3rd grade reading comprehension

Example

Hedgehogs are covered in about 5,000 spines. When they are scared, they curl into a tight ball so that only the spines show. What do hedgehogs do when they are scared?

1. The answer is stated directly in the text.
2. So the answer is: curl into a ball

Answer: curl into a ball

Example

Sloths move very slowly. They hang upside down in trees for most of the day. They even sleep and eat upside down. Moving slowly helps them save energy. What is the main idea?

1. The main idea covers the whole text; details only cover a part.
2. So the answer is: Sloths live slow, upside-down lives in trees.

Answer: Sloths live slow, upside-down lives in trees.

Example

The giant tortoise is ancient. Some live for more than 150 years. What does "ancient" mean here?

1. The words around an unfamiliar word help show its meaning.
2. So the answer is: very old

Answer: very old

Example

A text has the words "What Do Koalas Eat?" in large bold letters above a paragraph. What is this feature called?

1. Text structure is how a writer organises ideas.
2. So the answer is: a heading

Answer: a heading

Example

Because the farmer left the gate open, the goats wandered into the vegetable patch. What caused the goats to get into the vegetable patch?

1. Find the event, then look for what made it happen (cause) or what it led to (effect).
2. So the answer is: The gate was left open.

Answer: The gate was left open.

Example

Which kind of text is this? An old story that explains something in nature, often with gods or heroes.

1. Each genre has features that help you recognise it.
2. So the answer is: myth

Answer: myth

Example

Is this told in the first person or the third person? She opened the letter with shaking hands.

1. In first person, a character tells the story (I, we). In third person, a narrator outside the story tells it (he, she, they).
2. So the answer is: third person (he, she, they, names)

Answer: third person (he, she, they, names)