Common Core: 3rd Grade English Language Arts : Reading
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Common Core: 3rd Grade English Language Arts
All Common Core: 3rd Grade English Language Arts Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #9 : Integration Of Knowledge And Ideas
Text 1: The History of Soccer
In the late 1800s, there was a man named Arthur, who lived in London. Arthur had a lot of friends, and they all enjoyed spending time together. Arthur and his friends would occasionally get bored. There was not always a lot to do back then.
One day, their boredom led to them trying a new game. They put a ball on the ground and started kicking it. Arthur was having so much fun! The only problem was the game was complete chaos. Everyone was playing their own version of the game. “We need to create rules!” Arthur said.
The group of friends began creating a list of guidelines for their new game. Each member of the group thought of something different. One friend decided you could not use your hands. Another friend suggested that kicking the ball in the net would count as a goal. Arthur, himself, thought the winning team would be decided by who had scored the most goals.
Arthur and his friends were very happy with the game. Only one thing was missing! They needed a name for the game. They decided to call it football! Over 100 years later, the game has grown in popularity. Today, in America, we call the game Soccer!
Text 2: The History of Racing
There once lived a businessman from Washington, D.C. named William. In 1935, William decided to move south to Daytona Beach, Florida. Daytona Beach had become well known over the last 10 years for people racing cars, so William set up a car repair shop.
Racing in Daytona Beach continued to grow. William and several others started having organized races on the beach. Cars would begin the race driving south for two miles on the pavement. At the end of the 2 miles, they would return 2 miles north on the sandy beach along the Atlantic Ocean.
This oval racetrack format became very popular. The number of spectators increased each race, so William and his fellow drivers decided to start a formal annual event. Today, the annual event is called the Daytona 500 and is one of the largest races in the world. William’s family still organizes the race to this day.
Given the choices below, what is the main difference between the two texts?
Text 1 is nonfiction and Text 2 is fiction.
Text 1 is fiction and Text 2 if nonfiction.
Text 1 is more detailed than Text 2.
Text 1 is about soccer, while Text 2 is about racing.
Text 1 is about soccer, while Text 2 is about racing.
Both of these texts are nonfiction pieces because they both discuss true, real-life things: the history of soccer and the history of racing. However, Text 1 is about soccer, and Text 2 is about racing.
Example Question #4 : Compare And Contrast Texts
Text 1: The History of Soccer
In the late 1800s, there was a man named Arthur, who lived in London. Arthur had a lot of friends, and they all enjoyed spending time together. Arthur and his friends would occasionally get bored. There was not always a lot to do back then.
One day, their boredom led to them trying a new game. They put a ball on the ground and started kicking it. Arthur was having so much fun! The only problem was the game was complete chaos. Everyone was playing their own version of the game. “We need to create rules!” Arthur said.
The group of friends began creating a list of guidelines for their new game. Each member of the group thought of something different. One friend decided you could not use your hands. Another friend suggested that kicking the ball in the net would count as a goal. Arthur, himself, thought the winning team would be decided by who had scored the most goals.
Arthur and his friends were very happy with the game. Only one thing was missing! They needed a name for the game. They decided to call it football! Over 100 years later, the game has grown in popularity. Today, in America, we call the game Soccer!
Text 2: The History of Racing
There once lived a businessman from Washington, D.C. named William. In 1935, William decided to move south to Daytona Beach, Florida. Daytona Beach had become well known over the last 10 years for people racing cars, so William set up a car repair shop.
Racing in Daytona Beach continued to grow. William and several others started having organized races on the beach. Cars would begin the race driving south for two miles on the pavement. At the end of the 2 miles, they would return 2 miles north on the sandy beach along the Atlantic Ocean.
This oval racetrack format became very popular. The number of spectators increased each race, so William and his fellow drivers decided to start a formal annual event. Today, the annual event is called the Daytona 500 and is one of the largest races in the world. William’s family still organizes the race to this day.
Given the choices below, what do both texts have in common?
They are both written by the same author.
They are both fiction stories.
The texts have nothing in common.
They are both about how a sporting event got started.
They are both about how a sporting event got started.
Text 1 is about how the game of soccer started, it is titled “The History of Soccer”. Text 2 is about how racing got started, it is titled “The History of Racing”. Both soccer and racing are sporting events. Thus, the correct answer is “They are both about how a sporting event got started.”
Example Question #81 : Reading
Text 1: The History of Soccer
In the late 1800s, there was a man named Arthur, who lived in London. Arthur had a lot of friends, and they all enjoyed spending time together. Arthur and his friends would occasionally get bored. There was not always a lot to do back then.
One day, their boredom led to them trying a new game. They put a ball on the ground and started kicking it. Arthur was having so much fun! The only problem was the game was complete chaos. Everyone was playing their own version of the game. “We need to create rules!” Arthur said.
The group of friends began creating a list of guidelines for their new game. Each member of the group thought of something different. One friend decided you could not use your hands. Another friend suggested that kicking the ball in the net would count as a goal. Arthur, himself, thought the winning team would be decided by who had scored the most goals.
Arthur and his friends were very happy with the game. Only one thing was missing! They needed a name for the game. They decided to call it football! Over 100 years later, the game has grown in popularity. Today, in America, we call the game Soccer!
Text 2: The History of Racing
There once lived a businessman from Washington, D.C. named William. In 1935, William decided to move south to Daytona Beach, Florida. Daytona Beach had become well known over the last 10 years for people racing cars, so William set up a car repair shop.
Racing in Daytona Beach continued to grow. William and several others started having organized races on the beach. Cars would begin the race driving south for two miles on the pavement. At the end of the 2 miles, they would return 2 miles north on the sandy beach along the Atlantic Ocean.
This oval racetrack format became very popular. The number of spectators increased each race, so William and his fellow drivers decided to start a formal annual event. Today, the annual event is called the Daytona 500 and is one of the largest races in the world. William’s family still organizes the race to this day.
Given the choices below, what is a major difference between how the game of soccer started versus how racing was started?
A group of women was responsible for starting the game of soccer, whereas a group of men was responsible for starting racing.
Soccer was started in America, whereas racing was started in a different country.
The game of soccer was started by a group of people, whereas racing was started by just one person. A group of women was responsible for starting the game of soccer, whereas a group of men was responsible for starting racing.
Soccer started in the 1800s, whereas racing started in the 1900s.
Soccer was started in America, whereas racing was started in a different country.
In text 1, we learn that soccer was started in London (a country in Europe) by a man named Arthur and his friends. This information helps us to eliminate answer choice, “A group of women were responsible for starting the game of soccer, whereas a group of men were responsible for starting racing.” and “Soccer was started in America, whereas racing was started in a different country.” It is true that soccer was started by a group of people; however, so was racing. Text 2 tells us that William and a group of other people started organizing races. This means that neither sport was started by just one person. We are told that soccer was started in the 1800s and racing was started in the 1900s, so this is our correct answer.
Example Question #11 : Integration Of Knowledge And Ideas
Text 1: Where to see African Animals
Animals that are from Africa are some of the most fascinating animals to see. If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing the animals that live in Africa, there are two ways to make this happen. The first is to visit a local zoo. Most zoos have an African section, which have many of the animals that you would find in Africa. The other, and probably the more exciting option, would be to take a trip to Africa and go on an African safari!
Visiting a Zoo
If you go to a zoo to see African animals, you can usually follow signs straight to the African section. There you will see an area that is modeled off of what an African habitat, or area where animals live, would look like. There will be tall trees for the giraffes and lots of grass and small plants for the elephants. The neat thing about seeing animals in a zoo is that you can see tons of different animals from all over the world.You can see Polar Bears found in Alaska or Kangaroos found in Australia, just to name a few!
African Safari
An African safari is a trip that is very popular in Africa. People sign up for tours and ride around Africa to see many African animals in their homes in the wild. During an African safari, the driver is also the tour guide. He, or she, will know many facts and details about the area and the animals. During the safari, you might go by giraffes eating from tall trees, elephants spraying water from their noses, and lions laying in the sun.
Text 2: African Animals
Africa is home to many amazing and different animals! The weather in Africa is generally very warm, but depending on where in Africa you are, you will see different habits and animals. The top half of Africa, or the northern part, is mainly made up of deserts. The bottom half of Africa, or the southern part, is made up of plains and jungles.
Desert
African deserts are home to animals that can live in very hot temperatures, with very little water. If you were to visit an African desert you might see animals such as camels, foxes, or sheep. Reptiles also live in African deserts. Reptiles that you might see include snakes or lizards.
Plains
African plains are flat areas with a lot of grass. You might see some tall trees spread out, but the majority of this area is covered in grass. If you visit this area of Africa, you might run into some dangerous animals. The plains are where lions and chetahs call home. However, many other animal call the plaines their home. If you want to see elephants, giraffes, or zebras, the plains are where you will find them.
Jungles
The jungles in Africa are rainforest. They are filled with tall trees, plants, and many animals. If you were in an African rainforest, you might see monkeys hanging from branches, or big snakes wrapped around trees. Also, bright colored parrots can be seeing flying from tree to tree. Much bigger animals, such as gorillas and jaguars also live within all of the trees of the rainforest.
According to Text 1, what is an advantage of going to a zoo instead of going to Africa?
You can see lots of different people
You can see zebras
You can see elephants
You can see animals from all over the world
You can see animals from all over the world
Text 1 compares going to a zoo to see animals and going to Africa to see animals. The advantage to going to a zoo over Africa will mostly likely be in the section "Visiting a Zoo" so we should start there to look for our answer.
"If you go to a zoo to see African animals, you can usually follow signs straight to the African section. There you will see an area that is modeled off of what an African habitat, or area where animals live, would look like. There will be tall trees for the giraffes and lots of grass and small plants for the elephants. The neat thing about seeing animals in a zoo is that you can see tons of different animals from all over the world.You can see Polar Bears found in Alaska or Kangaroos found in Australia, just to name a few!"
Example Question #1 : Understand Connections Within Texts
The History of Soccer
In the late 1800s, there was a man named Arthur, who lived in London. Arthur had a lot of friends, and they all enjoyed spending time together. Arthur and his friends would occasionally get bored. There was not always a lot to do back then.
One day, their boredom led to them trying a new game. They put a ball on the ground and started kicking it. Arthur was having so much fun! The only problem was the game was complete chaos. Everyone was playing their own version of the game. “We need to create rules!” Arthur said.
The group of friends began creating a list of guidelines for their new game. Each member of the group thought of something different. One friend decided you could not use your hands. Another friend suggested that kicking the ball in the net would count as a goal. Arthur, himself, thought the winning team would be decided by who had scored the most goals.
Arthur and his friends were very happy with the game. Only one thing was missing! They needed a name for the game. They decided to call it football! Over 100 years later, the game has grown in popularity. Today, in America, we call the game Soccer!
What do we learn first in this passage?
It was decided that in soccer, kicking a ball in the net would count as a goal.
A group of friends created the game of soccer.
Soccer was originally called football.
The game of soccer started in London.
The game of soccer started in London.
In the first sentence, we are introduced to a person named Arthur and told that he lives in London. Later in the passage, we learn that Arthur and his friends created the game of soccer. Since we learned that Arthur lived in London, this means the game of soccer started in London.
Example Question #1 : Understand Connections Within Texts
The History of Soccer
In the late 1800s, there was a man named Arthur, who lived in London. Arthur had a lot of friends, and they all enjoyed spending time together. Arthur and his friends would occasionally get bored. There was not always a lot to do back then.
One day, their boredom led to them trying a new game. They put a ball on the ground and started kicking it. Arthur was having so much fun! The only problem was the game was complete chaos. Everyone was playing their own version of the game. “We need to create rules!” Arthur said.
The group of friends began creating a list of guidelines for their new game. Each member of the group thought of something different. One friend decided you could not use your hands. Another friend suggested that kicking the ball in the net would count as a goal. Arthur, himself, thought the winning team would be decided by who had scored the most goals.
Arthur and his friends were very happy with the game. Only one thing was missing! They needed a name for the game. They decided to call it football! Over 100 years later, the game has grown in popularity. Today, in America, we call the game Soccer!
Of the choices below, what’s the best reason for the game of soccer originally being called football?
Because the friends liked that name the best.
Because there was a lot of running involved in the game, and you run with your feet.
Because the game is played with your hands.
Because the game was primarily played with the feet- kicking the ball into a net.
Because the game was primarily played with the feet- kicking the ball into a net.
We learn in the text that “football”, what we know as soccer, is mostly played without using your hands. In order to score a goal, and thus win a game, you have to kick the ball into the net. When you kick things you use your feet. Based on this logic, the correct answer is, “Because the game was primarily played with the feet- kicking the ball into a net."
Example Question #81 : Reading
The History of Soccer
In the late 1800s, there was a man named Arthur, who lived in London. Arthur had a lot of friends, and they all enjoyed spending time together. Arthur and his friends would occasionally get bored. There was not always a lot to do back then.
One day, their boredom led to them trying a new game. They put a ball on the ground and started kicking it. Arthur was having so much fun! The only problem was the game was complete chaos. Everyone was playing their own version of the game. “We need to create rules!” Arthur said.
The group of friends began creating a list of guidelines for their new game. Each member of the group thought of something different. One friend decided you could not use your hands. Another friend suggested that kicking the ball in the net would count as a goal. Arthur, himself, thought the winning team would be decided by who had scored the most goals.
Arthur and his friends were very happy with the game. Only one thing was missing! They needed a name for the game. They decided to call it football! Over 100 years later, the game has grown in popularity. Today, in America, we call the game Soccer!
What is the last thing we learn from this passage?
The winning team is decided by who scored the most goals.
Soccer began in the 1800s.
Kicking the ball into the net results in scoring a goal.
In America, we call the game soccer.
In America, we call the game soccer.
The last sentence of the passage tells us that in American we call the game soccer. Thus, this is the last thing we learn about the game from the passage.
Example Question #12 : Integration Of Knowledge And Ideas
The History of Racing
There once lived a businessman from Washington, D.C. named William. In 1935, William decided to move south to Daytona Beach, Florida. Daytona Beach had become well known over the last 10 years for people racing cars, so William set up a car repair shop.
Racing in Daytona Beach continued to grow. William and several others started having organized races on the beach. Cars would begin the race driving south for two miles on the pavement. At the end of the 2 miles, they would return 2 miles north on the sandy beach along the Atlantic Ocean.
This oval racetrack format became very popular. The number of spectators increased each race, so William and his fellow drivers decided to start a formal annual event. Today, the annual event is called the Daytona 500 and is one of the largest races in the world. William’s family still organizes the race to this day.
What is the first thing William did when he moved to Daytona Beach?
Started a yearly racing event
Opened a car repair shop
Designed a racetrack
Organized races on the beach
Opened a car repair shop
The answer to this question is in the first paragraph. We learn that Daytona Beach had become well known for racing- and because of this William opened a car repair shop.
Example Question #6 : Understand Connections Within Texts
The History of Racing
There once lived a businessman from Washington, D.C. named William. In 1935, William decided to move south to Daytona Beach, Florida. Daytona Beach had become well known over the last 10 years for people racing cars, so William set up a car repair shop.
Racing in Daytona Beach continued to grow. William and several others started having organized races on the beach. Cars would begin the race driving south for two miles on the pavement. At the end of the 2 miles, they would return 2 miles north on the sandy beach along the Atlantic Ocean.
This oval racetrack format became very popular. The number of spectators increased each race, so William and his fellow drivers decided to start a formal annual event. Today, the annual event is called the Daytona 500 and is one of the largest races in the world. William’s family still organizes the race to this day.
What led William and his friends to start a formal racing event?
William’s family wanted him to start a formal event.
They were no longer allowed to race on the beach.
The track on the beach wasn’t working well.
The number of fans was growing with each race they hosted.
The number of fans was growing with each race they hosted.
The answer to this question can be found in the last paragraph of the sentence. We are told that the number of spectators increased. Spectators are fans that come to watch and event. And increase means to grow. Thus, the correct answer is “The number of fans was growing with each race they hosted."
Example Question #7 : Understand Connections Within Texts
The History of Racing
There once lived a businessman from Washington, D.C. named William. In 1935, William decided to move south to Daytona Beach, Florida. Daytona Beach had become well known over the last 10 years for people racing cars, so William set up a car repair shop.
Racing in Daytona Beach continued to grow. William and several others started having organized races on the beach. Cars would begin the race driving south for two miles on the pavement. At the end of the 2 miles, they would return 2 miles north on the sandy beach along the Atlantic Ocean.
This oval racetrack format became very popular. The number of spectators increased each race, so William and his fellow drivers decided to start a formal annual event. Today, the annual event is called the Daytona 500 and is one of the largest races in the world. William’s family still organizes the race to this day.
Of the choices below, what is the last thing we learn from the passage?
William started a car repair shop.
William moved from Washington D.C. to Daytona Beach.
William organized races on the beach.
The annual event that William and his friends put together was later named the Daytona 500.
The annual event that William and his friends put together was later named the Daytona 500.
Of the choices provided, the last thing we learn in “The annual event that William and his friends put together was later named the Daytona 500.”. This is the second to last sentence of the passage. When you are looking for the last thing you learned, it is wise to start at the bottom of the passage and read up.
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All Common Core: 3rd Grade English Language Arts Resources
