OCESD Houghton Mifflin Selection Test
3rd Grade Theme 4 Week 1 Nights of the Pufflings
Theme 4 Week 1 Nights of the Pufflings
Name ____________________________________ Date ______________________________
3rd Grade Theme 4 Week 1 Nights of the Pufflings
Read this story. Then read each question. Circle the letter next to the best answer.
Behaving Like an Animal
Have you ever seen a squirrel or a rat? How about a nutria? Nutrias are
rodents, which puts them in the same category as squirrels, rats, and even
beavers. They are cute animals that have brown fur and long tails.
People brought nutrias to Europe and North America from South
America. They hoped to raise nutrias for their fur. Yet, this was not a smart
idea. Not enough money was made from nutrias’ fur, so the people gave up.
Nutrias, however, learned how to survive in their new homelands.
Unfortunately, nutrias have become real pests in many places. They cause
leaks in dams by digging holes. They destroy water plants. Nutrias can even
destroy crops of rice and sugar cane.
Because they are so cute, people think nutrias are harmless. Yet, these
animals are a very big problem. Many people don’t want them around
anymore.
Theme 4 Week 1 Nights of the Pufflings
1. Which of the following statements
gives an opinion?
4. How can you tell that this statement
tells a fact?
A Nutrias have brown fur.
These animals cause leaks in dams by
digging holes.
B Nutrias are cute.
C Nutrias are rodents.
D Nutrias came from South America.
A It is written by the author.
B You can ask people who take care of
dams if this is true.
2. Which of these states a fact?
C Everyone knows that when a dam has
a hole, it leaks.
A Nutrias are cute.
D It isn’t a fact.
B Raising nutrias for their fur is not a
smart idea.
C Nutrias are a problem.
D Nutrias can destroy crops of rice and
sugar cane.
5. Which of these statements shows
the author’s opinion about nutrias?
A Nutrias are rodents.
B Nutrias learned how to survive.
C Nutrias are a very big problem.
3. Which word tells you that this
statement gives an opinion?
People think nutrias look harmless.
A think
B people
C harmless
D look
Theme 4 Week 1 Nights of the Pufflings
D Nutrias can even destroy crops of
rice.
6. Read this sentence from the story.
8. Read this sentence from the story.
These “clowns of the sea” return
to the same burrows year after
year.
Who are they referring to when they say,
“clowns of the sea”?
A
Heimaey Island, Iceland
B
Halla
C
puffins
D
chicks
7. Read this sentence.
The last swing is the highest,
launching the bird up in the air
and out over the water beyond
the surf.
In this sentence, you can tell that
launching means
A
flying
B
run around
C
sending up in the air
D
to eat lunch
Theme 4 Week 1 Nights of the Pufflings
The older birds usually fly farther
out to sea where the fishing is
better.
Which word from this sentence can be
spelled differently and have a different
meaning?
A
older
B
better
C
birds
D
sea
9. How should the word bobbing be
divided into syllables?
A
bobb-i-ng
B
bob-bi-ng
C
bobb-ing
D
bob-bing
10. What two words do NOT have the
same vowel sound?
A
pear, air
B
13. Which of the following words means
“in a usual way”?
A
usuallies
scare, hear
B
usuallest
C
where, share
C
usualler
D
chair, care
D
usually
14. Read this sentence.
11. What is the correct way you would
write the title of this story?
A
Nights Of The Pufflings
B
Nights of the Pufflings
C
“Nights of the Pufflings”
D
Nights of the Pufflings
12. Which sentence is written with the
verb form “to be”?
A
Dangers await.
B
The pufflings are ready to fly.
C
The baby puffins never come out.
D
They see puffin pairs tap-tap-tap
their beaks together.
Theme 4 Week 1 Nights of the Pufflings
Halla and her friends race to the
rescue.
Which sentence is broken up correctly into
subject and predicate?
A
Halla / and her friends race to the
rescue.
B
Halla and her friends / race to the
rescue.
C
Halla and her friends race / to the
rescue.
D
Halla and her / friends race to the
rescue.
15. Which statement is a FACT, not an
opinion?
18. Which sentence is an OPINION, not a
fact?
A
Puffins nest in burrows.
B
Puffins return to the same burrow
every year.
A
Puffins are beautiful birds.
B
I don’t think puffins look like clowns.
C
Puffins look silly when they swim.
C
D
Puffins come in April to lay and hatch
their eggs.
I think it is important to save the
pufflings.
D
Adult puffins must feed the baby
puffins.
16. Which word is a compound word?
A
nearby
19. Read this passage.
B
coming
C
island
D
puffin
The baby puffins never come out.
They stay safely hidden in the long
dark tunnels of their burrows. But
Halla and her friends hear them
calling out for food.
17. Read this sentence.
It will be a race to see who finds
the stray pufflings first.
What word is an ANTONYM for the word
finds:
A
dizzy
B
hungry
C
safe
D
loses
Theme 4 Week 1 Nights of the Pufflings
What is the main idea of this selection?
A
The baby puffins are cute.
B
The baby puffins aren’t ready to fly.
C
The baby puffins are kept safe from
danger.
D
The baby puffins are nocturnal
animals.
20. How should the word uninhabited be
divided into syllables?
A
un-inh-abite-d
B
un-in-habited
C
unin-habit-ed
D
un-in-hab-it-ed
Theme 4 Week 1 Nights of the Pufflings
Answer Key
Question
Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Correct
Answer
B
D
A
B
C
C
C
D
D
B
D
B
D
B
D
A
D
C
C
D
Theme 4 Week 1 Nights of the Pufflings
Standard
R 2.6
R 2.6
R 2.6
R 2.6
R 2.6
R 1.6
R 1.6
LC 1.8
R 1.2
R 1.1
LC 1.5
LC 1.3
R 1.8
LC 1.4
R 2.6
LC 1.8
R 1.4
R 2.6
R 2.5
R 1.2