Desert Mystery Exit Ticket
Reading Exit Ticket
The Copper Creek Clue
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Reading Passage • Grade 3 Read carefully before answering the questions.
[1] Maya and her brother Leo hiked up the winding trail toward the abandoned Copper Creek Cabin. Dry saguaro cactus stood like silent guards along the steep canyon ridge. Maya shaded her eyes from the bright desert glare.
[2] The afternoon air was parched, making every breath feel hot and dry. Leo kicked a loose pebble that rolled into a tangle of scrub oak. A sudden metallic flash caught Maya's eye. Hidden beneath the dusty roots lay a tarnished brass compass engraved with tiny coyote footprints.
[3] "Look at the back!" Leo whispered. Etched into the worn metal was a short riddle: "When shadows stretch long like tired giants, seek the red rock with the hawk's beak." Maya checked the sky; the late afternoon sun was already sinking behind the canyon wall.
[4] They hurried toward a towering sandstone cliff. Just as the shadows stretched across the canyon floor, Maya spotted a sharp rock ledge shaped exactly like a bird's hooked beak. Tucked snugly inside a crack underneath was a weathered tin prospector's box containing a hand-drawn map to a forgotten desert spring.
Standard AZ.3.RL.1: Ask & Answer Questions (Text Evidence) Refer explicitly to the text
1 Part A: How does Maya first discover the antique brass compass?
A. She followed a detailed treasure map.
B. She noticed a metallic flash under scrub oak.
C. Leo dug it out from inside the cabin.
D. A coyote led them to the trail edge.
• Part B: Which sentence from paragraph 2 directly proves the answer to Part A?
A. "The afternoon air was parched, making every breath feel hot and dry."
B. "Hidden beneath the dusty roots lay a tarnished brass compass..."
C. "Leo kicked a loose pebble that rolled into a tangle of scrub oak."
D. "A sudden metallic flash caught Maya's eye."
2 Part A: What clue told Maya and Leo that it was the right time to search for the rock?
A. The sun began setting and casting long shadows.
B. A hawk flew directly over their heads.
C. The needle on the compass pointed north.
D. The desert air suddenly cooled down completely.
• Part B: Which detail from paragraph 3 explicitly supports your answer to Part A?
A. "Etched into the worn metal was a short riddle..."
B. "...the late afternoon sun was already sinking behind the canyon wall."
C. "'Look at the back!' Leo whispered."
D. "They hurried toward a towering sandstone cliff."
Arizona English Language Arts Standards • Grade 3 Turn page to continue → (Page 1 of 2)
The Copper Creek Clue • Comprehension & Vocabulary
AZ.3.RL.1 & AZ.3.RL.4 Assessment
3 Part A: What item did Maya and Leo find hidden inside the rock crack?
A. A bag filled with old gold coins.
B. A journal written by a desert guide.
C. A tin box with a map to a hidden spring.
D. A carved wooden statue of an eagle.
• Part B: Which phrase from paragraph 4 explicitly states what was found?
A. "...a sharp rock ledge shaped exactly like a bird's hooked beak."
B. "...weathered tin prospector's box containing a hand-drawn map..."
C. "They hurried toward a towering sandstone cliff."
D. "Tucked snugly inside a crack underneath..."
Standard AZ.3.RL.4: Words, Phrases & Literal/Nonliteral Language Context Clues & Figurative Meaning
4 Part A: What is the meaning of the word parched as used in paragraph 2?
A. Freezing and windy
B. Extremely dry and thirsty
C. Fresh and sweet
D. Crowded with plants
• Part B: Which context clue from paragraph 2 best supports the meaning of parched?
A. "...kicked a loose pebble..."
B. "...making every breath feel hot and dry."
C. "...tangle of scrub oak."
D. "A sudden metallic flash..."
5 Part A: In paragraph 1, what does the nonliteral phrase "stood like silent guards" mean?
A. The cactus were tall, still, and upright.
B. Soldiers were hiding along the trail.
C. The cactus made warning noises in the wind.
D. The plants were moving to block the path.
• Part B: Why did the author use this figurative comparison?
A. To explain how desert guards protect gold mines.
B. To help the reader picture how tall and still the cactus appeared.
C. To show that Maya and Leo were in danger of getting arrested.
D. To teach the reader how desert plants grow near rocks.
6 Part A: In paragraph 3, what does the riddle mean by "when shadows stretch long like tired giants"?
A. When giant monsters wake up in the cave.
B. Late in the day as the sun goes down.
C. Early in the morning before sunrise.
D. When a big thunderstorm blocks all light.
• Part B: Which clue in paragraph 3 helps explain this nonliteral phrase?
A. "...the late afternoon sun was already sinking..."
B. "'Look at the back!' Leo whispered."
C. "...tiny coyote footprints."
D. "...seek the red rock with the hawk's beak."
Self-Check: I checked my evidence in the text I answered both Part A and Part B
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