.
Marion spent many years after the war serving on the South Carolina Senate and died on his plantation in 1795. His children continued to name their male children after him, including Marion or Francis in their names until the 1900s.
Discus

1. Based on the passage what is most likely true?

a.  Without Marion, the Revolutionary War would have been harder to win.

b.  The British were very tired and went home.

c.  Francis Marion died during the Revolutionary War.

d.  Francis Marion was never able to go to Charleston.

2. What source would contain the most information about the Revolutionary War?

f. the Washington War Monument

g.  an encyclopedia

h.  an atlas

i. a dictionary

3. What does band mean in this passage?

a.  musicians playing together

b.  people joined together for a job

c.  a flat strip of metal to strengthen something

d.  to wrap or cover something

4. What is the best answer for why this passage is an example of nonfiction?

f. It contains a real person.

g.  It contains an exciting life.

h.  The time is in the past.

i. Plantations are real.

5. Francis Marion was probably called the Swamp Fox because

a.  He never had time to clean his uniform.

b.  He loved animals, especially foxes.

c.  He could move through the swamps unnoticed.

d.  He had always worked in the swamps.

6. When using the internet to study the reason for the Revolutionary War, what search words would you most likely use?

f. Highlights of the Revolutionary War

g.  Generals of the Revolutionary War

h.  Wars in Charleston, SC

i. Causes of the Revolutionary War

7. Based on the passage, one could predict that

a.  There are many children named Francis or Marion after 1795.

b.  All children born after 1795 were girls.

c.  Boys in the Marion family did not like their names.

d.  Francis Marion was the best Patriot of all times.

Read the passage. Then answer the following questions.

Sliding Along
You lift a leaf in a shady, dirt-filled garden, and there it is. It’s an animal that moves slowly on one big foot. What is it, you wonder? It’s a snail!
Snails can live on land and in the water. All snails have a hard shell covering their bodies.
You can keep water snails in the water in a fish tank. They will help keep the glass clean.
Like most snails, a land snail has two feelers on its head. It also has eyes and a mouth on its head. Snails don’t like hot and dry weather and stay in shady, moist areas. During very cold winter weather, snails hibernate in the ground.
Most land snails eat rotting plants. They also eat flowers, and many gardeners aren’t happy when they see snails.
Everywhere it goes, a land snail leaves a trail of slime that it pours out as it moves. The slime helps the snail move on its one foot. The foot is a big body part, made mostly of muscle. This muscle moves in a wave, taking the snail with it. When a snail is disturbed, it pulls itself into its shell to stay safe. Also, if weather is too dry, the snail can retreat into its shell and seal off the entrance to protect its body from drying up.
If you see a one-footed animal letting out slime, it’s most likely a snail. Snails are fascinating animals.
Assessing Comprehension Thinking Strategies

8. Based on the passage, what does the word hibernate mean?

f.  move around

g.  dig

h.  cover up

i.  to sleep or rest

9. What is the best definition for retreat in this passage?

a.  to move back

b.  a safe, quiet place for rest

c.  to find and take back to someone

d.  keep something within limits

10. What would be the best resource to find out more information about snails?

f.  a thesaurus entry for snails

g.  a poem about snails

h.  a dictionary entry for snails

i.  a book about snails

11. What effect could dry weather have on a snail?

a.  A snail could produce more slime.

b.  A snail would fall asleep.

c.  A snail’s body could dry up.

d.  A snail will get bigger.

12. Which of the following is an opinion from the passage?

f.  Snails can live on land and in water.

g.  Snails have a hard shell covering their bodies.

h.  Snails hibernate in the ground during very cold winters.

i.  Snails are fascinating animals.

13. Which detail best supports the central idea in paragraph four?

a.  body features of snails

b.  benefits of a snail living in a garden

c.  the slimy trail a snail leaves

d.  where snails live

Read the poem. Then answer the following questions.

Lengths of Time
Time is peculiar
And hardly exact.
Though minutes are minutes,
You’ll find for a fact
(As the older you get
And the bigger you grow)
That time can
Hurrylikethis
Or plod, plod, slow.
Waiting for your dinner when you’re hungry?
Down with the sniffles in your bed?
Notice how an hour crawls along and crawls along
Like a snail with his house upon his head.
But when you are starting
A game in the park,
It’s morning,
It’s noon,
And suddenly it’s dark.
And hours like seconds
Rush blurringly by,
Whoosh!
Like a plane in the sky.
Collected Readings - Are We There Yet?

14. What type of figurative language is “an hour crawls along and crawls along” an example of?

f.  alliteration

g.  metaphor

h.  hyperbole

i.  personification

15. What type of figurative language does the author use to compare an hour to a plane in the sky?

a.  onomatopoeia

b.  simile

c.  alliteration

d.  hyperbole

16. What is an antonym for the word peculiar?

f.  odd

g.  strange

h.  normal

i.  unusual

17. Which word is an example of onomatopoeia?

a.  whoosh

b.  blurringly

c.  crawls

d.  sniffles

18. In which stanza does the speaker of the poem mention the different times of the day?

f.  Stanza 1

g.  Stanza 2

h.  Stanza 3

i.  Stanza 4

Read the passage. Then answer the following questions.

Betsy Brandon Meets the President
There was a flurry of excitement in the Brandon household early one morning in 1791. It was the day that President Washington was supposed to visit Salisbury, North Carolina. Everybody planned to be there. Everybody, it seemed, except Betsy, the oldest child of Squire Richard Brandon’s family. Her father needed her to stay at home to finish the chores.
Betsy was not one to mope; she felt happy to keep the house clean. When everyone left she returned to the kitchen and swept the floor. Then she went outside to feed the chickens. But what was that rumbling noise?
Betsy’s eyes grew wide. Coming down the road that passed in front of the house was the most beautiful coach she had ever seen.
As it came near, Betsy felt herself drawn down the pathway to get a better view. The coach was gold and white and decorated with scenes that reminded Betsy of the four seasons. And it had a great emblem on it, like a coat of arms.
The driver pulled on the reins. The harnesses tinkled musically as the four fine horses halted right in front of the gate where Betsy stood.
The door of the coach opened, and a tall, handsome man in uniform stepped down. Then another, even more handsome man stepped out. He was white-haired and stood at least six-feet-four.
“Good morning, Miss,” said the taller man. His face was stern and deeply lined, but his blue eyes were warm and friendly.
“Good morning, sir,” Betsy said nervously, with her voice quavering.
“Are your parents home?”
“My family went to Salisbury to see the President,” she explained.
“Did you not wish to see the President, too?” The voice was kind.
“Oh, yes, sir,” Betsy replied, “but I must stay here to do the chores.”
“If you make breakfast for us,” came the reply, “I promise that you will see the President before the others will.”
Thinking that the President would soon pass by on his way to Salisbury, Betsy hurried into the kitchen. She cooked a delicious breakfast that the men enjoyed.
They thanked her and were about to leave. Betsy asked, “Sir, when my family returns, to whom shall I say I served breakfast?”
The white-haired man climbed inside the coach. Leaning out the window, he smiled. “Just tell them you served breakfast to President Washington and his aide,” he said. And the coach rolled away.
North Carolina Website

19. Based on the passage, what does the word mope mean?

a.  feel sorry for yourself

b.  dislike her father

c.  yell at her brothers

d.  clean the floor

20. How does the reader know that the visitor in the coach might be an important man?

f.  He has a badge and smiled a lot.

g.  He has a driver and a fancy coach.

h.  He is wearing white and gold.

i.  A trumpet is playing.

21. Which phrase best describes Betsy’s attitude about being left at home to clean?

a.  excited to be alone

b.  lazy about doing work

c.  respectful of her father’s orders

d.  hopeful to get to go out to eat

22. What is the main idea of this passage?

f.  Betsy is respectful to adults by helping and following directions.

g.  You can cook and clean at the same time.

h.  Betsy would get to ride with the president.

i.  There were many chores to do.

23. Which research question would lead to finding the most information on George Washington as the country’s leader?

a.  What did George Washington do in his free time?

b.  What were George Washington’s contributions as president?

c.  Did George Washington have a large family?

d.  What were George Washington’s illnesses?

24. Which detail best supports the main idea of the passage?

f.  The white haired man climbed inside the coach.

g.  To whom shall I say I served breakfast?

h.  She cooked a delicious breakfast that the men enjoyed.

i.  Betsy’s eyes grew wide.

25. Based on the passage, what does the word quavering probably mean?

a.  waving

b.  shaking

c.  crying

d.  yelling

Read the following advertisement. Then answer the following questions.

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When your green and orange Caggy’s Online Clothing Store box arrives, you will soon be wearing the most beautiful, well-made, stylish outfit you have ever owned.
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Adapted from South Carolina website

26. According to the advertisement, why would a child like the Caggy Online Store?

f.  The store is unusual and interesting.

g.  Going out in traffic is dangerous.

h.  The clothes will look good, be different, and fit well.

i.  Using a computer is fun.

27. In the advertisement, what does the word preference mean?

a.  color

b.  activity

c.  reason

d.  favorite

28. In the advertisement, what does the word crave mean?

f.  know

g.  wear

h.  desire

i.  buy