NC PRACTICE TEST 3.0

READING GRADE 3

Standard-Aligned Practice

Grade 3 EOG Reading

Student Practice Booklet

Student Name

Date

GENERAL DIRECTIONS

Today you will take a practice Grade 3 ELA Reading test. This booklet contains two reading selections. Each selection is divided into two parts, with multiple-choice questions after each part.

Read each passage carefully before answering the questions.
Choose the single best answer for each question and mark it in your booklet.
You may refer back to the passages as often as needed.

NC Check-Ins 2.0 Aligned Practice GO TO THE NEXT PAGE

NC PRACTICE TEST 3.0 — GRADE 3 ELA

PART 1

Selection 1 (Part 1)

Project Pumpkin

by Sarah Jenkins

1 Nine-year-old Leo had one big dream this summer: to grow a giant pumpkin for the annual County Fair. His goal was to produce a pumpkin so massive that it would take three grown-ups just to lift it. In May, Leo and his dad cleared a sunny square of soil in their backyard, enriched it with dark compost, and planted a single, tiny Atlantic Giant pumpkin seed.

2 By July, the pumpkin vine was stretching across the yard like a long green snake. It had enormous, prickly leaves and bright yellow, bell-shaped flowers. Nestled beneath one of the flowers was a tiny green pumpkin, no larger than a tennis ball. Leo named his future prize-winner "Barnaby." He watered Barnaby every single morning, making sure the soil stayed perfectly damp.

3 But then, mid-July brought a terrible heatwave. For two weeks, the sun baked the yard without a single drop of rain. Barnaby’s giant leaves began to droop and wither in the scorching heat. Worse yet, when Leo inspected the undersides of the leaves, he found dozens of tiny, flat, copper-colored squash bugs crawling around, sucking the life out of his precious vine.

4 "Oh no!" Leo cried, rushing into the kitchen. "Dad, the squash bugs are taking over! We have to go to the store right now and get some of that chemical bug spray. It says on the computer that it kills them instantly!"

5 His dad looked up from his work and shook his head gently. "Leo, those chemical sprays do get rid of the pests, but they are also very harmful to the honeybees and other helpful insects. Remember, we need the bees to pollinate¹ our pumpkin blossoms, or Barnaby will stop growing completely. We have to find a safer way."

¹pollinate: to carry pollen to a flower so that it can produce seeds and fruit

GO TO THE NEXT PAGE

NC PRACTICE TEST 3.0 — GRADE 3 ELA

QUESTIONS 1–4

1

What did Leo do first to begin his pumpkin-growing project in May?

A

He named his pumpkin Barnaby.

B

He bought a chemical bug spray from the store.

C

He and his dad cleared a sunny space and added compost.

D

He tucked golden straw around the plant’s roots.

2

How does the author connect the ideas in paragraph 2 and paragraph 3?

A

By describing how beautiful the yard was before comparing it to other yards.

B

By showing how well the plant was growing before introducing a major problem.

C

By explaining the step-by-step process of how squash bugs hatch on leaves.

D

By comparing the size of Barnaby to the size of a standard soccer ball.

3

What does the word droop mean as it is used in paragraph 3?

A

to float away

B

to hang down heavily

C

to turn dark blue

D

to grow sharp prickles

4

Which statement from the text supports the idea that Leo took careful care of his plant?

A

"In May, Leo and his dad cleared a sunny square of soil in their backyard..."

B

"He watered Barnaby every single morning, making sure the soil stayed perfectly damp."

C

"Leo inspected the undersides of the leaves, he found dozens of tiny, flat, copper-colored squash bugs..."

D

"Oh no!" Leo cried, rushing into the kitchen. "Dad, the squash bugs are taking over!"

GO TO THE NEXT PAGE

NC PRACTICE TEST 3.0 — GRADE 3 ELA

PART 2

Selection 1 (Part 2)

Project Pumpkin

by Sarah Jenkins

6 "Let's call Grandma," his dad suggested. "She has grown prize-winning tomatoes in her organic² garden for forty years. She knows all the old farming secrets."

7 When Leo explained the squash bug invasion, Grandma laughed warmly over the phone. "Don't panic, little gardener! You don't need harsh chemicals. Pests hate the smell of garlic and the sting of red pepper. We will make a natural shield for Barnaby."

8 That afternoon, Grandma drove over with a blender, three heads of garlic, and a bottle of vegetable oil. Together, they blended the garlic and mixed it with water and a tiny drop of dish soap. Leo sprayed the smelly liquid all over the vine. Next, they laid a thick, cozy blanket of golden straw all around the base of the plant. Grandma explained that the straw would block the weeds, keep the soil damp, and prevent the squash bugs from climbing back up the main stem.

9 Within three days, the squash bugs were completely gone! The garlic spray had driven them away, and the straw kept the soil cool and wet during the hot August days. Barnaby was safe. The little green ball turned deep yellow, then bright orange, expanding day by day.

10 By October, Barnaby had grown so enormous that it looked like a glowing orange boulder sitting in the backyard. It took Leo, his dad, and his grandfather to roll the heavy pumpkin onto a sturdy wooden wagon.

11 At the County Fair, a neighbor won the grand prize for the "Heaviest Pumpkin" with a lumpy, pale pumpkin grown using commercial fertilizers. However, Leo’s eyes sparkled when the judges placed a bright blue ribbon on Barnaby. The tag read: "Healthiest and Most Beautiful Organic Pumpkin." Leo patted Barnaby's smooth, hard shell, proud that his dream had grown without harming a single bee.

²organic: grown naturally without using artificial chemicals or sprays

GO TO THE NEXT PAGE

NC PRACTICE TEST 3.0 — GRADE 3 ELA

QUESTIONS 5–8

5

According to the text, what did Grandma use to make the natural shield spray?

A

commercial chemical powders

B

garlic, water, and vegetable oil

C

organic tomatoes and honeybee pollen

D

blended pumpkin seeds and weeds

6

What are two ways that the straw "cozy blanket" helped Leo's pumpkin?

A

It kept the leaves green and made the pumpkin turn white.

B

It blocked weeds and kept the soil cool and damp.

C

It attracted honeybees and helped the flowers grow faster.

D

It shielded Barnaby from the direct sunlight and heavy rain.

7

Which statement from the text shows that Grandma was supportive of Leo's goals?

A

"She has grown prize-winning tomatoes in her organic garden for forty years."

B

"Don't panic, little gardener! You don't need harsh chemicals."

C

"That afternoon, Grandma drove over with a blender, three heads of garlic, and a bottle of vegetable oil."

D

"Grandma explained that the straw would block the weeds, keep the soil damp, and prevent squash bugs..."

8

Use both parts of the selection to answer this question.
What is the central message of the story?

A

With teamwork, natural solutions, and hard work, you can succeed while protecting nature.

B

Grandparents are the only gardeners who know how to solve serious plant problems.

C

Chemical sprays are the fastest way to get rid of pests, even if they harm honeybees.

D

It is more important to win the first-place ribbon than to worry about organic methods.

GO TO THE NEXT PAGE

NC PRACTICE TEST 3.0 — GRADE 3 ELA

PART 1

Selection 2 (Part 1)

The Honey Partners

by James Vance

1 In the dry, grassy woodlands of Mozambique, Africa, a remarkable partnership exists. It is not between two people, or even between two pets. Instead, it is an ancient team-up between a wild bird called the Greater Honeyguide and human honey hunters of the Yao tribe. Together, they work to gather delicious wild honey from beehives hidden high in the trees.

2 The honeyguide bird has a superb ability to find beehives. However, the bird has a major problem: it loves to eat beeswax, but it cannot get inside a hive on its own. Wild bees build strong, thick mud and wood hives in tree hollows. If the little bird tries to crack open a hive, thousands of angry, stinging bees will attack it. The bird needs a bigger partner to do the heavy work.

3 That is where the Yao honey hunters come in. Humans are strong enough to open hives, and they can use smoke to calm the bees. But finding the hives in the vast forest is very difficult. Tree hollows are high up, and the forests stretch for miles. Without the bird, the hunters could search for days without finding a single drop of sweet honey.

4 To start the hunt, a Yao hunter walks into the forest and makes a special call that has been passed down for generations. The hunter yells, "Brrr-hm!", a low, rumbling throat sound.

5 This sound is like a dinner bell for the honeyguide bird. When the bird hears the "Brrr-hm" call, it flies toward the hunter. The bird begins to chatter loudly, making a frantic "churr-churr" noise, and flaps its wings. It flies from tree to tree, always stopping and waiting for the human partner to catch up. Step by step, the chattering bird guides the hunter directly to a hidden hive.

GO TO THE NEXT PAGE

NC PRACTICE TEST 3.0 — GRADE 3 ELA

QUESTIONS 9–12

9

What is the meaning of the word partnership as it is used in paragraph 1?

A

a loud, noisy forest conflict

B

a cooperative relationship working toward a common goal

C

a scientific study about native birds in Africa

D

a difficult pathway through dense tree branches

10

Which statement from the text shows why the honeyguide bird has to rely on humans?

A

"The honeyguide bird has a superb ability to find beehives."

B

"...it loves to eat beeswax, but it cannot get inside a hive on its own."

C

"When the bird hears the 'Brrr-hm' call, it flies toward the hunter."

D

"It flies from tree to tree, always stopping and waiting for the human partner..."

11

How does the author connect the information in paragraph 4 and paragraph 5?

A

By comparing the hunter's sound to the calls of other forest birds.

B

By showing how the hunter's signal causes the bird to respond and lead the hunt.

C

By explaining why honey hunters prefer to work alone during the dry season.

D

By showing the difference between honeyguides and other kinds of African birds.

12

According to the text, why do Yao honey hunters make the "Brrr-hm" sound?

A

to scare wild beasts away from the trees

B

to call the honeyguide bird to help them start the search

C

to tell other hunters that they have found honey

D

to keep the bees quiet before climbing the trunk

GO TO THE NEXT PAGE

NC PRACTICE TEST 3.0 — GRADE 3 ELA

PART 2

Selection 2 (Part 2)

The Honey Partners

by James Vance

6 Once the honeyguide bird stops chattering and sits quietly on a branch, the Yao honey hunter knows the hive is near. The hunter scans the bark and spots a small hole. Sure enough, bees are buzzing in and out.

7 Next, the hunter builds a smoky bundle of damp leaves and twigs. He climbs the tall trunk, holding the smoking bundle close to the hive entrance. The cool, white smoke works instantly, calming the bees so they do not sting. The hunter then uses an axe to carefully chop open the dry wood of the hollow. He reaches in and pulls out large, heavy combs dripping with golden wild honey.

8 After the honey is collected, the hunter places a massive chunk of beeswax directly on the forest floor. This is a vital rule of the forest: never cheat your partner. If the hunter leaves nothing behind, the birds will not help guide humans to hives in the future.

9 The chattering honeyguide sweeps down to the ground. It eagerly eats the wax, which is packed with nutrients. Most animals find beeswax completely impossible to digest³, but the honeyguide is unique. It has special, powerful bacteria in its stomach that can break down the tough wax and turn it into energy.

10 Scientists have studied this relationship and discovered that the birds are born knowing how to find hives, but they learn the "Brrr-hm" call from interacting with humans. This ancient partnership has been going on for thousands of years. It is a perfect circle of cooperation, showing that when humans and nature work together, everyone gets a sweet reward.

³digest: to break down food in the stomach so that the body can use it

GO TO THE NEXT PAGE

NC PRACTICE TEST 3.0 — GRADE 3 ELA

QUESTIONS 13–16

13

According to paragraph 7, what is the first step the hunter takes when reaching the hive?

A

He uses an axe to chop the tree down.

B

He uses cool smoke from damp leaves to calm the bees.

C

He leaves beeswax on the forest floor.

D

He makes a loud "Brrr-hm" throat sound.

14

What does the word digest mean as it is described in paragraph 9?

A

to throw away unwanted food

B

to store food inside a tree hollow

C

to break down food inside the stomach to use for energy

D

to share food with other wild forest birds

15

Why do Yao honey hunters always leave a large chunk of beeswax on the ground?

A

They do not like the taste of honeycomb wax.

B

To reward the honeyguide bird so it will help them again in the future.

C

To prevent the honey bees from chasing them out of the forest.

D

To make a slippery trail that leads out of the woods.

16

Use both parts of the text to answer this question.
What is the main idea of the selection?

A

Yao honey hunters are the only group of people in the world who know how to harvest wild honey.

B

Honeyguide birds use physical chattering and flight to lead other forest birds to sources of food.

C

A unique partnership exists between Yao hunters and the honeyguide bird, benefiting both by combining their strengths.

D

The forest of Mozambique is a dangerous, hot place to harvest honey because of wild bees.

END OF PRACTICE TEST

Grade 3 EOG Practice Test

Grade 3 EOG Practice Test Booklet

Grade 3 EOG Practice Test Key

Similar Lessons

Heart Word Headquarters

victoria.lesniak

Buzzing Wings

james.shaw

First Sticks

Bree Vonburg

Key to the Tree

Emily Godlew

Stranger Sentences

Erin Venuti

Sound Mapping Lab

Jamie Asack

Persuasion Power

cfassel

Storm Chasers

liagouret

Ink Investigators

katie_conklin

Block Builders Expert Level

ziad

Deep Ocean Questioning

liagouret

Block Builders Early Level

ziad

Block Builders

ziad

Plot Mountaineers

Abbie Boilard

Abyssal Chimneys

April Woody

Canopy Giants

April Woody

The Beaver Builders

April Woody

The Fossil Finder

April Woody

Benny's Buzz

April Woody