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Selection Comprehension
Choose the best answer for each question.
1. How can readers tell that “Two Bear Cubs” is a play?
It gives information and facts about a subject.
It tells a story and has words that sound alike.
It has scenes and tells where characters are on a stage.
It tells about real people and events that really happened.
2. What is the two bear cubs’ BIGGEST problem in the story?
They go where they are not supposed to go.
They will not stop playing in the water.
They scare away all the fish.
They eat too many berries.
3. Compared with Younger Brother, Older Brother is more
calm.
careful.
naughty.
obedient.
4. The two bear cubs get trapped because the rock they are on
floats away down the river.
gets carried off by a hawk.
becomes too hot and sunny.
grows much bigger and higher.
Weekly Lesson Test
Lesson 17
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Selection Comprehension“Two Bear Cubs”
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5. How are Fox, Badger, Mother Deer, Mountain Lion, and Hawk ALIKE?
All try to be helpful.
All are grinding acorns.
All carry loads of firewood.
All are building new homes.
6. What is the MAIN reason the animals laugh when Measuring Worm says he will try to save the cubs?
They think his name sounds silly.
They think he is too little to help.
They think his bright colors look funny.
They think the way he moves is strange.
7. Which action BEST shows that Measuring Worm is brave?
He cries “Tu-tok! Tu-tok! Tu-tok!”
He calls “Wake up” to the two cubs.
He keeps climbing even when he is afraid.
He stops to see how much higher he must go.
8. What MOST helps Measuring Worm save the cubs?
his strength
his courage
his speed
his size
Weekly Lesson Test
Lesson 17
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Selection Comprehension“Two Bear Cubs”
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READTHINKEXPLAIN Written Response (worth two points)
9. Explain how Older Brother and Younger Brother are DIFFERENT. Use information and details from “Two Bear Cubs” to help you explain.
Sample two-point response: Older Brother is greedy and
eats the berries he’s supposed to gather. He ignores
what his mother says and goes downriver when he isn’t
supposed to. Younger Brother wants to do what their
mother says, but he always ends up copying Older
Brother.
TOTAL SCORE: /8 + /2
Weekly Lesson Test
Lesson 17
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Selection Comprehension“Two Bear Cubs”
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Lesson Test
Lesson 17Phonics/Spelling: r-Controlled Vowel /ûr/er,ir, ur, or, ear
Read each model word. Then fill in the circle next to the word that has the same sound as the underlined part of the model word and completes each sentence.
1. answer The picnic we had today was .
fun
perfect
enjoyable
heard
2. hurtShe wore a ring.
shirt
gold
pearl
ruby
3. word Tamika realized that she had forgotten her .
purse
bag
torn
umbrella
4. girlThe helped customers choose their purchases.
waitress
bird
boss
clerk
TOTAL SCORE: /4
© Harcourt • Grade 3
177Phonics/Spelling: r-Controlled vowel/ûr/er, ir, ur, or, ear
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Lesson Test
Lesson 17Focus Skill: Compare and Contrast
Read the story. Then choose the best answer for each question.
Silas was a puppy the first time we took him to see the
fireworks on the Fourth of July. Lukas, our older dog, went with
us every year. We thought that Silas would enjoy the fireworks,
just as Lukas always did.
Boy, were we wrong! Silas hated the fireworks. Actually, he
was afraid of them. I think the loud noise and the bright lights
confused him. He barked at the sky and then sat on the blanket,
shaking. We felt terrible as we comforted him.
Years later, when Silas was older, we decided to try again. We
packed a picnic and headed into town to see the fireworks with
Lukas and Silas on their leashes. This time, Silas didn’t seem
to mind the fireworks. In fact, he sat next to Lukas happily and
wagged his tail through the show.
1. How was Lukas different from Silas at the beginning of the story?
He was afraid of loud noises.
He was a puppy.
He barked at the sky.
He enjoyed the fireworks.
2. How had Silas changed the second time he went to see the fireworks?
He was older.
He hated the fireworks.
He was younger.
He shook with fear.
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178Focus Skill: Compare and Contrast
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Lesson Test
Lesson 173. How did Silas’s feelings about the fireworks change?
He grew to dislike the fireworks.
His feelings did not change.
He grew to like the fireworks.
He became afraid of the fireworks.
4. What did Lukas and Silas have in common at the end of the story?
They were confused by the bright lights.
They enjoyed watching the fireworks.
They were both puppies.
They both barked at the sky.
TOTAL SCORE: /4
© Harcourt • Grade 3
179Focus Skill: Compare and Contrast
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Lesson Test
Lesson 17Prefixes and Suffixes
Read each question. Choose the best answer for each question.
1. Which word means smaller than anyone else?
small
smally
smallest
dissmall
2. Which word means the most loud?
loudest
disloud
loudly
louder
3. Which word means to not agree?
disagree
agreely
agreest
agreer
4. Which word means to do something in a quiet way?
quieter
quietly
quiestest
disquiet
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180Prefixes and Suffixes
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Lesson Test
Lesson 175. Which word means to not like?
likely
likest
liker
dislike
6. Which word means to do something in a happy way?
happily
happiest
dishappy
happier
7. Which word means the most soft?
softer
softest
softly
dissoft
8. Which word means more nice than someone?
nicest
nicer
nicely
disnice
TOTAL SCORE: /8
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181Prefixes and Suffixes
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Lesson Test
Lesson 17Robust Vocabulary
Choose the word that best completes each sentence.
1. I went to bed late last night, and now I feel .
heroic
commendable
drowsy
cunning
2. Jamal knew that the test would require all of his .
awe
concentration
burden
dilemma
3. Tim tried to his sister when she was upset.
outwit
scolding
console
disguise
4. Saving that kitten from the fire was a act.
drowsy
burden
cunning
heroic
5. The teacher was a student for being late to class.
scolding
consulting
glancing
devising
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182Robust Vocabulary
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Lesson Test
Lesson 17 6. I am in of your amazing baseball cardcollection.
concentration
dilemma
awe
burden
7. Rochelle kept at her watch because she was late.
scolding
glancing
devising
consulting
8. Simon faced a when trying to decide what to wear.
dilemma
drowsy
burden
concentration
9. It is to pick up trash around the school.
heroic
drowsy
cunning
commendable
10. Carrying the large pack was a for Carol during the hike.
concentration
burden
console
dilemma
TOTAL SCORE: /10
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183Robust Vocabulary
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Lesson Test
Lesson 17Grammar: Adjectives that Compare
Read each sentence. Choose the correct form of the adjective to complete each sentence.
1. My room is than my sister’s.
cleaner
cleanest
most clean
more cleaner
2. Sue is the person I have ever met.
interestinger
interestingest
more interesting
most interesting
3. Juan is than Fred.
considerater
consideratest
more considerate
most considerate
4. Jim is the runner on the track team.
faster
fastest
more fast
most fast
TOTAL SCORE: /4
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184Grammar: Adjectives that Compare
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Lesson Test
Lesson 17Oral Reading Fluency
It was Denzel’s first day working at the zoo, and
he was excited. Denzel’s first task would be to follow
different workers around the zoo to learn about their
jobs. The first person he would work with was Melissa,
who worked in the reptile house—one of Denzel’s most
favorite spots in the entire zoo.
Denzel and Melissa spent most of the morning
feeding the snakes. Denzel learned all the snakes’ names
and which foods they best liked to eat.
When they got to the cage of Ike, the boa constrictor,
Melissa looked worried. Neither she nor Denzel could see
the snake.
“Oh no! Is Ike gone?” Melissa said.
Denzel looked through the glass and agreed that the
snake did seem to be missing. “Where on earth could he
be?” Denzel wondered aloud. Ike was awfully large to
have just disappeared.
Just then, something caught Denzel’s eye—a flash of
brown under a log in the cage. “I think I’ve solved the
mystery,” Denzel said, pointing to the well-hidden snake.
He and Melissa both breathed a sigh of relief.
10
20
29
39
49
55
63
72
80
91
100
102
109
118
129
138
141
150
162
170
179
/WCPM
© Harcourt • Grade 3
185Oral Reading Fluency