FL FAST 3rd Grade Reading Practice Test 2

PASSAGE SET 1 - The Garden Gate Plan Maya stopped at the school garden after lunch. The third-grade bean plants leaned over the path like tired umbrellas. A week of hard rain had made the soil soft, and the old wooden gate would not close. If rabbits got in again, the lettuce would disappear before the class picnic. Mr. Bell, the custodian, was fixing a window across the yard. Maya knew he was busy. Her class had promised to take care of the garden, but everyone else had gone inside for art. Maya pulled the gate. It bumped against a lump of mud and swung open again. She tried kicking the mud away with her sneaker, but the wet dirt clung like paste. Then she remembered the small hand tools in the shed. The shed door was unlocked, but the trowels hung too high. Maya almost gave up. She imagined the rabbits nibbling every green leaf. That picture made her feel responsible. Maya dragged a light bucket under the hooks and stood on it carefully. She took down a trowel and scraped mud from the gate's path. The gate still stuck. She noticed the lower hinge was loose, so the gate sagged. Maya could not repair a hinge, but she could lift the gate while she closed it. She used a flat stone as a temporary prop under the corner. Just then, her friend Leo came outside with a watering can. 'Why are you covered in mud?' he asked. 'I am saving our salad,' Maya said, grinning. Together they pushed the gate. This time it clicked shut. After school, Maya left a note for Mr. Bell explaining the loose hinge and the stone prop. The next morning, the gate had a shiny new screw, and the lettuce leaves were still crisp and whole. Question 1: What problem does Maya notice at the beginning of the passage?

(Use the passage from Question 1 to answer this question.) Question 2: What is the main setting of the passage?

(Use the passage from Question 1 to answer this question.) Question 3: Part A: Which character trait best describes Maya? Explain your answer.

(Use the passage from Question 1 to answer this question.) Question 4: Part B: Which detail from the passage best supports your answer to Part A? a) Her class had promised to take care of the garden, but everyone else had gone inside for art. b) Maya almost gave up. c) That picture made her feel responsible. d) Just then, her friend Leo came outside with a watering can.

(Use the passage from Question 1 to answer this question.) Question 5: What does the word temporary mean in the sentence, She used a flat stone as a temporary prop under the corner?

(Use the passage from Question 1 to answer this question.) Question 6: Put these events in the correct order: Maya gets a trowel, Maya leaves a note, Maya sees the gate will not close, Maya and Leo push the gate shut.

(Use the passage from Question 1 to answer this question.) Question 7: From what point of view is the passage told?

(Use the passage from Question 1 to answer this question.) Question 8: How does Maya solve the problem with the gate?

(Use the passage from Question 1 to answer this question.) Question 9: What lesson can readers learn from the passage?

(Use the passage from Question 1 to answer this question.) Question 10: Why does Maya leave a note for Mr. Bell?

PASSAGE SET 2 - Dragonflies: Hunters of the Air Dragonflies are insects that often zip over ponds, lakes, and slow streams. They may look delicate, but they are powerful fliers. A dragonfly can fly forward, backward, and even hover in one place like a tiny helicopter. Its two pairs of wings move separately, which helps it turn quickly while hunting. Like all insects, a dragonfly has three main body parts: a head, a thorax, and an abdomen. It also has six legs. A dragonfly's large eyes cover much of its head. Each eye is made of many tiny parts, so the insect can notice movement in almost every direction. This excellent eyesight helps a dragonfly catch mosquitoes, flies, and other small insects. A dragonfly begins life in water. A female dragonfly lays eggs on plants or in the water. When the eggs hatch, young dragonflies called nymphs live underwater. They do not look like adult dragonflies yet. Nymphs breathe through gills and hunt tiny water animals. Some nymphs live in the water for months or even years. When a nymph is ready to become an adult, it climbs up a plant stem or rock. Its outer covering splits, and the adult dragonfly slowly pulls free. Its soft wings unfold and dry in the sun. Soon the dragonfly is ready to fly. Dragonflies are helpful to people and ecosystems. Because they eat many mosquitoes, they can reduce the number of biting insects in an area. They are also food for birds, frogs, and fish. Scientists study dragonflies because they can be signs of healthy wetlands. If a pond has clean water and many plants, dragonflies are more likely to live there. Question 11: What is the main idea of the passage?

(Use the passage from Question 11 to answer this question.) Question 12: Which detail explains how a dragonfly can turn quickly while flying?

(Use the passage from Question 11 to answer this question.) Question 13: Part A: Why are dragonflies helpful to wetlands and people?

(Use the passage from Question 11 to answer this question.) Question 14: Part B: Which detail from the passage best supports your answer to Part A? a) Dragonflies are insects that often zip over ponds, lakes, and slow streams. b) Because they eat many mosquitoes, they can reduce the number of biting insects in an area. c) When the eggs hatch, young dragonflies called nymphs live underwater. d) Its soft wings unfold and dry in the sun.

(Use the passage from Question 11 to answer this question.) Question 15: What does the word delicate mean in the first paragraph?

(Use the passage from Question 11 to answer this question.) Question 16: How is the third and fourth paragraph mainly organized?

(Use the passage from Question 11 to answer this question.) Question 17: What is the author's main purpose for writing this passage?

(Use the passage from Question 11 to answer this question.) Question 18: Which sentence from the passage is an opinion? a) Dragonflies are insects that often zip over ponds, lakes, and slow streams. b) A female dragonfly lays eggs on plants or in the water. c) Dragonflies are the most beautiful insects near a pond. d) They are also food for birds, frogs, and fish.

(Use the passage from Question 11 to answer this question.) Question 19: The word underwater has the prefix under-. What does underwater mean?

(Use the passage from Question 11 to answer this question.) Question 20: How are adult dragonflies different from nymphs?

PASSAGE SET 3 - Creek Morning The creek wakes slowly under silver light, A ribbon of water, cool and bright. Pebbles wink beneath the stream, As if they remember a stony dream. Willow branches whisper low, Combing the current as they grow. A frog plops in with a drumbeat sound, Circles spread and roll around. Dragonflies stitch the sunny air, Blue sparks flashing here and there. The breeze tiptoes through grass so green, The quietest dancer ever seen. I sit on a log and let time slide, Like leaf boats taking a gentle ride. Morning opens, fresh and wide, And wonder settles at my side. Question 21: What is the poem mostly about?

(Use the passage from Question 21 to answer this question.) Question 22: Which line is an example of a simile?

(Use the passage from Question 21 to answer this question.) Question 23: Part A: How does the speaker feel while sitting by the creek?

(Use the passage from Question 21 to answer this question.) Question 24: Part B: Which detail from the poem best supports your answer to Part A? a) A frog plops in with a drumbeat sound, b) Dragonflies stitch the sunny air, c) I sit on a log and let time slide, d) Pebbles wink beneath the stream,

(Use the passage from Question 21 to answer this question.) Question 25: What does the line Willow branches whisper low show?

(Use the passage from Question 21 to answer this question.) Question 26: What effect do rhyming words such as light and bright have on the poem?

(Use the passage from Question 21 to answer this question.) Question 27: What does the word settles mean in the line And wonder settles at my side?

PASSAGE SET 4 - PAIRED TEXTS Text 1: The Bell on Maple Street Nora was building a tower of blocks when the fire station bell rang down the street. Her little brother covered his ears. A red fire truck rolled past the window, and Nora saw Firefighter Kim wave from the passenger seat. Mom turned off the stove. 'Someone needs help,' she said. Nora frowned at her wobbling tower. Last week, Firefighter Kim had visited Nora's class. She had shown the students a heavy coat, a helmet, and a mask. She had also taught them to crawl low under smoke and meet outside by a safe tree. Nora liked the shiny truck, but she had not thought much about the helpers inside it. That afternoon, smoke drifted from Mrs. Alvarez's kitchen on the corner. The firefighters arrived quickly. Firefighter Kim carried a hose while another firefighter checked that everyone was outside. Mrs. Alvarez stood on the sidewalk holding her cat carrier and looking scared. Nora wanted to help too. She remembered what Firefighter Kim had said: helpers stay calm and listen. Nora took her brother's hand and led him away from the curb. Then she brought Mrs. Alvarez a cup of water from home. Soon the smoke was gone. Firefighter Kim knelt beside Nora. 'You helped by staying safe and being kind,' she said. That night, Nora rebuilt her block tower. This time she added a small red station beside it. At the top, she placed one block like a bell, ready to ring when neighbors needed help. Text 2: Community Helpers in Emergencies Community helpers are people who work to keep neighborhoods safe, healthy, and organized. During emergencies, helpers often have special training and tools. Firefighters, police officers, paramedics, and utility workers all have important jobs. Firefighters respond to fires, but they do more than spray water. They check buildings, rescue people, and teach families how to prevent fires. Their protective gear includes helmets, coats, gloves, boots, and air masks. This gear helps them enter smoky or hot places more safely. Paramedics help people who are hurt or suddenly sick. They drive ambulances and carry medical supplies such as bandages, oxygen, and stretchers. A paramedic may check a person's breathing, stop bleeding, or help someone get to a hospital. Police officers guide traffic, protect accident areas, and help people follow safety rules. Utility workers repair power lines, water pipes, and other systems after storms or accidents. Without these workers, a neighborhood might not have lights, clean water, or safe roads. Families can help community helpers by being prepared. They can practice emergency plans, memorize important phone numbers, and keep sidewalks clear. In an emergency, the best way to help is to stay calm, move to a safe place, and follow directions from trained helpers. Question 28: In Text 1, what happens after the fire station bell rings?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 29: In Text 1, why does Nora lead her brother away from the curb?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 30: What lesson does Nora learn in Text 1?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 31: In Text 2, what are community helpers?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 32: According to Text 2, what do paramedics do?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 33: How is Text 2 mainly organized?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 34: What does the word protective mean in Text 2?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 35: How are Text 1 and Text 2 alike?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 36: How are the purposes of Text 1 and Text 2 different?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 37: Part A: What idea is found in both Text 1 and Text 2?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 38: Part B: Which detail from the passages best supports your answer to Part A? a) Nora was building a tower of blocks when the fire station bell rang down the street. b) She remembered what Firefighter Kim had said: helpers stay calm and listen. c) Their protective gear includes helmets, coats, gloves, boots, and air masks. d) Utility workers repair power lines, water pipes, and other systems after storms or accidents.

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 39: The word rebuild has the prefix re-. What does rebuild mean in Text 1?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 40: Which helper from Text 2 is most like Firefighter Kim in Text 1? Explain your answer.