SAMPLE TEST - Oregon Department of · PDF fileSAMPLE TEST GRADE 3 2006-2008 Vocabulary ......

READING/LITERATURE

SAMPLE TEST

GRADE 3

2006-2008

Vocabulary

Read to Perform a Task

Demonstrate General Understanding

Develop an Interpretation

Examine Content and Structure: Informational Text

Examine Content and Structure: Literary Text

It is the policy of the State Board of Education and a priority of the Oregon Department of Education that there will be no discrimination or harassment on the grounds of race, color, sex, marital status, religion, national origin, age or handicap in any educational programs, activities, or employment. Persons having questions about equal opportunity and nondiscrimination should contact the State Superintendent of Public Instruction at the Oregon Department of Education.

Office of Assessment & Information Services Oregon Department of Education

255 Capitol Street NE Salem, OR 97310

(503) 947-5600

Susan Castillo State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Jim Leigh Mathematics Assessment Specialist

Doug Kosty Assistant Superintendent

Ken Hermens Language Arts Assessment Specialist

Tony Alpert Director, Assessment and Evaluation

Leslie Phillips Science, and Social Sciences Assessment Specialist

Steve Slater Manager, Scoring, Psychometrics and Validity

Dianna Carrizales Extended Assessment Specialist

Kathleen Vanderwall Manager, Test Design and Administration

Sheila Somerville Electronic Publishing Specialist

Office of Assessment and Information Services 2006-2008 Sample Test, Grade 3

Oregon Department of Education i

INTRODUCTION TO READING AND LITERATURE

SAMPLE TESTS

The Oregon Department of Education provides sample tests to demonstrate the types of reading selections and questions students at grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 might encounter on the Oregon Statewide Assessments. Passages on the test represent literary, informative and practical reading selections students might see both in school and other daily reading activities. These sample questions were taken from previous years’ tests. They were designed to assess students’ abilities to:

understand word meaning within the context of a selection (Vocabulary);

locate information in common resources (Read to Perform a Task);

understand information that is directly stated (Demonstrate General Understanding);

understand ideas which are not directly stated but are implied (Develop an Interpretation);

analyze informative reading selections and form conclusions about the information (Examine Content and Structure of Informational Text);

analyze the use and effect of literary elements and devices such as plot, theme, setting, personification and metaphor in literature (Examine Content and Structure of Literary Text).

WHY PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH A SAMPLE TEST?

Most students feel some anxiety when they approach a test. The more confident students feel about their knowledge of the topic, the less anxious they will feel. It also may help students feel less anxious if they are familiar with the types of reading selections and questions they will encounter on the test. It is important that students feel comfortable with the test format and have some test-taking strategies to help them achieve the best possible score.

HOW TO USE THE SAMPLE TEST

The Oregon Department of Education has provided sample tests periodically beginning in 1997. The latest—Grade 3 Sample Test 2005-2006—appears in the student test booklet here. Students may take this sample test as a practice activity to prepare for the actual test.

A list of test-taking strategies and tips follows this introduction. Teachers may use the tips to:

generate individual and class discussion; call attention to helpful strategies students can use to

prepare for and take the test; and share ideas with parents of ways to help reduce test

anxiety and promote good study habits at home. In addition to gaining practice in reading and answering test questions, some students also may benefit from practice in marking bubbles on a separate answer sheet, as required on the actual test. An answer sheet for students to mark is provided at the end of each student test booklet. An answer key for this test is provided at the end of this introduction. In addition to the correct answer, the key also identifies which reporting category each question is designed to assess (the bolded titles in the left column of this introduction indicate the reporting categories adopted in 2003 with student accountability starting in 2005-2006). A table below the answer key converts the number of items correct on the sample test to a score similar to the scores students will receive on the Oregon Statewide Assessment (called a RIT score). However, this test is only a practice test. Scores on this sample test may not be substituted for the actual Oregon Statewide Assessment. In using the sample test, teachers may wish to have students take the entire sample test, or complete a passage and its questions and then discuss it in class before proceeding to the next selection. Students may benefit from re-reading the passages and analyzing both the correct and incorrect answers. Sample tests also may be shared with parents to help them understand the types of questions their child will encounter on the test and to practice with their child. Sample questions may be reprinted in newsletters or shared at community meetings to help constituents better understand the state assessment system. Although the sample tests are not as comprehensive as the actual tests, they do provide examples of the subject area content and difficulty level students will encounter as part of Oregon’s high academic standards.

Office of Assessment and Information Services 2006-2008 Sample Test, Grade 3 Oregon Department of Education ii

Test-Taking Tips Students: Use these tips to help you prepare for the test.

Before the test

Develop a positive attitude. Tell yourself, “I will do my best on this test.”

Get a good night’s sleep the night before the test.

Get up early enough to avoid hurrying to get ready for school.

Eat a good breakfast (and lunch, if your test is in the afternoon).

During the test Stay calm.

Listen carefully to the directions the teacher gives.

Ask questions if you don’t understand what to do.

Before you read a selection on the test, preview the questions that follow it to help focus your reading.

After reading a selection, read the entire question and all the answer choices. Stop and think of an answer. Look to see if your answer is similar to one of the choices given.

Read each test question carefully. Try to analyze what the question is really asking.

Slow down and check your answers.

Pace yourself. If you come to a difficult passage or set of questions, it may be better to skip it and go on, then come back and really focus on the difficult section.

This is not a timed test. If you need more time to finish the test, notify your teacher.

If you are not sure of an answer to a question try these tips:

- Get rid of the answers that you know are not correct and choose among the rest.

- Read through all the answers very carefully, and then go back to the question. Sometimes you can pick up clues just by thinking about the different answers you have been given to choose from.

- Go back and skim the story or article to see if you can find information to answer the question. (Sometimes a word or sentence will be underlined to help you.)

- If you get stuck on a question, skip it and come back later.

- It is OK to guess on this test. Try to make your best guess, but make sure you answer all questions.

After the test Before you turn your test in, check it

over. Change an answer only if you have a good reason. Generally it is better to stick with your first choice.

Make sure you have marked an answer for every question, even if you had to guess.

Make sure your answer sheet is clearly marked with dark pencil. Erase any stray marks.

Don’t worry about the test once it is finished. Go on to do your best work on your other school assignments.

Reading and Literature

Office of Assessment and Information Services 2006-2008 Sample Test, Grade 3 Oregon Department of Education 1

DIRECTIONS Read each of the passages. Then read the questions that follow and decide on the BEST answer. There are a lot of different kinds of questions, so read each question carefully before marking an answer on your answer sheet.

THE SQUIRREL’S LOAN This story of a magpie, a kind of bird, and a squirrel has a great lesson to teach.

THE MAGPIE AND THE SQUIRREL LIVED on the lower slopes of the Himalayas. One cold and snowy winter, the magpie borrowed some nuts from the squirrel, and the squirrel borrowed some feathers to warm his hole in the tree.

In summer, the magpie brought some nuts to return the loan, but the squirrel said, “It’s summer and I have plenty of nuts now. You took them from me in winter, so return

them to me in winter.” The magpie wondered what he would do because

he knew there would be no nuts to be found in winter. So when the squirrel came to return the loan of the feathers, he said, “I have plenty of feathers in my nest now. You took them from me in winter, so return them to me in winter.”

“Very well, “ said the squirrel, and he stored the feathers along with his horde of nuts.

But it was a hot summer, and the squirrel’s house felt like a furnace with all those feathers in it. So he threw the feathers out, thinking he’d pick them up when winter came around and it was time to return the loan.



In winter, there was ice and snow everywhere. The feathers were buried underneath. Try as he might, the squirrel could not dig them out.

He said to the magpie, “I’m afraid I can’t find feathers in winter.”

“Nor can I find nuts at this time,” said the magpie. And the squirrel remembered his loan and his

words to the magpie, and he was ashamed. He said, “I should expect you to return the nuts when you can, not when you cannot. A loan is meant to help a friend, not to give him trouble.”

From then on they helped each other in winter and repaid their debts in summer. They continued to live happily and became even better friends thereafter.

1 Squirrel added the feathers to his horde. In this story, a synonym or word with the same meaning as horde would be

A. friends. B. food. C. gifts. D. collection.

2 Squirrel was ashamed. Which word below best describes ashamed?

A. Embarrassed B. Sarcastic C. Confused D. Angry

3 Magpie and Squirrel

A. helped each other. B. decided not to be friends. C. argued constantly. D. liked to play tricks on each other.



4 The story is mostly telling about

A. how to live in winter. B. cooperation between friends. C. winters in the Himalayas. D. paying back debts.

5 What do you think will happen the next winter?

A. Squirrel and Magpie will move to warmer ground. B. Squirrel and Magpie will not borrow anything. C. Squirrel and Magpie will not borrow from others. D. Squirrel and Magpie will loan nuts and feathers again.

POWERFUL SWIMMERS Do you like to go swimming? Here is a story about something that has to swim to survive.

SHARKS SEEM MADE FOR SWIMMING. Most have sleek, rounded bodies. They slip easily through the water.

Sharks use their fins to swim. The big tail fin swings from side to side. The tail pushes against the water. It moves the shark forward. The other fins keep the shark steady in the water.

Swimming and breathing go together. If sharks stop swimming, they stop breathing. And they die.

Sharks breathe oxygen (say “OCK-suh-jun”). We breathe oxygen, too. Our oxygen comes from the air. Sharks get their oxygen from the water.

Most sharks swim with open mouths. Water enters. It flows over their gills. The gills take the oxygen from the water. Then the water flows out.



Swimming also keeps sharks afloat. If they stop swimming, they sink to the bottom.

A shark twists and turns as it swims. That’s because it doesn’t have a bone in its body! A shark’s skeleton is made of cartilage (say “CAR-ti-luj”).

Your nose has cartilage. See how easily you can twist and turn it.

6 In the sentence “Most have sleek, rounded bodies,” what does sleek mean?

A. Awkward B. Bumpy C. Smooth D. Slow

7 In the sentence “It flows over their gills” what does flow mean?

A. Jumps B. Moves C. Swims D. Pulls

8 Where do sharks get oxygen to breathe?

A. From the air B. From the water C. From sea caves D. From food

9 When a shark is taken out of the ocean it will die because

A. it needs water to breathe. B. it slips easily through the water. C. the fins keep the shark steady. D. a shark’s skeleton is made of cartilage.

10 A shark’s skeleton is made up of

A. bones. B. fins. C. gills. D. cartilage.



WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE COUNTY FAIR? Here is a schedule for a day at the county fair. Answer the questions about the schedule.

11 Where would you go to see the Youth Circus?

A. Kids Center B. Show Ring C. Action Zone D. TMI Stage

TIME EVENT PLACE 10:00 a.m. Pretty Baby Contest Kids Center 10:00 a.m. 4-H Cat Show 4-H Center 10:30 a.m. 4-H Sheep Judging Show Ring 11:00 a.m. Youth Circus Action Zone 11:00 a.m. Frisbee Dogs TMI Stage 11:30 a.m. Petting Zoo Opens Kids Center 1:00 p.m. Frisbee Dogs TMI Stage 4:00 p.m. Goat Milking Competition Show Ring



12 If you go to the Cat Show, you cannot see which event?

A. Goat Milking Competition B. Pretty Baby Contest C. Sheep Judging D. Frisbee Dogs

13 4-H sponsors which two events?

A. Youth Circus and Petting Zoo B. Cat Show and Sheep Judging C. Sheep Judging and Youth Circus D. Pretty Baby Contest and Cat Show

CLARA AND THE FOX FAMILY In Clara and the Fox Family, Bonnie Bisbee tells how Clara feels when her father plows a field that is home to a fox family. She stays away in the woods all day, worried and crying for the baby foxes.

AFTER SUPPER DAD STOOD UP. “Clara,” he said. “Come outside. I have something to show you.”

Clara got up and followed her father. But she still had nothing to say. What was there to talk about when the foxes’ home had been ruined?

Clara walked along behind her father. She didn’t even notice where they were going. She didn’t even notice the beautiful golden light of the spring evening.

Finally Dad stopped. “Look,” he said. Clara looked around. There was the back twenty. And it looked just as



she knew it would—brown rows of freshly plowed earth. But wait a minute! A beautiful green island had been left in the very middle of the big field.

“Oh, Dad!” she exclaimed. “You saved the foxes’ home.”

As she watched, several plump, red fox pup shapes tumbled out of their den. In the last rosy light of day the young foxes began to play. Then two larger and more graceful red forms came out of the den. It was the parent foxes, quietly watching over their young.

“Thanks, Dad,” said Clara softly, holding her father’s hand.

“Had to plow around the rocks anyway,” said Dad smiling. “Besides, now the foxes are working for me. They’ll help keep the mice out of the cornfield.”

Clara giggled and hugged her dad. And he hugged Clara right back.

14 The back twenty talked about in the story is

A. the fox family’s den. B. a group of rocks. C. a green island. D. the plowed field.

15 What does Clara’s dad plan on doing with the part of the field that is plowed?

A. Leave it for the fox to play in B. Sell the land to a neighbor C. Use it to plant corn D. Plant a flower garden



16 How did Dad explain why he saved the foxes’ home?

A. “You were right, Clara. I couldn’t hurt those babies.” B. “The tractor broke down when I got to the rocks.” C. “The foxes scared me away from the rocks.” D. “Had to plow around the rocks anyway.”

17 Why does Clara’s dad want her to come outside near the beginning of the story?

A. So he could talk to her B. So he could give her a present C. So she could get some fresh air D. So she could see the field

18 How does Clara feel at the end of the story?

A. Angry that her father has tricked her B. Happy that the fox family is safe C. Excited about playing with the foxes D. Disappointed that the field has been plowed

IT’S A BIG THING African elephants can grow 13 feet tall and blue whales can weigh 200,000 pounds. But IT’S A BIG THING by Thomas Vulla tells about a living thing that is even bigger.

THE BIGGEST LIVING THING on Earth does not walk on land, fly high in the sky, or swim in an ocean or lake. In fact, it doesn’t move at all, except to sway in the wind. It is the giant sequoia (si-KWOY-uh) tree.

Royalty of the Forest

Sequoias are the king of trees. These humongous plants live high on the western slopes of California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. Sequoias can grow more than 300 feet tall and 110 feet around the trunk. That’s about



as tall as a 26-story building and wider than most city streets!

Sequoias are related to the redwood trees that grow on the Pacific coast of northern California and southern Oregon.

Like their relatives, sequoias are evergreens. They have short, blue-green needles. Their cones are about the size of chicken eggs. Each cone contains 150 to 250 seeds so tiny that 125,000 of them weigh only one pound. While

it might seem strange, the cones need fire’s heat in order to pop open and release their seeds.

Have you ever visited a sequoia park? If so, you surely recall how you had to throw back your head and look up, up, up before you could see even the lowest branches of this astounding tree. Its tapered trunk towers straight up 100 feet or so before the first massive limbs appear. The lower limbs drop off as the tree grows.

Even Giants Fall Sequoias have deeply grooved,

cinnamon-colored bark as much as two feet thick—excellent defense against fire and insects. The bark alone is thicker than the whole trunk of many other kinds of trees! This bark contains

chemicals called tannins which help the tree fight off pests and diseases.

Despite their amazing size and ability to survive many threats, sequoias do die. Strong windstorms and landslides topple them because their roots go down only



10 to 15 feet into the soil—not very deep for a huge tree. Instead, the roots spread out and form a mat. Why not a deep “tap” root? Probably because water is so easily available near the surface in this rainy part of the world that deep, water-seeking roots are not necessary. However, shallow roots do not offer much support. Can you imagine standing in a grove of giant sequoias in a big windstorm? You’d want to run for your life!

A Glimpse of Forever Do sequoias die of old age? That is hard to say. In

America’s earlier days, sequoias were not protected and logging was allowed. The tree rings of one tree cut down at that time showed it was 3,200 years old. Who knows how much longer it would have lived? Wow! That tree was growing at the time of ancient Egyptian civilization. Although it seems likely that sequoias must die of old age at some point, scientists cannot say for sure at what ripe old age that might be.

To stand in the presence of giant sequoias is a “goosebump” experience, a thrill, AWESOME. They inspire great thoughts about the importance of taking care of wild treasures. It is no wonder that giant sequoias are protected so that you and I, our children, and the children after that can continue to enjoy them.

19 The story calls sequoias humongous plants. Humongous means

A. flowering. B. gigantic. C. green. D. cone-bearing.



20 How tall can a sequoia be?

A. Around 110 feet B. From 150 to 250 feet C. More than 300 feet D. 125,000 feet

21 What statement best describes the main idea of the story?

A. Sequoia trees have thick bark and blue-green needles. B. Don’t stand under a sequoia in a windstorm. C. Scientists don’t know how long sequoias live. D. Sequoias are huge, awesome trees that live a long time.

22 What will probably happen after a forest fire burns sequoias?

A. Seedlings will start to grow. B. Cones will close up tightly. C. The bark will turn white. D. Roots will grow very deep.

23 Which statement from the story is an opinion?

A. “Sequoias have short, blue-green needles.” B. “The cones are about the size of chicken eggs.” C. “Shallow roots do not offer much support.” D. “To stand in the presence of sequoias is a thrill.”

24 In this story, what does the word tannins mean?

A. Deep rocks B. Very tiny seeds C. Chemicals in bark D. Lower branches

Grade 3 Reading and Literature SAMPLE TEST KEY 2005-2007


Item Key Score Reporting Category 1 D Vocabulary 2 A Vocabulary 3 A Demonstrate General Understanding 4 B Develop an Interpretation 5 D Develop an Interpretation 6 C Vocabulary 7 B Vocabulary 8 B Demonstrate General Understanding 9 A Develop an Interpretation

10 D Demonstrate General Understanding 11 C Read to Perform a Task 12 B Read to Perform a Task 13 B Read to Perform a Task 14 D Vocabulary 15 C Demonstrate General Understanding 16 D Demonstrate General Understanding 17 D Develop an Interpretation 18 B Develop an Interpretation 19 B Vocabulary 20 C Demonstrate General Understanding 21 D Demonstrate General Understanding 22 A Develop an Interpretation 23 D Develop an Interpretation 24 C Vocabulary

CONVERTING TO A RIT SCORE

Number correct RIT Score Number Correct RIT Score 1 164.6 13 204.1 2 172.6 14 206.2 3 177.7 15 208.4 4 181.6 16 210.6 5 185.0 17 212.0 6 187.9 18 215.5** 7 190.6 19 218.3 8 193.0 20 221.4 9 195.4 21 225.1

10 197.6 22 230.3 11 199.8 23 237.8 12 201.9* 24 245.1

*Likely to meet the grade 3 standard **Likely to exceed the grade 3 standard

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Name of Student

Name of Teacher

Name of School

Use number 2 pencil.Do NOT use ink or ball point pen.Make heavy dark marks that completely fill the circle.Erase completely any marks you wish to change.

Oregon Reading/Literature Sample Test

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Oregon Department of Education

255 Capitol St NE, Salem, Oregon 97310 (503) 947-5600

SAMPLE TEST - Oregon Department of · PDF fileSAMPLE TEST GRADE 3 2006-2008 Vocabulary ......

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